Windows Admin Center: Tutorial and First Impressions

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For more information, check out my blog post on Windows Admin Center: Strengths, Weaknesses, Enterprise Readiness and Everything Else You Need to Know or go to the Windows Admin Center site for details on how to get started.

Until next time, Rob

Windows Admin Center: Strengths, Weaknesses, Enterprise Readiness and Everything Else You Need to Know

Windows Admin Center, formerly known as Project Honolulu, provides IT administrators with a unified management interface for Windows Server Management tools that were once only accessible through disparate management tools. To date, Windows Admin Center has over 250,000 unique connection instances across 25,000 customer deployments and over 50,000 downloads.

We’ve been kicking the tires of Windows Admin Center (WAC) for almost a year when we first got wind of the preview at Microsoft Ignite. Since then, we’ve monitored its progress, evaluated its strengths and weaknesses and taken a look at how it might sit in an enterprise environment. I also considered what organizations would need to complement its functionality. Continue reading

Disaster Recovery and Microsoft Azure, an Overview

For business-savvy enterprises, there’s more to using the Microsoft Azure cloud than just adding applications, data, and users.

Small and medium-sized businesses running Azure also must make detailed contingency plans to stay connected to their applications and data if a disaster occurs. Companies should take the time to plan and configure disaster recovery services so they don’t miss a beat if and when problems arise. Continue reading

Tips to Building a Successful API – Part 3

If you haven’t read part 1 and part 2 this API series, check the a links on the right 🙂

A successful API is more than a feature; when you view your API as a product, it can be an enabler of your business strategy. Part of the magic of APIs is that creative developers find uses that the API designers never envisioned. If APIs are well designed and easy to use, this can be an enormous benefit and opportunity, turning your service into a platform that can grow in many ways. Continue reading

“Breaking Bad” on APIs – Lessons Learned – Part 2

If you haven’t read Part 1 of this series, click here.

APIs

Organizations often decide to build an API without fully considering key success factors or without first engaging their stakeholders. I saw this first hand at a previous employer and it is very painful, not just for the company, but for the consumers of the API, which can have long-lasting repercussions. Continue reading

What Is Microsoft Azure – A Complete Guide

In a 2017 survey, Microsoft Azure was identified as the most-used public cloud, and the one most likely to be purchased or renewed, according to 28% of survey respondents—the highest percentage for any public cloud provider. With results like this, it’s no wonder the number of businesses interested in Azure continues to climb. Continue reading

New Podcast – MVPITPro by Andy Syewicze & Rob Corradini

This is the start of an awesome podcast series called MVPITPro.  I am excited to be working with MVP Andy Syewicze from Altaro Software to produce this series of podcasts for all the IT Pros out there. Episode one is with my fellow MVP and friend Symon Perriman of FanWide, and 5nine Software before that. 🙂 So sit back and enjoy the ride!!!  And maybe you learn a little bit about being an MVP!!

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MVPITPro

Enjoy, until next time, Rob Corradini, MVP, Cloud & Datacenter

Azure’s New Virtual Machine Serial Console Brings Needed Features for VM Users

Sometimes Microsoft Azure virtual machine admins need alternative access points to help configure and diagnose problems that the standard Azure tools can’t deliver. 

That’s where the public preview for Microsoft’s new Azure Serial Console for Virtual Machines can help by providing direct access through a COM1 serial port to address code or system problems that have become unresponsive. Continue reading