In this blog post, you’ll learn the steps to confirm or validate a successful enrollment for Extended Security Updates (ESU) using Azure Arc. Support for Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 ended on October 10, 2023. However, you can still secure these types of machines by enabling them as Azure Arc-enabled servers, allowing enrollment in ESU. Setting up ESUs* and linking them via Azure Arc to your W2K12 or W2K12 R2 machines is a straightforward process. First, you onboard your machine(s) into Azure Arc. Then, you create an ESU license, choosing the correct SKU, core type, and tota ..read more

This blog post will demonstrate how to use an Azure PowerShell script to create an Azure Automation Account within a specific subscription.  As many of you are likely aware, Azure Automation offers cloud-based automation services designed for seamless management across resources in Azure, on-premises environments, and with other cloud providers like Amazon Web Services (AWS). Its suite of features includes process automation, configuration management, source control integration, update management, hybrid automation, shared capabilities, and support for heterogeneous environments. To util ..read more

This blog post will show you how to find all active “Azure classic subscription administrators” across any of your Azure Subscriptions using either the Azure Portal or an Azure PowerShell script. For those who may not be aware, Microsoft is set to retire the Cloud Services (classic) deployment model along with all classic administrators on 31 August 2024*. *You can find all the details about this announcement made by Microsoft here. Currently, there aren’t many companies still using the classic deployment model. However, if you happen to be one of them, you are also still using the classic s ..read more

In this blog post, I will delve into various methods of utilizing Azure Policy to ensure consistent governance across your hybrid and multi-cloud resources via Azure Arc. As you look outside, you’ll notice that spring has arrived once more! Continuing their tradition, Joe Carlyle and Thomas Thornton are leading Azure Spring Clean, a community-driven initiative promoting well-managed Azure tenants. You can check out all the other blog posts or videos that can guide you with best practices, lessons learned, or help you with some of the more difficult Azure Management topics at https://www.azure ..read more

This blog post will guide you through the process of combining two USB 3.0 Gigabit Ethernet adapters and utilizing them as an external virtual switch in Hyper-V. In a recent blog post, I discussed the installation and configuration process of Windows Server 2022 Hyper-V on an Intel NUC. In that post, I detailed a method for utilizing a USB 3.0 to Gigabit Ethernet Adapter to expand networking capabilities. By using such an adapter, you can create an external virtual switch (vSwitch), which allows you to create a dedicated VM-LAN next to your HOST-LAN. This can be useful in scenarios where your ..read more

In this blog post, you’ll learn how install and configure Windows Server 2022 Hyper-V on an Intel NUC. Over the last few years, I’ve been using Intel NUCs, such as the Intel NUC11 11TNHv7 and the Intel NUC Skull Canyon, for my home labs to experiment with new Windows Server and Microsoft Hybrid cloud features, including various Azure Arc-related scenarios. As a public speaker, in some of my presentations, I talk about Azure Arc. Whenever I deliver such a session as a live demo, I mostly manage my home lab infrastructure, including my Windows or Linux VMs, all from the very location where I ..read more

The Festive Tech Calendar is a community initiative created by Gregor Suttie (Azure Greg), Richard Hooper (Pixel Robots), Keith Atherton, Simon Lee, Lisa Hoving, and Matt Boyd that brings together a diverse range of content throughout December. This includes video contributions, blog posts, live streams, and hands-on labs shared by community members worldwide. The focus is on the exchange of knowledge, fostering learning, and enhancing skillsets throughout the festive month of December 2023. This is truly by the communities, for the communities. Explore all the videos, blog posts, and other ..read more

This blog post guides you through resolving the “You do not have access to List secrets for this resource” error while connecting to an Azure VM via Azure Bastion and using a Secret (password or SSH Private Key) stored in a Key Vault that has a private endpoint. Azure Private Link Service allows you to connect to Azure Services (for example, Azure Key Vault and Azure Storage) as well as Azure-hosted customer and partner services through a Private Endpoint within your virtual network (VNet). On the other hand, Azure Key Vault is a cloud service that offers secure storage and access to secret ..read more

In this blog post, you’ll learn how to use an Azure PowerShell script to enable all Azure Bastion Standard SKU features with Azure PowerShell and with the REST API. Nowadays, Azure Bastion, a Platform as a Service (PaaS) offering that ensures a secure connection to your Azure virtual machines (VMs) through RDP or SSH directly from the Azure portal over SSL, is available in Basic, Standard, and Developer SKUs (Tiers). When using the Azure Bastion Standard SKU, you can choose to leverage the complete set of features Azure Bastion offers, including native client support, IP-based connection, and ..read more

This blog post will walk you through configuring and utilizing the Azure Bastion Developer SKU (Preview). On October 30, 2023, Microsoft announced the public preview of the Azure Bastion Developer SKU. As many know, Azure Bastion, previously available only with Basic and Standard SKUs, is an Azure PaaS service deployed within a virtual network (VNet), typically the HUB VNet. It offers a secure way to connect to your Azure virtual machines (VMs) through RDP or SSH directly from the Azure portal over SSL, eliminating the need for VMs to have a Public IP address (PIP), agent, or specialized clie ..read more