Microsoft lately released to public a new tool known as Project Honolulu. This is now known as Windows Admin Center that is run locally on your Windows 10, Windows Server 2012 R2, [easyazon_link identifier=”0134583752″ locale=”US” tag=”wn0d5-20″] Windows server 2016 [/easyazon_link] machine.
Windows Admin Center is a new, locally-deployed, browser-based management tool set that lets you manage your Windows Servers with no Azure or cloud dependency. Windows Admin Center gives you full control over all aspects of your server infrastructure and is particularly useful for managing servers on private networks that are not connected to the Internet.
Windows Admin Center runs in a web browser and manages [easyazon_link identifier=”1509302484″ locale=”US” tag=”wn0d5-20″]Windows Server 2016 [/easyazon_link], [easyazon_link identifier=”1118289420″ locale=”US” tag=”wn0d5-20″] Windows Server 2012 R2 [/easyazon_link], Windows Server 2012, Windows 10, and more through the Windows Admin Center gateway installed on [easyazon_link identifier=”0134583752″ locale=”US” tag=”wn0d5-20″] Windows Server 2016 [/easyazon_link] or Windows 10. The gateway manages servers by using Remote PowerShell and WMI over WinRM.
- It is easy to install
- Complements existing solutions
- Manage from anywhere
- Enhanced security for management
- Azure integration
- Hyper-V cluster management
Resources:
- Prepare your environment for Windows Admin Center
- What is Windows Admin Center
- Announcement of Windows Admin Center
- Windows Admin Center
- More documentation for Windows Admin Center
Windows Admin Center has no additional cost. As a separate download, Windows Admin Center can be used with valid licenses of Windows Server or Windows 10, since it’s licensed under the Windows Supplemental EULA. Download it now!
In order to connect to Windows 10 machines or Windows Server 2012 R2, you will need first install WFM version 5.1 or higher and reboot the hosts. WFM – Windows Management Framework 5.1 can be downloaded from here WFM.
Once installed and accessed, you can easily import in bulk all your hosts into dashboard.
Export your computers from AD to a text file and import via dashboard into Windows Admin center:
Get-ADComputer -Filter 'ObjectClass -eq "Computer"' | Select -Expand DNSHostName | Export-CSV ADcomputerslist.txt -NoTypeInformation -Encoding UTF8
In case you want to have a file with all computers in CSV with more info, you can use this script:
Get-ADComputer -Filter * -Property * | Select-Object Name,OperatingSystem,OperatingSystemVersion,ipv4Address | Export-CSV ADcomputerslist.csv -NoTypeInformation -Encoding UTF8
Once you have all hosts in Windows Admin Center and all hosts have WFM 5.1 – you can manage all of them easily from one console.