Manage Servers with Windows Admin Center
Applies to: Windows Admin Center, Windows Admin Center Preview
Tip
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Managing Windows Server machines
You can add individual servers running Windows Server 2012 or later to Windows Admin Center to manage the server with a comprehensive set of tools including Certificates, Devices, Events, Processes, Roles and Features, Updates, Virtual Machines and more.
Adding a server to Windows Admin Center
To add a server to Windows Admin Center:
- Click + Add under All Connections.
- Choose to add Servers.
- Type the name of the server and, if prompted, the credentials to use.
- Click Add to finish.
The server will be added to your connection list on the Overview page. Click it to connect to the server.
Note
You can also add failover clusters or hyper-converged clusters as a separate connection in Windows Admin Center.
Tools
The following tools are available for server connections:
Tool | Description |
---|---|
Overview | View server details and control server state |
Active Directory | Manage Active Directory |
Backup | View and configure Azure Backup |
Certificates | View and modify certificates |
Containers | View Containers |
Devices | View and modify devices |
DHCP | View and manage DHCP server configuration |
DNS | View and manage DNS server configuration |
Events | View events |
Files and file sharing | Browse files and folders |
Firewall | View and modify firewall rules |
Installed Apps | View and remove installed apps |
Local Users and Groups | View and modify local users and groups |
Network | View and modify network devices |
Packet monitoring | Monitor network packets |
Performance monitor | View performance counters and reports |
PowerShell | Interact with server via PowerShell |
Processes | View and modify running processes |
Registry | View and modify registry entries |
Remote Desktop | Interact with server via Remote Desktop |
Roles and Features | View and modify roles and features |
Scheduled Tasks | View and modify scheduled tasks |
Services | View and modify services |
Settings | View and modify services |
Storage | View and modify storage devices |
Storage Migration Service | Migrate servers and file shares to Azure or Windows Server 2019 |
Storage Replica | Use Storage Replica to manage server-to-server storage replication |
System Insights | System Insights gives you increased insight into the functioning of your server. |
Updates | View installed and check for new updates |
Virtual Machines | View and manage virtual machines |
Virtual Switches | View and manage virtual switches |
Overview
Overview allows you to see the current state of CPU, memory, and network performance, as well as perform operations and modify settings on a target computer or server.
Overview features
The following features are supported in Server Manager Overview:
- View server details
- View CPU activity
- View memory activity
- View network activity
- Restart server
- Shutdown server
- Enable disk metrics on server
- Edit Computer ID on server
- View BMC IP address with hyperlink (requires IPMI-compatible BMC).
Active Directory (Preview)
Active Directory is an early preview that is available on the extension feed.
Active Directory features
The following Active Directory management are available:
- Create user
- Create group
- Search for users, computers, and groups
- Details pane for users, computers, and groups when selected in grid
- Global Grid actions users, computers, and groups (disable/enable, remove)
- Reset user password
- User objects: configure basic properties & group memberships
- Computer objects: configure delegation to a single machine
- Group objects: manage membership (add/remove 1 user at a time)
Backup
Backup allows you to protect your Windows server from corruptions, attacks or disasters by backing up your server directly to Microsoft Azure. Learn more about Azure Backup.
Provide feedback for backup in Windows Admin Center
Backup features
The following features are supported in Backup:
- View an overview of your Azure backup status
- Configure backup items and schedule
- Start or stop a backup job
- View backup job history and status
- View recovery points and recover data
- Delete backup data
Certificates
Certificates allows you to manage certificate stores on a computer or server.
Certificates features
The following features are supported in Certificates:
- Browse and search existing certificates
- View certificate details
- Export certificates
- Renew certificates
- Request new certificates
- Delete certificates
Containers
Containers allows you to view the containers on a Windows Server container host. In the case of a running Windows Server Core container, you can view the event logs and access the CLI of the container.
Devices
Devices allows you to manage connected devices on a computer or server.
Devices features
The following features are supported in Devices:
- Browse and search devices
- View device details
- Disable a device
- Update driver on a device
DHCP
DHCP allows you to manage connected devices on a computer or server.
DHCP features
- Create/configure/view IPV4 and IPV6 scopes
- Create address exclusions and configure start and end IP address
- Create address reservations and configure client MAC address (IPV4), DUID and IAID (IPV6)
DNS
DNS allows you to manage connected devices on a computer or server.
DNS features
- View details of DNS Forward Lookup zones, Reverse Lookup zones and DNS records
- Create forward Lookup zones (primary, secondary, or stub), and configure forward lookup zone properties
- Create Host (A or AAAA), CNAME or MX type of DNS records
- Configure DNS records properties
- Create IPV4 and IPV6 Reverse Lookup zones (primary, secondary and stub), configure reverse lookup zone properties
- Create PTR, CNAME type of DNS records under reverse lookup zone.
Events
Events allows you to manage event logs on a computer or server.
Events features
The following features are supported in Events:
- Browse and search events
- View event details
- Clear events from the log
- Export events from the log
- Create workspaces (preview)
- Save workspaces (preview)
- Delete workspaces (preview)
- View events in a stacked bar format (preview)
Files and file sharing
Files and file sharing allows you to manage files and folders on a computer or server.
Files and file sharing features
The following features are supported in Files and file sharing:
- Browse files and folders
- Search for a file or folder
- Create a new folder
- Delete a file or folder
- Download a file or folder
- Upload a file or folder
- Rename a file or folder
- Extract a zip file
- Copy and move files and folders
- View file or folder properties
- Add, edit, or remove file shares
- Modify user and group permissions on file shares
- Modify file server security
Firewall
Firewall allows you to manage firewall settings and rules on a computer or server.
Firewall features
The following features are supported in Firewall:
- View an overview of firewall settings
- View incoming firewall rules
- View outgoing firewall rules
- Search firewall rules
- View firewall rule details
- Create a new firewall rule
- Enable or disable a firewall rule
- Delete a firewall rule
- Edit the properties of a firewall rule
Installed Apps
Installed Apps allows you to list and uninstall application that are installed.
Local Users and Groups
Local Users and Groups allows you to manage security groups and users that exist locally on a computer or server.
Local Users and Groups features
The following features are supported in Local Users and Groups:
- View and search users and groups
- Create a new user or group
- Manage a user's group membership
- Delete a user or group
- Change a user's password
- Edit the properties of a user or group
Network
Network allows you to manage network devices and settings on a computer or server.
Network features
The following features are supported in Network:
- Browse and search existing network adapters
- View details of a network adapter
- Edit properties of a network adapter
- Create an Azure Network Adapter (Preview feature)
PowerShell
PowerShell allows you to interact with a computer or server via a PowerShell session.
PowerShell features
The following features are supported in PowerShell:
- Create an interactive PowerShell session on the server
- Disconnect from PowerShell session on the server
Processes
Processes allows you to manage running processes on a computer or server.
Processes features
The following features are supported in Processes:
- Browse and search for running processes
- View process details
- Start a process
- End a process
- Create a process dump
- Find process handles
Registry
Registry allows you to manage registry keys and values on a computer or server.
Registry features
The following features are supported in Registry:
- Browse registry keys and values
- Add or modify registry values
- Delete registry values
Remote Desktop
Remote Desktop allows you to interact with a computer or server via an interactive desktop session.
Remote Desktop features
The following features are supported in Remote Desktop:
- Start an interactive remote desktop session
- Disconnect from a remote desktop session
- Send Ctrl+Alt+Del to a remote desktop session
Roles and Features
Roles and Features allows you to manage roles and features on a server.
Roles and Features features
The following features are supported in Roles and Features:
- Browse list of roles and features on a server
- View role or feature details
- Install a role or feature
- Remove a role or feature
Scheduled Tasks
Scheduled Tasks allows you to manage scheduled tasks on a computer or server.
Scheduled Tasks features
The following features are supported in Scheduled Tasks:
- Browse the task scheduler library
- Edit scheduled tasks
- Enable & Disable scheduled tasks
- Start & Stop scheduled tasks
- Create scheduled tasks
Services
Services allows you to manage services on a computer or server.
Services features
The following features are supported in Services:
- Browse and search services on a server
- View details of a service
- Start a service
- Pause a service
- Restart a service
- Edit the properties of a service
Settings
Settings is a central location to manage settings on a computer or server.
Settings features
- View and modify user and system environment variables
- View the configuration for monitoring alerts from Azure Monitor
- View and modify the power configuration
- View and modify Remote Desktop settings
- View and modify role-based access control settings
- View and modify Hyper-V host settings, if applicable
Storage
Storage allows you to manage storage devices on a computer or server.
Storage features
The following features are supported in Storage:
- Browse and search existing disks on a server
- View disk details
- Create a volume
- Initialize a disk
- Create, attach, and detach a virtual hard disk (VHD)
- Take a disk offline
- Format a volume
- Resize a volume
- Edit volume properties
- Delete a volume
- Install Quota Management
- Manage File Server Resource Manager Quotas Storage->Create/Update Quota
Storage Migration Service
Storage Migration Service allows you to migrate servers and file shares to Azure or Windows Server 2019—without requiring apps or users to change anything. Get an overview of Storage Migration Service
Note
Storage Migration Service requires Windows Server 2019.
Storage Replica
Use Storage Replica to manage server-to-server storage replication. Learn more about Storage Replica
System Insights
System Insights introduces predictive analytics natively in Windows Server to help give you increased insight into the functioning of your server. Get an overview of System Insights
Note
System Insights requires Windows Server 2019.
Updates
Updates allows you to manage Microsoft and/or Windows Updates on a computer or server.
Updates features
The following features are supported in Updates:
- View available Windows or Microsoft Updates
- View a list of update history
- Install Updates
- Check online for updates from Microsoft Update
- Manage Azure Update Management integration
Virtual Machines
See Managing Virtual Machines with Windows Admin Center
Virtual Switches
Virtual Switches allows you to manage Hyper-V virtual switches on a computer or server.
Features
The following features are supported in Virtual Switches:
- Browse and search Virtual Switches on a server
- Create a new Virtual Switch
- Rename a Virtual Switch
- Delete an existing Virtual Switch
- Edit the properties of a Virtual Switch
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