Manage Windows Server instances and workloads in a hybrid environment

This module covers how to remotely administer and manage Windows Server IaaS VMs in Azure. You learn how to select the appropriate remote administration tool from the Azure portal, Windows Admin Center, Azure PowerShell, Azure CLI, and Azure Cloud Shell, connect to Azure VMs securely using Azure Bastion without exposing public IP addresses, and configure Just-In-Time (JIT) VM access through Microsoft Defender for Cloud to lock down inbound management ports and reduce attack surface.

This module covers the tools available for administering Windows Server in on-premises and remote scenarios. You learn how to install and use Windows Admin Center for web-based server management, use Server Manager for role and feature management, install and configure Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) on Windows client operating systems, and use Windows PowerShell remoting with WinRM to run commands and scripts against remote servers.

This module covers how to configure and use Just Enough Administration (JEA) to restrict administrative access in Windows Server. You learn how JEA uses PowerShell remoting with virtual accounts to limit users to specific cmdlets, parameters, and values, define role capabilities and session configuration files to control what actions are available in a JEA session, and create and connect to JEA endpoints for constrained administrative tasks such as restarting services or deploying containers.

This module covers how to apply secure administration practices in Windows Server environments. You learn how to implement the principle of least privilege by identifying and restricting membership in built-in privileged groups such as Enterprise Admins and Domain Admins, delegate administrative control using the Delegation of Control Wizard and Restricted Groups, deploy Privileged Access Workstations (PAWs) with Windows Defender Application Control, Credential Guard, and Device Guard, and configure jump servers for controlled remote access to sensitive infrastructure.

This module covers some useful advanced techniques that help overcome the limitations of basic Windows PowerShell remoting.

This module explains how to use remoting to perform administration on remote computers.

This module covers how to manage hybrid workloads using Azure Arc. You learn how to describe Azure Arc capabilities for managing Windows Server, Linux, Kubernetes clusters, and SQL Server across hybrid and multicloud environments, onboard on-premises server instances to Azure Arc using the Azure Connected Machine agent, connect hybrid machines to Azure from the Azure portal using interactive scripts or at-scale service principal deployments, manage extensions and monitor Arc-enabled servers through Azure Resource Manager, and restrict access to Arc-enabled resources using role-based access control (RBAC).

Manage operating system updates for Azure virtual machines and Azure Arc-enabled servers by using Azure Update Manager.

Learn how to deploy Desired State Configuration (DSC) extensions, implement those extensions to remediate noncompliant servers, and use custom script extension.

Audit and enforce OS security configuration on Azure virtual machines and Arc-enabled servers using Azure Machine Configuration. Apply built-in Windows and Linux security baseline policies, configure audit and enforce modes, and author custom machine configurations for organization-specific security requirements.

Learn how to implement Azure Automation with DevOps using runbooks, webhooks, and PowerShell workflows. Understand how to create automation accounts, manage shared resources, integrate with source control systems, and plan for hybrid cloud management across Azure and on-premises environments.