Archive for the ‘Azure’ Tag
This Morning I thought why not build a rocking Fast SQL Cluster in Azure. But the Next next Cluster operation is way to easy I decided to build this with the G series and with the Windows technical preview with the latest options. A G5 Server has 32 Cores and 448GB memory and only 6TB disk space. In this demo setup I used 3 G5 Servers and a little disk space
So I created a fresh new network for this.
and later I can create a hybrid S2S VPN to my other Clusters. See My other Blog post about VPN
https://robertsmit.wordpress.com/2014/12/15/how-to-setup-azure-vpn-for-site-to-site-cross-premises-or-create-a-virtual-network-for-point-to-site-vpn-azure-winserv/
I Create a DC that is holding my Service Accounts and I use Azure For the Cloud Witness
Check my blog on how to configure Cloud Witness
https://robertsmit.wordpress.com/2014/10/28/configuring-advanced-quorum-configuration-as-a-cloud-witness-windows-azure-files-cloud-azure-winserv-witness/
Doing a quick performance test on the G5 Machine. D and C drive
The same on a A1 machine D and C drive
The G5 CPU
As we Create the Cluster and I added some disk to the Cluster we have the following Configuration
With SQL 2014 I can use a CSV for the Database files So I created a CSV from 300GB this is more than enough to hold this test install and hold my two G5 Series SQL Server 2014 Ent. instances
To save Time and Costs I use the SQL ini file that I used in the first SQL Instance for the Second instance, This will not bring the fully automatic install as I don’t use the Service accounts But a Quick Next Next Finish will do the trick.
Using the CSV as Storage
On the Second instance I do a Install From ini file based setup. If you need more info on how to do this read my previous blog posts
Installing the SQL server is just as described in my blog post below
AlwaysOn Failover Cluster Instances SQL Server 2014
https://robertsmit.wordpress.com/2014/05/15/alwayson-failover-cluster-instances-sql-server-2014-in-part2-azure-winserv-sql-msteched/
Windows 2012R2 Failover Cluster With SQL Server 2014 AlwaysOn Options
https://robertsmit.wordpress.com/2014/05/14/windows-2012r2-failover-cluster-with-sql-server-2014-alwayson-options-part1-cloud-azure-winserv-sql-msteched/
If you want to see the installation Steps I created a movie with about the same steps. the whole Process creating and install SQL in just 15 Minutes. not fully untended just for showing you what is possible.
https://robertsmit.wordpress.com/2013/09/30/windows-server-2012-r2-with-sql-server-2014-cluster-installation-in-less-than-15-minutes-winserv-rocks-movie/
Now that We have 2 SQL servers Running One instance on both nodes
The First node is holding my CSV volume ( more about this on another blog )
for demo I can’t fully load the SQL and this is only for showing that you can build a SQL Server 2014 Cluster Based on a CSV in Windows Azure.
And you can resize the G5 VM’s to a smaller size if needed.
But keep in mind the D drive is a temporary drive and will not hold data if the server is turned off !!
With the vNext there a re a lot off new options possible. For now I burned my Azure Credits See you next time.
Happy clustering
Robert Smit
@ClusterMVP
https://robertsmit.wordpress.com
Technorati Tags: Windows Azure,Azure File service,Windows,Server,Clustermvp,Blob,cloud witness
In this blog post I’ll show you how to create a Hybrid RemoteApp Configuration. It is still a Preview and Improvements could be made.
If you want to run your own applications in Azure like on Citrix or with RDS till now it was not a build in services Microsoft provided.
But with RemoteApp you can easy deploy a default set as below or Create a Hybrid Environment. And there are lots of new options in a Hybrid RDS Azure Site #HRDAAS Hybrid Remote Desktop As a Service
The Quick Create is no fun just hit Create 
Now Creating a Hybrid Environment. You will need a syspreped Template with no unattend.xml in it. There For I created a fresh new template clean install with Remote Desktop Session Host installed and most important you need to set a registry key if you don’t do this all will fail!
This is not in the Microsoft Guide !
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem]
"NtfsDisableEncryption"=dword:00000001
After everything is Set on the Golden Image we can do a Sysprep. And keep in mind Azure support only VHD files so do not use VHDX files.
C:\Windows\System32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /shutdown
now that my golden Image is ready We can upload this image to azure. ( I used a 50 Gb VHD file ) So If you don’t have a fast Internet connection You need to wait 
a while.
So the next step is Create a RemoteApp With VPN. Pick a name and select create.
A place holder is Created and We will upload the Golden Image To Azure. ( this could take a while so we do this now )
Select the 
and pick 
Upload
A popup will Come and a PowerShell script is there for download
Save this on place. Grab also the Command To run
Upload-AzureRemoteAppTemplateImage.ps1 -SAS "?sr=b&si=623fcaf1-63f6-406d-a749-48c2c3f0036b&sig=n%2FHLp5d1wfEgdi68hA%2FaVWOwyhDl35S1eKQ9dKxZdQg%3D" -URI https://cdvwe114758920rdcm.blob.core.windows.net/goldimages/623fcaf1-63f6-406d-a749-48c2c3f0036b.vhd
Running this Script a Browser will open and you can select your Golden Image. And the Upload will start first some checking
I was happy with my Fiber internet connection.
Writing a blog and uploading
when the upload in done you will see a check and a ready state on the Image.
Next Step is creating a network Is this also my improvement point Whay not using my Site to Site VPN that already is connected to my environment.
Therefor we create a new network that will host the Machines.
Create New network and pick a name.
Fill in the IP networks and use the Internet address of your Router ( Same as S2S VPN )
When the Network is created we can download the S2S Script and run this on your Gateway server. I use a Windows 2012R2 RRAS server but there are other options. 
After running the script the Gateway has an extra dail-in option On this gateway I have already a few connections but this is all configurable to your needs.
Now that the network is ready We can start building. When opening the MYMVPAPP with VPN created in the beginning you will see the Status with check marks
Now I have to create a OU and a service account in my domain on-premise
Next step is linking the Golden Image To the App. You can do all this is now with a upload but as we already did the we need only a connection this is a faster and fail save method.
So check the Link an existing Image
You will see your 50Gb uploaded golden Image. This is only available if the Image is correctly uploaded !
We are almost ready, while the provisioning can take up to 30 minutes. Second Improvement point. Show Some Status step 1 from 10 maybe. Now we have to wait.
Please Note** during several test I change the name but the steps are the same
the next step is assign a user to the image , this must be a default Azure directory User.
I created a demouser ( I deleted this user after this blog )
We assign this user to the Remote App
Next we assign Applications of the Image I created earlier. I did not install special apps in this image so it looks a bit basic.
I published all the apps that Azure Scanned for me in my own image. but suppose you have installed office and other apps it will be there in the image.
Next step is login to the RDP session 
The fun part is I configured MFA ( multi factor Authentication ) Really nice option
When Logged on We see all the Apps I made a Text change in de Word app
However I logged on the session is still inactive
This is still a Preview what I really like is using your own apps in your own domain there are still some issues with the creation of the RemoteApp but if you have configured all this and it is working you can even use this On a Android and or on your Surface how Cool is that.
I installed the latest version of RDP on my android phone I opened a CMD box on my phone totally useless but you can. It works much better on my Surface.
Running Published Apps on my Devices in Azure What will ne next ?
#HRDAAS Hybrid Remote Desktop As a Service
In this blog post I’ll show you how to create a Hybrid RemoteApp Configuration. It is still a Preview and Improvements could be made.
If you want to run your own applications in Azure like on Citrix or with RDS till now it was not a build in services Microsoft provided.
But with RemoteApp you can easy deploy a default set as below or Create a Hybrid Environment. And there are lots of new options in a Hybrid RDS Azure Site #HRDAAS Hybrid Remote Desktop As a Service
The Quick Create is no fun just hit Create 
Now Creating a Hybrid Environment. You will need a syspreped Template with no unattend.xml in it. There For I created a fresh new template clean install with Remote Desktop Session Host installed and most important you need to set a registry key if you don’t do this all will fail!
This is not in the Microsoft Guide !
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetControlFileSystem]
"NtfsDisableEncryption"=dword:00000001
After everything is Set on the Golden Image we can do a Sysprep. And keep in mind Azure support only VHD files so do not use VHDX files.
C:WindowsSystem32sysprepsysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /shutdown
now that my golden Image is ready We can upload this image to azure. ( I used a 50 Gb VHD file ) So If you don’t have a fast Internet connection You need to wait 
a while.
So the next step is Create a RemoteApp With VPN. Pick a name and select create.
A place holder is Created and We will upload the Golden Image To Azure. ( this could take a while so we do this now )
Select the 
and pick 
Upload
A popup will Come and a PowerShell script is there for download
Save this on place. Grab also the Command To run
Upload-AzureRemoteAppTemplateImage.ps1 -SAS "?sr=b&si=623fcaf1-63f6-406d-a749-48c2c3f0036b&sig=n%2FHLp5d1wfEgdi68hA%2FaVWOwyhDl35S1eKQ9dKxZdQg%3D" -URI https://cdvwe114758920rdcm.blob.core.windows.net/goldimages/623fcaf1-63f6-406d-a749-48c2c3f0036b.vhd
Running this Script a Browser will open and you can select your Golden Image. And the Upload will start first some checking
I was happy with my Fiber internet connection.
Writing a blog and uploading
when the upload in done you will see a check and a ready state on the Image.
Next Step is creating a network Is this also my improvement point Whay not using my Site to Site VPN that already is connected to my environment.
Therefor we create a new network that will host the Machines.
Create New network and pick a name.
Fill in the IP networks and use the Internet address of your Router ( Same as S2S VPN )
When the Network is created we can download the S2S Script and run this on your Gateway server. I use a Windows 2012R2 RRAS server but there are other options. 
After running the script the Gateway has an extra dail-in option On this gateway I have already a few connections but this is all configurable to your needs.
Now that the network is ready We can start building. When opening the MYMVPAPP with VPN created in the beginning you will see the Status with check marks
Now I have to create a OU and a service account in my domain on-premise
Next step is linking the Golden Image To the App. You can do all this is now with a upload but as we already did the we need only a connection this is a faster and fail save method.
So check the Link an existing Image
You will see your 50Gb uploaded golden Image. This is only available if the Image is correctly uploaded !
We are almost ready, while the provisioning can take up to 30 minutes. Second Improvement point. Show Some Status step 1 from 10 maybe. Now we have to wait.
Please Note** during several test I change the name but the steps are the same
the next step is assign a user to the image , this must be a default Azure directory User.
I created a demouser ( I deleted this user after this blog )
We assign this user to the Remote App
Next we assign Applications of the Image I created earlier. I did not install special apps in this image so it looks a bit basic.
I published all the apps that Azure Scanned for me in my own image. but suppose you have installed office and other apps it will be there in the image.
Next step is login to the RDP session 
The fun part is I configured MFA ( multi factor Authentication ) Really nice option
When Logged on We see all the Apps I made a Text change in de Word app
However I logged on the session is still inactive
This is still a Preview what I really like is using your own apps in your own domain there are still some issues with the creation of the RemoteApp but if you have configured all this and it is working you can even use this On a Android and or on your Surface how Cool is that.
I installed the latest version of RDP on my android phone I opened a CMD box on my phone totally useless but you can. It works much better on my Surface.
Running Published Apps on my Devices in Azure What will ne next ?
#HRDAAS Hybrid Remote Desktop As a Service
