Windows Azure & Windows Azure Infrastructure Posters

Windows Azure Poster provides an overview of Windows Azure features, services, and common uses.

Introduces Windows Azure for developers and IT pros. Summarizes benefits such as global coverage and extensive language support. Provides a description of current services by category: app services, data services, compute, networking, and store. Depicts common uses including Cloud Services, Virtual Machines, Web Sites, Mobile Services, and Media Services. The poster is intended to be printed and measures 26" x 39”.

Windows Azure Poster download link: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=35473

 

 

Windows Azure Infrastructure Poster  depicts common scenarios for Windows Azure Infrastructure Services.

The poster describes Infrastructure Services and common scenarios: dev and test, app hosting, infrastructure for SQL Server, single sign-on for hybrid apps, and SharePoint farms. The poster is intended to be printed and measures 26" x 39”.

Windows Azure Infrastructure Poster download link: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39074

Windows Azure Hyper-V Recovery Manager Preview

Microsoft recently made available the preview of Windows Azure Recovery Services,  containing Windows Azure Backup and Windows Azure Hyper-V Recovery Manager (HVRM).

 HVRM is a hybrid service that leverages the Azure public cloud and allows you to manage the replication of your primary data center to your disaster recovery (DR) site.

 The service helps automate the orderly recovery in the event of a site outage at the primary datacenter. VMs can be brought up in an orchestrated fashion to help restore service quickly. This process can also be used for testing recovery, or temporarily transferring services.

Additional Information:

Windows Azure Recovery services: http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/home/features/recovery-services/

Preview Features: http://www.windowsazure.com/en-us/home/features/preview/

Hyper-V Recovery Manager on Windows Azure: Game changer in DR architecture: http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/datacenter/hyper-v-recovery-manager-on-windows-azure-game-changer-in-dr-architecture/6186

Windows Azure Hyper-V Recovery Manager Preview Available: http://redmondmag.com/articles/2013/08/19/azure-hyperv-recovery-manager.aspx?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

Capacity Planner for Hyper-V Replica

Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012 includes a new capability called "Hyper-V Replica". Hyper-V Replica allows administrators to replicate their virtual machines from a primary server/cluster to a
replica server/cluster.

The Capacity Planner for Hyper-V Replica (HVR) was released on 5/22/2013.
It allows IT administrator to plan Hyper-V Replica deployment based on the workload, storage, network infrastructure and server characteristics.

FAQ

The tool should be used only on Windows Server 2012.
It relies on performance counters which are exposed in Windows guest OSes.

The capacity planner collects data only from virtual machines running on Windows Server 2012.
It should be used only on VMs on which replication has not been enabled.

This tool only collects metrics from the selected VMs. It doesn't  enable replication on selected VMs.

There is no limit to the number of times you may install and use the tool on your devices or those you support.

This tool is being offered 'as is' with no official Microsoft support.

Capacity Planner for Hyper-V Replica Download Link:
 http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=39057 

Additional Information:

One of Windows Server 2012's secret weapons: Hyper-V Replica http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/one-of-windows-server-2012s-secret-weapons-hyper-v-replica/12707

Configuring Hyper-V Replica in Windows Server 2012 http://windowsitpro.com/hyper-v/configuring-hyper-v-replica-windows-server-2012

Using Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Replica http://windowsitpro.com/hyper-v/using-windows-server-2012-hyper-v-replica

Windows Server 2012: Hyper-V Replica (Channel 9) http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/IT-Camps/IT-Camps-On-Demand-Windows-Server-2012/ITCamp-WS2012-01b

Guided Hands-on Lab: Capacity Planner for Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V Replica http://blogs.technet.com/b/keithmayer/archive/2013/05/23/guided-hands-on-lab-capacity-planner-for-windows-server-2012-hyper-v-replica.aspx#.UZ4t16ukdcc.twitter …

Resynchronization of virtual machines in Hyper-V Replica http://blogs.technet.com/b/virtualization/archive/2013/05/10/resynchronization-of-virtual-machines-in-hyper-v-replica.aspx?WT.mc_id=CIC_FB_WindowsServer%2520-%2520Outgoing_20130522_20130523072059_23674_Microsoft%2520Windows%2520Server%2520-%2520WindowsServer

INFOGRAPHIC: How to Use Hyper-V Replica in Windows Server 2012 http://www.tomsitpro.com/articles/virtualization-virtual_machine-failover-high-availability-firebrand,1-1035.html#xtor=RSS-993 …

Capacity Planner for Hyper-V Replica 

IaaS PLA Fabric Architecture Guide

The IaaS PLA utilizes the core capabilities of the Windows Server operating system, Hyper-V, and System Center to deliver a private cloud infrastructure as a service offering.
 The IaaS PLA provides a reference architecture that combines Microsoft software, consolidated guidance, and validated configurations with partner technology such as compute, network, and storage architectures, in addition to value-added software components.


Infrastructure-as-a-Service Product Line Architecture Fabric Architecture Guide Download:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38817

New Downloads: Windows Server 2012 Products and Editions Comparison Chart, IaaS PLA Guides, MAP.

Related posts: 

Windows Server 2012 R2 Products and Editions Comparison Chart

MAP Toolkit 9.0 Beta , Microsoft Security Essentials 4.4.304.0, Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer 2.3 and MDOP 2013 R2

MAP 9.0, Administrative Templates for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2 Test Lab Guide, Hyper-V Management Pack Extensions 2012 / 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012 TechNet Library Documentation.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Hyper-V Component Architecture Poster and Hyper-V Mini Posters

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013

Capacity Planner for Hyper-V Replica 2.0, Windows 8.1 Power User Guide for Business

Windows Server 2012 R2 Private Cloud Virtualization and Storage Poster and Mini-Posters

Windows Server 2012 Products and Editions Comparison Chart:

This chart illustrates the differences among the various Windows Server 2012 products and editions, such as:

•  Windows Server (Datacenter, Standard, Essentials, Foundation)
•  Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2012 
•  Storage Server (Standard and Workgroup)
•  MultiPoint Server 2012 ( Platinum and Standard )

The chart includes information about locks and limits (such as the maximum number of connections of various kinds, domain-joining capability, and CPU and RAM limits), which server roles are supported, and which server features are available.

 image via Microsoft

PDF: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38809&ocid=aff-n-we-loc--ITPRO40886&WT.mc_id=aff-n-we-loc--ITPRO40886

Documentation on designing and understanding  Infrastructure as a Service based on Windows Server 2012

The guidance to develop solutions for a Microsoft private cloud infrastructure in accordance with the IaaS PLA patterns that are identified for use with the Windows Server 2012 operating system.

This document provides specific guidance for developing fabric architectures (compute, network, storage, and virtualization layers) of an overall private cloud solution.

PDF: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38817

Documentation on designing and understanding  Infrastructure as a Service based on System Center 2012 SP1

The guidance to develop solutions for a Microsoft private cloud infrastructure in accordance with the IaaS PLA patterns that are identified for use with the Windows Server 2012 and System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 (SP1).

PDF: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38813

Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit

The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP) is an agentless, automated, multi-product planning and assessment tool for quicker and easier desktop, server and cloud migrations.

 The MAP Toolkit: http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=7826

Windows Server 2012 R2 Products and Editions Comparison Chart

Date published: 02/07/2014

Download link: Windows Server 2012 R2 Products and Editions Comparison

 Image via Microsoft

Windows Server 2012 Products and Editions Comparison Chart (Large)

Image via Microsoft

Windows Server 2012 R2 Products and Editions Comparison Chart (Large)

 Image via Microsoft

Windows Azure Online Backup

Windows Azure Online Backup is a cloud-based backup solution for Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 Essentials, and System Center Data Protection Manager 2012 SP1.

Windows Azure Backup allows data to be backed up and recovered from the cloud to provide off-site protection against data loss.

Add-In software - Windows Server Essentials integration module for Windows Azure Backup - is  available for Windows Server 2012 Essentials.
Download link: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=288906

From the Scott Guthrie's Blog:

    "With the new Windows Azure Backup service, we are adding support to enable offsite backup protection for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 and Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2012 Essentials, and System Center Data Protection Manager 2012 SP1 to Windows Azure. You can manage cloud backups using the familiar backup tools that administrators already use on these servers - and these tools now provide similar experiences for configuring, monitoring, and recovering backups be it to local disk or Windows Azure Storage. After data is backed up to the cloud, authorized users can easily recover backups to any server. And because incremental backups are supported, only changes to files are transferred to the cloud. This helps ensure efficient use of storage, reduced bandwidth consumption, and point-in-time recovery of multiple versions of the data. Configurable data retention policies, data compression, encryption and data transfer throttling also offer you added flexibility and help boost efficiency."

Additional information:
Windows Azure: Active Directory Release, New Backup Service + Web Site Monitoring and Log Improvements :
http://weblogs.asp.net/scottgu/archive/2013/04/08/windows-azure-active-directory-general-availability-new-backup-service-web-site-monitoring-and-diagnostic-improvements.aspx

Official blog for Windows Server Essentials and Small Business Server support and product group communications: http://blogs.technet.com/b/sbs/archive/2013/04/19/windows-server-essentials-integration-module-for-windows-azure-backup-is-now-available.aspx

Windows Azure Backup Forum: http://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/windowsazureonlinebackup/threads