Using Windows Azure Pack (WAP) with the Private Cloud

2016-06-06 18:59:31
Posted by aeadmin on Jun 6, 2016 11:59:31 AM


Private clouds have continued to be hot topics and have become increasingly popular for many enterprises, big and small. Once you’ve implemented a private cloud, what next? How do you manage it? How do you show its value to your business departments?  Let's talk about how Windows Azure Pack plays a part.

Enter the Windows Azure Pack (WAP), that runs on Windows 2012 R2 and System Center 2012 R2. WAP brings the ability to run Azure services inside your private cloud and it’s provided at no additional cost if you already own System Center.

WAP provides a single ‘Control Panel’ to manage and provision resources for your enterprise. Customers and administrators use their own portals for tenants and administration, respectively. This will allow for self-management of Virtual Machines, websites, and databases. Self-management means, faster deployments and your IT staff can manage their own labs and new system requests.

Capabilities Include:

  • Virtual Machines (System Center VMM integration)
  • Automation (runbooks)
  • Database (SQL/ MySQL), and
  • Websites

The System Center integration is where a lot of the magic happens. When using WAP with System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM), Virtual Machines can be pre-configured for deployment through a portal. The runbooks that control the settings for the VMM can be set-up through System Center Orchestrator. Within your private cloud, you and your customers will be able to deploy resources with one portal. Because this is all tied into System Center, you will be able to seamlessly monitor and report with System Center Operations Manager (SCOM).  You’ll also be aware of the new systems that were created and they can be monitored immediately. So what’s next?

WAP

Enter System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) to manage/inventory/baseline/remediate the new systems and System Center Service Manager (SCSM) to process and track the requests into the CMDB. Let’s not forget System Center Data Protection Manager (SCDPM) will then backup the new resources. Your private cloud just got a lot more manageable.

For more technical details, see https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/products/windows-azure-pack/ for more information.

Written and composed by our Senior Microsoft System Center Architect, Jessica Ervin-Hang of AdaptivEdge

Tags: Private Cloud, windows automation, Cloud, orchestrator, system center

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