Azure Server Management Tools Available

A new free Azure service, Azure Server Management Tools, can help organizations manage instances of Windows Server, whether they are running in Azure, other hosted services, or on-premises. The free service offers key functionality traditionally available in Windows Server Manager, as well as a Web-hosted PowerShell console, and it could enable administrators to manage, diagnose, and repair systems regardless of their installation mode and location. The service is only accessible through Azure, and it indicates the future direction of Microsoft’s graphical user interface (GUI)-based server management tools.

Web-Based Server Management Tools

The Azure Server Management Tools console includes Web-based versions of many popular Windows maintenance and management utilities, and it can manage all editions and installation modes of Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2012.

The console operates against one server at a time, so it is likely intended for small deployments or debugging of an individual server instance. Although it can manage any compatible instance of Windows Server, the set of tools included in the console should prove ideal for managing instances of Windows Server 2016’s Nano Server, the minimal install mode of the OS which features no GUI-based log-on capability, and no locally running Win32 management or troubleshooting tools. (For more information on the tools provided, see the illustration “Azure Server Management Tools Console“.)