Once you have set up the Windows Admin Centre, you are ready to start adding servers to the list. The process of adding servers isn’t difficult, but there are some things to bear in mind.

Server 2016 can be added with minimal issues, because the correct version of Powershell is installed by default. Server 2012 / 2012 r2 will most likely need to be updated to the most recent version of WMF (Windows Management Framework) to be compatible. This comes with its own requirements, as for example Exchange 2013 is not compatible with WMF 5.1. Before updating WMF, I would advise you look at the compatibility guide on Microsoft’s website to be sure your server can be upgraded. If you are in any doubt, don’t install the new version of WMF.

Once all of your servers are ready, you can go to the home page of Windows Admin Centre to click ‘+Add’. Then choose ‘Add Server Connection’ and begin to type the name of your server. You may need to add the domain suffix, E.G DC1.domain.local. The browser will attempt to resolve the IP address and if needed prompt you for administrator credentials. Enter your domain admin credentials and select ‘Submit with Credentials’. Once the server has been added, you can begin to use the admin tools provided.

Windows Updates

One of the most useful tools within the Admin Centre will be Updates. If you have many servers that need updating, managing the updates from one place will simplify the process. You can select server, go to Updates, then select the update to install. You can then schedule the restart time after the updates have been installed. This could save a great deal of time compared to logging into multiple servers to run updates and schedule a restart.

Server Control

The Admin centre is a very powerful piece of software and I recommend only allowing people access who know what they are doing. This is because you can control many aspects of a server from the Admin Centre, including the below: