Microsoft has dropped the public preview of Windows Admin Center version 2410, offering IT administrators tools to handle their Windows servers and virtual machines more efficiently. It’s still not ready for production environments, so users should proceed with caution when testing it out.
The update is mostly about making virtual machine tasks faster and simpler. There’s a new toggle that lets admins switch between two modes: one that provides detailed info and another that’s more streamlined for faster loading times.
Virtual Machines Get a Boost
Managing virtual machines has been a top priority for Microsoft in this new build. One key improvement is the ability to see a list of VMs as soon as possible without waiting for unnecessary data to load. Microsoft has also added a toggle button that lets admins pick between “detailed” and “light” views for their VM lists, depending on what information they need at the moment.
In addition, VM power operations, like pausing or starting, now happen much quicker. This reduces the lag caused by refreshing the entire VM table whenever an action is performed, which will likely save admins a lot of time.
Installer Gets Customization Options
The installer for Windows Admin Center 2410 comes with more options than before, giving admins flexibility in how they set up the tool. There’s an “express setup” for those who just want to get started quickly, but a “custom setup” option is available if you need more control over settings like port numbers, TLS certificates, or network access restrictions.
Microsoft also revamped the gateway component, which handles back-end operations like security, cryptography, and API communications. This shift to a more modern architecture aims to improve performance across the board, making the system quicker and more responsive.
.NET Core 8 and HTTP/2 Integration
Behind the scenes, the Windows Admin Center now runs on .NET Core 8, which introduces improvements in security and performance. The upgrade includes support for the HTTP/2 protocol, reducing latency and improving the speed at which admin tasks are performed. It’s an important step forward, especially for IT departments managing multiple servers at once.
The new build also brings in a microservices-based structure, moving away from the older, monolithic design. With microservices, tasks within Admin Center now run as separate processes, making the whole system more scalable and reliable.
Kestrel Web Server Powers the Backend
In the release, Microsoft has replaced its previous web server, Katana, with the Kestrel web server. Kestrel is lighter and more efficient, designed to handle a large number of connections without breaking a sweat. It’s optimized for environments with limited resources, which could help administrators running the Admin Center on more constrained setups.
The shift to Kestrel also means better security, as it supports HTTPS and is built to fend off common vulnerabilities in web servers. Plus, the support for HTTP/2 brings a noticeable boost in responsiveness, particularly for those managing multiple systems through the same interface.
Known Bugs and Issues
Despite the upgrades, it’s worth noting this is still a preview build, so there are a few bugs to watch out for. Extensions that aren’t included in the initial download might not work properly, particularly if they come from third-party developers. High availability configurations, for example, are still not supported in this version, so those relying on HA should skip this update for now.
Azure Arc features also have some issues loading correctly, particularly when it comes to clusters, and some users have reported glitches with the new Hyper-V preview mode feature in the Virtual Machines tool.
While Microsoft has addressed a number of issues from previous versions, some known bugs remain. The PowerShell tool, for example, always defaults to the gateway user’s account, even if different credentials were specified.
Last Updated on November 7, 2024 2:27 pm CET