What Is Windows Admin Center?

This guide explains Windows Admin Center, why it matters, how it works, and how to evaluate or use it in practical situations.

Windows Admin Center is a modern development of "in-box" management tools, such as Server Manager and MMC. It is an addition to System Center, rather than an alternative.

How does Windows Admin Center work?

Windows Admin Center runs in web browser and manages Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows 10, Azure Stack HCI, etc., through the Windows Admin Center gateway installed on Windows Server or Windows 10 has joined the domain (join domain). This gateway manages servers using Remote PowerShell and WMI via WinRM. The gateway is included with the Windows Admin Center in a lightweight. msi package that you can download.

The Windows Admin Center portal, when exported to DNS and granted access through the corresponding firewall, lets you securely connect and manage your servers from anywhere with Microsoft Edge or Google Chrome.

How Windows Admin Center improves your management environment

Familiar function

The Windows Admin Center is a development of well-known management platforms such as the Microsoft Management Console (MMC), created from scratch to build and manage today's systems. Windows Admin Center contains many familiar tools that you currently use to manage Windows servers and clients.

Easy to install and use

Install Windows Admin Center on a Windows 10 computer and start managing in minutes or install on Windows Server 2016 so it acts as a gateway that allows your entire organization to manage computers from a web browser.

Supplement existing solutions

Windows Admin Center works with solutions such as Azure and System Center management and security, in addition to the ability to perform detailed management tasks on one machine.

Management from anywhere

Publish your Windows Admin Center gateway server to the public Internet, then you can connect and manage your servers from anywhere securely.

Enhanced security for management platform

Windows Admin Center has many improvements to help the security management platform. Role-based access control lets you adjust which admin has access to management features. Gateway authentication options include local groups, local domain-based Active Directory, and cloud-based Azure Active Directory. In addition, providing insight into the management actions taken in your environment.

Azure integration

Windows Admin Center has many points of integration with Azure services, including Azure Active Directory, Azure Backup, Azure Site Recovery, etc.

Deploy hyper-converged and failover clusters

The Windows Admin Center enables seamless deployment of hyper-converged and failover clusters (automatic failover) through an easy-to-use wizard.

Managing hyper-converged clusters

The Windows Admin Center provides the best experience for managing hyper-converged clusters - including memory, network components and virtualized computing.

Ability of extension

The Windows Admin Center was built with scalability from the start, along with the potential for Microsoft and third-party developers to build tools and solutions that go far beyond what is currently available. Microsoft provides an SDK that allows developers to build their own tools for the Windows Admin Center.

Download Windows Admin Center Here