Microsoft News Summary–24 April 2014

Here’s some interesting bits from the last few days that I have not blogged:

• Update Rollup 2 for System Center 2012 R2 was released: As usual, you should wait a month before deploying these updates. Note that some of the updates require manual effort after the installation. In particular, the VMM and SCOM updates require you to update the SQL databases using a script. Therefore: wait 1 month before deploying and do not auto deploy these updates!
• UR2 for SysCtr 2012 R2 is breaking some DPM installations: Update Rollup 1 has broken some DPM 2012 R2 installations. There is a fix that involves running a SQL script.
• Microsoft Identity Manager replaces ForeFront Identity Manager in H1 2015: Lots of effort into modernising MIM to include new devices and hybrid cloud. More information at TechEd USA next month in session PCIT-B328. And that’s the end of the ForeFront brand.
• Update Rollup 6 for System Center 2012 Service Pack 1 is also released: As usual, wait 1 month. Do not auto approve.
• Businesses now have until August 12th to deploy the April update for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2: For organizations using WSUS, Windows Intune, or System Center Configuration Manager, the deadline was extended beyond May. After that time, you must have deployed the update to continue to get security updates. This is the new support baseline.
• Another Windows 8.1/Server 2012 R2 Update in August? WZor is reporting that there might be another big update in August … that timing is a coincidence, eh?!?! Note – "Update 1" is not called that or "Update" in any of the MSFT deployment tools. It is simply called the April 2014 Update. That means there’s no reason that there cannot be an "August 2014 Update". Some are speculating that this update will bring a new Start Menu.
• Smart Paging in Hyper-V Dynamic Memory: A Petri post by me.
• Update 2 for Windows Azure Pack (April 2014): WAP also got an update this month.
• Static Internal IP Address for Virtual Machines: IP addresses in Azure VMs are not static by default. Here’s how to use PoSH to configure them to be static.
• Run a Script or Batch File with Administrative Privileges as Windows Starts: I wonder if this could be used to configure the Shared VHDX filter on a non-clustered lab host?
• Operations Manager Health Service Restarts due to Exceeding Handle Count Threshold: an issue where agents were restarting.
• Microsoft rolls out new ‘basic’ Azure cloud pricing tier: I blogged about this recently. I switch the VM that this site is on over to that plan this week.
• Understanding the Architecture of the Hyper-V Hypervisor: A Petri post by me.
• UR2 for System Center 2012 R2 Operations Manager adds new dashboard widgets: Included in this update are updated widgets that allow you to create richer dashboard visualizations within Operations Manager.
• Generation 2 VM created in System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager cannot start: When you use System Center 2012 R2 Virtual Machine Manager for template creation, you may discover that Generation 2 virtual machines (VMs) based on this template cannot start after creation. Virtual Machine Manager returns the following error: Error (23352) VMM cannot find the device or this device is not valid for a boot device.
• Infrastructure as a Service Product Line Architecture-Fabric Architecture Guide: This document provides specific guidance for developing fabric architectures (compute, network, storage, and virtualization layers) for an overall private cloud solution.
• Meet your favourite Petri Authors in Person at TechEd North America 2014: A number of us, including me and Damian Flynn, will be present on the evening.