Installing Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 in Windows Server 2012 or R2 by Windows Server installation disk

By default, Windows Server 2012 or R2 hasn't installed Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5. To install Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5, the server will automatically download and install the source filed  from Internet. However, administrators also can install it from the installation disk of Windows Server.

Goal  

• Installing Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 from Windows installation disk

Lab environment

• 1 Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 server
• 1 Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 installation disk 

Lab

In this lab environment, I will use a Windows Server 2012 R2 server and installation disk.

1. On a Windows Server 2012 R2, log in as administrator.

2. Insert Windows Server 2012 R2 installation disk.

3. Launch "Server Manager".

4. Click "Add roles and features".

5. On "Before You Begin" window, click "Next".

6. On "Installation Type" window, select "Role-based or feature-based installation".

7. Click "Next".

8. On "Server Selection" window, click "Next".

9. On "Server Roles" window, click "Next".

10. On "Features" window, check ".NET Framework 3.5 (Includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)".

11. Click "Next".

12. On "Confirmation" window, click "Specify an alternate source path".

13. On "Specify Alternate Source Path" window, next to "Path", enter "D:\sources\sxs".

14. Click "OK".

15. On "Confirmation" window, click "Install".

As a result, the ".NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)" was installed in the server.

Administrators also can perform "Install-WindowsFeature NET-Framework-Core -Source "D:\Sources\sxs"" in a PowerShell console to install the ".NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)" from a Windows Server installation disk.

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!

Adding and assigning a Windows file share to a Hyper-V host in System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2

As previous lab, Managing and configuring Windows iSCSI SAN in System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2, I added the Windows iSCSI SAN in VMM 2012 R2. After that I created a logical unit and then assigned it to a Hyper-V host.

Now, I'd like to add a Windows File Server in VMM 2012 R2 and then assign it to a Hyper-V host.

The file share to store virtual hard disks in a File Server should support SMB 3.0.

Goal

• Discovering a Windows File Server in System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2
• Creating a file share through System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2
• Assigning the file share to a Hyper-V host

Prerequisites

• The domain environment has been set up. If you would like to know how to set up a domain, please read Dcpromo on Windows Server 2012
• System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2 has been installed in a server which is named VMM01. For the detail steps, please read Installing System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2 in Windows Server 2012 R2
• Adding "SCVMM Admins" into a local administrators group of SS04.test.tls1.lab

Lab environment

The accounts and server names of this lab environment are based on Installing System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2 in Windows Server 2012 R2 and Managing and configuring Windows iSCSI SAN in System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2.

I will add a new Windows Server 2012 R2 named SS04 in the existing lab environment.

Computer Name: DC01.test.tls1.lab

Server Roles: Domain Controller and DNS Server

Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2

Computer Name: VMM1.test.tls1.lab

Server Roles: VMM management server

Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2

Computer Name: HV02.test.tls1.lab

Server Roles: Hyper-V host

Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2

Computer Name: SS04.test.tls1.lab

Server Roles: a member server with only 1 drive letter C

Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2

Lab

Adding a Windows File Server in VMM console

1. On VMM01, log in as VMMAdmin.

2. Launch "Virtual Machine Manager Console".

3. Log in with "Use current Microsoft Windows session identity" option.

4. On "Virtual Machine Manager Console", select "Fabric".

5. On "Fabric" pane, select "Storage".

6. On the menu, click "Add Resources > Storage Devices".

7. On "Select Provider Type" dialog box, select "Windows-based file server".

8. Click "Next".

9. On "Specify Discovery Scope" dialog box, next to "Provider IP address or FQDN", enter "SS04.test.tls1.lab".

10. Next to "Run As account", click "Browse" and then select "VMMAdmin".

11. Click "Next".

12. On "Gather Information" dialog box, click "Next".

13. On "Select Storage Devices" dialog box, click "Next".

14. On "Summary" dialog box, click "Finish".

Creating a file share through VMM console

1. Still in VMM console, on the menu, click "Create File Share".

2. On "Create a file share" dialog box, next to "File server", select "SS04.test.tls1.lab".

3. Next to "Name", enter "DataStore Share 01".

4. Next to "Classification", select "Bronze Tier".

5. Next to "Local path", enter "C:\DataStoreShare01".

6. Click "Create".

Remark: Administrators also can perform PowerShell cmdlets to create a file share.

7. Click "File Servers".

The file share was created successfully.

Assigning the file share to HV02

1. Still in VMM console, select "Servers > All Hosts".

2. Select "hv02", make sure under "Host" tab, click "Properties".

3. On "hv02.test.tls1.lab Properties" dialog box, select "Storage" tab.

4. Click "Add > Add File Share".

5. Next to "File share path", select "\\SS04.test.tls1.lab\DataStore Share 01".

6. Click "OK".

7. Select "hv02", make sure under "Host" tab, click "Properties".

8. On "hv02.test.tls1.lab Properties" dialog box, select "Storage" tab.

As a result, the file share was assigned to HV02.

Test result

1. Still in VMM console, select "VMs and Services".

 2. On the menu, click "Create Virtual Machine".

3. On "Select Source" dialog box, select "Create the new virtual machine with a blank virtual hard disk".

4. Click "Next".

5. On "Identity" dialog box, next to "Virtual machine name", enter "W2012".

6. Click "Next".

7. On "Configure Hardware" dialog box, click "Next".

8. On "Select Destination" dialog box, leave default settings, click "Next".

9. On "Select Host" dialog box, click "Next".

10. On "Configure Settings" dialog box, make sure "Locations" path and "Machine Resources" path are under the file share.

11. Click "Next".

12. On "Select Networks" dialog box, click "Next".

13. On "Add Properties" dialog box, leave default settings, click "Next".

14. On "Summary" window, click "Create".

As a result, the virtual machine configuration file and virtual hard disk are saved in the file share.

More information:

How to Add Windows File Server Shares in VMM

How to Assign SMB 3.0 File Shares to Hyper-V Hosts and Clusters in VMM

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!

Managing and configuring Windows iSCSI SAN in System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2

System Center Virtual Machine Manger 2012 or later can manage a NAS, SAN and File server. After connecting to a SAN or iSCSI storage, administrators can assign it to a Hyper-V host through System Center Virtual Machine Manger 2012 or later.

VMM uses SMAPI to manage external storage by using SMP, or users SMAPI together with the Microsoft Standards-based Storage Management Service to communicate with storage that is compliant with the Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S). The new Windows Standards-Based Storage Management service replaces the Microsoft Storage Management Service in System Center 2012 - Virtual Machine Manager (VMM), and is an optional server feature that enables communication with SMI-S storage providers. It is enabled during installation of System Center 2012.

Quote from "Configuring Storage in VMM"

In the following lab, I will enable an iSCSI target function in a Windows Server 2012 R2 server and then manage it by System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2.

Goal

• Enabling iSCSI target on a server
• Discovering iSCSI target and creating a classification of storage in System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2
• Creating a logical unit through System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2
• Adding a SCSI Array to a Hyper-V host through System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2
• Assigning a logical unit to a Hyper-V host

Prerequisites

• The domain environment has been set up. If you would like to know how to prepare a domain, please read Dcpromo on Windows Server 2012
• System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2 has been installed in a server which is named VMM01. For the detail steps, please read Installing System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2 in Windows Server 2012 R2
• Enabling "Multipath I/O" in a Hyper-V host, SS02

Lab environment

This lab environment which is included accounts and server names is based on "Installing System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2 in Windows Server R2".

Computer Name: DC01.test.tls1.lab

Server Roles: Domain Controller and DNS Server

Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2

Computer Name: VMM01.test.tls1.lab

Server Roles: VMM management server

Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2

Computer Name: HV02.test.tls1.lab

Server Roles: Hyper-V host

Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2

Computer Name: SS02.test.tls1.lab

Server Roles: iSCSI target server with only 1 hard disk

Operating System: Windows Server 2012 R2

Lab
Enabling iSCSI target on SS02
1. On SS02, log in as Domain Administrator.
2. Launch "Server Manager".
3. Click "Add roles and features".

4. On "Before You Begin" window, click "Next".
5. On "Installation Type" window, select "Role-based or feature-based installation".

6. Click :Next".
7. On "Server Selection" window, click "Next".

8. On "Server Roles" window, expand "File and Storage Services > File and iSCSI Services", check "iSCSI Target Server".
9. On "Add features that are required for iSCSI Target Server" window, click "Add Features".

10. Click "Next".
11. On "Features" window, click "Next".

12. On "Confirmation" window, click "Install".

13. On "Results" window, click "Close".

Remark: Administrators can perform "Install-WindowsFeature FS-iSCSITarget-Server" to install iSCSI target Server on a server.

14. Launch "Computer Management".
15. Expand "System Tools > Local Users and Groups > Groups".

16. Double-click "Administrators" group.
17. On "Administrators Properties" window, add "SCVMM Admins" for installing a VMM agent in SS02.

18. Click "OK".
19. Close "Computer Management".

Adding iSCSI target in VMM console
1. On VMM01, log in as VMMAdmin.
2. Launch "Virtual Machine Manager Console".
3. Log in with "Use current Microsoft Windows session identity" option.

4. On "Virtual Machine Manager Console", select "Fabric".

5. On "Fabric" pane, select "Storage".

6. On the menu, click "Add Resources > Storage Devices".

7. On "Select Provider Type" window, select "SAN and NAS devices discovered and managed by a SMI-S provider".

8. Click "Next".
9. On "Specify Discovery Scope" window, next to "Protocol", select "SMI-S WMI" for Windows based iSCSI target.
10. Next to "Provider IP address or FQDN", enter "ss02.test.tls1.lab".
11. Next to "Run As account" click "Browse" and then select "VMMAdmin".

12. Click "Next".
13. On "Gather Information" window, click "Next".

14. On "Select Storage Devices" window, click "Create classification".

15. On "New Classification" window, next to "Name", enter "Bronze Tier".

16. Click "Add".
17. Check "iSCSITarget: SS02: C:".
18. Next to "Classification", select "Bronze Tier".

19. Click "Next".
20. On "Summary" window, click "Finish".

Remark: Administrators can click "View Script" to check the PowerShell cmdlets of adding storage. Using PowerShell script, administrators can assign a new name for this storage array.

Creating a logical unit
1. On "Fabric" pane, next to the menu, click "Create Logical Unit".

2. On "Create Logical Unit" window, next to "Storage Pool", select "iSCSITarget: SS02: C:".
3. Next to "Name", enter "Lun01".
4. Next to "Size", change to "2".

5. Click "OK".

Remark: By default, the logical unit is created in "Fixed" provision type for Windows Server 2012 R2 iSCSI target by the wizard of System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 R2. To change the provision type, administrators can perform PowerShell script to create a logical unit.

6. On "Virtual Machine Manager Console", click "Classifications and Pools".

7. Expand "iSCSITarget: SS02: C:".

The "Lun01" was created in "Fixed" provision type in SS02 C drive.

Assigning the existing logical unit to HV02
Administrators can assign the existing logical unit to a Hyper-V host, Hyper-V cluster or a Host group.

1. On "Fabric" pane, click "Allocate Capacity".

2. On "Allocate Storage Capacity" window, click "Allocate Logical Units".

3. On "Allocate Logical Units" window, select "SS02" and then click "Add".

4. Click "OK".
5. On "Allocate Storage Capacity" window, click "Close".
6. On "Fabric" pane, next to "Servers > All Hosts".

7. Select "hv02", make sure is under "Host" tab, click "Properties".

8. On "hv02.test.tls1.lab Properties" window, select "Storage".

9. Click "Add > Add iSCSI Array".

Remark: Make sure the "Microsoft iSCSI Initiator Service" has been started before add iSCSI Array.

5. On "Create New iSCSI Session" window, next to "Array", select "SS02".

6. Click "Create".
7. Click "Add > Add Disk".

8. Change the "Classification" to "Bronze Tier".
9. Change the drive letter, "Z".

10. Click "OK".

Remark: If the MPIO feature isn't enabled in a Hyper-V host, administrators discovers this error.

Error (1253)
SAN operations cannot be performed because the server hv02.test.tls1.lab does not have a Microsoft MPIO feature installed.

11. Select "hv02", make sure is under "Host" tab, click "Properties".
12. On "hv02.test.tls1.lab Properties" window, select "Storage".

As a result, the logical unit was added in HV02.

Remark: Administrators can create a logical unit in "Storage" tab after select "Allocate Storage Pools" for a Host Group.

Added iSCSI Arrays, administrators can click "Create Logical Unit" to create a logical unit.

More information:

Configuring Storage in VMM

How to Configure Storage on a Hyper-V Host in VMM

Confiugring iSCSI target on Windows Server 2012

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!