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  • SQL Server Always On Availability Groups in Azure VMs – Configuration Guide

    Overview

    SQL Server Always On Availability Groups offer HA for multiple databases using Windows Server Failover Clustering (WSFC). When deployed in Azure VMs, the environment mimics on-premises architecture with additional Azure-specific components.

    🧱 1. Prerequisites

    RequirementDetails
    Azure VMsAt least 2 (recommended: DS-series or higher) with SQL Server installed
    Windows Server2016 or later
    SQL Server EditionEnterprise (Standard supports Basic AG)
    Domain ControllerRequired for WSFC (can be Azure VM or AD DS)
    Virtual NetworkAll VMs in same region/VNet; subnet peering enabled if required
    Static IPsAssign private static IPs for cluster nodes
    Load BalancerNeeded for listener IP configuration in Azure
    Quorum WitnessOptional but recommended (can use Azure File Share Witness)

    🖥 2. Environment Setup

    🔹 Virtual Machines

    • Deploy 2+ Azure VMs with SQL Server (Enterprise)
    • Join all VMs to your Active Directory domain

    🔹 Virtual Network

    • Ensure VMs are in the same VNet and subnet
    • Enable network connectivity via internal DNS or custom DNS

    ⚙️ 3. Configure Windows Failover Cluster (WSFC)

    Step-by-Step:

    1. Install Failover Clustering Feature powershellCopyEditInstall-WindowsFeature -Name Failover-Clustering -IncludeManagementTools
    2. Validate Cluster Configuration
      • Open Failover Cluster Manager
      • Validate with both nodes and all required tests
    3. Create the Cluster
      • Use a static IP address (do not register with Azure DNS)
      • E.g., New-Cluster -Name SQLCluster -Node SQL1,SQL2 -StaticAddress 10.0.0.100
    4. Configure Cluster Quorum
      • Use File Share Witness (hosted in a 3rd VM or Azure File Share)

    🛠 4. Enable Always On in SQL Server

    On each SQL Server VM:

    1. Open SQL Server Configuration Manager
    2. Enable Always On Availability Groups in the SQL Server instance properties
    3. Restart the SQL Server service

    📦 5. Create and Configure Availability Group

    1. Open SQL Server Management Studio (SSMS)
    2. Create a database and ensure full recovery model
    3. Take a full and log backup
    4. Launch New Availability Group Wizard
      • Add replicas (SQL instances)
      • Enable automatic failover (if synchronous)
      • Add databases
      • Choose backup preferences
      • Create listener (initially leave blank)

    🌐 6. Configure Azure Load Balancer for Listener

    Azure does not support automatic ARP updates for failover cluster IPs, so a Load Balancer is required.

    🧩 Create Load Balancer

    • Type: Internal
    • Frontend IP: Same subnet as SQL nodes
    • Backend Pool: Add SQL VMs
    • Health Probe: Port 59999, custom TCP listener
    • Load Balancing Rule:
      • Port: 1433 (SQL)
      • Backend port: 1433
      • Floating IP: Enabled
      • Session persistence: None

    🔧 Add Listener in SQL

    • Run in SQL: sqlCopyEditALTER AVAILABILITY GROUP [YourAG] ADD LISTENER 'AGListener' (WITH IP ((N'10.0.0.200', N'255.255.255.0')), PORT=1433);

    🔄 7. Test Failover

    • Open Failover Cluster Manager or use SSMS
    • Perform a manual failover to test behavior
    • Verify listener redirection and database accessibility

    🧪 8. Monitoring and Maintenance

    • Use SQL Agent Alerts, Azure Monitor, and Log Analytics
    • Enable email notifications for failover events
    • Regularly check:
      • Health of replicas
      • Cluster events
      • Quorum state
      • Azure LB health probes

    ✅ Best Practices

    • Use Accelerated Networking on all SQL VMs
    • Use Premium SSD for data/log disks
    • Configure automatic backups to Azure Blob
    • Use NSG rules to control access to SQL ports
    • Document your failover/failback procedure

    📎 Optional Enhancements

    FeaturePurpose
    Azure File Share WitnessAvoid 3rd VM just for quorum
    Azure BastionSecure RDP access without public IPs
    Azure Recovery Services VaultProtect databases with point-in-time restore
    SQL Managed InstanceConsider for PaaS-like HA features

  • Azure Site Recovery (ASR) and Availability Zones – Configuration & Operations Guide

    Part 1: Azure Site Recovery (ASR)

    📘 What is Azure Site Recovery?

    Azure Site Recovery (ASR) is Microsoft’s disaster recovery-as-a-service (DRaaS) solution. It helps you replicate, fail over, and recover workloads—including VMs, physical servers, and Azure VMs—to a secondary location during outages.

    🛠️ ASR Key Components

    ComponentPurpose
    Source EnvironmentWhere the protected workloads reside
    Recovery Services VaultCentral hub for managing backup and replication
    Replication PolicyDefines RPO, recovery points, and retention
    Process ServerFor physical/VMs in on-prem replication
    Configuration ServerCoordinates replication (on-prem to Azure)

    ✅ ASR Supported Scenarios

    • On-premises → Azure
    • Azure region → Azure region
    • VMware/Hyper-V → Azure
    • Physical servers → Azure

    📋 ASR Configuration Steps

    🔹 Scenario: On-premises to Azure (VMware/Physical)

    1. Create a Recovery Services Vault
      • Azure Portal → Search “Recovery Services Vault” → Create
    2. Set up Site Recovery
      • In the vault → Site Recovery → Choose source (On-prem) and target (Azure)
    3. Download & Install Configuration Server
      • Install on a dedicated Windows server (must be domain-joined)
    4. Register Configuration Server
      • Use vault credentials to register it to Azure
    5. Install Mobility Agent
      • Install on each source machine to replicate
    6. Create Replication Policy
      • Define RPO (Recovery Point Objective), app-consistent snapshots, and retention
    7. Enable Replication
      • Map source to target resource group, subnet, and VM size
    8. Test Failover
      • Perform a test failover to validate replication (no production impact)
    9. Planned / Unplanned Failover
      • Switch to Azure in case of disaster, choose direction of failback

    🔁 Azure-to-Azure Replication

    1. Select the source Azure VM
    2. Choose target region
    3. Configure network mapping, disks, and VM sizes
    4. Enable replication, monitor health and perform test failovers

    📊 ASR Monitoring and Operations

    • Recovery Services Vault Dashboard → See replication health, events, jobs
    • Azure Monitor + Log Analytics → Alerts and automation
    • Cost optimization → Use Reserved Instances for secondary region

    🔹 Part 2: Azure Availability Zones

    📘 What are Availability Zones?

    Availability Zones are physically separate datacenters within an Azure region. Each zone has independent power, cooling, and networking to ensure high availability.

    🛡️ Benefits of Using Availability Zones

    • Protect against datacenter-level failures
    • Provide 99.99% uptime SLA for zone-redundant services
    • Ensure resiliency and fault isolation

    🏗️ Availability Zones Architecture

    • Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 3 → Each with isolated infra
    • Services like VMs, managed disks, load balancers, databases can be spread across zones

    🔧 Configuring Availability Zones

    For Azure VMs:

    1. During VM creation → Choose the region with support for Zones
    2. Select a specific zone (1, 2, or 3) or use zone balancing
    3. Use Availability Sets if deploying across fault and update domains (within a zone)

    For Load Balancing:

    • Use Standard Load Balancer to direct traffic across multiple zones
    • Zone-aware frontend and backend pool

    For Data:

    • Use Zone-Redundant Storage (ZRS) for blob storage to replicate data across zones
    • Use Azure SQL zone-redundant deployments for HA

    🔄 ASR + Availability Zones – Combined Resilience

    • ASR replicates across regions (Geo-resilience)
    • AZs provide intra-region redundancy
    • For full DR: Deploy zone-redundant VMs + enable ASR to replicate to another region

    🧠 Best Practices

    • Use Proximity Placement Groups (PPG) for low latency when needed
    • Schedule test failovers quarterly
    • Monitor RTO/RPO compliance
    • Tag all resources for DR drill tracking

  • Microsoft RDS Configuration and Operations Guide

    🔧 1. Introduction to RDS

    Remote Desktop Services (RDS) allows users to connect to centralized desktops and applications from remote locations. It enables:

    • Centralized management of desktops and apps
    • Improved security and compliance
    • Reduced hardware costs using thin clients

    📋 2. RDS Deployment Overview

    Key RDS Roles:

    RoleDescription
    RD Session Host (RDSH)Hosts Windows-based programs or the full desktop
    RD LicensingManages RDS Client Access Licenses (CALs)
    RD Connection BrokerManages user sessions and load balancing
    RD Web AccessProvides a web portal for users to access RemoteApps and desktops
    RD GatewayProvides secure access via HTTPS over the Internet

    ⚙️ 3. Prerequisites

    • Windows Server (2016, 2019, or 2022)
    • Domain-joined servers (Active Directory environment)
    • Proper RDS CALs
    • Static IP and hostname for each RDS role server
    • Certificates (public or internal CA) for secure access

    🧱 4. Installing RDS Roles

    Via Server Manager:

    1. Open Server Manager > Add Roles and Features
    2. Choose Role-based or feature-based installation
    3. Select your server
    4. In the Roles list, choose Remote Desktop Services
    5. Select one or more:
      • RD Connection Broker
      • RD Web Access
      • RD Session Host
    6. Install and reboot if required

    💡 In production, install roles on separate servers for scalability and security.

    🔑 5. Configuring RD Licensing

    1. Go to Server Manager > Remote Desktop Services > Overview
    2. Click on RD Licensing
    3. Right-click the licensing server → Activate Server
    4. Follow the wizard to activate via Internet or phone
    5. Install CALs (Per User or Per Device)
    6. On each Session Host:
      • Run gpedit.msc
      • Navigate to:
        Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Remote Desktop Services > RD Session Host > Licensing
      • Set the licensing mode and specify the license server

    💼 6. Creating a Session Collection

    1. In Server Manager > Remote Desktop Services
    2. Click Collections > Tasks > Create Session Collection
    3. Provide:
      • Name & description
      • Session Host servers
      • User groups
      • Profile disk config (optional)
    4. Finish wizard to deploy

    📦 7. Publishing RemoteApps

    1. Inside the created collection:
      • Click Tasks > Publish RemoteApp Programs
    2. Choose programs to publish
    3. Confirm and finish
    4. Applications will be available via:
      • RD Web Access portal
      • RDP shortcut (.rdp file)
      • RemoteApp and Desktop Connections

    🌐 8. Configuring RD Gateway (Optional)

    1. Add RD Gateway role via Add Roles and Features
    2. Configure HTTPS certificate
    3. In RD Gateway Manager:
      • Create a Connection Authorization Policy
      • Create a Resource Authorization Policy
    4. Update DNS to resolve externally (e.g., rds.yourcompany.com)

    🖥 9. Accessing RDS as a User

    • Open a browser: https://<your-RDWeb-server>/RDWeb
    • Or use Remote Desktop Connection (mstsc):
      • Enter rds.yourdomain.com
      • Authenticate with domain credentials

    📊 10. Monitoring and Operations

    Tools:

    • Server Manager > Remote Desktop Services Dashboard
    • Event Viewer for RDS-related logs
    • Performance Monitor (perfmon.msc)
    • Task Manager > Users (on Session Hosts)

    Common Tasks:

    TaskTool
    Add/remove usersActive Directory
    Reboot sessionsServer Manager or taskkill
    Add programsInstall on Session Host, republish if needed
    License checkRD Licensing Diagnoser

    🔄 11. Backup and Recovery

    • Use Windows Server Backup or third-party tools
    • Backup:
      • RD Connection Broker DB
      • RD Licensing data
      • User profile disks (if enabled)
    • Document server settings and collections for disaster recovery

    ✅ 12. Best Practices

    • Use SSL certificates from a trusted CA
    • Limit access via security groups
    • Regularly patch servers and clients
    • Monitor licensing usage and compliance
    • Use User Profile Disks (UPD) for user data consistency
    • Scale out Session Hosts with Connection Broker load balancing

  • VMware Operations

    Sure! Here’s a step-by-step procedure document for basic VMware operations, which can serve as a reference for common tasks in a vSphere/VMware environment.

    📘 VMware Operations Procedure Document

    🔧 Prerequisites:

    • Access to VMware vSphere Client or vCenter Server
    • Admin privileges or appropriate roles assigned
    • Network access to the ESXi host or vCenter

    1. Logging into VMware vSphere Client

    Steps:

    1. Open a web browser.
    2. Navigate to: https://<vcenter-server-IP-or-Hostname>/ui
    3. Enter your username and password.
    4. Click Login.

    2. Creating a New Virtual Machine (VM)

    Steps:

    1. In vSphere Client, go to Hosts and Clusters.
    2. Right-click on the host or cluster → select New Virtual Machine.
    3. Choose Create a new virtual machine → Click Next.
    4. Enter a name for the VM.
    5. Select a compute resource (host or cluster).
    6. Choose a datastore.
    7. Select a compatibility level (ESXi version).
    8. Choose a guest OS (e.g., Windows/Linux).
    9. Customize hardware settings (CPU, RAM, HDD, NIC).
    10. Click Finish.

    3. Powering On/Off a VM

    Steps:

    1. Navigate to the desired VM in the inventory.
    2. Right-click the VM → Choose Power > Power On or Power Off.

    4. Taking a Snapshot of a VM

    Steps:

    1. Right-click the VM → Select Snapshots > Take Snapshot.
    2. Provide:
    • Snapshot Name
    • Description (optional)
    • Decide whether to include memory and quiesce the file system.
    1. Click OK.

    5. Reverting to a Snapshot

    Steps:

    1. Right-click the VM → Select Snapshots > Manage Snapshots.
    2. Choose the snapshot to revert to.
    3. Click Revert To → Confirm action.

    6. Migrating a VM (vMotion)

    Ensure vMotion is configured.

    Steps:

    1. Right-click the VM → Select Migrate.
    2. Choose:
    • Change compute resource only OR
    • Change storage only OR
    • Change both compute and storage
    1. Select destination host/datastore.
    2. Review and click Finish.

    7. Cloning a VM

    Steps:

    1. Right-click the VM → Select Clone > Clone to Virtual Machine.
    2. Name the clone.
    3. Choose the target folder, host/cluster, and datastore.
    4. Customize the hardware (optional).
    5. Click Finish.

    8. Creating a VM Template

    Steps:

    1. Right-click the VM → Select Template > Convert to Template.
    2. Template will now appear in the VMs and Templates view.

    9. Deploying VM from a Template

    Steps:

    1. Right-click the template → Select New VM from This Template.
    2. Enter a name and select destination.
    3. Choose compute resource and datastore.
    4. Customize as needed.
    5. Click Finish.

    10. Monitoring VM Performance

    Steps:

    1. Select the VM.
    2. Go to the Monitor tab.
    3. Choose Performance > Overview.
    4. View metrics such as CPU, memory, disk, and network usage.

    11. VMware Tools Installation

    Steps:

    1. Select the VM.
    2. Go to Actions > Guest OS > Install VMware Tools.
    3. Follow prompts inside the VM to install.

    12. Accessing VM Console

    Steps:

    1. Select the VM.
    2. Click Launch Web Console or Launch Remote Console.

    13. Shutting Down or Restarting Guest OS

    Steps:

    1. Right-click the VM → Select Guest OS > Shutdown / Restart.
    2. VMware Tools must be installed for this to work gracefully.

    14. Deleting a VM

    Steps:

    1. Right-click the VM → Select Delete from Disk.
    2. Confirm deletion.

    ⚠️ This removes the VM and its data permanently.

    ✅ Best Practices

    • Always take a snapshot before major changes.
    • Monitor resource utilization regularly.
    • Keep VMware Tools up to date.
    • Use templates for consistent VM deployments.
    • Maintain proper tagging and naming conventions.