Windows Admin Center (WAC)is the new tool in the block. It is highly promoted by Microsoft as a free application for remotely managing and monitoring supported Microsoft OS. According to Microsoft: WAC is “the successor to traditional“in-box” tools like Server Manager” and; “the future of remote server management”! Wow! This article is just about to take us through the future, right to WAC.
Formally WAC is not supposed to substitute other Microsoft remote management tools such as RSAT, RDC, System Center, Intune and Azure Stack. Rather, WAC complements such tools, by supposedly adding value.
For example, WAC is meant to replace Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins and the server experience in System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM), but not its monitoring aspects.
WAC is heavily dependent on PowerShell, as it achieves its capabilities by leveraging the PowerShell scripts and technology. In older versions of Windows Server, PowerShell is limited. Consequentially, WAC’s capabilities are limited in such systems. To diminish the GAP, on Windows 2012 / 2012 R2 WAC requires installation of Windows Management Framework 5.1. More about prerequisites, installation & deployment coming next.
WAC is sometimes referred-to as a platform, a service, or as a gateway. In the bottom line, WAC is an installable application (63MB .MSI file) which provides web-based remote management & monitoring capabilities. Windows Server 2016 & 2019 can be managed remotely or locally, in an agentless manner, without any installation or configuration on their side. How cool is that!?
Now let’s get going! First let’s download and install WAC. Then we’d add remote servers in order to remotely manage.
Setting Up WAC as a Local Client (aka Desktop Mode)
Perhaps the simplest form of deployment of Windows Admin Center is called Local Client,aka Desktop Mode. In this non-agentless mode, WAC is installed on Windows 10, providing the capabilities listed below. Windows 10 version 1709 or newer are required.
WAC Local Client Capabilities:
- Remote management of Windows Server 2019, 2016 & SAC — Agentless!
- Remote Management of Windows servers & Win 10 (supported versions)
- Renders local machine remotely / locally manageable (supported versions)
Now that we gained general understanding of WAC local client, let’s install it!
Step 1: Downloading WAC
The newest version of WAC can be downloaded from Microsoft here. Direct download link for version 1909 is available here.
Step 2: Executing WAC Installer
Double-click the .MSI installation file.
As the installation begins, a popup window would appear: Preparing to Install… It would quickly be replaced by Welcome to the Windows Admin Center Setup Wizard window which would also go away on its own.
Step 3: Licensing Agreement
Click the checkbox I accept the terms… then click Next
Step 4: Next
Click Next. This is just an informative window.
Step 5: Configuration Options
Click the 2nd checkbox, for a WAC desktop icon.
Then click Install. Leave rest of the settings intact (as shown below).
Configure WAC port and SSL Certificate
Step 6: Installation & Completion
Windows Admin Center is now installing. If selected, a URL for WAC on browser.
Welcome to Windows Admin Center! Assuming Edge is the default browser, then it would now open, showing a quick 2-pages tour.
You can either click Skip Tour or click Next and Finish. Trust us, you won’t become a WAC expert via this tour 🙂
Congratulations, WAC has just been successfully installed in Local Client (desktop) mode.
Accessing WAC from Another Browser
To access WAC via another browser, type the following URL:
https://localhost:4433
If your web browser is other than Edge, a security warning may appear. Click OK to accept the self-signed WAC certificate.
Here you can monitor and manage your local machine.
