How to fix 403 errors when managing Azure SQL Database from Visual Studio

8th of September, 2014 / / No Comments

I was recently trying to manage Azure SQL Databases via Visual Studio in a new Azure subscription and was unable to open the SQL Databases node at all and received the following error message.

Screenshot of Visual Studio error dialog.

The text reads:

Error 0: Failed to retrieve all server data for subscription ‘GUID’ due to error ‘Error code: 403 Message: The server failed to authenticate the request. Verify that the certificate is valid and is associated with this subscription.’.

and my Server Explorer window looked like this:

How Server Explorer Looked

I must admit that I don’t often manage my Azure assets via Visual Studio so it had been a while since I’d used this tooling.… [Keep reading] “How to fix 403 errors when managing Azure SQL Database from Visual Studio”

Highly Available SQL 2012 across Azure VNET (Part 2)

5th of August, 2014 / / 1 Comment

Part 1 can be found here.

In this Part 2 we will discuss:

  • Create DC on Azure and confirm VNET to VNET connectivity
  • SQL VMs
  • Configure WSFC and lastly configure AAG

DC and Connectivity VNET to VNET

First thing first, we need VMs for the Domain Controller (DC) and SQL Server 2012. I will use my script below to create few VMs

I created 2 DC , one on each VNET: AZSEDC001 and AZUSDC001
I registered both as DNS on Azure.… [Keep reading] “Highly Available SQL 2012 across Azure VNET (Part 2)”

Highly Available SQL 2012 across Azure VNET (Part 1: VNET Peering)

1st of August, 2014 / / 1 Comment

Just over a year Microsoft announced the support of SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Groups (AAG) on Microsoft Azure IaaS. Last month, Microsoft announced the support of SQL AAG between Azure Regions. This is a great news for great technology like SQL Server 2012 for highly available and disaster recovery scenario. SQL AAG released in SQL 2012 and enhanced in SQL 2014. AAG will detect anomaly which will impact SQL availability. When We will discuss how to do this in two blog posts:

  • Part1: Design SQL 2012 AAG across Azure VNET and How to create Microsoft Azure VNET to VNET peering
  • Part2: SQL, WSFC, Configure Quorum and Voting (SQL) and Configure AAG

Part1 SQL 2012 AAG across Azure VNET SQL 2012 AAG is designed to provide high availability for SQL database and Azure IaaS is great place where this technology can live.… [Keep reading] “Highly Available SQL 2012 across Azure VNET (Part 1: VNET Peering)”

Static DIP Request, VIP Reservation on Microsoft Azure

18th of July, 2014 / / No Comments

 

Firstly, what is Azure VIP (Virtual IP address) and DIP (internal IP address assigned by Azure DHCP) on Microsoft Azure?

Microsoft Azure VM has two known IP addresses:

  • VIP: Public IP address pointing to Azure Cloud Service where VM is deployed. Every Cloud Service has a VIP and every Cloud Service can have several VMs. A VIP assigned to Cloud Service won’t be released until last VM on that Cloud Service is Stopped (De-allocated)
    or Deleted
  • DIP: Internal IP address assigned to the VM by Azure DHCP.
… [Keep reading] “Static DIP Request, VIP Reservation on Microsoft Azure”

What Is The Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite?

13th of July, 2014 / / No Comments

Microsoft released the Enterprise Mobility Suite (EMS) back in April 2014. This was a major announcement for Microsoft which has typically focused on traditional information workers (IWs) who sit at a desk for most of the day. The EMS is a license designed for a mobile worker who uses a range of different devices including a PC, tablet, and mobile phone. The EMS assumes that the mobile worker will take advantage of BYOD and choose to use a non-corporate device for accessing corporate data.… [Keep reading] “What Is The Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite?”

Azure Active Directory Synchronization Tool: Password Sync as Backup for AD FS Federated Domains

9th of July, 2014 / / No Comments

Kloud has helped many Australian businesses leverage Microsoft cloud services such as Office 365, Intune and Microsoft Azure and most have implemented Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) to provide a highly available Single Sign-On (SSO) user experience. In mid-2013, the Windows Azure Active Directory Synchronization Tool was updated to support password synchronisation with Azure Active Directory, which provided an alternative way to leverage on-premises authored identities with Microsoft’s cloud services.

Password synchronisation is a feature of the Azure Active Directory Sync Tool that will synchronise the password hash from your on-premises Active Directory environment to the Azure Active Directory.… [Keep reading] “Azure Active Directory Synchronization Tool: Password Sync as Backup for AD FS Federated Domains”

Microsoft Azure Cross Platform Command Line Step by Step

24th of June, 2014 / / No Comments

Microsoft Azure is not just about Windows, Microsoft Azure also supports Linux workloads. Spinning up Linux VMs in Microsoft’s fabric offers alternative options for open-source technologies with Microsoft Azure services.

Microsoft also provides Azure Cross-Platform Command-Line Interface (X-Plat CLI) which is a set of Open-Source, Cross-Platform commands for managing Microsoft Azure platform. X-Plat CLI has few top-level commands which correspond to different set of Microsoft Azure features. Typing “azure” will list each of the sub commands.… [Keep reading] “Microsoft Azure Cross Platform Command Line Step by Step”

Cloud Strategy – do you need one?

20th of June, 2014 / / No Comments

Today’s organisations demand that their services perform better, cost less, are more reliable and offer greater flexibility than ever before. With high quality and quickly evolving consumer technologies, the expectation of IT services in the workplace is that they now reflect the same calibre of tools available to people outside of the office.

With common perceptions that business IT capabilities are too far behind, many departments look to acquire and provision cloud services themselves, without involving the IT organisation.… [Keep reading] “Cloud Strategy – do you need one?”

Microsoft Antimalware for Azure is Now in Preview

14th of June, 2014 / / No Comments

Microsoft Antimalware for Azure Cloud Services and Virtual Machines is a new cloud service that detects and remove viruses, spyware, and other malicious software. Administrators can configure alerts to detect when malicious software attempts to install or run on a Microsoft Azure workload. The service is currently in preview.

I was really excited when I heard this new service announced at TechEd North America. Microsoft Antimalware for Azure addresses a major gap in the market. There is a legitimate need to protect IaaS and PaaS workloads running on Azure from viruses and other malware.… [Keep reading] “Microsoft Antimalware for Azure is Now in Preview”

Education institute improves productivity and reduces costs with Microsoft Azure and Office 365

12th of June, 2014 / / No Comments

Customer Overview
Principals Australia Institute (PAI) provides quality professional learning, leadership development and support to principals and school leaders. PAI’s programs and services help build effective, inspirational and sustainable leadership in Australia’s 10,000 government, Catholic and independent primary and secondary schools.

Business Situation
PAI expressed a desire to improve productivity, manage costs and reduce overall risk to its business. Kloud worked with PAI IT staff to provide a roadmap towards a set of IT reforms that delivered on these goals.… [Keep reading] “Education institute improves productivity and reduces costs with Microsoft Azure and Office 365”