Some first thoughts...
1.) No extensions on the Cloud version. Really? Just the option to dial someones name every time you call in. Every does get a direct number so I guess in larger organizations they sell it as "the modern way"
2.) No Ring Groups, just call queues.
3.) No option to just ring all phones on inbound.
Looks like 2 years since Cloud PBX was announced there is still no major threat to the VoIP guys.
@dbeato I have thought a lot about nextcloud. They didnt seem to have any support plans for the ~10 to 15 user size companies so I was hesitant to go with it.
@dbeato Thanks for the feedback. What do you use as an alternative?
So I've been in Azure and the 365 portal all weekend and I decided to add a license for Cloud PBX and PSTN calling to see where they are at with this product.
Is anyone using this, or has anyone used it?
I am flashing a Yealink 48 G with Skype For Business software right now. I know it requires a license by Yealink documentation says it will work for 180 days before you have to add it.
Does this solution not work on any other hypervisors?
@JaredBusch I actually couldn't figure out why the OP violated the licensing agreement. Its running a 3rd party image on the free version of Hyper-V
Few TB of live data being accessed between two sites WAS the scenario. The company has reorganized and split in to two new companies at this point. Now I am just curious as I have been in Microsoft mode all weekend.
Before it was a lot of CAD drawings access remotely, edited and collaborated on between offices.
@Tim_G that is interesting to know, will do some reading up.
I nearly deployed a branch cache environment circa 2009 or 2010 but just didnt have the desire to go through trial and error. Have you had any experience with that?
The issue was the Microsoft product. This was Windows Server 2003 circa 2005 so it may pre-date your experience with Microsoft I don't know whats improved since then but it cant be much as you never hear anyone bragging about there awesome DFS-R deployment, lol.
As of Windows Server 2003 you couldn't seed a DFS-R partner with data, it had to be deployed at the first link and the server had to replicate it it build the library.
If you LOST that replication partner you had to start all over. In what version of Windows server did any of this change or get better?
@Francesco-Provino I am about to try a tool in RDSH that will mount One Drive libraries as a UNC path and Drive Letter. I suspect its little more than an elaborate WEBDAV setup but I am hoping to be impressed. A lot of Citrix guys seem to like it.
If it works it would be enough to allow me to wait for the forthcoming updates to "Files On Demand". Microsoft's made no statement about whether those changes will only be released for Win 10 or will be included for 2016 RDSH. It apparently involves a lot of changes to the OS itself.
@Tim_G said in Kooler on DFS-R Issues:
As for the DFS-R...
I agree, it does have it's drawbacks and doesn't work well or as expected in some environments. But that doesn't mean it's not a good fit and won't work in others. I've seen it's success a lot.
Years ago when I deployed this for our 2 locations (namespace and all) I pondered over the weekend what a genius move it was.
It only took a few weeks for the disillusionment to set in. I can't think of any scenario when DFRS would be good for anything else. It would have taken 9 years for our data to seed (if those servers were in the same room on the same switch. I even read in forums where admins where start DFS-R deployments and had allotted 6 months for the initial data to seed. Are you kidding? And just because it was "Microsoft" this was legit to them.
Even as I tried to use it for a single folder it was useless. RCOPY was far superior with a little scripting.
In my mind DFS-R is only good for the purpose I imagine it was originally created for, Active Directory replication...
@Dashrender said in Azure AD and OnPrem Windows Server 2016:
Can you lay out the setup you put together.
Thanks
Yea I will definitely post up what I did. At the moment I am trying to connect a site to site VPN to a Vultr instance as Azure VM pricing is actually a lot higher now that I am comparing config details.
You have to deploy all this using the ASM model, it doesnt work in ARM. So using the classic GUI or ASM Powershell commands both seem to work.
1.) Create a classic vnet and subnet range in the data center where you will deploy servers that will joing AAD
2.) If you dont have Azure AD, deploy it. Its already deployed as Basic if you have Office 365. Under you AAD in the Classic Portal create a group with EXACTLY this name AAD DC Administrators Add your AAD users that will have permission to join servers to AAD, or that will manage AAD through the AD snap-ins.
3.) Under your AAD in the classic portal, go to configure. Half way down the page there is an option under domain services called Enable Domain Services For This Directory This is what provides Kueberos/NTLM to Azure AD.
Enable this and select the virtual network you created.
Eventually, under DNS Servers two IP addresses will appear. This took forever, like 20 minutes
4.) Go back to your virtual network and place those two DNS servers in your new virtual network. These will then be added to your virtual machines and are your AAD DNS Servers.
5.) At this point, for no known reason, you need to change your the Office 365 work password you are using if you have recently enabled password sync and/or user password management. I am not referring to syncing to a premise AD, that is not required. It appears to be for syncing AAD with Office 365 accounts.
6.) Deploy a Server 2016 VM in Classic Mode or using ASM powershell commands. It seems 2016 and 2012 are able to join Azure AD.
7.) Once you are in your new VM, use the FQDN (domain.com) of your active directory domain to join the domain. It will pop up for authentication. Use the UPN model without the .com. = domain\username and password. This would be any AAD user that was added to the special admin group you created above.
When you reboot you can login with your UPN or your email address if it matches the UPN model.
8.) From there, I deployed a basic RDS server and its been working great. A litty pricier than I first though, but I am working on linking the ASM Virtual Network to a VULTR deployed pfsense instance with a site to site VPN. So if that works an on premise server could also be joined. However I am sure not if this would be feasible given then any drop in internet or VPN connection would cause user's havoc.
And it's official, Azure AD only, no premise AD or synced AD, and a single RDSH deployed and working!
Lots of notes scratched out to the side.
UPDATE:
The lack of guides for this is really stunning. If you arent syncing with any OnPrem AD you have to have to have 365/Azure AAD users reset their password.
Officially Joined Server 2016 instance to ADD and rebooting now. I would hope RDSH will be easy to deploy next.
The cost of running the same spec VM on Azure is about $35 more than Azure. However the cost of VULTR goes up $56 for the minimum 2016 server to add a domain controller. Plus on Azure I wont have to manage Active Directory.
Maybe $150 in total cost to run a 14GB instance for RDSH isn't too shabby.
@scottalanmiller I'm half way there, the AAD may work for RDS without the need for and AD server.
I'm waiting for my AAD DNA ip addresses to generate!
@scottalanmiller right but if I use ISO library to launch a pfsense instance, trying to figure out how they would stop me from setting that as my gateway on the AD server.
@Dashrender said in Azure AD and OnPrem Windows Server 2016:
If your vultr RPS server doesn't have internet access, how will you connect to it?
Will you have a VPN into the private Vultr network that grants you access?
Supposedly be remote desktoping into the app server, then internally to the AD server. Or via console access.
As I think about this more, there is pfsenes in the ISO library. If not for a router/gateway from private networks to public, I dont know what else that would be there for. So it would seem to be possible.
@scottalanmiller in addition to my question above I am curious, can you deploy an Azure AD (no servers) and Windows 10 and still have the benefit of Group Policies? Reading some mixed info on that right now as well...
@scottalanmiller I know you mentioned you are a "cloud first" guy. Would you go with VULTR on this type of small setup or just order in a server and run it off Hyper-V local?