PowerBI May 2023 install

PowerBI time baby!

Time to update PowerBI Report Server to PowerBI May 2023 update/install for PowerBI Desktop and Report Server!

 

Do you use PowerBI to render monitoring insights from SCOM, SolarWinds, ACAS/Tenable, ForeScout or more?   In case you didn’t know, PowerBI Report Server is the on-premise solution where updates from the PowerBI Cloud Service make way to prem at least twice a year.  Time to update to ‘PowerBI May 2023’ when you’re air-gapped, or just NOT to the cloud.  This post is how to upgrade PowerBI Report Server and PowerBI Desktop to the latest version.  This has been a few iterations in progress, and I couldn’t find any blog showing how to update these components.  NOTE: MDE/Intune/MECM/EM tools can be used to package this easily enough, but it’s typically a very small subset of servers used.

 

Grab a snapshot of PowerBI Report Server and Desktop Before MSI update/install

Before we upgrade to ‘PowerBI May 2023 install’ MSI’s –

Open Control Panel > Programs and Features > Search for Report (and hit enter)

Windows Server, Control Panel, Programs and Features before install
Windows Server, Control Panel, Programs and Features before install

 

Check PowerBI Desktop (shows before and after!)

Open Control Panel > Programs and Features > Search for ‘power’ (and hit enter)

PowerBI Desktop Windows Server, Control Panel, Programs and Features before install
PowerBI Desktop Windows Server, Control Panel, Programs and Features before install

 

 

Begin PowerBI Desktop update

Assuming you’ve downloaded the PowerBI updates and saved to relevant servers.  Check PowerBI blog here, PowerBI Report Server page for the latest version.

NOTE: The older PowerBI May2023 details and MSI download have been superseded – May 2024 download https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=105944

 

Open PowerShell (as Admin)

Type .\PBIDesktopSetupRS_X64.exe and hit enter

Note the Pop-up MSI installer

PowerBI Desktop and PowerBI Report Server from PowerShell, Windows Server, Control Panel, Programs and Features before install
PowerBI Desktop and PowerBI Report Server from PowerShell, Windows Server, Control Panel, Programs and Features before install

 

 

Confirm EULA

Click ‘I Accept’ check box and then Next to continue Desktop install

PowerBI Desktop EULA
PowerBI Desktop EULA

 

Confirm Desktop Path

I changed to secondary drive to NOT fill up C: boot disk

PowerBI Desktop May2023 update path
PowerBI Desktop May2023 update path

 

 

Click Next to begin install

Click Next to begin install

PowerBI Desktop May2023 Next

PowerBI Desktop May2023 Next

 

Click Finish

Click Finish to complete update

PowerBI Desktop May2023 Finish
PowerBI Desktop May2023 Finish

 

 

 

PowerBI Desktop Reboot required prompts

PowerBI desktop prompted twice for reboot required

Click OK

PowerBI Desktop required reboot prompt first time
PowerBI Desktop required reboot prompt first time

Prompted again for reboot

PowerBI Desktop required reboot prompt
PowerBI Desktop required reboot prompt

Click OK

 

 

PowerBI Report Server update

Begin PowerShell window for PowerBI Report Server exe update

 

Check Version prior to install

Click on Start > Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features

Type Report (and hit enter)

Verify version

PowerBI Report Server before update
PowerBI Report Server before update

 

 

PowerBI Report Server update

Check what’s installed before update

Check Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features > Report (hit enter)

PowerBI Report Server updated
PowerBI Report Server updated

 

 

Begin Report Server install/update

From PowerShell as Administrator window > Type .\PowerBIReportServer.exe

Hit enter

NOTE: Similar popup output to PowerBI desktop pictured below

PowerBI Desktop and PowerBI Report Server from PowerShell, Windows Server, Control Panel, Programs and Features before install

PowerBI Desktop and PowerBI Report Server from PowerShell, Windows Server, Control Panel, Programs and Features before install

Choose Upgrade/Install PowerBI Report Server

PowerBI Report Server Upgrade/Install prompt

PowerBI Report Server Upgrade/Install prompt

Accept EULA

Click on ‘I accept’ radio checkbox

PowerBI Report Server EULA prompt
PowerBI Report Server EULA prompt

 

Report Server update installing

Watch while PowerBI Report Server updates

PowerBI Report Server Install progress
PowerBI Report Server Install progress

 

 

PowerBI Report Server reboot required

PowerBI Report Server prompts for reboot – ‘Restart required’

Click Close to reboot server

NOTE:  Optionally click on Restart.   Validate PowerBI Report server service is running via services.msc, and then check the PowerBI Report Server URL specified is functional.  This may still require server reboot! 

PowerBI Report Server Restart Required
PowerBI Report Server Restart Required

 

 

Additional verification of PowerBI Report Server install

Verify PowerBI Report Server updated from Windows Control Panel

Click on Start > Control Panel > Programs > Programs and Features

Type Power (and hit enter)

Verify the version number matches (unfortunately, Report Server does NOT list the version in the title)

PowerBI Report Server update complete
PowerBI Report Server update complete

Windows Server Dashboards

These are some cool Dashboards brought to the community by Satya Vel a few years ago.

 

This was brought to my attention for Dashboard functionality from SCOM 2012R2 to provide visibility for Windows Computer Health state

After a history lesson, I had to find the source!

256 cores increased the limit in Windows Server 2008R2

Prior it was 64 cores (look how far we’ve come!)

 

The Processor perfmon object is potentially limited since.  The Windows Team built the ‘Processor Information’ counter to handle above 64 cores (256 as of the below article)

 

Windows 2008 R2 Performance Monitor – Processor Information Counters have replaced Processor Counters

 

 

 

Beyond the history lesson, let’s get to the dashboards!

Why do you ask?     The Windows Server MP’s as far back as I have (MP version 7230) use ‘Processor Information’ instead of ‘Processor’

 

Flash forward to the Momteam blog in 2012

Blog https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/momteam/2012/06/12/free-windows-server-2008-dashboards-for-opsmgr-2012-and-tool-to-help-create-your-own-customized-dashboards/

 

 

Windows Server Summary Dashboard

 

 

Task Pane Dashboard

 

From the Monitoring Tab

Click on the Windows Computer view

Highlight the computer you want to see performance information on

Click the ‘Windows Server Task Pane Dashboard’ in Tasks pane

 

What happened to CPU!

 

 

Using with SCOM 2012R2, 2016, and even TP1801 the Dashboard happened to work on my DC’s.  Processor is gathered from the AD Directory Services management packs.

 

With some help, the Task Pane Dashboard was corrected to target Processor Information versus Processor

 

 

If you use the console to troubleshoot issues, it’s simple to do.

Save the packs from the Gallery, and import the two MP’s

Go use the dashboards!

 

Gallery https://gallery.technet.microsoft.com/Updated-Windows-Server-ff45737d

 

OpsMgr 1801 All in One – Quick Start Deployment Guide

Maybe you want to play with the new SCOM version like me?

 

Following Kevin Holman’s Quick Start Deployment Guide for SCOM 2016, build out an All in One

 

High Level Deployment Process:

1.  In AD,  note the ID’s and groups used for Operations Manager for the technical preview

2.  Install Windows Server 2016 to all server role servers

3.  Install Prerequisites and SQL 2016.

4.  Install the Management Server and Database Components

5.  Deploy Agents

6.  Import Management packs

7.  Set up security (roles and run-as accounts)

 

 

Prerequisites:

1.  Install Windows Server 2016 on Server

2.  Join server to domain.

3.  Install the Report Viewer controls.  Install them from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=45496

          NOTE If SQL is installed on the MS (remember All in One server) 

          “Microsoft System CLR Types for SQL Server 2014” (ENU\x64\SQLSysClrTypes.msi) is not needed. 

SQL SysClrTypes available here:   https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42295

4.  Install all available Windows Updates.

5.  Add the “OMAdmins” domain global group to the Local Administrators group on each server.

6. Install IIS on any management server that will also host a web console:

Open PowerShell (as an administrator) and run the following:

Add-WindowsFeature NET-WCF-HTTP-Activation45,Web-Static-Content,Web-Default-Doc,Web-Dir-Browsing,Web-Http-Errors,Web-Http-Logging,Web-Request-Monitor,Web-Filtering,Web-Stat-Compression,Web-Mgmt-Console,Web-Metabase,Web-Asp-Net,Web-Windows-Auth –Restart

Note:  The server needs to be restarted at this point, even if you are not prompted to do so.  If you do not reboot, you will get false failures about prerequisites missing for ISAPI/CGI/ASP.net registration.

 

 

7. Install SQL 2016 to the server

  • Setup is fairly straightforward. This document will not go into details and best practices for SQL configuration. Consult your DBA team to ensure your SQL deployment is configured for best practices according to your corporate standards.
  • Run setup, choose Installation > New SQL Server stand-alone installation…

 

When prompted for feature selection, install ALL of the following:

  • Database Engine Services
  • Full-Text and Semantic Extractions for Search
  • On the Instance configuration, choose a default instance, or a named instance. Default instances are fine for testing, labs, and production deployments. Production clustered instances of SQL will generally be a named instance. For the purposes of the POC, choose default instance to keep things simple.
  • On the Server configuration screen, set SQL Server Agent to Automatic.  You can accept the defaults for the service accounts, but I recommend using a Domain account for the service account.  Input the DOMAIN\sqlsvc account and password for Agent, Engine, and Reporting.  Set the SQL Agent to AUTOMATIC.
  • On the Collation Tab – accept the default which is SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS
  • On the Account provisioning tab – add your personal domain user account and/or a group you already have set up for SQL admins. Alternatively, you can use the OMAdmins global group here. This will grant more rights than is required to all OMAdmin accounts, but is fine for testing purposes of the POC.
  • On the Data Directories tab – set your drive letters correctly for your SQL databases, logs, TempDB, and backup.
  • Choose Install, and setup will complete.
  • You will need to disable Windows Firewall on the SQL server, or make the necessary modifications to the firewall to allow all SQL traffic.  See http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms175043.aspx
  • When you complete the installation – you might consider also downloading and installing SQL Server Management Studio Tools from the installation setup page, or https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt238290.aspx

 

 

 

 

 

SCOM Step by step deployment guide:

 

1.  Install the Management Server role on SCOM1.

  • Log on using your personal domain user account that is a member of the OMAdmins group, and has System Administrator (SA) rights over the SQL instances.
  • Run Setup.exe

  • Click Install

 

  • Select the following, and then click Next:
    • Management Server
    • Operations Console
    • Web Console

 

 

 

  • Accept or change the default install path and click Next.

 

  • You might see an error from the Prerequisites here. If so – read each error and try to resolve it.

 

  • On the Proceed with Setup screen – click Next.

 

  • On the specify an installation screen – choose to create the first management server in a new management group.
  • Give your management group a name. Don’t use any special or Unicode characters, just simple text.
  • KEEP YOUR MANAGEMENT GROUP NAME SIMPLE, and don’t put version info in there.
  • Click Next.

 

 

  • Accept the license.  Next.

 

 

  • On the Configure the Operational Database screen, enter in the name of your SQL database server name and instance.
  • In my case this is “18MSB01”.
  • Leave the port at default unless you are using a special custom fixed port.
  • If necessary, change the database locations for the DB and log files.
  • I changed the default size to 5000 MB for now.
  • Click Next.

 

  • On the Configure the Data Warehouse Database screen, enter in the name of your SQL database server name and instance.
  • In my case this is “18MS01”.
  • Leave the port at default unless you are using a special custom fixed port.
  • If necessary, change the database locations for the DB and log files.
  • I changed the default size to 5000 MB. Click Next.

 

 

 

  • On the Web Console screen, choose the Default Web Site, and leave SSL unchecked. If you have already set up SSL for your default website with a certificate, you can choose SSL.  Click Next.

 

 

  • On the Web Console authentication screen, choose Mixed authentication and click Next.

 

 

  • On the accounts screen, change the accounts to Domain Account for ALL services,
  • Enter in the unique DOMAIN\OMAA, DOMAIN\OMDAS, DOMAIN\OMREAD, DOMAIN\OMWRITE
  • accounts we created previously.
  • It is a best practice to use separate accounts for distinct roles in OpsMgr
  • Although you can also just use the DOMAIN\OMDAS account for all SQL Database access roles to
  • simplify your installation (Data Access, Reader, and Writer accounts).
  • Click Next.

 

  • On the Diagnostic and Usage Data Click Next

 

  • Microsoft Update screen – choose to use updates or not.  Click Next
  • Click Install

 

  • Watch Installation progress

 

  • After a few minutes, when installation completes
  • Close when complete.

 

 

  • The Management Server will be very busy (CPU) for several minutes after the installation completes. Before continuing it is best to give the Management Server time to complete all post install processes, complete discoveries, database sync and configuration, etc. 10 minutes is typically sufficient.

 

 

 

Verify Console

Login to Management Group

 

 

Import Management Packs

Import your preferred management packs

 

 

Continue with Optional Activities

 

 

Verify any errors in the Operations Manager Event logs

Note the Maintenance permissions is still an issue

Operations Manager Event logs

 

SCOM 1801 dashboards (previously 1711)

Here dashboard dashboard <dong>

Come out, come out wherever you are!

 

 

Looking at SCOM dashboards in the new Technical Preview had me wondering.

I was totally excited after Ignite for System Center v.Next…

          Start at 16:34 in video – BRK1023 https://myignite.microsoft.com/videos/54778

 

 

Found the documents before I found the actual widgets

HTML5 overview https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/system-center/scom/manage-overview-html5-webconsole?view=sc-om-1801

What’s new in 1801 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/system-center/scom/what-is-new-1801?view=sc-om-1801

Release Notes https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/system-center/scom/release-notes-1801?view=sc-om-1801

 

What’s new in 1711 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/system-center/scom/what-is-new-1711?view=sc-om-1711

Release notes https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/system-center/scom/release-notes-tp1711?view=sc-om-1711

 

We have lots of widgets to choose from

 

Unfortunately, the SQL MP visualizations are not yet HTML5 🙁

 

 

Web Console, well, okay, I can play

 

 

Alert Widget

Scope – Setup for a group or class (my example is All Windows Computers group, could be SQL Servers, SharePoint Servers, etc.)

Criteria – Selected Severity = Warning or Critical, changed Alert age to 1 day (default was 7)

Display – No changes made

Select Columns to display – looks like all the console options when you click on ‘Personalize view’

Group by – Last modified was selected

 

 

Completion  Click on Save Widget

Saving widget

 

Alert Widget

 

 

 

 

State Widget

Scope – Setup for a group AND class (my example is All Windows Computers group, could be SQL Servers, SharePoint Servers, etc.)

Criteria – Selected Severity = Warning or Critical

Display

Selected 4 columns  (Health, Display Name, Path, Principal Name )

Group by – Health

Completion – Named widget and added Description

Click on Save Widget

 

Saved State Widget (NOTE no unhealthy windows computers)

 

 

 

 

Performance Widget

Scope – Setup for a group AND class (my example is SQL Server Computers, could be All Windows Computers, or SharePoint Servers, etc.)

Metrics – Use filter by keyword

Search string = Memory

Selected = Stolen Server Memory

Criteria – Time Range default is 24 hours

Recommend dropping time to 1-4 hours to display less data

Display

Left Default

See difference, checkbox is counter intuitive (uncheck gives visual graph)

Completion – Named widget and added Description

Click on Save Widget

Performance Widget (visualizations check box checked, NOTE NO visual)

 

Performance Widget (visualizations check box UN-checked)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tile Widget

Simple, can setup for a group or class

Click on Save Widget

 

 

 

Topology Widget

Gotta have a little fun, right!?

Click on Save Widget

 

 

 

Tile and Topology Dashboards

 

 

Now let’s continue this further next week!

SCOM 1711 – Technical Preview for upcoming 1801

If you’re not aware, System Center will start doing 6 month releases, and will be YYDD named

 

Example 

SCOM released in Jan 2018 is 1801, then 180x, 190x, etc.

Technical previews will also exist prior (currently 1711 – the technical preview for 1801).

 

Register for Technical Preview

Evaluate and download https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/evaluate-system-center-release

Save appropriate product(s)

 

Extract for ISO files

Go to path where files were saved

 

Double click on file to extract

 

Click on Run to run the file

 

Answer Yes to UAC prompt

Click ‘I accept for EULA

 

Click Next to begin the setup wizard

Select Path to save file

Click Next

 

File extract completes

 

Click Finish

 

 

Looks like SCOM ISO

 

 

Now it’s time to grab Holman’s quick start guide and set up new servers for 1801 management group (if you don’t already have the steps down pat!)