Azure Arc

[HCHTech]

I see MS is now running an app in the system tray to setup Azure Arc - unprompted, must have come with a recent update. No explanation, no "Here's why you should do this thing", nothing. It appears to be a new or re-named management platform? Gateway into Intune or something? Guess I'll be looking into how to disable the thing next week...

 

[nlinecomputers]

Do you have any screenshots? I’ve yet to see that.

 

[Sky-Knight]

Azure ARC doesn't just appear by accident.

As for what it is, it's a control plane that runs in Azure, but extends to on premise platforms. In short, ARC enrolled systems can be controlled from Azure.

It also happens to be the only available means to get Server 2012 platforms on premise, into the extended update program and keep them patching.

 

[HCHTech]

Do you have any screenshots? I’ve yet to see that.

I saw this on 3 separate workstations for the same client - they are using M365 (Bus. Prem licenses), but they have an on-prem DC, so none of the computers are AAD. The icon in the system tray was a shortcut to the Azure Arc setup.exe file - so it was an opportunity to set it up only. I didn't take a screenshot, and I no longer see that icon in the couple of workstations I checked this morning.

The only thing I can think of was I had accepted the new security defaults in their M365 tenant a couple of weeks ago. I've went through that tenant pretty carefully once that was done to make sure nothing unexpected was active, but I could have missed something, of course. It was at least a couple of weeks ago and I only found the systray icon for Azure Arc this past Sunday. Weird.

 

[Sky-Knight]

If it was being deployed via policy, it'd be in Intune.

P.S For the love of all that is good and right in the world DO NOT EVER allow an environment to become hybrid joined.

 

[HCHTech]

Found it again on at that same client on the backup domain controller (Server 22 Std):

 

[Sky-Knight]

AHH Ok, you have Server 22 in place, THAT is why.

That platform was designed to be controlled by ARC, as soon as you make it a DC it starts bugging you to set that up.

 

[HCHTech]

Ahh - That means I'll need to keep an eye on them, then. We've got 4 physical hosts and 7 VMs all on Server 22 there. Only 2 DCs, though, so that's an easier job.

 

[Sky-Knight]

It's harmless, it won't do anything until you connect it to ARC. ARC is just a control plane, and it's free by the way. There are features within ARC that have a paid feature AND, I'd advise you look into it. Because ARC is how you deliver extended update services to an out of date server. If you stuff a Server 2012 unit into ARC, and pay the appropriate fee, you get a monthly subscription to updates that lasts another three years.

If you do nothing else with ARC, being able to buy time to get off aging equipment is really handy.