I am critical when Microsoft bricks my servers with dodgy updates, but I also give them kudos when due. Happy to say that it is kudos time.
In its July 20, 2018 update of the HCW, Microsoft added a welcome feature. As you may already be aware, in a hybrid environment where there are no local mailboxes anymore and the on-prem Exchange server is there purely for administrative purposes, you're eligible for a free Hybrid license. If you didn't know then click here to find out more. It used to be a separate process, a separate tool, thus extra time and administration.
Not anymore. If you run the HCW on a new, unlicensesd server, the first thing you'll notice is a big red message telling you that you are running an Unlicensed Product, and the Next button is grayed out. Also, the Version information states that the server is a "Standard Evaluation Edition".
Don't freak out. If you look closer, you now get a link to license this server now:
Click the link and you'll be prompted to log on to your O365 tenant admin account:
The wizard then goes on to validate the environment, then obtain and install your free, brand spanking new Hybrid edition license:
Once the license is in, you are given access to the Next button, and the rest of the process is pretty much the same as before. As an added feature, you are also given a copy product key link which reveals not only the product key in clear text, but the entire PowerShell command that was used to install it also - it's there just as an FYI, the wizard did it all for you.
If you restart the HCW, you'll notice that Standard Evaluation version has been updated to Coexistence Edition:
Pretty cool, huh?
Till later,
Zoltan
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