Azure Stack HCI is a Hyper Converged Infrastructure (HCI) cluster solution that hosts virtualized Windows and Linux workloads and their storage in a hybrid on-premises environment. Azure hybrid services enhance the cluster with features such as cloud-based monitoring, Site Recovery, and VM backups, as well as a central view of all your Azure Stack HCI deployments in the Azure portal. You can manage the cluster with your existing tools such as Windows Admin Center, System Center, and PowerShell.
Azure Stack HCI, version 20H2, is now a new operating system in Public Preview and Downloadable. Designed for on-premises clusters running virtualized workloads with built-in hybrid cloud connections. That’s why Azure Stack HCI is offered as an Azure service and billed per an Azure subscription. Azure Stack HCI now includes the ability to host the Azure Kubernetes Service; see for details. Azure Kubernetes Service on Azure Stack HCI.
Get Started Using Azure Stack HCI and Windows Admin Center
Windows Admin Center It is a locally distributed, browser-based application for managing Azure Stack HCI. The simplest way to do Install Windows Admin Center in a local management PC (desktop mode), but you can also install it on a server (service mode).
If you install Windows Admin Center on a server, tasks that require CredSSP, such as cluster creation and updating, and installing extensions, require the use of an account that is a member of the Gateway Administrators group on the Windows Admin Center server. See the first two sections for more information. Configuring User Access Control and Permissions.
Before we get started, you should know that Azure Stack HCI is still in Preview and not ready for Production use. However I am installing this on my MVPLAB for testing purposes only and learning all New Features.
What’s New in Azure Stack HCI
Clusters running Azure Stack HCI, version 20H2 have the following new features compared to Windows Server 2019-based solutions:
- New features in Windows Admin Center: Azure Stack HCI is easier than ever to use, with the ability to create and update hyperconverged clusters through an intuitive user interface.
- Extended clusters for automatic failoverMulti-site clustering with Storage Replica replication and automatic VM failover provides local disaster recovery and business continuity to clusters using Storage Spaces Direct.
- Affinity and anti-affinity rules: These can be used similar to how Azure uses Availability Zones to keep VMs and storage together or separate in clusters with multiple fault domains, such as extended clusters.
- Azure portal integration: The Azure portal experience for Azure Stack HCI is designed to view all your Azure Stack HCI clusters worldwide with new features in development.
- GPU acceleration for high performance workloads: AI / ML applications can benefit from improved performance with GPUs.
- BitLocker encryptionYou can now use BitLocker to encrypt the content of data volumes in Azure Stack HCI, helping government and other customers stay compliant with standards such as FIPS 140-2 and HIPAA.
- Improved Storage Spaces Direct volume repair rate: Repair volumes quickly and smoothly.
In the Step-by-Step guide below, we install Azure Stack HCI Cluster with Windows Admin Center.
Click Add, then click Create New Server Cluster.
Select for Azure Stack HCI.
Here, you can also choose to have both Azure Stack HCI nodes on the same Site or have more Azure Stack HCI Nodes at Two Sites for disaster recovery and Business Continuity.
I have all Azure Stack HCI nodes in Single Site in my MVPLAB. More information about Microsoft Azure Stack HCI Stretching Clusters can be found here.
Prerequisites before you start With the Windows Admin Center wizard for Azure Stack HCI Cluster Creation.
This is what I love about Windows Admin Center, which supports you in all steps and selections for creating an Azure Stack HCI Cluster with Storage Spaces Direct.
Specify your Administrator Account and password and add Azure Stack HCI Node Servers
Add Nodes to Domain.
Install Required Features on Azure Stack HCI Node Servers
Installing Updates on Azure Stack HCI Node Servers
Here you get options from your hardware vendor
I don’t understand this because it’s virtual.
Restart Azure Stack HCI Node Servers and click Next Networking
Network adapters UP and Working.
When you have Enough Nics on your Azure Stack HCI Node Server, you can select the Management Team NIC here.
I choose a single management NIC.
Plan your Azure Stack HCI Node network
Configure your Production and Storage network
Here you can configure different Switches for your workloads.
Windows Admin Center will work with Software Defined Networking (SDN)
I skipped this in my MVPLAB.
Before creating the Azure Stack HCI Cluster, we first need to Validate the Cluster.
Once Cluster Verification is complete, you can download the Cluster Verification report.
Here we are giving the Cluster a Name and a static IP.
Click Create Set.
Create a Microsoft Azure Stack HCI Cluster 
Click Next for Storage.
Click next
I have some small disks Click Next.
Storage is verified and is suitable for Storage Spaces Direct.
Storage Spaces are enabled Directly on your Azure Stack HCI Cluster.
Click Next for SDN
Here you can configure Network Controller for Azure Stack HCI Cluster
Your Azure Stack HCI Cluster is made 
Here is the Dashboard of my Azure Stack HCI Cluster in Windows Admin Center
Managing your Azure Stack HCI Cluster
Managing your Azure Stack HCI Cluster with Windows Admin Center is important because I have connected WAC with my Azure Subscription, I can use Azure Monitor.
From here, Cluster also connects to my Analytics workspace of Azure Monitor.
Azure Stack HCI Cluster Nodes connecting with Azure Monitor.
With Windows Admin Center, you can manage Azure Stack HCI updates with Cluster Aware Updating (CAU) without any downtime for your workloads.
Start Cluster Responsive Update
Click Install
One Azure Stack HCI Node is waiting, the other is Loading.
Now Installing the other Azure Stack HCI Node Update.
Updates Have Succeeded on Both Azure Stack HCI Nodes.
Microsoft Azure Stack HCI Cluster is Running
Build your Virtual Machine in Azure Stack HCI Cluster.
Result
Windows Admin Center supports all the way to make your Microsoft Azure Stack HCI Cluster in the deployment wizard in easy steps. Of course, you can also create your own PowerShell deployment scripts when you need to deploy virtual machines or create more Azure Stack HCI Cluster for different platforms such as AKS Kubernetes Clusters for Container Applications or a SQL environment.
You can find more information about PowerShell commands here
After you deploy Azure Stack HCI Clusters with your own PowerShell Script, you can add the Cluster to the Windows Admin Center for IT Management.
The setup time of the cluster is really fast. I hope this gives you more information about Microsoft Azure Stack HCI Cluster Preview and Windows Admin Center!
Next Step, AKS Kubernetes on Azure Stack HCI
Kubernetes Containers in your Azure Stack HCI
