Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is a free utility IT administrators can use to determine whether or not a particular Windows infrastructure, software application or user’s device is adequately prepared to migrate to a new operating system, server version or cloud environment. An IT professional can run MAP Toolkit on one Microsoft computing device and inventory the entire Windows network.
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit is made up of four main components:
MAPSetup.exe – contains MAP as well as the files IT administrators need to set up a local SQL Server Database Engine.
readme_en.htm file – details what administrators need to run MAP Toolkit and known issues.
MAP_Sample_Documents.zip – provides examples of the types of reports and proposals MAP Toolkit creates.
MAP_Training_Kit.zip – explains how to use MAP Toolkit and provides a sample database of the information MAP Toolkit can provide.
Assessment and Planning Toolkit features
MAP Toolkit does not require an agent. It automatically inventories the devices, software, users and infrastructure in a Windows or Windows Server deployment and produces a readiness report and proposal for executives with hardware and software information. The data can include metrics such as the number of devices, how many devices run Windows and the number of users. The readiness report can also include information on the applications users work with and if those applications are compatible with the desktop or server operating system IT plans to move to.
The Windows 10 Assessment report, for example, shows whether or not the hardware in a network is ready for Microsoft’s latest OS. The Internet Explorer Migration Assessment Report details what versions of the Internet Explorer browser are running in the deployment as well as any add-ons and ActiveX controls present in Internet Explorer.
MAP Toolkit can detail server utilization information to help IT identify where servers are and which servers would be viable to run virtual desktops on. In addition to the information it provides, MAP Toolkit delivers recommendations on how IT should proceed with its migration plan.
Why would an administrator want to use the Microsoft Assessment and planning Toolkit?
Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit is a free utility IT administrators can use to determine whether or not a particular Windows infrastructure, software application or user’s device is adequately prepared to migrate to a new operating system, server version or cloud environment.
What does Microsoft Assessment and planning Toolkit do?
The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP) is an agentless, automated, multi-product planning and assessment tool for quicker and easier desktop, server and cloud migrations
What components does the Map tool require on a system for installation?
The MAP Toolkit includes the following components:
- MAPSetup.exe. Installation package containing the tool and SQL LocalDB.
- readme_en. htm. Available as a separate download. …
- MAP_Sample_Documents. zip. Available as a separate download. …
- MAP_Training_Kit. zip. Available as a separate download.
How do I install Microsoft Assessment and planning Toolkit?I)
Step By Step – Download and Install Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit
- on Welcome Screen just click Next.
- Accept License Agreement click Next.
- The default install location will be “C:Program FilesMicrosoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit” just keep the default and click Next.
Step By Step – Download and Install Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit
- Download the Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=313396 (you may have to add http://microsoft.com and/or http://download.microsoft.com to your trusted zone)
- Run the MAPSetup.exe program.
- on Welcome Screen just click Next
- Accept License Agreement click Next
- The default install location will be “C:Program FilesMicrosoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit” just keep the default and click Next
- You can just click Next on the CEIP screen (change it fi you like to do not join, but it does help Microsoft make the products better
- Click Install
- Click Yes on the User Access Control screen
- Once it is done just click Finished
- The installation will put an icon on your start screen. Just click the Window button and select Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit
- Another UAC prompt. Click Yes
- An SQL database is needed to store all the data we will be collecting. On the Data Source screen, we are just giving the DB a name. Type in whatever you like for the name and click OK. In my case, I simply typed MAP for the name. You can optionally put a description in as well.
- You can browse around the application now.
Step By Step – Perform Inventory
- There are many places that link to the “Collect Inventory Data” for simplicity, we will launch it from the Overview screen. Click “Perform an inventory” which will open the Inventory and Assessment Wizard.
- feel free to choose whatever options you want to use for your data collection. As a minimum you will want to collect Windows Server, SQL Server, SQL Server with Database Details and Windows Azure Platform Migration.
- Choose your Discovery Methods. ActiveDirectory is the easiest but if you would rather use a different method, just check it. then click Next
- Put in your credentials then click Next
- Keep the default for find all computers in all domains, containers, and organizational units and click Next
- If you selected multiple methods for connecting you may have to create additional credentials. Otherwise, just click Next
- If you have multiple credentials, you can link them to the service that will be scanned. If not, just click Next
- for Connection Properties, you can just click Next
- on the summary screen click Finish
- While the scan is running you can click Details to see additional information
- once completed you can click Close.
- if you happen to click close before it is done, you can reopen the task viewer by clicking the down arrow next to the circle in the lower left corner of the screen and select View progress…
- You can now browse through the application to see your results.
- You can also take a preliminary look at the Windows Azure Readiness by clicking on Cloud, double clicking on Windows Azure VM Readiness then under options Generate Windows Azure VM Report.
Step By Step – Collect Performance Data
- From the Cloud section (or any section really) select “Collect performance Data” to launch the wizard to collect performance data.
- Select Windows-based machines and if you have Linux go ahead and select those as well. Enter or select the end date/time of your scan. For my simple test I did an hour. If you have a pretty static workload this is fine. If your workload changes or you want a better sampling go ahead and select whatever Date/time you would like to finish the data collection then click Next
- Choose the computers from a list on the next step of the wizard. click Next
- You can then select all the computers you want to collect performance data on then click Next. Notice there is a search box if you have a long list it is easy to find individual servers.
- you can create different credentials for this scan if you need to. Otherwise, just click Next
- You have the option of mapping credentials in case you have multiples. Click Next
- On the summary page, notice that “Remote Registry” service must be running on the computers. Click Finish and your collection will begin.
- If you have failures it is likely because the credentials you supplied are not sufficient or remote registry is not enabled. Click Closed when finished.
Step By Step – Review Data / Report
- We have now successfully collected inventory and performance data. We see what machines are ready to be ported to Azure VMs and we have some that we also have sizing data available. You can drill down on these numbers by double-clicking on them.
- After you drill down (double-click) on the Windows Azure VM Readiness scenario you will see a Generate Windows Azure VM Readiness Report. Go ahead and click it. This will download an Excel report.
- After you drill down (double-click) on Windows Azure Virtual Machine Capacity you can see how many of what size machines which can be used to accurately estimate the cost of moving that workload to Windows Azure. There is also a link on the bottom of the screen to the Windows Azure VM Pricing Calculator. You can get additional details by opening the “Generate Windows Azure VM Capacity Report”. This report is an excel document of the results.
ADVANTAGES OF MICROSOFT ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING TOOLKIT
Whether you’re an IT professional, a partner or a consultant, the Microsoft Assessment and Planning (MAP) Toolkit helps you understand your organization’s IT infrastructures and assets. It helps you determine the right Microsoft technologies for your needs. This free Solution Accelerator (a “helper” tool) can quickly inventory small or large IT environments and provides insight into your ability to migrate to the latest versions of Microsoft products. MAP is an ideal assessment and planning tool for the following key benefits.
Key Benefits
- No cost, free download
- Provides a fast, scalable and agentless inventory with low overhead
- Discovery of Devices and Applications
- Integrated Automated Toolkit for migration planning from desktops to servers
- Multi-Product Planning and Assessment Tool & Technology for migration and readiness assessment and proposal generation
- Readiness reports and proposals for the Windows 8.x, Windows 7 operating systems, Microsoft Office 2013 and 2010, and Windows Server 2012 R2 and 2008 R2
- Server Consolidation and Virtualization Assessment to help you identify underused resources and determine server virtualization candidates
- Capacity planning for server, desktop and virtualization projects
- SQL Server inventory and database discovery for consolidation
- Reduces time and administrative costs for managing software, servers, and CAL licensing assets
- Public and private cloud capacity and migration planning
- Software usage and performance tracking
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