Guide to remote manage Hyper-V servers and VM's in workgroups or standalone

Question

This guide is based on the following 3 products:
Windows server 2012 (core)
Windows 8
Hyper-V server v3 / Hyper-V server 2012
The following guide will enable you to:
1: remotely manage your Hyper-V Virtual Machines with Hyper-V manager
2: remotely manage your Hyper-V servers' firewall with a MMC snap-in.
3: remotely manage your Hyper-V server (2012) with server manager
! This should also work for Core installations of server 2012, but I haven't tried.
This guide is purely focussed on servers in a WORKGROUP, or as a stand alone.
I CAN NOT tell you what you need to do to get it working in a domain.
* You can run these commands straight from the console (Physically at the machine) or through RDP.
* You will need to be logged on as an administrator.
* Commands are listed in somewhat random order; I do however advise to follow the steps as listed.
* Commands with ? in front of them are only ment to be helpfull for troubleshooting,
* and to identify settings and changes made.
* Commands and instructions with ! in front of them are mandatory.
- server: means the server core or hyper-v server (non gui)
- client: means the machine you want to use for remote administration.
- Some commands are spread over 2 lines; be sure to copy the full syntax.
> To enable the Hyper-V manager to connect to your server, you need to perform the following 2 actions: (Assuming you have already installed the feature)
1:
! Client: Locate the C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\etc\hosts file.
! right-click --> properties --> security
! click --> edit --> add --> YOURUSERNAME or Administrator --> OK
! then select this new user, and tick the "modify"-box under the "allow"-section.
! apply the change, and close.
! doubleclick the file, and open with notepad
! add the ip-address and name of your server (no // or other crap needed)
! Save the file
# I recommend putting a shortcut to this file on the desktop.
# If you change the ip-address of your server (e.g. move the server from staging to a live environment)
# you might forget to do so in the hosts file.
# Hyper-V manager, MMC, RSAT, and Server-manager all rely on the hosts-file to resolve the name.
# some of these might connect to their respective service on an i.p.-level, but some don't.
# This is the main reason you need to modify this file.
! USE AN ELEVATED CMD/POWERSHELL PROMPT TO CONTINUE !
# the next config needs to be done on windows 8.
# It seems that it's already preconfigured under server 2012
2:
! Client: dcomcnfg
! open component services --> computers
! right-click -> my computer -> properties
! select "COM SECURITY" tab
! under "ACCESS PERMISSIONS" select "edit limits"
! select "ANONYMOUS LOGON", and tick "remote access" under ALLOW
# Without this adjustment, you can't connect to your Hyper-V server
# with the Hyper-V manager if you're not in a domain.
> And if you haven't done so already... make sure you have enabled remote management number 4 on the Hyper-V server console.
> Next, is to get the MMC firewall snap-in working.
   The reason for this, is to have a GUI available to configure it.
   If you're happy without it, you may skip this and use a shell instead to do so.
? server: netsh advfirewall show currentprofile
# shows the current profile (public/domain/private) and its settings
# depending on your needs, you should set the right profile to fit your needs.
# You can easily do this when the MMC snap-in is done. (after you've followed these steps)
! server: netsh advfirewall set currentprofile settings remotemanagement enable
# enables remote management of the firewall on an application level 
# (In other words: allows the firewall to be remotely managed)
! server: netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group="Windows Firewall Remote Management" new enable=yes
# allows remote management of the firewall, through the required firewall ports with TCP protocol.
# 4 rules will be updated to allow access: public & Domain, dynamic and endpoint-mapper.
# You can disable/add/change the rule from the MMC snap-in after finishing this guide.
# e.g. set the firewall through the MMC-GUI to only allow specific ip-addresses etc.
? server: netsh advfirewall firewall show rule all
# Shows a list of available rules, and their current state.
# when run from cmd, the list exceeds the maximum length for review.
# (from cmd,type:) start powershell, and run the command from there.
! Client: cmdkey /add:YOURSERVERNAME /user:USERNAMEONTHESERVER /pass:THEPASSWORDOFTHATUSER
# I recommend you to use a username with enough privileges for management
# All capital letters need to be replaced with your input
# CMD answers "credential added successfully" when you're done
! Client: locate MMC, and run it as an admin.
# In windows 8/2012, go to search and type MMC. Right-click the icon, 
# and choose run as admin on the bar below.
! Client: application MMC: select "file" --> Add/remove snap-in 
! --> (left pane) scroll down to "windows firewall" --> select and click "add"
! select "another computer"
! type the name of the server you want to manage (NO workgroup/ or //, just same name as you typed for cmdkey)
* Part 2 is done.
# Have a look by doubleclicking the firewall icon in the left pane.
# It looks and works the same as the GUI version that you are familiar with.
! Next is the Server Manager.
# Follow the steps listed to get your server listed and manageable in the server manager.
! Client: Open the created Firewall snap-in for your server.
! Find the 3 "Remote Event Log Management" entries in the list of INBOUND rules, and enable them.
! Open powershell --> in cmd windows, type: start powershell
! run the following line in powershell
! Client: in C:\Windows\system32> set-item WSMAN:\localhost\client\trustedhosts -value YOURSERVERNAME -concatenate
# WinRM Security Configuration.
# This command modifies the TrustedHosts list for the WinRM client. The computers in the TrustedHosts list might not be
# authenticated. The client might send credential information to these computers. Are you sure that you want to modify
# this list?
# [Y] Yes  [N] No  [S] Suspend  [?] Help (default is "Y"): y
# I recommend to choose yes; unless you like to pull some more hairs...
! server: winrm qc
# WinRM service is already running on this machine.
# WinRM is not set up to allow remote access to this machine for management.
# The following changes must be made:
# Configure LocalAccountTokenFilterPolicy to grant administrative rights remotely
# to local users.
# Make the changes? y / n
!  select yes
! Client: open the server 2012 server manager
! click manage -> add server
! select the DNS tab, and type the name of your server
Done.
You can now manage your remote server through the familiar computer management GUI.
! Right-click your remote server, and select "Computer Management"
A few side notes:
? The Performance tab seems to list the local machine's performance, in stead of the remote servers'
? If you want Windows server backup, you need to right-click the server in the server manager, and select "add roles and features.
? it will then become available under the "computer management" of the remote server.
If you liked this guide you may thank my employer, Mr. Chris W.
for giving me the time to work it all out.
Cheers!

Answer 1

As a little update to the post, I'd like to add that replication, clustering and migration will not work in workgroup environments. Unless someone can provide an additional guide for this, I'd recommend anyone to no even bother to try.
To manage the standalone hyper-v server in a remote location over the internet, I would recommend the following:
Install windows 8 pro (x86 uses less resources!) as a vm on the host, and assign 2 network connections to it.
1 external (shared with host) (be sure you have a dedicated ip-address for it!)
1 internal connection.
What I did was this:
As soon as you've installed the win8 guest, proceed with the guide as described.
For the 1st step of the guide (hosts-file) use the ip-address you will later assign to the "internal" network switch of the host!
In my example, I'm using 10.0.0.1 for the host, and 10.0.0.2 for the guest.
To be clear: I first used the guide on a LAN-environment, and did all the steps from a "real" client to server on the LAN.
Then, installed the win8 guest on the host using the "real" clients' hyper-v manager over the LAN.
Next, assigned the 2 network connections to the VM, and configured them as follows:
external - as you would to be able to make your guest reach the internet.
internal - I used the following config:
ip-address: 10.0.0.2
subnet: 255.255.255.252
gateway - blank
dns - Blank
Now, when you get to the console of the hyper-v server (host) or RDP to it, go to network settings.
You'll see that the internal card has been added here as well.
Configure it as follows:
ip-address: static - 10.0.0.1
subnet: 255.255.255.252
gateway - blank
dns - blank
You should now be able to ping your guest (win8) on 10.0.0.2 if it's running.
Don't forget to enable ping response (option 4 on the host) to test connectivity the other way around as well (guest to host)
When you're done, you'll be able to RDP to the guest OS over the internet, and then connect to the host with server manager, hyper-v manager, and MMC.
Don't forget to enable each module on the hosts' firewall to make the snap-ins work!
Remote volume management requires your guest/client firewall INcoming ports to be enabled as well! not just the host.
Either update the firewall rules from the MMC gui as described in the guide, or use the following commands on the
hosts' powershell:
Enable the firewall rules with the command Enable-NetFirewallRule -DisplayGroup "USE_THE_COMMANDS_BELOW" (include the " " in the command)
Remote Service Management
Remote Volume Management
Remote Event Log Management
Remote Scheduled Tasks Management
Windows Firewall Remote Management
Windows Remote Management
You can get the list with Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName *management*
You can get the list with Get-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName *remote*
Commands provided with credits to F. verstegen
Cheers,
Michael.
Sigh...