MCITP Guide to Microsoft
Windows Server 2008 Server
Administration (Exam #70-646)
Chapter 3
Configuring the Windows Server 2008
Environment
Learning Objectives
• Use Server Manager and ServerManagerCmd.exe
to manage a server
• Install and remove server roles
• Configure server hardware
• Configure the operating system
• Understand and configure the Registry
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Learning Objectives (cont’d.)
• Use the Security Configuration Wizard to harden a
server
• Install and use Windows PowerShell
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Server Manager
• Server Manager
– Consolidates administrative functions
• Roles Summary feature
– Displays log information
• Two panels
– Left panel – Roles, Features, Diagnostics,
Configuration, torage
– Right panel – Server Summary, Roles Summary,
Features Summary, Resources and Support
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Figure 3-1 Server Manager window
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Server Manager (cont’d.)
• Actions panel
– Shown when drilling-down into functions
• Activity 3-1: Getting to Know Server Manager
– Objective: Learn how to start and use Server
Manager
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Figure 3-2 Starting Server Manager
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Installing and Removing Server Roles
• Common roles
– File server
– Print server
• Roles change over time
• Activity 3-2: Installing and Removing Two Server
Roles
– Objective: Install and then remove the File Services
and Print Services roles in Windows Server 2008
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using ServerManagerCmd.exe
• ServerManagerCmd.exe
– Command-line tool for managing server roles
– Manage features to be added/removed
– Run parameters in XML answer file
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using ServerManagerCmd.exe
(cont’d.)
• Activities supported by ServerManagerCmd.exe:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Install and remove roles or features
Determine installed roles and features
Use whatif option
Restart computer
Specify features to install with role
Use XML-based answer file to install or remove roles
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using ServerManagerCmd.exe
(cont’d.)
• Executed from command line
– Access Command Prompt window from Administrator
account
– Roles and features identified by IDs
• Activity 3-3: Running ServerManagerCmd.exe
– Objective: Use the ServerManagerCmd.exe
command to install and query server roles
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using ServerManagerCmd.exe
(cont’d.)
Table 3-1 ServerManagerCmd.exe options
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using ServerManagerCmd.exe
(cont’d.)
Table 3-2 Major IDs for server roles
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Server Hardware Devices
• Both Plug and Play and Add Hardware Wizard used
• Hardware includes:
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Disk drives
Disk controllers
Network adapters
CD/DVD drives
Keyboard
Pointing devices
Monitor
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Plug and Play
• Ability to automatically detect and configure newly
installed hardware devices
• PnP must be
– Built into device
– Enabled in BIOS
– Built into operating system kernel
• Almost universally supported
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Control Panel and the Add
Hardware Wizard
• Use Add Hardware Wizard
– Manually launch PnP
– Manually install without PnP
– Troubleshoot problems with existing hardware
• Start from Control Panel
– Control Panel Home vs. Classic View
– In Classic View:
• Double-click Add Hardware applet
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Figure 3-4 Selecting the Add Hardware applet to start the Add
Hardware Wizard
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Control Panel and the Add
Hardware Wizard (cont’d.)
• Device Manager
– Resources include interrupt request (IRQ) line, I/O
address, and reserved memory range
– Resource conflicts can occur
– Use Device Manager to check for conflicts and
examine properties
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Control Panel and the Add
Hardware Wizard (cont’d.)
– Other uses:
•
•
•
•
•
Verify if installed hardware is working properly
Update device drivers
Disable a device
Uninstall a device
Configure the settings for a device
– Activity 3-4: Resolving a Resource Conflict
• Objective: Use Device Manager to resolve a resource
conflict
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Control Panel and the Add
Hardware Wizard (cont’d.)
Figure 3-5 Device Manager
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Control Panel and the Add
Hardware Wizard (cont’d.)
• Driver Signing
– Digital signature used to verify a driver
– Warning when driver device not signed
– Unsigned device drivers cannot be loaded in x64
versions
• Using the System File Checker
– Scan system files for integrity
– Activity 3-5: Manually Running the System File
Checker
• Objective: Use the System File Checker to verify
system files
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Control Panel and the Add
Hardware Wizard (cont’d.)
Figure 3-6 Running System File Checker
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Control Panel and the Add
Hardware Wizard (cont’d.)
• Using Sigverif to Verify System and Critical Files
– Only scans files
– Does not overwrite inappropriate files
– Activity 3-6: Verifying Critical Files for a Signature
• Objective: Use Sigverif to find unsigned files
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using Control Panel and the Add
Hardware Wizard (cont’d.)
Figure 3-7 Scanning with Sigverif
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring the Operating System
• Configure to:
– Optimize performance
– Meet specific requirements
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Performance Options
• Basic areas:
– Processor scheduling and memory usage
– Virtual memory
– Memory for network performance
• Configuring Processor Scheduling and Data
Execution Prevention
– Background services
– Programs
– Data Execution Prevention (DEP)
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Performance Options
– Activity 3-7: Configuring
Processor Scheduling and
DEP
Figure 3-9 Configuring Data
Execution Prevention
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Performance Options
(cont’d.)
• Configuring Virtual Memory
– Virtual memory
– Paging
– Paging file
• Location
– Activity 3-8: Configuring the Paging File
• Objective: Learn where to configure the initial and
maximum size of the paging file
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Performance Options
(cont’d.)
Figure 3-10 Configuring virtual memory
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Performance Options
(cont’d.)
• Configuring Direct Memory Access for Hard Disks
– Transfer modes: Program Input/Output (PIO) and
Direct Memory Access (DMA)
– Activity 3-9: Configuring the DMA Transfer Mode
• Objective: Determine the transfer mode used by a hard
drive and set it to DMA, if necessary
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Environment Variables
• Tell operating system where to find programs,
allocate memory, and control programs
• Categories
– System environment variables
– User environment variables
• Activity 3-10: Configuring System and Environment
Variables
– Objective: Learn where to configure system and user
environment variables
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Startup and Recovery
• System startup options:
– Default operating system
– Display list of operating systems
– Display list of recovery options
• System failure options:
– Writing to system log (cannot be disabled)
– Start automatically after failure
– How and where to write debugging information
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Startup and Recovery
(cont’d.)
• Activity 3-11:
Configuring Startup and
Recovery
– Objective: Configure
startup and recovery
options
Figure 3-12 Configuring a system startup
option
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Power Options
• Select power plan
• Require wakeup password
• Choose power button function
– Shut down, do nothing, or hibernate
• Create power plan
• When to turn off display
• Activity 3-12: Configuring Power Options
– Objective: Configure the balanced power plan
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Configuring Power Options (cont’d.)
Figure 3-13 Power Options dialog box
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Installing a Protocol
• Microsoft Virtual Network Switch Protocol
– Used when Hyper-V role installed
• Reliable Multicast Protocol
– Used for multimedia transmissions
• Activity 3-13: Installing a Protocol
– Objective: Learn to install a protocol
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Installing a Protocol (cont’d.)
Figure 3-14 Selecting to install a protocol
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Understanding the Windows Server
2008 Registry
• Windows Server 2008 Registry
– Database containing information for operating system
– Examples of data in Registry
• Registry Editor
– Lunched from Start button Run option
– Type regedit32 or regedit
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Understanding the Windows Server
2008 Registry (cont’d.)
Figure 3-15 Registry Editor
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Understanding the Windows Server
2008 Registry (cont’d.)
• Precautions when editing Registry
– Establish group of administrators who can access and
modify
• Remove this permission from other users
– Edit Registry as last resort
– Back up Registry regularly
– Never copy Registry from one computer to another
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Registry Contents
• Hierarchical structure
– Keys
– Subkeys
– Entries
• Root keys (subtrees):
–
–
–
–
–
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
HKEY_USERS
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
• Information on every hardware component in the
server
• Subkeys:
– BCD00000000, COMPONENTS, HARDWARE, SAM,
SECURITY, SOFTWARE, and SYSTEM
• Hives
– Set of subkeys with related information
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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HKEY_CURRENT_USER
• Contains information about desktop setup
– For account presently logged on to server console
• Example changes:
– Environment parameter governing where application
temporary files are stored
– Delay in the response of the keyboard
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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HKEY_USERS
• Contains profile information for each user who has
logged onto the computer
• Each profile listed under root key
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
• Holds data to associate file extensions with
programs
– Used as defaults for all users who log on to Windows
Server 2008
• Can modify for particular user under HKEY_USERS
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
• Information about the current hardware profile
• Only one default hardware profile on most servers
• Activity 3-14: Using the Registry Editor
– Objective: Practice using the Registry Editor to view
the Registry contents
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using the Security Configuration
Wizard
• Analyze and configure security settings
• Adjusts security settings to match roles
• Establish security policy using:
– GUI interactive wizard
– Database
– Command-line tool scwcmd
• Activity 3-15: Using SCW to Configure a Security
Policy
– Objective: Create a new security policy
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using the Security Configuration
Wizard (cont’d.)
Figure 3-18 Creating a new security policy
Courtesy Course Technology/Cengage Learning
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Using the Security Configuration
Wizard (cont’d.)
• Activity 3-16: Using scwcmd
– Objective: View security policy settings using the
scwcmd command-line command
Table 3-3 scwcmd command-line options
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Windows PowerShell
• Script
– File of commands
• cmdlets
– Specialized commands for completing common tasks
in PowerShell
• PowerShell tasks
• Installing PowerShell
• Activity 3-17: Using Windows PowerShell
– Objective: Use traditional Command Prompt
commands and cmdlets in Windows PowerShell
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Summary
• Server Manager
– Tool used to install and remove roles, features, and
other administrative functions
– Command line-version of Server Manager
• ServerManagerCmd.exe
• Tune performance by configuring processor
scheduling, memory use, and virtual memory
• Configure power options
• Control Panel used to install and uninstall protocols
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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Summary (cont’d.)
• Registry database
– Holds information for Windows system
– Organized by keys, subkeys, and entries
• Security Configuration Wizard analyzes security
options for installed roles
• Windows PowerShell
– Used to manage server with commands, cmdlets, and
scripts
MCITP Guide to Microsoft Windows Server 2008,
Server Administration (Exam #70-646)
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