Today I'll show you a neat little solution I deployed in an environment recently as a solution for a centralized Start Menu based on Active Directory group membership. It enables users to see and use networked applications they have rights to from their Start Menu and it enables administrators to easily allow and disallow users … Continue reading "Centralized Start Menu Management"
Category: Systems Administration
Systems Administration
Exchange (2003) System Manager for Vista
Remote Management incompatibility is one of the biggest problems with Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 and Exchange Server 2007 on one side and Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 (R2) and Exchange Server 2003 on the other side.
(Manually) Updating Server Core
Last year I wrote on automatically updating your Server Core. While a lot of people valued the information in that post, the information was rather unsatisfactory on the subject of manually updating Server Core installations of Windows Server 2008. Now is the time to correct this apparent omission. Read on!
4 methods to add Server Core RODCs to your environment
The Read-only Domain Controller is one of the new and most existing features of Windows Server 2008. So is Server Core. Combining these two features opens up a whole new world of possibilities for your Active Directory environment.
Monitoring Server Core from the command line
A server running a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 could behave flaky from time to time. Monitoring it gives clues towards this behavior and/or provides insight in why it behaves flaky. I've taken a closer look at monitoring Server Core boxes from the command line and want to share my experiences with you … Continue reading "Monitoring Server Core from the command line"
Remotely managing your Server Core using RSAT
A little while ago I showed you how to perform some of the common management tasks on your Server Core installation using the Microsoft Management Console Snap-Ins, available through Computer Management (compmgmt.msc). Last week I showed you how to install Server Roles and Features on top of your Server Core installation. This time I want … Continue reading "Remotely managing your Server Core using RSAT"
Handling Server Core Roles and Features
Server Core is proving to be a versatile infrastructure platform. After installing your basic Server Core installation, configuring network interfaces, activating, enable remote management (through RDP or WinRM) and changing the look and feel it might be time to install additional roles and optional features.
Remotely managing your Server Core using Compmgmt.msc
Remote management of Server Core installations helps you. It prevents you from having to struggle with the command line interface on the console of your Server Core installation, while at the same time benefit from a lot of the new stuff Windows Server 2008 and Server Core have to offer.
Transitioning your Active Directory to Windows Server 2008
You might be running Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 R2 Domain Controllers at the moment and you're looking to replace these servers with Windows Server 2008 Domain Controllers to utilize the new features of Windows Server 2008. You might also be looking to replace your aging Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 … Continue reading "Transitioning your Active Directory to Windows Server 2008"
Remotely managing your Server Core using WinRM and WinRS
I've already shown you how to remotely manage your Server Core installations of Windows Server Core using the Remote Desktop Protocol, but using Windows Remote Management (WinRM, Microsoft implementation of WS-Management) in combination with WinRS might prove to be even more useful for day to day administration.