Windows Server^® 2008:
A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction

Operating System Overview

• Benefits of upgrading to Windows Server 2008
• Analysing and implementing the components and features

Installing and Upgrading Servers

Migrating to Windows Server 2008

• Selecting the appropriate deployment method
• Multiple Activation Key
• Key Management Server

Adding and configuring server roles and features

• Keeping current with service packs and hotfixes
• Assigning roles with the Initial Configuration Tool (ICT)

Building and Populating the Active Directory

Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)

• Architecting the infrastructure with forests, domains, sites, domain controllers and replication
• Analysing Flexible Single Master Operations (FSMO) roles, functional levels, schema, DNS requirements

Constructing domain controllers

• Maximising security with Read-Only domain controllers
• Preparing forest and domain for upgrade with ADPREP

Organizational Units, users and groups

• Managing user account properties and profiles
• Optimising resource access with role-group nesting
• Publishing share and printer objects in the AD

Configuring and Managing the System

Leveraging the Windows Server Manager

• Event Viewer
• Windows Firewall
• Device Manager
• Task Scheduler
• Users and groups
• Services
• Centralising events from multiple server event logs

Introducing PowerShell for administrative tasks

• PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE)
• Creating multiple user accounts and groups

Monitoring performance and ensuring reliability

• Remote Management (WinRM)
• Reliability Monitor
• Troubleshooting the OS with Windows Recovery Disk

Implementing File System Security

Managing discs, full backup and restore

• Master Boot Record (MBR)
• GUID Partition Table (GPT)
• Saving the system and data with Windows Server Backup
• Recovering files, folders, applications and volumes

Securing files with Access Control Lists

• Encrypting File System (EFS)
• Bitlocker Drive Encryption
• Inherited vs. explicit Access Control Entries
• Detecting object access problems with auditing
• Calculating effective permissions

Controlling Network Components and Services

Managing network settings

• Configuring the Network and Sharing Center
• Integrating IPv4 and IPv6 protocols
• DirectAccess
• VPN Reconnect

Sharing resources across the network

• Managing shared folders and printers
• Enabling Shadow Copies and Previous Versions for recovery
• Increasing file access responsiveness with BranchCache

File Server Resource Manager (FSRM)

• Creating quotas based on prebuilt templates
• Filtering extraneous files with screening technologies

Administering the Active Directory

Distributing and delegating administrative power

• Leveraging the Active Directory Best Practices Analyzer (BPA)
• Allocating responsibilities for simplified administration
• Investigating the object security model

Configuring user and computer environments with Group Policies

• Planning the policy hierarchy with OUs
• Identifying common settings with the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC)
• Enhancing security with desktop lockdown
• Assigning and publishing applications

Extending Windows Server 2008 Features

Creating synergy with enterprise technologies

• Consolidating multiple servers with Hyper-V
• Maximising security with Windows Server Core
• Keeping the network healthy with Network Access Protection (NAP)

Deploying Remote Desktop Services (RDS)

• Solving application compatibility issues
• RD Connection Broker
• RD Gateway
• RD Web Access
• Publishing applications with RD RemoteApp