Deploying and Managing a Windows Server 2003 Environment: Hands-On

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About this class

IT professionals face the ongoing challenge of improving the delivery of services while reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Microsoft Windows incorporates a variety of techniques aimed at significantly reducing TCO.

This course provides the skills needed to leverage these techniques while intelligently managing clients and servers within Windows Server 2003 domains. You learn to automate OS and software installation, and centralise control of workstation and server configurations.

This training may be available onsite; please contact us if you are interested.

Who will the lesson benefit?

Those developing an administrative strategy within a Windows Server 2003 AD environment. Course 595, "Windows Server 2003 Comprehensive Introduction", or equivalent experience is assumed.

What delegates will learn

You will learn to:

• Install and manage clients and servers within Windows Server 2003 domains
• Administer systems using management consoles and the Remote Desktop client
• Create and enforce workstation and server configurations using Group Policy Objects
• Implement automated software deployment based on computer and user functions
• Prepare computers for disk-cloning deployments using SysPrep
• Configure and utilise the Remote Installation Service (RIS)

Contents of this class

Introduction

Overview of management concepts

• Reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
• Increasing functionality
• Centralising the administration

Microsoft's management solution

• Improved management applications
• Group Policy Objects
• Automated Windows installation

Management and Support Tools

The Microsoft Management Console (MMC)

• Managing the operating system with built-in consoles
• Creating customised consoles

Exploring alternatives to the MMC

• Working with command line utilities
• Assigning server roles
• Accessing remote machines via the Remote Desktop client

Configuring Windows with Group Policy

Controlling settings

• Modifying common Registry keys
• Assigning logon and start-up scripts
• Centralising data storage
• Enforcing consistent security settings
• Configuring Internet Explorer

Defining Group Policy Objects (GPOs)

• Determining GPOs with the Group Policy console
• Modifying administrative and security templates
• Documenting and backing up GPOs with the Group Policy Management Console

Managing Group Policy Objects

• Linking GPOs within the Active Directory
• Combining GPOs with inheritance
• Implementing security and WMI filters
• Overriding user settings based on computer function
• Installing and using Microsoft's Group Policy Management Console

Troubleshooting Group Policy

• Improving policy performance
• Enabling verbose policy logging
• Evaluating policy interaction with the Group Policy Modelling and Results wizards

Deploying Windows Installer Packages

Windows Installer Service

• Performing GUI and command line installations and repairs
• Managing the installation state of individual features

Distributing software via Group Policy

• Assigning software to computers
• Publishing for interactive installation
• Enabling just-in-time installation so that software "follows" users
• Customising software installation with modification files

Automating Windows Installation

Scripted installations

• Building answer files using Setup Manager
• Supporting variable parameters with Uniqueness Database Files
• Creating distribution shares that include third-party drivers

Disk imaging

• Preparing systems for imaging using the System Preparation Wizard
• Generating answer files for use with cloning utilities
• Supporting multiple hardware configurations with a single image

Remote Installation Service (RIS)

• Installing and managing RIS on the network
• Creating RIS images
• Preparing for Windows Deployment Services

Service Packs and hot fixes

• Slipstreaming Service Packs and software updates into installation images
• Deploying service packs using GPOs

Adding R2 Functionality

• Automating execution of the R2 setup utility
• Installing optional components with answer files

Deploying and Managing a Windows Server 2003 Environment: Hands-On / 597

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