Windows Server 2008 For Dummies E-Book

Ed Tittel

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Wissenschaft und neue Technologien
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 628

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

If you're curious, but hesitant, about finding your way around Microsoft's new Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 For Dummies is the book for you. This friendly reference shows you everything you need to know -- from installation and deployment to building and running a Windows Server 2008 network. Server-based networking really is a big deal, and this 100% plain-English guide helps you make the most of it. You'll find out about Windows Server 2008's important functions, capabilities and requirements; develop a network implementation plan; take a step-by-step walkthrough of the installation process; and get valuable tips on how to boost your bandwidth beyond belief! Before you know it, you'll be configuring connections to the Universe, working with active directory, and treating domains and controllers like old pals. Discover how to: * Build and connect your network * Install and configure Windows Server 2008 * Set up and manage directory services * Manage users and groups * Install and manage print servers * Secure your network * Troubleshoot active networks * Plan for installing Active Directory * Proclaim and manage your own domain * Resolve names between TCP/IP and NetBIOS * Manage shares, permissions, and more * Develop and implement a regular backup protocol Windows Server 2008 For Dummies may be easy-going, but it's simply packed with need-to-know stuff that will send you diving into Windows Server 2008 experience just for the fun of it. So start now!

Leseprobe

Windows Server 2008 For Dummies

by Ed Tittel and Justin Korelc

Windows Server® 2008 For Dummies®

Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774www.wiley.com

Copyright © 2008 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2008922653

ISBN: 978-0-470-18043-3

Manufactured in the United States of America

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About the Authors

Ed Tittel is an increasingly grizzled, if not wizened, veteran of the publishing game, with over a thousand magazine articles and more than 140 books to his credit. Ed has worked on numerous For Dummies books, including HTML 4 For Dummies, 5th Edition (with Mary Burmeister) and XML For Dummies, 4th Edition (with Lucinda Dykes), as well as books on many other topics. Ed runs a small professional IT practice in Round Rock, TX, that specializes in network-oriented training, writing, and consulting. When Ed’s not busy writing, he likes to spend time with his wife, Dina, and son, Gregory. He also likes to shoot pool, cook, and read sci-fi. You can reach Ed by e-mail at [email protected] or through his Web page at www.edtittel.com.

Justin Korelc has been working with computers and technology for over 15 years. Justin is an independent consultant working as a writer and trainer. His work focuses on security, Windows and Linux operating systems, and PC hardware. Justin has coauthored several books on media PCs, including Build the Ultimate Home Theater PC (an ExtremeTech BuildIt Guide) and Hacking MythTV (an ExtremeTech title). He has developed online training materials on information security, PC tune-ups, file transfer technologies, and more. Justin’s computer knowledge is self-taught and based on nearly 20 years of hands-on experience. He spends his spare time practicing the fine art of bricolage, playing with computers, and improving his culinary skills. You can reach Justin by e-mail at [email protected].

Authors’ Acknowledgments

As always, thanks to my agent, Carole McClendon at Waterside Productions, for hooking me up with For Dummies in the first place. Has it really been 15 years now? On the Wiley side, special thanks to Katie Feltman, Kim Darosett, and Heidi Unger. I’d also like to thank Justin Korelc for rolling up his sleeves and digging into the former Longhorn Server as far back as Beta 1. Personally, I want to thank my Mom and Dad for making my career both possible and attainable. Finally, I want to thank my wife, Dina Kutueva, for coming into my life rather later than sooner, and for giving me our wonderful son, Gregory.

—ET

Thanks to my coauthor, Ed Tittel, for including me in this book.

—JPK

Publisher’s Acknowledgments

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Contents

Title

Introduction

About This Book

How to Use This Book

Foolish Assumptions

How This Book Is Organized

Icons Used in This Book

Where to Go from Here

Part I : Servers at Your Service

Chapter 1: Making Windows Server 2008 Serve You

Any Server Must Do This

Choosing Windows Server 2008

Exploring Windows Server 2008 Networking Features

The Very Basics of Windows Server 2008

Chapter 2: Server Networking Principles

Understanding the Differences between Server and Client Networking

More Is Better: Multiple NICs (No Cuts)

Windows Server 2008 Enhances Networking

Networking Is About Services, Too

Chapter 3: Building Your Network

Developing a Network Implementation Plan

Understanding Network Design’s Barest Basics

Deciding Where Networking Devices Must Go

Consider Hiring an Expert to Install Cable and Equipment

Always Check Your Work!

Evaluating Your Network’s Performance and Usefulness

Creating a Network Map

Network Interfaces: Built-ins versus Extender Cards

Chapter 4: Hooking Up Your Network

Make a Network Medium Happy!

Raising the Bandwidth Ceiling

The Backbone’s Connected to . . . Everything Else!

Part II : Servers, Start Your Engines

Chapter 5: Ready, Set, Install!

Planning the Installation: Upgrade or New?

Got Enough Horsepower?

Step by Step: Installing Windows Server 2008

Installing from an Existing OS

Installing across a Network

Installing Remotely

Working through Post-Installation Stress Disorder

Oops, My Installation Didn’t Take

Exploring Automated Installation

Chapter 6: Configuring Connections to the Universe

Completing the Initial Configuration Tasks

Server Manager Configuration

Establishing Remote Connections

Chapter 7: Doing the Directory Thing

What Is a Directory Service?

Meeting Active Directory

Of Domains and Controllers

Knowing What Makes Active Directory Tick

Planning for Active Directory

Installing Active Directory

When Domains Multiply

Chapter 8: Working with Active Directory, Domains, and Trusts

Master of Your Domain

Trusts Are Good for NT 4.0 and Active Directory Domains

How Domain Controllers Work Together

Administrivia Anyone? (Controlling Domains and Directories)

Permission to Proceed? Handling Directory Permissions

Managing Trusts

Chapter 9: Printing on the Network

Windows 2008 Has a Print Model

Installing on the Server’s Side

Sharing Printer Access

Bringing Printers and Clients Together

Managing Windows 2008–Based Printers

Preventing Printer Problems

Faxing the Windows Server 2008 Way

Chapter 10: IP Addressing: Zero to Insane in Two Seconds Flat

Resolving a Name: TCP/IP and NetBIOS

Calling Everything a Node

Forcing IP Down the Throat of Windows Server 2008

Everyone WINS Sometimes

NetBIOS over TCP/IP

DNS Does the Trick

DHCP: IP Addressing Automation

Ironing Out Problems

Part III : Running Your Network

Chapter 11: Managing Users with Active Directory Users and Computers

User Accounts Have Properties

Creating Active Directory Accounts

Getting Pushy with Users

What about Groups?

Giving Your Users Nice Profiles

Where You Find Profiles, Policies Are Never Far Away

When Access Problems Loom . . .

Chapter 12: Managing Shares, Permissions, and More

More about Objects, Rights, and Permissions

Of Windows Server 2008 NTFS and Permissions

FAT and FAT32 Have No Permissions

Share Permissions

Calculating Actual Permissions

But What about Access Control with Active Directory Objects?

Chapter 13: Preparing for That Rainy Day

Why Bother Backing Up?

Beep! Beep! Planning Backups

The Windows Server 2008 Backup Facility

Restoring from a Backup

Third-Party Backup Options

The Backup Operator

Chapter 14: Network Security Management

Network Security Basics

Windows Server 2008 and Security

A Look into the Future: Service Packs

Copping an Attitude

Plugging Common Mouse Holes

Security Equals Vigilance

Part IV : Serve It Yourself

Chapter 15: How to Be a DIY Guru

Server Requirements Revisited

Building a Better Budget

PC Component Shopping Tips

Assessing Windows Server 2008 Compatibility

Chapter 16: Servers the Intel Way

Choosing a CPU and Motherboard First

Selecting and Sizing Memory

Selecting and Sizing Disk Space

Making Network Connections

Picking the Right Case and Power Supply

Building an Intel-Based Server from A to Z

Ready to Rock-and-Roll?

Chapter 17: Servers the AMD Way

Choosing the CPU and Motherboard First

Selecting and Sizing Memory

Selecting and Sizing Disk Space

Making the Network Connections

Picking the Right Case and Power Supply

Construction from A to Z

Ready to Rock-and-Roll?

Chapter 18: Taking Care of Your Own Issues

Troubleshooting Common Windows Server 2008 Problems

Monitoring Server Operations

Tweaking Windows Server 2008 for Efficiency

Making the Most of Your Server

Part V : The Part of Tens

Chapter 19: Ten Tips for Installation and Configuration

Exceed the Minimum Requirements

Use Only Qualified Server Hardware

Install from Your Network

Let the Software Do the Work: Automating Installation

Beat Installation Weirdness: Be Persistent

Let Lo-Res Come to Your Rescue!

Use “Last Known Good” to Do Good!

A Custom Installation Saves Systems!

Use the Windows Server 2008 DVD to Boot

When in Doubt, Back Up!

Prepare for the Real Work!

Chapter 20: Ten Steps to Networking Nirvana with Windows Server 2008

Never Overlook the Obvious

Check Windows Server 2008 Routing

Open Your TCP/IP Toolkit

Use One or More Fast Server Network Adapters

Know When to Divide and When to Conquer

When in Doubt, Check Your Services

Handle Names and Addresses Efficiently

Ask What’s New or Different

If You Need Help, Ask

Watch Network Trouble Spots

Part VI : Appendixes

Appendix A: Server Components and Technologies

Server Motherboards

Server Processors

Server Memory (RAM)

Disk Drives, Controllers, and RAID

High-End Network Adapters

Appendix B: Windows Troubleshooting Resources

Marvels from Microsoft

Windows Server 2008 Books

Server-Friendly Publications

Other Third-Party Windows Server 2008 Sources

Further Reading

Introduction

Welcome to Windows Server 2008 For Dummies, the book that helps anyone who’s unfamiliar with Windows Server 2008 (or Windows-based networks) find his or her way around a Windows Server 2008–based network. In a wired world, networks provide the links that tie all users together. This book tells you what’s going on, in basic, straightforward terms.

Although a few fortunate individuals may already be acquainted with Windows Server 2008 and the networks it supports, many more people are not only unfamiliar with server-based networking but downright scared of it. To those who may be concerned about facing new and difficult technologies, we say, “Don’t worry. Be happy.” Using a server-based network isn’t beyond anyone’s wits or abilities — it’s mostly a matter of using a language that ordinary people can understand.

Ordinary folks are why this book talks about using Windows Server 2008 and networks in simple — and deliberately irreverent — terms. Nothing is too highfalutin to be mocked, nor too arcane to state in plain English. And when we do have to get technical, we warn you and make sure to define our terms to boot.

This book aims to help you meet your needs. You’ll find everything you need to know about Windows Server 2008 in here, so you’ll be able to find your way around — without having to learn lots of jargon or obtain an advanced degree in computer science along the way. We want you to enjoy yourself. Because server-based networking really is a big deal, it’s important that you be able to get the most out of it. We really want to help!

About This Book

This book is designed so you can pick it up and start reading at any point — like you might read a reference book. In Parts I and II, we cover server basics: concepts and terminology in Part I, and the installation and deployment of Windows Server 2008 in Part II. In Parts III through V, you’ll find tons of information on how to run or build a Windows Server 2008–based network. Part III covers running a Windows Server 2008–based network, whereas Part IV describes how you might design, build, and use a do-it-yourself network server PC. Part V includes tips and tricks to help smooth out installing, configuring, and using Windows Server 2008.

Each chapter is divided into freestanding sections, each one relating to the chapter’s major theme. For example, the chapter on installing Windows Server 2008, contains the following collection of information:

The differences between an upgrade install and a clean install

How to make sure your hardware is suitable for use as a server

A step-by-step walkthrough of the installation process

What to do when installation completes

Troubleshooting installation problems

Automating the Windows Server 2008 installation process

You don’t have to memorize the contents of this book. Each section supplies just the facts you need to make networking with Windows Server 2008 easy to use. On some occasions, however, you may want to work directly from the book to make sure you keep things straight.

How to Use This Book

This book works like a reference, so start with a topic that interests you. You can use the table of contents to identify general areas of interest or broad topics. The index, however, is your best tool for identifying detailed concepts, related topics, or particular Windows Server 2008 capabilities, tools, or controls.

After you find what you need, you can close the book and tackle whatever task you’ve set for yourself — without having to grapple with unrelated details.

If you’ve never worked with a Windows Server operating system before, it’s a good idea to read Parts I and II in their entirety. Likewise, if you’re new to administering a Windows Server 2008–based network, you might want to read all of Part III. If the idea of building your own server PC from scratch sounds interesting, you’ll definitely dig Part IV. Otherwise, dig in wherever your fancy moves you!

When you need to type something at the keyboard, you’ll see text that looks like this: Type this. You’re expected to enter this text at the keyboard and then press the Enter key. Because typing stuff can sometimes be confusing, we always try to describe what it is you’re typing and why you need to type it.

This book occasionally suggests that you consult the Windows Server 2008 online help, printed manuals, Resource Kit, and even Microsoft’s Web site for additional information. In most cases, though, you find everything you need to know about a particular topic right here — except for some of the bizarre details that abound in Windows Server 2008.

If there’s a topic we don’t cover in this book that you need to know more about, we suggest you look for a book on that subject in the For Dummies series, published by Wiley Publishing. In addition, a whole world of Web information about Windows Server 2008 is available on the Internet, and the Microsoft Web site (at www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/default.mspx) isn’t a bad place to start looking for such information.

Foolish Assumptions

We’re going to climb out on a limb and make some potentially foolish assumptions about you, our gentle reader. You have or are thinking about getting a computer, a network, and at least one copy of Windows Server 2008. You know what you want to do with these things. You might even be able to handle all these things yourself, if somebody would only show you how. Our goal with this book is to decrease your need for such a somebody, but we don’t recommend telling him or her that out loud — at least, not until you’ve finished this book!

How This Book Is Organized

The book is divided into five major parts, each of which consists of two to six chapters. Each chapter covers a major topic and is divided into sections, which discuss particular issues or concerns related to that topic. That’s how things in this book are organized, but how you read it is up to you. Choose a topic, a section, a chapter, or a part — whatever strikes your fancy or suits your needs — and start reading.

Part I: Servers at Your Service

Part I provides an introduction to Windows Server 2008. You’ll find a detailed description of Windows Server 2008 in Chapter 1 that includes its important features, functions, capabilities, and requirements. Chapter 2 takes a more general look at server-based networking and explains what makes servers special, hardware-wise; what kinds of things servers do; and what services they provide. Chapters 3 and 4 provide a speedy primer on network design and construction to help you decide where to put the pieces and parts that go into a network, including your server, and what to do with them when they’re all interconnected. If you’re already a seasoned networker or have worked with another Windows Server operating system, you can skip this part if you’d like, although you may still want to check out Chapter 1 to see what’s new and interesting in this latest and presumably greatest of Windows Server operating systems.

Part II: Servers, Start Your Engines

Part II tackles Windows Server 2008 head on, starting with its installation and configuration. It covers the issues involved in installing and configuring network hardware specifically for Windows Server 2008. It also covers how to install and manage print servers and services on a Windows Server 2008–based network, how to handle Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) addresses, and how to set up and manage directory services in a Windows Server 2008–based environment. Part II is where you figure out how to put the basic pieces of a network together using Windows Server 2008.

Part III: Running Your Network

Part III picks up where Part II leaves off — that is, it talks about living with and managing a Windows Server 2008–based network after the initial installation and configuration phase is complete. It begins with a discussion of how to manage users and groups on a Windows Server 2008–based network, including details on profiles, policies, and local and global groups. Next, it covers how Windows Server 2008 controls access to NTFS files and directories and how to manage network-accessible file system resources called shares.

After a network’s users, groups, and data assets are in place, rebuilding such a setup from scratch can be a real pain. That’s where a backup comes in handy, so Part III covers the ins and outs of backing up and restoring a Windows Server 2008 machine, plus other aspects of fault tolerance. After that, a review of network security principles and practices should help to prepare you to protect your data from accidental loss and from would-be hackers and crackers.

Part IV: Serve It Yourself

Part IV takes a detour away from the software side of servers to dig deeply into the hardware on which such software must run. You’ll find out what kinds of pieces and parts go into a PC and what kinds of selections make the most sense when that PC is going to act as a network server. You’ll also dig into the specifics involved in building a basic Intel-based PC for use with Windows Server 2008, where we guide you through options and selection rationales for choosing specific processors, motherboards, memory, disk drives, and so forth. Then we repeat that process for AMD-based PCs for those who might choose to opt for an Opteron processor instead.

Part V: The Part of Tens

Part V follows the grand tradition of For Dummies books, all of which include “The Part of Tens.” Here, you’ll find lists of information, tips, tricks, and suggestions, all organized into short and convenient chapters. This supplemental information is designed to be both helpful and informative and is supplied at no extra charge.

Part VI: Appendixes

If you’ll recall, we said earlier that this book is divided into five major parts. By definition, that means the appendixes must be a minor part of the book, although there’s nothing minor about the content you’ll find covered here. In fact, we decided to include this material to provide our readers with additional information and resources on server hardware and developing good troubleshooting skills to help provide users with the best networking experiences possible.

Bonus Chapter

You’ll find a bonus chapter titled “What Makes Servers Special” at this book’s companion Web site at www.dummies.com/go/winserver2008. This chapter will quickly get you up to speed on server capabilities.

Icons Used in This Book

The icons used in this book point you to important (and not so important) topics in the text.

This icon lets you know that you’re about to encounter information that’s important to understand if you really want to get what’s going on with Windows Server 2008. It may be painful at times, but you have to slog through it.

Oh gee, we’re getting so old that we can’t recall what this one means. Maybe you should check one out and see whether it’s worth watching for!

This icon lets you know that you’re about to be swamped in technical details. We include this information because we love it, not because we think you have to master it to use Windows Server 2008. If you aspire to nerdhood, you probably want to read it; if you’re already a nerd, you’ll want to write us about stuff we left out or other information we should put in!

This icon signals that helpful advice is at hand. We also use it when we offer insights that we hope make using Windows Server 2008 more interesting or easier. For example, whenever we include a shortcut that improves your productivity, it’s usually marked with the Tip icon.

This icon means what it says — you’d better be careful with the information it conveys. Nine times out of ten, it’s warning you not to do something that can have nasty or painful consequences, as in accidentally wiping out the contents of an entire hard drive. Whoops!

Where to Go from Here

With this book at your side, you should be ready to wrestle with Windows Server 2008 and the networks it connects to. Find a subject, turn to its page, and you’re ready to jam. Feel free to mark up this book, fill in the blanks, dog-ear the pages, and do anything else that might make a librarian queasy. The important things are to make good use of it and enjoy yourself while you’re at it.

Please check out the Web page at www.dummies.com. Be sure to take the opportunity to register your purchase online or send us e-mail with feedback about your reading experience.

Part I

Servers at Your Service

In this part . . .

In this part of the book, you get an introduction to the big star in this production — namely, Windows Server 2008 — as you dig into its features, functions, and requirements. But we also introduce you to the whole server circus as we explain what makes servers so special and why taking care of clients is both a joy and a chore. You even get a chance to meet and make sense of the network pieces and parts necessary to bring clients and servers together to help bring home the bacon.

Each chapter presents its information in small, easy-to-read sections. If information is really technical (mostly worth skipping, unless you’re a glutton for punishment), it’s clearly marked as such. Even so, we hope you find this information useful — and maybe even worth a giggle or two.

Chapter 1

Making Windows Server 2008 Serve You

In This Chapter

Understanding the client-server network model

Meeting the Windows Server 2008 product family

Finding out about added and enhanced security features

Windows Server 2008 is the latest and greatest version of Microsoft’s flagship server platform and the successor to the hugely popular Windows Server 2003. Prior to its debut, Windows Server 2008 was code-named Longhorn, a platform that shared common client features also found in Windows Vista, much like the relationship between Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP. In fact, Windows Server 2008 even shares a common code base with Windows Vista and therefore carries much of the same architecture and core functionality.

Both Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista share common technical, security, management, and administrative features; an improved IPv6-capable networking stack; native wireless utilities; and a revamped image-based installation format (among many other exciting new features). However, Windows Server 2008 is a total departure from the desktop/workstation realm and offers enterprise and server-specific features and functionality above and beyond anything Windows Vista offers. In this chapter, we explore some of these features from a 10,000-foot view and then focus on specific topics in the chapters that follow.

Large-scale deployment options, improved self-diagnostic tools, advanced reliability and performance monitoring, and enhanced security features are just some of the benefits that inhere to the new Windows Server 2008 platform. First, we take a look at server hardware and make some important distinctions between workstation and server roles and responsibilities.

Any Server Must Do This

The term server speaks to a broad classification of computers that combine hardware components and software services to handle a variety of tasks maintained through network relationships. A server takes many shapes and sizes, covers a wide range of form-factors, and includes numerous components and services. Embedded server platforms are used in network attached storage (NAS) devices, included in network print servers, and scale all the way up to giant mainframes capable of handling millions of simultaneous transactions and resource-intensive processing.

The terms form-factor refers to a specific design, layout, size, and shape of component or device. A form-factor can refer to several mutually independent devices, from the power supply and its interface types to motherboards and their various dimensions, pinouts, and connection types.

In fact, if you take a good look around your office environment, or just about any other office IT infrastructure, you can probably identify several otherwise-overlooked servers and server applications that you use on a regular basis. Modern technology puts the power of servers and server applications in the hands of mere mortals, and nowhere is this more evident than in the consumer market, where multimedia home theater PCs (HTPCs) are part of daily life for many. But back to the business world. . . .

Essentially, any server must serve a network — either clients or other servers, or some combination of the two. The term server also includes the actual server operating system that makes the computer do its job. Commercial server software products such as Windows Server 2008 are designed to handle a greater frequency and variety of tasks than are typical in either the desktop or workstation realms. Server platforms are an entirely different breed of PC, as compared to their desktop and workstation brethren, which is why they perch atop the hierarchy and the marketplace when it comes to buying an operating system.

Specifically, a server is designed and intended to provide services and run server applications under heavy workloads, left unattended and self-managing most of the time. For the most part, servers are self-contained, self-regulated core network entities in an enterprise or business IT environment. Larger amounts of memory (upwards of 8GB or more), larger storage capacity (terabytes, petabytes, and beyond), special storage methods (mirroring, striping, and multiple disk aggregation), redundant power supplies, and server-specific form-factors all typically distinguish specialized server hardware components from other, more ordinary computer components. That said, plenty of servers use desktop and workstation hardware such as optical drives, disk drives, and peripheral or display devices.

See Appendix A for more details on server hardware components and check out the Bonus Chapter at dummies.com/go/winserver2008 for a more in-depth discussion of server technologies.

Choosing Windows Server 2008

The Windows Server 2008 platform is further subdivided into multiple packages designed specifically for particular forms and functions. Understanding the distinctions among these market offerings and then understanding how they do or don’t meet your requirements will help you choose the right offering for your budget and your computing needs.

In this section, we give you a look at some of the different offerings available under the Windows Server 2008 umbrella.

Meeting the Windows Server 2008 family

Microsoft follows the usual format for marketing its server family offerings, which include both 32-bit and 64-bit varieties. Some of these editions remain functionally identical to the Windows Server 2003 family. These offerings include the following:

Windows Server 2008 Web Edition: Designed as a basic Internet Information Services (IIS) server platform to build and host Web applications and pages and provide eXtensible Markup Language (XML) services including Active Server Pages (ASP) and the .NET framework.

Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition: Designed for small to medium businesses, this version supports file and print sharing, works with up to four processors, and accommodates up to 4GB RAM.

Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition: Designed for infrastructures that demand greater security and reliability features, supportive of up to 64 processors and 512GB for high-availability, high-demand processing applications and processes.

Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition: Designed for medium- to large-size businesses as a fully-functional server platform capable of operating eight processors and 64GB RAM, with enterprise-class features including clustering and virtualization.

Windows Storage Server 2008: Designed as a specialized platform for network attached storage (NAS) implementations and optimized for use with file- and print-sharing services in storage area network (SAN) scenarios.

Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems: 64-bit Intel Itanium-based computers require a special version of Windows Server 2008 entirely its own.

You might be thinking, “Wow, what a diverse group of systems! You can’t possibly get any better than that!” Well, that’s what Microsoft was aiming for: To expand and proliferate its new 2008 platform, Microsoft has reformulated many of its top products to encompass many diverse business computing environments. In the preceding list, the items up to and including Enterprise are listed by increasing cost and capability; we don’t yet have information about the cost for Storage Server and Itanium versions, so we left those for the end of the list.

Why use Windows Server 2008?

There are dozens of compelling reasons to explore Windows Server 2008 as a viable platform for any business. In the list that follows, we give you a look at some highlights and expand on features and functions provided in Microsoft’s latest flagship product:

More control: Windows Server 2008 empowers IT professionals with greater control and management over servers and network infrastructure with enhanced scripting and task-automation capabilities. Improved self-diagnostics and remote control tools create field-serviceable platforms that also may be supported across the network or via the Internet. These features are described in some detail in the section entitled “Benefits of Windows Server 2008” in the Microsoft Product Overview at www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/evaluation/overview.mspx.

When we speak of field-serviceable parts, we mean those components and devices that can be operated and fixed onsite, or in the field. Many computer-related issues can be resolved onsite, but there are certain circumstances where a part must be sent to a well-equipped service department or parts distributor.

Role-based, image-driven platform installation streamlines large-scale deployment processes and includes new utilities to facilitate creation of custom installation images and custom recovery images, all under one umbrella. The new Server Manager console delivers a consolidated, centralized control center for managing server configurations and related system information. See Chapter 6 for more information on the all-new Server Manager console.

Greater flexibility: Windows Server 2008 supports custom modifications to better adapt to ever-changing business needs. Enhanced flexibility for mobile users, integrated virtualization (which means that one server can look and act like a bunch of servers, as far as its users are concerned), centralized application access, and new deployment options create a workable platform to suit a variety of enterprise networking scenarios.

You can create a custom installation image, or several, based on a core set of necessary applications and configurations and then roll it out to an entire enterprise in a completely automated, unattended fashion to expedite upgrades and new installations.

Better tools and utilities: The new Windows PowerShell command line interpreter and scripting language facilitates more administrative control and productivity and better monitoring and analysis of system performance with its new Reliability and Performance Monitor. Plus, you can manage and secure multiple server types using the new Server Manager console, which provides centralized access to common administrative tools. PowerShell functionality is beyond the scope of this book and remains in beta status at the time of this writing, so we don’t include material on this subject. See www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/powershell.mspx for more details on PowerShell.

Increased protection: Windows Server 2008 delivers improved security features that increase platform protection, reduce attack surfaces, and provide a firm foundation on which to construct and operate a business. The very core, or kernel, of the operating system is now better protected against various forms of attack. Windows Service Hardening makes Internet-facing services more resilient to Internet attacks, and a variety of access protections and cryptography services strengthen the Windows system. See Chapter 14 for more information on security topics related to Windows Server 2008.

New and improved TCP/IP features: Windows Server 2008 includes many changes and enhancements to the Next Generation TCP/IP stack, such as IPv6 enhancements and policy-based Quality of Service (QoS) for enterprise networks. The Next Generation TCP/IP stack is a total redesign of traditional network stack functionality for both IPv4 and IPv6 protocol versions. Receive window auto-tuning, neighbor reachability, dead gateway detection, black hole router detection, routing compartments, and explicit congestion notification are just a few of its newly added and updated capabilities. (See Chapter 2 for more on the Next Generation TCP/IP stack.)

Self-healing NT File System (NTFS): In the past, file system errors often required that a disk volume be taken offline for service, which clearly impacted business flow. A new feature and added benefit of the Windows Server 2008 platform is its inclusion of a real-time recovery or self-healing process for the NTFS storage format. That way, businesses can remain operational even in the face of file-system-related issues.

Server Message Block version 2 (SMB2): The de facto standard for network file systems in the Windows realm is SMB, now revamped to handle scalable increases in server workloads more expeditiously.

Windows Server virtualization: Windows Server 2008 provides a built-in virtualization capability to enable multiple separate operating system instances operating at the same time, using the same hardware. Users see multiple servers, each with their own data sets, services, and access controls, but IT departments can manage multiple virtual servers on a single set of server hardware.

Server Core: A new installation option for Windows Server 2008 includes a stripped-down, graphical interface-free server platform that contains only those components and subsystems necessary for a high-availability server that requires fewer updates and less servicing. Envision a cluster of low-overhead, virtualized, highly optimized server operating systems running stripped-down core roles like DHCP or DNS in protected environments, completely autonomous, managed only by a single terminal, and you’ve got the right idea.

These are just some of the exciting new things going on with Windows Server 2008. You’ll find out about many of these capabilities in more detail in the chapters that follow.

Exploring Windows Server 2008 Networking Features

Generally speaking, from a networking perspective, it’s safe to assume that Windows Server 2008 does everything that previous versions of Windows Server have done — including automatic client addressing (DHCP), directory services (Active Directory), network name resolution (DNS, WINS, and so forth), as well as a whole slew of networked applications such as e-mail, databases, transaction processing, and so forth. In fact, Windows Server 2008 does more for networking than previous versions have done, especially where advanced network performance (auto-tuning and optimization), network security, network-based offload and acceleration technologies, and simplified management and diagnostics are concerned. For the complete Microsoft version of this story, see “Windows Server 2008 Networking Features” at www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/platnetworking/default.mspx.

Providing services through your server

The client-server paradigm operates largely on client requests for server services. Such requests require both server and client hardware and compatible software, which are necessary to facilitate network functionality between the two. At the most basic level, a client must have a network connection available to transmit a request for services. Likewise, the client must have the correct software installed to formulate an intelligible request and pass it to the network, where a server can notice and respond to such a request.

Servers respond to client requests through a listener process represented by application services such as File Transfer Protocol (FTP) and Telnet. This process runs continuously, dispatching inbound client connections as they arrive and managing transitional connection states through the native TCP/IP stack implementation.

On the software side, servers require the following elements to make services available across the network:

Network drivers enable the server to communicate with its network interface. This software lurks in the background and exists only to tie the computer to the network interface.

Protocol stacks send and receive messages across the network. This software also lurks in the background and provides a common language shared with clients used to ferry information across the network.

Service applications respond to requests for service and formulate replies to those requests. This software runs in the foreground and does the useful work. The service application includes the listener process, the temporary execution threads, and some type of configuration or management console so that it can be installed, configured, and altered as necessary.

Most software that resides on a server is network aware because delivery of information via network is a server’s primary function. Some application and protocol services that are performed on behalf of a server computer include Active Directory, SQL Server database engines, Exchange e-mail servers, and Quality of Service networking.

Three improvements to existing services and one additional service in Windows Server 2008 include:

Failover clustering: Improvements to failover clusters (previously called server clusters) simplify setup and management and better secure cluster deployment and enhance operational stability. In addition, both networking and communication to storage devices are improved to increase availability of applications and services.

The concepts and terminologies known as failover and clustering aren’t something you’ll encounter with only casual computing experiences, so don’t feel threatened if these are entirely foreign to you. A cluster is a set of servers running one or several applications and services. A failover cluster is one in which several server computers operate cohesively so that in the event that one fails, another takes over processing of applications and data in its place.

Network load-balancing: Advances include support for IPv6 and Network Driver Interface Specification (NDIS) 6.0, Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) enhancements, and improved functionality with Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server. Network load-balancing redistributes the load for networked client/server application requests across a set of cluster servers.

802.1X authenticated wired and wireless access: Authenticated access for both networking technologies relies on 802.1X-compatible Ethernet switches and access points (APs) to provide port-based network access control. This prevents unauthenticated or unauthorized accesses and packet transmission to user and computer resources.

Managing the user experience

Windows Server 2008 provides a single central source for managing server identities, system information, server status, configuration problem identification, and role management through the new Server Manager console. Server Manager is an expanded Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that enables you to view and manage virtually all information and tools affecting server productivity.

Server Manager replaces features included with Windows Server 2003, such as Manage Your Server, Configure Your Server, and Add or Remove Windows Components. It also eliminates the requirement for the Security Configuration Wizard to run prior to server deployment, because roles are configured with security settings by default and easily deployable once installed and configured. See Chapter 6 for more on Server Manager.

Keeping it all safe and secure

Windows Server 2008 includes an impressive array of new security applications and features that further enhance enterprise deployments, particularly within hostile environments or under potentially threatening scenarios. Today’s Internet is a brightly illuminated world that casts shadows, and from those shadows arise criminal aspirations that seek to infiltrate, pilfer, and undermine Internet-accessible businesses. Microsoft has stepped up its Windows Server 2008 defenses to better serve the computing public that can’t always defend against unforeseen, persistent, or stealthy attack.

The following paragraphs briefly summarize some of the new and newly enhanced security features of the Windows Server 2008 family:

BitLocker Drive Encryption is a security feature of both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (again sharing a common base) to provide strong cryptographic protection over stored sensitive data within the operating system volume. BitLocker encrypts all data stored in the Windows volume and any relevant configured data volumes, which includes hibernation and paging files, applications, and application data. Furthermore, BitLocker works in conjunction with Trusted Platform Module (TPM) frameworks to ensure the integrity of protected volumes from tampering, even — and especially — while the operating system isn’t operational (like when the system is turned off).

Windows Service Hardening turns Internet-facing servers into bastions resistant to many forms of network-driven attack. This restricts critical Windows services from performing abnormal system activities within the file system, registry, network, or other resources that may be leveraged to install malware or launch further attacks on other computers.

Microsoft Forefront Security Technologies is a comprehensive solution that provides protection for the client operating system, application servers, and the network edge. In the Forefront Client Security role, you may provide unified malware protection for business notebooks, workstations, and server platforms with easier management and control. Server security can fortify Microsoft Exchange messaging environments or protect Office SharePoint Server 2007 services against viruses, worms, and spam.

Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server provides enterprise-worthy firewall, virtual private network (VPN), and Web caching solutions to protect IT environments against Internet-based threats. Microsoft’s Intelligent Application Gateway is a remote-access intermediary that provides secure socket layer (SSL) application access and protection with endpoint security management.

User Account Control (UAC) enables cleaner separation of duties to allow non-administrative user accounts to occasionally perform administrative tasks without having to switch users, log off, or use the Run As command. UAC can also require administrators to specifically approve applications that make system-wide changes before allowing those applications to run. Admin Approval Mode (AAM) is a UAC configuration that creates a split user access token for administrators, to further separate administrative from non-administrative tasks and capabilities.

Windows Firewall and Advanced Security is an MMC snap-in that handles both firewall and IP Security (IPSec) configurations in Windows Sever 2008. This edition is the first to have the Windows Firewall enabled by default. It can create filters for IPv4 and IPv6 inbound or outbound traffic and protect information entering or exiting the computer through IPSec. This component replaces both the firewall applet and the IPSec and IPSec-related tool sets.

Network Access Protection (NAP) is a policy enforcement platform built into Windows Server 2008 that maintains a social health order for the network environment by specifically requiring that connecting client computers meet certain criteria. Such requirements include having a current, functional firewall enabled with recent operating system updates already in place. NAP helps create custom health code requirements driven through policy enforcement to validate compliant computers before making any connections to the protected network.

Microsoft has also gone to great lengths to improve and expand upon many other security features, management and configuration applets, applications, and tools. We cover network security topics more in-depth in Chapter 14.

The Very Basics of Windows Server 2008

Windows Server 2008 is built with components that draw on the Windows Vista family of features and functionality, with added components and capabilities that extend platform coverage to encompass medium and large business computing needs. From NT’s humble beginnings in the early 1990s to Windows Server 2003, Microsoft’s premier network operating system server product has come a long way.

Today, Windows Server 2008 offers a reliable and scalable platform for deploying complex intranet solutions by integrating Internet and local network capabilities. In other words, this product will let you play multiplayer, first-person shooter games with people across the office or spread across the globe.

Most of the advantages and benefits you enjoy with Windows Server 2003 are contained in Windows Server 2008, along with some changes, additions, and enhancements to existing features and functionality. Most of these improvements are found under the hood, such as changes to how Active Directory works, an expansion of command line management and scripting tools, improvements to domain management, improved security mechanisms and services, greater accessibility and authentication, and some convenient new prepare and repair options in the way installations are handled.

A can’t-miss interface change is the Windows Server Manager (formerly called Manage Your Server), which appears automatically when you log on. In the Server Manager window, you can manage server roles and features, and access Diagnostics, Configuration, and Storage utility categories and much more. It’s up to you whether you want to use Windows Server Manager or start programs and utilities the old-fashioned way (by choosing Start). We chose to bypass the Windows Server Manager by selecting the Do Not Show Me This Console at Logon check box at the bottom of the Computer Information window pane.

The entire 2008 platform does offer some interesting promises that just might be realized. The most important of these is the reduced effort required to develop and deploy complex e-commerce Web sites, stand-alone server core application services, and large-scale simultaneous roll-outs. Windows Server 2008 (as well as the rest of the .NET OS family) is tuned to provide better Internet and network service support to clients. When used with the .NET editions of Microsoft programming languages and networking services, you can create an impressive online presence.

In the next chapter, we expand more on networking concepts, covering topics that range from multiple network interfaces to load-balancing and protocol offload processing, application services, client-based management, and wide-scale software deployment.

Chapter 2

Server Networking Principles

In This Chapter

Understanding the client/server network model

Discovering new Windows Server 2008 features to core networking components

Identifying client needs and positioning services

Exploring protocol offload processing and network features

Establishing server needs and provisioning services

Defining network-oriented client/server services

Examining policy-driven network-based application access

Differentiating client and server wants or needs

For most applications, using Windows Server 2008 in a networked environment means buying into the client/server model. To help you understand this networking model, which explains why it’s necessary for Windows Server 2008 to exist, we explore the client/server model in detail in this chapter. Along the way, you discover more about the types of capabilities and services that client-server networks provide and the various ways that clients and servers interact on such networks.

Understanding the Differences between Server and Client Networking

The client-server networking paradigm describes the basic nature of operation between two computers that establish a connection and exchange data or share resources. The process typically begins when a client caller makes a request to a server application or service — this typifies a normal client-server transaction.

Now, the server may have something to give to the client, or the client may have something to give to the server, but that aspect doesn’t alter the relationship (although it may superimpose roles, particularly where a server is actually the client to another server). This is the push/pull concept, which describes the nature of data that is either pushed or pulled from source to destination.

Characteristically, the client will follow this process:

1.Initiate a request.

The client caller requests access to some resource or information from the remote server.

2.Wait for a reply.

A participating server issues a reply, either permitting or forbidding the connection, which may require authentication in some cases.

3.Connect and interact.

If access is granted, the client possibly authenticates and then begins interacting in some fashion with the server.

Likewise, the characteristic behavior pattern for a server includes these steps:

1.Listen for a request.

Calling clients come and go as they please, requesting to initiate and interact with hosted services.

2.Process the request.

Once received, the client request may optionally require authentication.

3.Connect and interact.

At this point, both client and server are connected on a common channel and able to share resources or information.

What isn’t always apparent is that a single client connection may potentially involve several different servers to fulfill a single client request. Simple examples are all around you:

E-mail clients send and receive messages from e-mail servers.

Web browser clients broker data connections to FTP and Web servers.

Even simple numeric dots-and-decimals addresses to human-readable hostname resolutions (and vice versa) require that your computer act as a client to a Domain Name Server (DNS).

An alternative to the client/server model that you’ll hear from time to time, which we don’t discuss at great length, is the peer-to-peer (P2P) network model. In this model, participants act as both clients and servers, sometimes sharing multiple parts of a single piece of data or establishing an open network of client-server hybrids capable of either sending and receiving data or sharing resources without a formal client/server role.

Networking lingo

Network stack: We use the term network stack in this chapter, which is the basis of any operating system’s networking capability. In Chapter 1, we called this the protocol stack, which is the same as network protocol stack (or TCP/IP, mentioned later in this chapter), so the two are used interchangeably. Hopefully you won’t be confused when encountering these variations in the field.

NIC: A NIC is the hardware component that establishes network capability and connectivity through its software applications and drivers. This is the add-in or integrated interface card where you plug in the network cable from a router, switch, or broadband modem.

More Is Better: Multiple NICs (No Cuts)

Redundancy is one way of handling heavy workloads and network traffic for a single server servicing multiple clients. Multiple NICs (network interface cards) or network adapters provide separate network stacks that are better able to process a higher volume of traffic, create joined or separate subnets, or serve as an immediate fail-over when one interface goes down. You can even bind, load, and prioritize settings for one interface over another.

Redundancy also enables future network expansion without the added cost of new servers and lets administrators logically separate networks according to the network interfaces they use. Administrators can establish and maintain server gateways that firewall inbound Internet connections from outbound internal endpoint computers, interconnect otherwise separate networks and subnets, and perform a variety of other tasks.

In fact, if you take stock of the server-worthy hardware currently available on the market, you’re likely to see at least two integrated network adapters on many motherboards. Cheaper manufacturing costs and constant consumer demand put those dual interfaces on board and have thus far kept them there. However, these are limited-capability network interfaces that offer only basic functionality — mostly, they just do networking. Additional features are available from some add-in cards and stand-alone network appliances that can perform other tasks generally not feasible with integrated hardware, as described in the next section of this chapter.

Windows Server 2008 Enhances Networking

Several underlying changes to the Windows Server 2008 networking infrastructure can enhance the capability and performance of an existing (or design-phase) network, regardless if it’s at home or at work. Many of these substantial changes, including total redesigns and new additions, are enterprise-oriented, where the primary emphasis is on capability, performance, and security features, and where advanced options are in the greatest demand. But that doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of them, too!

In this section, we make a connection to some of these enhancements to explore what you can do with your Windows Server 2008 network environment.

Next Generation TCP/IP stack

Windows Server 2008 includes a new implementation (a complete redesign) of the original TCP/IP protocol stack called the Next Generation TCP/IP stack. This new framework is a total rewrite of TCP/IP functionality for both IPv4 and IPv6. It’s designed to better meet connectivity and performance needs in various networking environments using various networking technologies.

For the benefit of those stuck in a cave in Patagonia since the early 1980s, TCP/IP is the de facto standard network protocol stack for most server and workstation computers you’ll encounter, but it’s by no means the only one. It expands to Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol and serves as the foundation for network traffic shuttled across the Internet. It’s become a nearly universal means for networked communications of all kinds.

The core network stack framework is improved and enhanced to increase existing functionality, complement it with supplementary performance-enhancing functionality, and further expand that framework through additional features and components.

The following section covers much of the material that’s both directly and indirectly related to advances in the Next Generation TCP/IP network protocol stack in Windows Server 2008.

Here’s the deal with IPv6

The new kid on the netblock is IPv6, the designated successor to IPv4 and touted as the next best thing.

Primary improvements provided in IPv6 include a much larger (128-bit) address space capable of addressing 2128 unique hosts, eliminating stopgap measures to deal with IPv4 address space limitations and enhancing security and mobility for networked computers. Despite these improvements, little actual real-world deployment of IPv6 in a general sense limits the accessibility and availability of this new protocol framework to reserved, designated working groups in the technical field.

Outside the scope of experimental and prototype networks in Europe and branches in high-tech companies, nobody is really using IPv6. Not even Cisco has shifted its internal infrastructure entirely over to IPv6 yet, so it’s no surprise (to us, anyway) that not too many other organizations are charging aggressively into IPv6 deployment, either.

That said, we certainly won’t deny you the privilege of exploring this new technology and experiencing the advantages, benefits, and contributions of IPv6 deployment in your personal networking environment. We will, however, encourage you to experiment entirely at your own expense of time and money. (There’s just too much ground for us to reasonably cover.)

Here are a few pointers to some online resources where you may begin your journey:

“Everything You Need to Know about IPv6”: This is an Ars Technica article explaining IPv6 in (almost) plain English, complete with block-assignment diagrams. See http://arstechnica.com/articles/paedia/IPv6.ars for more information.

IPv6 Running, Understanding IPv6 & Advanced Implementation of Protocol: This daily blog is dedicated to IPv6 topical discussion. Visit http://ipv6-tips.blogspot.com for more information.

IPv6 to Standard: This Web page, devoted to the IETF IPv6 working group standardization process, lists and identifies vendors whose products are IPv6-enabled. See www.ipv6-to-standard.org for details.

Receive window auto-tuning

In TCP, a receive window size defines the amount of data that a TCP receiver permits a TCP sender to push onto the network before requiring the sender to wait for acknowledgement of its receipt. Correctly determining the maximum receive window size for a connection is now automatically handled by receive window auto-tuning, which continuously determines the optimal window size on a per-connection basis using real-time bandwidth calculations.

Improved receive window throughput increases network bandwidth utilization during data transfers. If all receivers are optimized for TCP data, Quality of Service (QoS) can help reduce congestion for networks operating at or near capacity.

Quality of Service (abbreviated QoS) refers to the ability to shape and control the characteristics of ongoing network communications services. This idea operates on the notion that transmission and error rates (along with other traffic characteristics) can be measured, improved, and guaranteed — to some extent, anyway.

Compound TCP

The Next Generation TCP/IP network stack also treats connections with large receive window sizes and large bandwidth delays to Compound TCP (CTCP), a function that aggressively increases the amount of data sent in real-time by monitoring current traffic conditions.

CTCP also ensures that it doesn’t negatively impact other existing TCP connections and complements receive window auto-tuning support to provide substantial performance gains appreciable in any high-delay, high-throughput network environment.

Explicit Congestion Notification support

Lost TCP segments are assumed to be lost, probably owing to router congestion, which triggers a congestion control mechanism that dramatically reduces a TCP sender’s transmission rate. With Explicit Congestion Notification (ECN; see RFC 3168, which you can find at www.faqs.org/rfcs/rfc3168.html) support, both TCP peers and routers experiencing congestion accordingly mark packets they forward. On receipt of such packets, a TCP peer will scale back its transmission rate to ease congestion and reduce segment loss. Windows Server 2008 now includes core support for this protocol feature.

Quality of Service (QoS) support

Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP provide QoS functionality to applications through QoS APIs, which are leveraged to prioritize time-sensitive network data delivery functions. Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista include new facilities for network traffic management on Windows networks so that high-priority traffic is handled first, which helps with streaming media, voice over IP, video conferencing, and other applications where quick response times are needed.

Policy-based QoS for enterprise networks allows IT staff to either prioritize or manage the send rate for outbound connections, which can be confined to applications, source/destination IPv4 or IPv6 addresses, and source/destination or a range of ports.

Enhancements for high-loss environments

The Next Generation TCP/IP stack also improves network conditions in high-loss environments through several optimization features that include:

(RFC 2582) The NewReno Modification to TCP’s Fast Recovery Algorithm: The NewReno algorithm provides faster throughput by changing the way a sender can increase its sending rate when multiple segments in a given window are lost, and the sender receives partial acknowledgement only for segments actually received.

(RFC 2883) An Extension to Selective Acknowledgement (SACK) Option for TCP: SACK allows a receiver to determine when it has retransmitted a segment unnecessarily and adjust its behavior on-the-fly to prevent further unnecessary retransmissions. Fewer retransmissions result in more optimal overall delivery.

(RFC 3517) A Conservative Selective Acknowledgement (SACK)-based Loss Recovery Algorithm for TCP: