Exam Prep:
Microsoft Technology Associate 98-366: Windows Server
Administration Fundamentals
Meet the Presenters
Christopher Chapman, MCT
Content Project Manager, Microsoft Learning
Background
IT manager and implementer focused on deploying, maintaining and
optimizing networks of all sizes
IT Consulting projects include Custom SharePoint for Microsoft IT,
Netware/Notes migration to AD/Exchange, Transition to centralized
management (250 clients)
Instructor and Director of Instruction
Multiple Microsoft and other industry certifications (MCP, MCTS, MCSA,
MCSE, MCT)
Contact
[email protected]
@ChristopherMSL
Meet the Presenters
Thomas Willingham
Content Developer, Cloud and Enterprise
Background
Taught the Microsoft MCSE and the Novell CNE
certifications, and worked as a network consultant
for almost 10 years
Courseware Author for MS Learning
Content developer for Remote Desktop
Virtualization at Microsoft for the last 5 years
Contact
[email protected]
Course Topics
Windows Server Administration Fundamentals
01 | Server Overview
02 | Managing Windows Server 2008 R2
03 | Managing Storage
04 | Monitoring and Troubleshooting Servers
05 | Essential Services
06 | File and Print Services
07 | Popular Network Services and Applications
Setting Expectations
Target Audience
IT Help Desk staff interested in moving into Network/Systems Administration
Anyone interested in learning more about networking
Suggested Prerequisites/Supporting Material
Exam 98-349: Windows Operating System Fundamentals
Server Overview
Module 1
Objectives
Skills/Concepts Objective Domain Objective Domain
Description Number
Installing Windows Understand server 1.3
Server 2008 R2 installation options.
Introducing Server Roles Identify application 2.1
servers.
Comparing Physical Understand server 2.5
Servers and Virtual virtualization.
Servers
Selecting Server Identify major server 5.1
Hardware hardware components
Identify Methods to Understand updates. 6.3
Install Windows Servers
Server
A server is a computer that provides services, and a client is a computer that requests services.
A network made up of servers and clients is known as a client/server network
A server-based network is the best network for sharing resources and data, while providing
centralized network security for those resources and data
Networks using Windows Server are typically client/server networks
Server Roles
Windows Servers use roles to define what services the server provides
A server can have multiple roles installed
When you are determining hardware and software needs, look at the role the computer needs to fill
and the load the computer will be placed under
File Services Web Services Directory Services
Selecting Server Hardware
When choosing server hardware keep the following in mind:
1. Performance - Servers are intended to provide network services to many users
2. Availability - If the server fails or becomes unavailable, the issue will affect multiple people
3. Cost How to balance available budget with the goals of performance and availability
Cost
Primary Subsystems
Processor
Memory
Storage
Network
* Failure in any of these subsystems can cause the entire system to fail
* They can also cause a bottleneck that can affect performance of the
entire system
Processor
Processors are typically 64-bit, which can process faster than 32-bit processors
32-bit processor 4 Gigabytes of RAM
64-bit processor 1 Terabyte of RAM
A processor can only work on a single process / thread at a time
Time slicing enables multiple threads and applications to be running at the same time
A multicore processor enables multiple threads / application instructions to be worked on at the
same time
Memory
Random Access Memory (RAM) is the computers short-term or temporary memory
It stores instructions and data that the processor accesses directly
If you have more RAM, you can load more instructions and data from the disks
Having sufficient RAM can be one of the main factors in your computers overall performance
Storage
Traditionally, hard drives are half electronic/half mechanical devices that store magnetic fields on
rotating platters
Solid-state drives are electronic devices with no mechanical components
Personal computers typically only have local storage consisting of internal hard drives
Servers may also connect to external storage through a network-attached storage (NAS) or storage
area network (SAN)
Network
A network connection enables a device to communicate with servers or the clients
Most devices include one or more network interface cards or NICs
Speeds of todays network cards are 100 Mbit/second, while a typical speed for servers is 1
Gbit/second or faster
Motherboard
Motherboard is the main printed circuit board that brings these four subsystems together
The processor plugs in or connects to the motherboard or system board enabling communication
with the rest of the system
The motherboard provides the electrical connections enabling components of the system to
communicate
BIOS
Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) are the instructions that control most of the computers
input/output functions
BIOS functions include communicating with disks, RAM, and the monitor kept in the System Read
Only Memory (ROM) chips
By having instructions (software) written on the BIOS, the system already knows how to communicate
with some basic components such as a keyboard and how to read some basic disks such as IDE
drives
The BIOS also looks for additional ROM chips that may be on the motherboard or on expansion
cards that you add to the system
Flashing the BIOS is the process of updating your system ROM BIOS
Power Supply and Cases
A case provides an enclosure that helps protect system components that are inside
A case with the power supplies and additional fans are usually designed to provide a fair amount of
airflow through the system to keep the system cool
The power supply supplies electrical power to the mother board and components
Ports
Ports are plug sockets that enable you to connect peripheral deices to your computer
Devices can include a printer, keyboard, mouse, external drive or another computer
Types of ports:
Ethernet
Parallel
PS/2
Serial
VGA
USB
SCSI
HDMI
Audio
Ports
Virtual Servers
Virtual machines or virtual server technology enables multiple operating systems to run concurrently
on a single machine
Virtual servers allows for a separation of services so that changes on one virtual server do not affect
the other virtual servers
Virtualization offers a better way utilize hardware since most hardware is sitting idle most of the time
Locating the Server
After you select and purchase the server and its components, you also need to determine where to
physically locate the server
The server room is the work area of the Information Technology (IT) department that contains servers
and most of the communication devices including switches and routers
The room should be secure, with only a handful of people allowed to have access to it
Software
Software contains the instructions that the hardware follows, which make the computer do what it
does.
It provides us with an interface that we can use to configure and manage the computer
Configuring a server:
Select, install and configure the operating system
Select, install and configure the services that the operating system provides
Install and configure additional software on the server
Windows Servers
Windows NT (first released in 1993) is a family of operating systems produced by Microsoft
Since then, Microsoft has built on the previous version and released:
Windows 2000 Server
Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 R2
Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2012
Windows Server 2012 R2
Windows Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2008 R2 editions
Windows Server 2008 R2 Foundation
Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise
Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter
Windows Web Server 2008 R2
Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems
Windows Server 2008 R2 is only available in 64-bit version
Windows Server Roles
A server provides services
Windows Server 2008 R2 has organized the most common services into server roles
A server role describes the function of the server
Windows Server 2008 R2 server features are software programs that are not directly part of a role
Server features augment the functionality of one or more roles to enhance the functionality of the
server
Full Installation and Server Core
Starting with Windows Server 2008, you can install Windows in one of two modes (both of which are
provided on the installation DVD) :
Full Version
Server Core
The full installation has a fully functional GUI interface and supports installing all available server roles
and other Microsoft third-party software
Server Core installation provides a minimal environment with no Windows Explorer shell that only
supports certain server roles
Windows Server 2008 R2 System
Requirements
Component Requirement
Processor Minimum: 1.4 GHz (x64 processor)
Memory Minimum: 512 MB RAM
Disk Space Minimum: 32 GB
Requirements
Display Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher resolution monitor
Other DVD drive, keyboard and Microsoft mouse (or compatible pointing device),
and Internet access
Clean Installation
A clean installation installs the operating system to a new directory
Select a clean installation in the following cases:
No operating system is installed on the computer
The installed operating system does not support the installation or upgrade
To configure a multi-boot configuration
A clean installation is preferred
Performing a clean install of an operating system can be the preferred method because all files are
installed again
The disadvantage is that the system and all of its software needs to be reinstalled, patched, and
configured and data copied over, something that may take hours or even days
Performing an Upgrade
In some instances, you will want to take a current system and upgrade from an older version of
Windows to Windows Server 2008 R2
You cannot perform an in-place upgrade from 32-bit to 64-bit architecture since all editions of
Windows Server 2008 R2 are 64-bit only
You also cannot upgrade from one language to another
Perform an upgrade when you want to keep the current configuration on the computer
Disk Cloning
Disk cloning copies the contents of one computer hard disk to another disk or image file
Disk cloning is a sector by sector copy of the contents of the hard disk
Enables you to capture a customized Windows image that can be reused
Windows Server 2008 R2 can be installed using disk cloning
Disk cloning creates an exact copy of an operating system installation, which can be a problem for
computers on a network
Sysprep
If a Windows installation is cloned, each target computer using the same image will have the same
parameters, including the same computer name and security identifier (SID)
For these computers to operate properly without conflict on a network, these parameters have to be
unique
To overcome these conflicts, you run the system preparation tool (Sysprep)
Benefits of Sysprep
Removes system-specific data from Windows
Configures Windows to boot to Audit mode
Configures Windows to boot to Windows Welcome
Resets Windows Product Activation
Unattended Installation
An unattended installation enables you to automate the configuration and deployment of operating
systems
An answer file is used to perform an unattended installation of Windows
An answer file is an XML file that stores the answers for a series of graphical user interface (GUI)
dialog boxes
You can use any text editor such as notepad to create and modify the answer file, Server Image
Manager can also be used
Server Image Manager
Windows Deployment Services
Windows Deployment Services (WDS) is a technology from Microsoft for network-based installation
of Windows operating
Windows Deployment Services is the updated and redesigned version of Remote Installation Services
(RIS)
The deployment of Windows can be fully automated and customized through the use of unattended
installation scripting files
Benefits
Allows network-based installation of Windows operating systems
Deploys Windows images to computers without operating systems
Uses standard Windows Setup technologies including Windows PE, .wim files and image-based
setup
Create images using a reference computer using the Image Capture Wizard
Windows Imaging Format (WIM) File
Windows installation files can be distributed within a Windows Imaging Format (WIM) file
WIM is the file-based imaging format that Windows Server uses for rapid installation on new
computers
WIM files store copies (known as images) of the operating systems
DEMO: WIM File
Windows Licensing
A software license is purchased from a software company like Microsoft that gives you permission to
use a specific software package
Most licenses from corporations such as Microsoft work more like a lease rather than a purchase of
the actual software
Licenses are typically purchased for a specific number of users
Windows Activation
Microsoft product activation, including Windows activation, is an anti-piracy technology designed to
verify that software products are legitimately licensed
Product activation is included in some technologies
A product key is required to activate the product
Windows Updates
Windows update helps keep your computer safer and your software current by fetching the latest
security and feature updates from Microsoft
After installing Windows, run Windows Update to install and apply fixes, patches, service packs, and
device drivers
Automatic updating can be enabled to download and install important updates as they become
available
DEMO: Windows Update
Additional Resources & Next Steps
Instructor-Led Courses
40033A: Windows Operating System and Windows
Server Fundamentals: Training 2-Pack for MTA
Exams 98-349 and 98-365 (5 Days)
40349A: Windows Operating System Fundamentals:
MTA Exam 98-349 (3 Days)
40032A: Networking and Security Fundamentals:
Training 2-Pack for MTA Exams 98-366 and 98-367
(5 Days)
40366A: Networking Fundamentals: MTA Exam 98-
Books 366
Exam 98-365: MTA
Exams &
Windows Server Certifications
Administration Exam 98-365: Windows
Fundamentals (Microsoft Server Administration
Official Academic Course) Fundamentals
