Fast, accurate answers for common Windows Server questions

Serving as a perfect companion to all Windows Server books, this reference provides you with quick and easily searchable solutions to day-to-day challenges of Microsoft's newest version of Windows Server. Using helpful design features such as thumb tabs, tables of contents, and special heading treatments, this resource boasts a smooth and seamless approach to finding information. Plus, quick-reference tables and lists provide additional on-the-spot answers.

• Covers such key topics as server roles and functionality, user and group maintenance, directory management and replication, and backup and recovery
• Addresses automating administrative tasks and managing server remote access
• Helps you with disk management and storage, folder security, and performance tuning
• Walks you through common troubleshooting issues as well as maintaining and controlling the centralized desktop

Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Administration Instant Reference is a must-have resource for finding quick answers quickly!

Matthew Hester, IT Professional Evangelist for Microsoft, has more than a decade of experience with Microsoft core infrastructures products including Windows, Active Directory, Exchange, and others. Prior to joining Microsoft, Matthew taught MCSE curricula at MCT for over eight years. Chris Henley is a Microsoft IT Professional Evangelist at Veeam focused on Windows Server and Hyper-V. He is a regular speaker and presenter at user groups and major technology conferences around the world. Follow him on Twitter at @NerdyLikeThat, @HyperVBear, or @Veeam.

Introduction xvii

Part I Getting Started 1

Chapter 1: Getting Started with Windows Server 2012 3

Plan for Windows Server 2012 4

Understand Hardware Requirements 5

Understand Windows Server 2012 Editions and Roles 6

Understand Server Core 9

Consider Your Licensing Options 11

Install Windows Server 2012 12

Perform a Windows Server 2012 Full Installation 12

Perform a Windows Server 2012 Server Core Installation 19

Use sconfig to Configure Your Windows Server 2012 Server Core 19

Upgrade to Windows Server 2012 22

Install Windows Server 2012 Server Unattended 26

Migrate to Windows Server 2012 32

Install Windows Server 2012 Migration Tools 33

Migrate to Windows Server 2012 38

A New Server Manager 38

Chapter 2: Adding Server Roles and Functionality 43

Plan for Windows Server 2012 Roles 44

Plan for Active Directory 45

Plan for Hyper-V 49

Understand Remote Desktop Services 50

Understand Windows Server 2012 Features 52

Install Windows Server 2012 Roles 57

Install Roles on a Windows Server 2012 Full Server Installation 58

Install Roles on a Windows Server 2012 Server Core Installation 71

Chapter 3: Automating Administrative Tasks with Windows Server 2012 77

Understand the Basics of Windows PowerShell v3 78

Understand Windows PowerShell v3 Terminology and Structure 78

Enable Windows PowerShell v3 82

Understand Security in Windows PowerShell 82

Learn to Help Yourself to PowerShell 84

Take the Next Step 91

Use PowerShell Remoting 99

Enable PowerShell Remoting 99

Run Remote Commands 100

Understand PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE) 103

Work with the PowerShell ISE 103

Part II Manage Active Directory and Local Users 109

Chapter 4: Maintaining Users and Groups 111

Understand Local Users and Groups 112

Learn Default Local Users and Groups 112

Administer Local Users and Groups 115

Understand Local User Rights 127

Work with Local Account Policies 129

Understand Active Directory Users and Groups 135

Learn Active Directory Users and Groups Terminology 135

Join an Active Directory Domain as a Member 137

Work with Active Directory and Local Groups 138

Manage Users and Groups in Active Directory 139

Automate User and Group Management 146

Load AD PowerShell Modules 147

Work with Users and Groups in PowerShell 147

Use the AD Recycle Bin 151

Chapter 5: Managing and Replicating Active Directory 157

Manage the Active Directory Database 158

Maintain FSMO Roles 159

Transfer FSMO Roles 161

Defragment the Directory Database 166

Audit Active Directory Service 168

Use Fine-Grained Password Policy 172

Create PSOs 173

Understand Active Directory Replication 177

Understand the Components of Replication 177

Understand the Physical Constructs of Replication 179

Chapter 6: Maintaining and Controlling the Centralized Desktop 183

Understand Group Policy 184

Know the Difference Between Policy and Preferences 186

Understand the Scope of Group Policy Management 188

Understand and Control the Order of Precedence 189

Learn Group Policy Processing 191

Administer Group Policy 198

Use the Group Policy Management Editor 208

Automate Group Policy Administrator Tasks 212

Troubleshoot Group Policy 213

Use the Group Policy Modeling Wizard 214

Use Tools to See the RSOP 216

Part III Data Access and Management 221

Chapter 7: Configuring Folder Security, Access, and Replication 223

Implement Permissions 224

Set Standard NTFS Permissions 225

Set Special NTFS Permissions 226

View Effective NTFS Permissions 228

Take Ownership of an NTFS Folder 229

Share Folders 231

Create a Shared Folder 231

Implement Advanced Sharing 232

Resolve Permission Conflicts 234

Configure Offline File Caching 237

Secure Folders and Files 239

Configure the Encrypting File System 239

Configure BitLocker Drive Encryption 241

Install and Enable BitLocker 242

Recover BitLocker 247

Use the BitLocker To Go Tool 248

Implement the Distributed File System 250

Configure a DFS Namespace 251

Configure Replication Groups 254

Enable Previous Versions of Files 257

Restore a Previous Version 258

Chapter 8: Backing Up and Recovering Your Server 261

Understand Backup and Recovery 262

Understand Backup and Recovery Terminology 263

Use Backup and Recovery Tools 264

Manage Backup and Recovery 270

Back Up Your Server 271

Recover Your Data 282

Recover via Shadow Copy 292

Perform Backup and Recovery with Command Tools 294

Use wbadmin.exe 294

Use PowerShell 297

Chapter 9: Managing Disks and Disk Storage 301

Understand the Basics 302

Learn Disk Management and Storage Terminology 302

Work with Your Storage 305

Work with Partitions 312

Use DiskPart 315

Work with RAID Volumes 318

Understand RAID Levels 318

Implement RAID 321

Manage Disk Storage 327

Manage Disk Storage Quotas 327

Work with Data Deduplication 331

Work with Storage Spaces 336

Understand Storage Spaces 336

Create and Configure Storage Spaces 338

Part IV Network Configuration and Communication 345

Chapter 10: Maintaining Your Web Server 347

Install Internet Information Services 348

Understand Internet Information Services Role Services 348

Install IIS on Windows Server 2012 Full Server Installation 354

Install IIS on Windows Server 2012 Core Server 355

Manage Internet Information Services 358

Work with the IIS Management Console 359

Remotely Manage IIS Servers 365

Manage IIS with PowerShell 370

Work with Websites 374

Understand the Basics of IIS Websites 374

Work with Applications 377

Integrate PHP Applications in IIS 379

Chapter 11: Administering DNS 383

Add and Remove DNS Servers 384

Add a DNS Server 384

Configure a New DNS Server 386

Add Query Forwarding 388

Configure a Caching-Only DNS Server 390

Remove a DNS Server 392

Manage a DNS Server 393

Change the Address of a DNS Server 393

Configure a DNS Server to Listen Only on a Selected Address 394

Scavenge Properties for DNS 395

Manage DNS Integration with Active Directory 397

Change Zone Replication 401

Manage Zone Database Files 402

Configure Single-Label DNS Resolution 410

Troubleshoot DNS 412

Chapter 12: Troubleshooting TCP/IP 415

Understand TCP/IP Basics 416

Troubleshoot TCP/IP 417

Understand Troubleshooting Tools 418

Troubleshoot IPv6 420

Verify Connectivity for IPv6 421

Verify Responsiveness 423

Check the Routing Table for IPv6 425

Validate DNS Name Resolution for IPv6 Addresses 426

Flush the DNS Cache 426

Test IPv6 TCP Connections 427

Troubleshoot IPv4 428

Use the Network Connection Repair Tool 428

Verify IPv4 Connectivity 429

Verify Responsiveness 430

Check the Routing Table for IPv4 432

Validate DNS Name Resolution for IPv4 Addresses 432

Flush the DNS Cache 433

Test IPv4 TCP Connections 434

Part V Manage Desktop and Server Virtualization 435

Chapter 13: Managing Remote Access to Your Server 437

Understand Remote Desktop Services 438

Understand the Remote Desktop Services Role 438

Install Remote Desktop Services Role Services 439

Manage Remote Desktop Services 445

Administer Remote Desktop Session Host 445

Activate Remote Desktop Licensing Server 449

Configure Remote Desktop Gateway 450

Configure Remote Desktop Connection Broker 452

Configure Remote Desktop Web Access 453

Work with Virtual Desktop Infrastructure 456

Work with Remote Clients 457

Install and Configure Windows Server 2012 VPNs 457

Install and Configure DirectAccess 463

Chapter 14: Maintaining Virtual Machines 465

Understand Virtualization with Hyper-V 466

Install Hyper-V 466

Work with Virtual Networks 468

Build Virtual Machines 471

Create a Virtual Machine 472

Create Virtual Hard Disks 473

Work with Virtual Machine Settings 476

Install an Operating System 486

Connect to a Virtual Machine 488

Use Snapshots 489

Import a Virtual Machine 491

Export a Virtual Machine 493

Replicate a Virtual Machine 495

Part VI Server Tuning and Maintenance 497

Chapter 15: Tuning and Monitoring Performance 499

Analyze Server Roles 500

Understand the Best Practices Analyzer 500

Use the Best Practices Analyzer 503

Use PowerShell with the Best Practices Analyzer 507

View Server Performance Data 509

Create a System Health Report 510

Understand Performance Monitor 514

View Server Events 522

Work with the Event Viewer 522

Chapter 16: Keeping Your Servers Up-to-Date 531

Work with Windows Updates 532

Find Out What Updates Are 532

Use Windows Update 533

Enable Automatic Updates 535

View Installed Updates 537

Remove an Update 538

Install Automatic Updates Between Scheduled Times 540

Use Group Policy to Configure Automatic Updates 540

Work with Windows Server Update Services 544

Do a Simple WSUS Deployment 544

Get WSUS Updates on Disconnected Networks 548

Use WSUS with Branch Cache 549

Learn the WSUS Requirements 550

Get More Information on WSUS 551

Index 553