You need to consider various prerequisites before installing Windows Server 2008 in your organization. These prerequisites include the size of processor, size of memory, and disk space. You also need to install other hardware components that are specified in the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility list.
You can install Windows Server 2008 in three phases. In the operating system installation phase, you need to install only the required components and server roles. In the initial configuration tasks phase, you need to provide computer name and Administrator password, configure security, network settings and to install updates. In the adding roles and features phase, you can use the Server Manager to add server roles and features.
You can use the Initial configuration Task page in Windows Server 2008 to set Administrator name and password, time zone, settings for network, computer name and domain membership.
You can use the Initial Configuration Tasks Wizard in Windows Server 2008 to configure network settings for users, Windows automatic updating service to perform automatic updates. Also, you can use the wizard to assign and rename password.
You can use the Server Manager in Windows Server 2008 to install, configure and manage server roles. The Server Manager MMC consists of the Manage roles section and Features section. The Diagnostics section consists of Event Viewer, Services, and Device Manager. The Configuration section consists of Task Scheduler, Windows Firewall, WMI control, and Local Users and Groups. The Storage and Backup section consist of Windows Server Backup, and Disk Management.
You use the Server Manager as a single console to perform various tasks. The main page of the Server Manager console consists of Server Summary section, Roles Summary section, Features Summary section, and Resource and Support section.
Server Roles define the primary function of a server. There are 20 server roles in Windows Server 2008. You can use Server Manager to configure and manage server roles.
Server Features provide supporting functions to servers. There are 30 server features available in Windows Server 2008. You can use the Server Manager to add and remove specific server features.
You can use the Add Roles wizard in Windows Server 2008 to install Web Server roles, and features. You can use the Features wizard to install WINS server.
You can use the Windows-based command-line tools to manage the Server Core that is installed on the server. You can also use the Terminal server client to connect to a server that has Server Core installed on it. You can manage the Server Core remotely by using MMC or the Windows Remote Shell.
Server Core is an installation option that provides you with base server functionality in Windows Server 2008. The Server core installation option includes base server roles such as File server, Print server, Domain controllers, DNS server, DHCP server and WINS server.
Server Core is designed for organizations that can permit only minimal attack surface on the server. The Server Core installation reduces the software maintenance and security patches, reduces the effort required to manage servers, reduces the attack surface, removes legacy and client component from the server. However, Server Core installation does not support all server roles and requires familiar command line and scripting techniques.
You need to use the command-line tool to complete the initial configuration task in Server Core installation. The initial configuration includes tasks such as setting the administrator password, setting IP address of the server, configuring computer name and domain membership, enabling the firewalls, and adding server roles or features.
Windows Reliability and Performance monitor is an MMC snap-in tool that supports system performance analysis. The monitoring tools available in Windows Reliability and Performance monitor are Resource View, Performance Monitor and Reliability Monitor. The Resource View tool allows you to monitor the performance of CPU, the network, and the memory resources. The Performance Monitor displays built-in performance counters. The Reliability Monitor provides information about software installations, operating system updates, and hardware failures.
You can create data collector sets by using the Server Manager or with the help of Reliability and Performance monitor console. A data collector set is created, based on the group of counters added from the Performance Monitor. You can use the monitor to add counters, to perform real-time monitoring, and to log data.
The Resources View Tools provides a real-time graphical overview of CPU, Disk, Network and Memory. In the CPU section you can view the information related the CPU capacity, frequency and the processes running on the computer. In the Disk section you can view information related to the total current disk, highest active time percentage, and disk activity. In the Network section, you can view the current network traffic, and percentage of network capacity. In the Memory section you can view information about the hard faults per second.
The Reliability Monitor tool allows you to view details about events that can affect server reliability. You can use this tool to calculate the stability index. You can view the stability index and information related to reliability events in the System Stability chart.
Windows Server 2008 has several additional monitoring tools such as Event Viewer, New log files, Task Scheduler, and Windows Power Shell provide improved features in system performance.
