Building, Deploying, and Supporting Building, Deploying, and Supporting Server Core - in an R2 WorldServer Core - in an R2 WorldDon JonesDon JonesConcentratedTech.com

Pre-requisites for this presentation:

1) Familiarity with Windows administration 2) Very basic understanding of command-line / PowerShell use

Level: Intermediate

This slide deck was used in one of our many conference presentations. We hope you enjoy it, and invite you to use it

within your own organization however you like.

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About the InstructorAbout the Instructor

Don Jones Contributing Editor,

technetmagazine.com IT author, consultant, and speaker Co-founder of Concentrated Technology Seven-time recipient of Microsoft’s Most

Valuable Professional (MVP) Award Author and Editor-in-Chief for Realtime

Publishers Trainer for www.CBTNuggets.com

About this SessionAbout this Session

Will focus on Server Core in Windows Server 2008 R2 – some substantial differences since the RTM release

Much of what we’ll cover is provisioning and ongoing management, although for the most part managing services on Server Core is no different than doing so on “full Windows.”

LetLet’’s Start…s Start…

My starting point is a completed Server Core install. That’s the boring bit and you can’t actually go wrong.

We pick up where installation has completed, meaning we’re looking at a basically-useless server and a command-line window.

Server Core IntroductionServer Core Introduction

Windows… without “windows” Minimal (core) GUI functionality (why?) Femto-footprint Severely restricted set of available roles Full Windows Server kernel Cmd.exe console environment New: Windows PowerShell v2 (!!!!!)

…including WinRM and WMI!

Server Core RolesServer Core Roles

DHCP Server DNS Server Domain

Controller IIS – including all

IIS 7.5 features (except GUI) and ASP.NET

FSRM

File Server Print Server Streaming

Media Server Hyper-V Server*

(if you bought that, or got the free SKU)

BenefitsBenefits

Smaller footprint on disk and in memory(I’ve run virtual DCs in as little as 256MB)

Fewer patches (about 2/3 less, so far) Fewer moving parts (greater stability) Ideal for branch office scenarios Ideal for virtualization

DisadvantagesDisadvantages

Limited ability to run GUI-based software and some dependencies

Limited .NET Framework v2 and v3.5 Some applications “just don’t work;” this

is not intended as a platform server but rather as an infrastructure server

Keep in mind: R2 is x64 only

MythsMyths

Can’t run antivirus (in fact, most run fine)

Can’t run management agents (most run fine – keep in mind .NET and GUI restrictions)

Can’t install drivers (has enough GUI to install most hardware drivers)

Only supports command-line management (in fact, supports remote GUI tools just like any other server)

Known to WorkKnown to Work

ForeFront, Backup Exec 12, McAfee antivirus, CA antivurs (oddly, not Symantec last I looked)

Run msiexec /I product.msi to install See

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/227091 Even FireFox works (but please, don’t)

Secret AdvantageSecret Advantage

Helps maintain single-purpose or infrastructure servers

“No, boss, we can’t install RightFax on the domain contoller – it’s running Server Core!”

One-Time DecisionOne-Time Decision

No path to go from full Windows Server Core

No path to go from Server Core full Windows

Make your bed and sleep in it!

A A ““killer usekiller use”” for Win2008 for Win2008

Convert infrastructure (DNS/DHCP/DC) servers to Server Core

Makes these critical servers easier to maintain (fewer maintenance reboots)

Especially useful for DCs – save more physical memory for AD and less for the OS

Also especially useful as a Web server (Web Edition Server Core)

Another Another ““killer usekiller use””

As a dedicated Hyper-V server Microsoft’s thinnest hypervisor (~1GB

disk) Available as a free download (doesn’t

include any licenses for guests) Manageable via SCVMM if you own that

Core Virtually RocksCore Virtually Rocks

Perfect in virtual machines – configure VM with fewer resources that a physical machine would offer

I’ve run 8-10 Server Core DCs, in a 10k object domain, on an 8GB 2-way/4-core 64-bit box with resources to spare

Great for branch offices – drop in a VM host and run several VMs for different roles, rather than piling all roles on one machine

Tricky TrickyTricky Tricky

No UAC GUI… but UAC exists Simply no way to elevate processes on

the fly Either use RunAs or… stay off the

console! (or turn UAC off) Disable in registry at

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System

More TricksMore Tricks

Regedit works! Background color: HKEY_CURRENT_

USERControl PanelColorsBackground (provide R G B values)

Screen saver: HKEY_CURRENT_USERControl PanelDesktopScreenSaveActive (0 is off)

The Management ModelThe Management Model

Supports RDP, but Cmd.exe or PowerShell only

Ideally: Stay off the console. Treat Core as “headless”

Manage using remote GUI consoles Exceptions: Local config (networking,

etc; installing antivirus, etc)

Perfect ManagementPerfect Management

Enable WinRM and “Remote Shell” (via Group Policy, if you want)

Manage by using PowerShell v2 on a remote machine:

Enter-PSSession –computerName SRV1

Invoke-Command { whatever } -computerName SRV1

This Requires DisciplineThis Requires Discipline

Windows admins rely VERY heavily on direct console management

Bah! Particularly in R2, rely on PowerShell for

many-to-one remote management Regardless, rely on remote GUI

consoles to manage Server Core boxes

When Does Server Core Suck?When Does Server Core Suck?

When you’ve got mandatory third-party software (usually mgmt agents) that won’t run on it

Solution: Pester the vendor to “get it in gear” with supporting Server Core directly

Also: When you suck at the command-line (buy a “Server Core” book)

I like...I like...

Administering Windows Server 2008 Server Core by John Paul Mueller

Windows Server 2008 Server Core Administrator’s Pocket Consultant by Wes Miller (free eBook!)

Installing and ConfiguringInstalling and Configuring

Install is the standard WinPE installer – nothing different

Initial configuration is now made easier by…– Sconfig: Basic OS configuration menu (yay!)– PowerShell: ServerManager cmdlets enable

role/feature installation (use Get-WindowsFeature to see a list of what’s available)

– Slmgr: Install product keys (-ipk) and activate (-ato) Windows

– Dcpromo: For AD install; needs an unattended installation file (create with Dcpromo on a full Windows machine)

Hands OnHands On

Let’s see a bit of this in action This is also a great time to start asking

any questions you’ve been holding on to

Thank You!Thank You!

Please feel free to pick up a card if you’d like copies of my session materials

I’ll be happy to take any last questions while I pack up

Please complete and submit an evaluation form for this and every session you attend!

This slide deck was used in one of our many conference presentations. We hope you enjoy it, and invite you to use it

within your own organization however you like.

For more information on our company, including information on private classes and upcoming conference appearances, please

visit our Web site, www.ConcentratedTech.com.

For links to newly-posted decks, follow us on Twitter:@concentrateddon or @concentratdgreg

This work is copyright ©Concentrated Technology, LLC