Published: 4th September, 2012
Windows Server 2012: Manageability and Automation
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows
Server 2012
Module Manual Author: Rose Malcolm, Content Master
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual ii
Information in this document, including URLs and other Internet Web site references, are subject to change without notice. Unless otherwise noted, the example companies, organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places, and events depicted herein are fictitious, and no association with any real company, organization, product, domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place or event is intended or should be inferred. Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user. Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property. ® 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual iii
Contents
CONTENTS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................. III
MODULE 3: MULTI-SERVER MANAGEMENT WITH SERVER MANAGER. ............................................................................................ 4
Module Overview ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 4
LESSON 1: INTRODUCTION TO SERVER MANAGER IN WINDOWS SERVER 2012 ......................................................................... 5
SERVER MANAGEMENT TOOLS FOCUS .......................................................................................................................................................... 6
NEW SERVER MANAGER – FEATURES .............................................................................................................................................................. 8
SERVER MANAGER: CORE FUNCTIONALITIES............................................................................................................................................... 9
ADVANCED DEPLOYMENT OPTIONS ............................................................................................................................................................. 11
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual 4
Module 3: Multi-Server Management with Server
Manager.
Module Overview
Windows Server® 2012 introduces a redesigned, highly customizable implementation of Server
Manager. Managing multiple servers, whether physical or virtual, presents a challenge in organizing
the volume of information being gathered. You can adapt Server Manager to suit your working
environment and preferences, making it easier for you to see information that is important to you at
a glance.
This module explains how to customize Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual 5
Lesson 1: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows
Server 2012
This lesson describes the redesigned management tools in Windows Server 2012 and the core
features and functionality of Server Manager.
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual 6
Server Management Tools Focus
The focus for the management tools in Windows Server 2012 has three major pillars. The following
sections describe these pillars.
Invest in Remote Multi-Machine Management
The investment in remote multi-machine management has resulted in a tool that enables
administrators to scale, to manage more servers within a single tool.
Principled UI Design
The elegant new design minimizes context switching, so that administrators no longer have to move
among as many management tools. Context switching has historically caused inefficiency; as
administrators move their attention from one tool to another, or one interface to another, continuity
of action is lost.
Server Manager aims to provide continuity by providing information that is glance-able, relevant, and
actionable. The administrator has everything required to recognize that an issue exists, get
information about the issue, and fix the issue, all in Server Manager.
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual 7
Easier Ramp to Automation
To be able to scale to manage multiple servers, you must be able to automate commonly performed
tasks.
Through improvements to Windows PowerShell™ Web Access and enhancements to the Windows
PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE), Windows 2012 makes Windows PowerShell more
accessible and easier to use effectively.
Windows 2012 also aims to ensure that you can perform any task at the command line that you can
perform in the GUI, and this greater parity between the command line and GUI-based administration
provides an easier ramp to automation.
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual 8
New Server Manager – Features
These new features of Server Manager will be covered in the demonstration that follows.
Key features include:
Dashboard view. This provides information that is relevant, actionable, and glance-able.
Server, role, and custom homepages. These provide access to information for
troubleshooting.
Deployment options. These provide new installation scenarios.
Server Manager cmdlets. These make automation easier.
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual 9
Server Manager: Core Functionalities
This diagram shows the conceptual framework for Server Manager. By understanding the concepts
used in the design of Server Manager, you will be better able to adapt and customize it to suit your
own working environment.
At the bottom of the diagram, you see the pool of remote servers that you will manage with Server
Manager. To organize these servers, you can add them to server groups. Server Manager creates the
All Servers group and a group for each role that you install on any server, for example, a group for
servers with the Domain Name System (DNS) role installed. Additionally, you can create your own
custom server groups, based on location, administrative responsibility, or whatever characteristic
you choose.
Server Manager creates an inventory of each server in the server group. This enables Server
Manager to provide you with data to help you manage the server. For example, Server Manager will
collect information about the operating system that the server is running, to ensure that it is a valid
operating system, and to provide the appropriate options for managing that operating system.
Server Manager also collects information about the roles installed on the server, so that it can place
the server in the relevant role group.
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual
10
Events, services, performance, and Best Practices Analyzer (BPA) information is collected from each
server and can be accessed from the role group.
Server Manager displays information collected from servers in two ways—through dashboards and
through detailed views:
Dashboards provide thumbnail views of the All Servers group and the Role groups.
Detailed views provide a homepage for each Role group that shows more detailed information
about the servers that have that role installed.
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual
11
Advanced Deployment Options
Windows Server 2012 incorporates improvements to existing deployment options.
The deployment of roles and features has been consolidated, so that you can perform more complex
installation in one step. The initial server configuration has also been simplified.
Windows Server 2012 introduces several new deployment options:
Deploy to offline virtual hard disk (VHD). This enables you to deploy roles and features to
a VHD, provided that the VHD is offline.
Reduce footprint by removing unwanted source files. This enables you to save space by
removing unwanted source files. You can store the source files in a repository for easy access
should they be required at a later stage.
Deployment configuration templates. This enables you to save an installation
configuration, including the roles and features to be installed, as a template, so that it can be
reused easily.
Batch deploy via automation. This enables you to deploy roles and features across multiple
servers concurrently.
Distributed deployments (Remote Desktop Services (RDS)). This simplifies the process
of installing services that have components distributed across multiple servers, such as RDS.
Module 3: Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012.
Microsoft Virtual Academy Student Manual
12
Next step watch the Deep Dive Core Functionalities and Deep Dive Advanced Deployment videos.
