Windows Admin Centre

Admin Centre is another handy tool for Administrator which is basically a combination of multiple tools. You can use such single tool instead of multiple tools. This needs installation and setup.

Admin Centre has to compoments:

1)Gateway:The Gateway manages servers through remote PowerShell and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) over Windows Remote Management (WINRM).

2)WebConsole: The Web server component observes HTTPS requests and serves the user interface to the web browser on the management station. This is not a full install of Internet Information Services (IIS), but a mini Web server for this specific purpose.

Remote Desktop Connection Manager

While mstsc is a tool which you can use to connect to servers, you need to open connection for each server you connect and enter credentials every time which is tedious. Remote Desktop Connection Manager is handy tool to connect to multiple servers with same credentials and you can save Server connection details.

Remote Desktop Connection Manager to be downloded as it is not preinstalled on your sytems. 

Here is the link to downlaod it Remote Desktop Connection Manager Download Link..

Post-Installation Configuration of Windows Server.

In our last article here  we understood how to install Windows Operating Systems. Now let us look at the tasks that need post OS installation. These tasks will remain same irespective of which Windows Server OS you using. Below are the list of tasks that needs to be done as part of post installation configuration. This list vary from organization to organization.

1. Install VM Tools (applies if the server is virtual machine)/If the server is physical udpate the Drivers and firmware
2. Configure Satic IP Address
3. Change System name and join it to Domain.
4. Enable RDP and provide access to required parties.
5. Update the OS to the latest patch level.
6. a)Install Antivirus b)update it to latest defination. (which antivirus to be used varies from org to org).
7. Perform Security hardening.
8. Add the Server to patching list.
9. Configure Monitoring and test it.
10. Add Server to Backup (If need)
11. Update the CMDC/Iventory full detail of the Server.

Note:Incase you are using VM templates to deploy steps 1,6a,7, are not needed as templetes will have these preloaded.

Installing Windows Server 2019

We did learn about various Windows Operating Systems and their editions in our earlier article here now let us see how to install a Windows 2019 GUI Server Datacenter Edition.

You can see the minimum resource requirements for the  installation of 2019 here, we are going to deploy 2019 Server with 2GB RAM, 2 CPU, 30 GB disk on a XenServer OS installation steps remain same irrespective of whether you install on a Hypervisor (Vmware Esxi, Hyper-v, XenServer) or on a physical system.

To create a Virtual Machine on Xenserver login XenCenter, Right-Click the host on which you would like to deploy the 2019 VM and select New VM as shown below.

Learn Windows Server Administration on your own

Here are the links in sequence that will help you to learn Windows Server Administration. This list will be updated as periodically.

1. What is Operating System.
2. Windows Operating Systems versions and Edtions.
3. Installing Windows Server 2019/2022/2016.
4. Post-Installation Configuration of Windows Server.

Windows Operating Systems

Microsoft(MS) Provides both Client and Server Operating Systems. As discussed in our earlier article here Client operating systems of Microsoft are Win11, Win10, Win7 etc. Server Operating Systems are Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016, 2012 etc.  Here we will concentrate more on Server Operating Systems rather client operating systems.

Based on the features available Server operating systems are of different editions. Latest Server OS is Windows Server 2022. Below are the Edtions and features of Windows 2022 Server.

• Essentials
• Standard
• Datacenter

Essentials Edition of  Windows Server 2022 is used for small businesses.

Here is the link which give you information about the difference of features of Standard Edition and Datacenter Edition of Windows Server 2022.

Click below link for Older version of Windows Server editions and their features.

• Windows 2019 Server
• Windows 2016 Server

Minimum hardware requirements for the installation of Server Operating Systems as per Microsoft are here. While these are minimum requirements based on the applications requirements required capacity will calcuated or capacity is recommanded by application vendors.

Operating System

Before you start learning Windows Server Administration, It is very important to understand what and Operating System is, What are types of Operation Systems, Who are the major market holders.

Operating System:

Operating System is a peace of software that act a mediator between you and  physical devices like Laptop, Desktop, Server and of course you mobile devices as well.