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This browser is no longer supported. Table of contents Exit focus mode. Table of contents. Additional resources In this article. Windows 8. To access the Advanced tab, open the System Properties dialog box and then tap or click the Advanced tab. Many graphics enhancements were added to the Windows Server interface, and these enhancements are available in later releases as well. These enhancements include many visual effects for menus, toolbars, windows, and the taskbar.
You can configure Windows performance by following these steps:. Tap or click the Advanced tab in the System Properties dialog box, and then tap or click Settings in the Performance panel to display the Performance Options dialog box. The Visual Effects tab is selected by default. You have the following options for controlling visual effects:. For a newer computer, this option will probably have the same effect as choosing the Adjust For Best Appearance option. The key distinction, however, is that this option is chosen by Windows based on the available hardware and its performance capabilities.
Adjust For Best Appearance When you optimize Windows for best appearance, you enable all visual effects for all graphical interfaces. Menus and the taskbar use transitions and shadows. Screen fonts have smooth edges. List boxes have smooth scrolling. Folders use web views and more. Adjust For Best Performance When you optimize Windows for best performance, you turn off the resource-intensive visual effects, such as slide transitions and smooth edges for fonts, while maintaining a basic set of visual effects.
Custom You can customize the visual effects by selecting or clearing the visual effects options in the Performance Options dialog box. If you clear all options, Windows does not use visual effects.
Tap or click Apply when you have finished changing visual effects. Tap or click OK twice to close the open dialog boxes. Application performance is related to processor-scheduling caching options you set for the Windows Server system. Processor scheduling determines the responsiveness of applications you are running interactively as opposed to background applications that might be running on the system as services.
You control application performance by following these steps:. Access the Advanced tab in the System Properties dialog box, and then display the Performance Options dialog box by tapping or clicking Settings in the Performance panel. Programs Use this option to give the active application the best response time and the greatest share of available resources.
Background Services Use this option to give background applications a better response time than the active application. With virtual memory, you can use disk space to extend the amount of memory available on a system by using part of the hard disk as part of system memory.
This feature writes RAM to disks by using a process called paging. You should also consider which editions of these operating systems would suit your business requirements. The most scalable solutions are always the best. Mdu is an Oracle-certified software developer and IT specialist, primarily focused on Object-Oriented programming for Microsoft and Linux-based operating systems.
He has over a decade of experience and endeavors to share what he's learned from his time in the industry. He moonlights as a tech writer and has produced content for a plethora of established websites and publications - including this one.
He's always open to learning and growing. Microsoft Windows Server Windows Server New Features. Hypervisor security through virtualization -based security VBS. Secure connectivity enforced through Transport Layer Security. Windows Server is updated to further support large-scale operations like SQL.
Improvements to Windows Containers. Windows Server Notable Features. Server and network support improvements. Improvements to storage management. More comprehensive Azure support. Improved application support. Windows Server Deprecated Features. Guarded fabric and shielded virtual machines. Windows Deployment Services. Local Security Authority Protocol interface. Windows Server Editions. Datacenter Azure. Microsoft Windows Server Notable Features.
You should consider using Microsoft Windows Server for the following features:. Windows Admin Center. Security and storage enhancments. Container services. Improved administrative tools. Microsoft Windows Server Deprecated Features. OneSync Service.
Key Storage in Hyper-V. Host Guardian Service Active Directory attestation mode. Microsoft Access Developer Help Center. MS Access Developer Programming. Celebrating our 35th Year of Software Excellence. Vienna, Virginia Privacy Policy Webmaster. Toggle navigation.
Products Microsoft Access Products. All Microsoft Access Products. Total Access Admin. Total Visual Agent. Total Access Analyzer. Total Visual CodeTools. Total Access Components.
Total Access Detective. Total Access Memo. Total Visual SourceBook. Foundation edition can be implemented in environments where features such as file sharing, printer sharing, security and remote access are required. The Windows Server R2 Essentials edition is the next step up, also geared towards small businesses of up to 25 users. Windows Server R2 Essentials edition is available in retail stores around the world making it easy for businesses to install the new operating system without necessarily purchasing new hardware.
Windows Server R2 Essentials edition can run a single instance of virtual machine on Hyper V, a feature that was not available in Windows Server Essentials non-R2 edition. This single virtual machine instance can be Windows Server R2 Essential edition only, seriously limiting the virtualization options but allowing companies to begin exploring the benefits of the virtualization platform.
The Standard edition is able to support an unlimited amount of users, as long as the required user licenses have been purchased. We should note that the Standard edition supports up to 2 Virtual Machines. The Windows Server R2 Datacenter edition is the flagship product created to meet the needs of medium to large enterprises.
The major difference between the Standard and Datacenter edition is that the Datacenter edition allows the creation of unlimited Virtual Machines and is therefore suitable for environments with extensive use of virtualization technology.
Before purchasing the Windows Server operating system, it is very important to understand the difference between various editions, the table below shows the difference between the four editions of Windows Server For example, a CAL assigned to a user, allows only that user to access the server via any device.
Likewise, if a DAL is assigned to particular device, then any authenticated user using that device is allowed to access the server. We can use a simple example to help highlight the practical differences between CAL and DAL licensing models and understand the most cost-effective approach:.
❿Windows server 2012 r2 standard edition memory limit free download.Untitled — Windows server 2008 r2 standard ram support...
Hovering the cursor over any logical processor's data now shows the NUMA node of that processor and its ID, if applicable. Additionally, a new Startup tab has been added that lists startup applications, [24] however this tab does not exist in Windows Server Windows Server has an IP address management role for discovering, monitoring, auditing, and managing the IP address space used on a corporate network.
Both IPv4 and IPv6 are fully supported. Upgrades of the domain functional level to Windows Server are simplified; it can be performed entirely in Server Manager.
Active Directory Federation Services is no longer required to be downloaded when installed as a role, and claims which can be used by the Active Directory Federation Services have been introduced into the Kerberos token. Additionally, many of the former restrictions on resource consumption have been greatly lifted.
Each virtual machine in this version of Hyper-V can access up to 64 virtual processors, up to 1 terabyte of memory, and up to 64 terabytes of virtual disk space per virtual hard disk using a new. Major new features of ReFS include: [39] [40]. In Windows Server , automated error-correction with integrity streams is only supported on mirrored spaces; automatic recovery on parity spaces was added in Windows 8.
Windows Server includes version 8. Windows Server supports the following maximum hardware specifications. Windows Server runs only on x processors. Unlike older versions, Windows Server does not support Itanium.
Upgrades from Windows Server and Windows Server R2 are supported, although upgrades from prior releases are not. Reviews of Windows Server have been generally positive. InfoWorld noted that Server 's use of Windows 8's panned "Metro" user interface was countered by Microsoft's increasing emphasis on the Server Core mode, which had been "fleshed out with new depth and ease-of-use features" and increased use of the "practically mandatory" PowerShell.
A second release, Windows Server R2 , which is derived from the Windows 8. For Windows Server and Windows Server R2 the first year of ESU support will last until October 8, , the second year will last until October 14, , the third and final year will last until October 13, This will mark the final end of the Extended Security Updates support for Windows 8 codebase after 14 years, 2 month and 12 days.
Microsoft originally planned to end mainstream support for Windows Server and Windows Server R2 on January 9, and end extended support on January 10, , but in order to provide customers the standard transition lifecycle timeline, Microsoft extended Windows Server and R2 support in March by 9 months.
With a final set end date, Windows Server reached the end of mainstream support on October 9, and Extended Support will end on October 10, Extended Security Updates ESU program will allow users to purchase security updates after that date for 3 years.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Server operating system by Microsoft released in Closed-source Source-available through Shared Source Initiative.
This program allows customers to purchase security updates in yearly installments for the operating system through at most October 13, only for volume licensed editions. See also: Features new to Windows 8. Main article: Windows Task Manager.
Main article: ReFS. Other editions support less. Each license of Windows Server Standard allows up to two virtual instances of Windows Server Standard on that physical server. If more virtual instances of Windows Server Standard are needed, each additional license of Windows Server allows up to two more virtual instances of Windows Server Standard, even though the physical server itself may have sufficient licenses for its processor chip count.
Because Windows Server Datacenter has no limit on the number of virtual instances per licensed server, only enough licenses for the physical server are needed for any number of virtual instances of Windows Server Datacenter.
If the number of processor chips or virtual instances is an odd number, the number of licenses required is the same as the next even number. For example, a single-processor-chip server would still require 1 license, the same as if the server were two-processor-chip and a five-processor-chip server would require 3 licenses, the same as if the server were six-processor-chip, and if 15 virtual instances of Windows Server Standard are needed on one server, 8 licenses of Windows Server , which can cover up to 16 virtual instances, are needed assuming, in this example, that the processor chip count does not exceed In that case, the number of physical processors cannot exceed twice the number of licenses assigned to the server.
Microsoft Support. Servers are licensed based on the number of processor cores in the physical server. All physical cores in the server must be licensed.
A minimum of 16 core licenses is required for each server. A minimum of 8 core licenses is required for each physical processor. For every two additional OSEs, all the cores in the server have to be licensed again.
Table 7. CALs are assigned to a user in Active Directory. CALs are tracked and enforced by the license server. CALs are tracked but not enforced by the license server. CALs can be tracked regardless of Active Directory membership. CALs cannot be tracked within a workgroup.
You cannot revoke any CALs. Temporary CALs are valid for days. Temporary CALs are not available. CALs cannot be overallocated. CALs can be overallocated in breach of the Remote Desktop licensing agreement. Downgrade rights Microsoft Windows Server includes the optional right to use an earlier version of the software in place of the version you have licensed e. Windows Server This section provides information on Windows Server from Lenovo: Features Feature codes for configure-to-order Part numbers for Reseller Option Kits Windows Server is built on the strong foundation of Windows Server and brings many innovations on three key themes: security, Azure hybrid integration and management, and application platform.
Features Enhanced security capabilities For IT professionals, security and compliance are primary concerns. Secure-core server - A Secured-core server uses hardware, firmware, and driver capabilities to enable advanced Windows Server security features.
Many of these features are available in Windows Secured-core PCs and are now also available with Secured-core server hardware and Windows Server Hardware root-of-trust - Trusted Platform Module 2.
TPM 2. Firmware protection - Firmware executes with high privileges and is often invisible to traditional anti-virus solutions, which has led to a rise in the number of firmware-based attacks. Azure Hybrid Capabilities You can increase your efficiency and agility with built-in hybrid capabilities in Windows Server that allow you to extend your data centers to Azure more easily than ever before.
This management experience is designed to be consistent with how you manage native Azure virtual machines. When a hybrid machine is connected to Azure, it becomes a connected machine and is treated as a resource in Azure.
More information can be found at the Azure Arc enables servers documentation. Windows Admin Center - Improvements to Windows Admin Center to manage Windows Server include capabilities to report on the current state of the Secured-core features, and where applicable, allow customers to enable the features. Success Case October 05, NIPA Cloud is a leading public and private cloud service provider in Thailand.
It has purchased multiple GIGABYTE R-Series Rack Servers to support the launch of its new service: NIPA Enterprise Public Cloud.
Success Case May 31, GIGABYTE servers are up to the diverse and daunting tasks, because they are designed for high performance computing, intensive numerical simulations, AI development, and big data management.
Success Case January 25, Taiwan's Ministry of Education is promoting AI learning. In New Taipei, some elementary schools are installing GIGABYTE's AI-based facial recognition solution so students can check out books without a library card. Success Case October 26, They use it to study and prepare for natural disasters, such as tsunamis and storm surges.
Efforts go into understanding the tropical cyclones of tomorrow, which are thought to become more dangerous due to climate change.
Success Case September 24, Chances are, you are using one or both of them in your everyday life—but how much do you really know about them? If you had the chance, could you build a private cloud for yourself or your organization?
GIGABYTE Technology, an industry leader in server solutions used by global cloud service providers, is pleased to present our latest Tech Guide. Tech Guide March 16, Most importantly, do you know how to reap the benefits through the use of the right tools? GIGABYTE Technology, an industry leader in high-performance server solutions, is pleased to present our latest Tech Guide.
We will walk you through the basics of big data, explain why it boasts unlimited potential, and finally delve into the GIGABYTE products that will help you ride high on the most exciting wave to sweep over the IT sector. Tech Guide February 11, The Advantages of ARM: From Smartphones to Supercomputers and Beyond. Processors based on the ARM architecture, an alternative to the mainstream x86 architecture, is gradually making the leap from mobile devices to servers and data centers.
In this Tech Guide, GIGABYTE Technology, an industry leader in high-performance server solutions, recounts how ARM was developed.
You will certainly need plenty of disk space on a server that will be a domain controller in a large domain. Microsoft recommends that you also perform the following actions before installing Windows Server R As explained in Chapter 1, Windows Server Core includes a minimal version of the server software without the GUI; you perform all configuration tasks from the command prompt.
Follow this procedure to install Windows Server Core and perform initial configuration tasks:. After a few minutes, you receive the Windows Server R2 screen shown in Figure Click Install now to begin the installation. Figure Starting the installation of Windows Server R2. Windows copies temporary files and then displays the Get important updates for Windows Setup screen shown in Figure Figure This screen enables you to select either the complete installation of Windows Server R2 or the Server Core option.
You receive the options shown in Figure to upgrade or install a clean copy of Windows Server R2. Select Custom advanced to install a clean copy of Windows Server R2. The upgrade option is available only if you have started the installation from within Windows Server , Windows Server R2, or the original version of Windows Server Take a coffee break while the installation proceeds.
This takes some time particularly when installing on a virtual machine , and the computer restarts several times. As shown in Figure , Setup charts the progress of installation.
Type and confirm a strong password. When informed that the password is changed, click OK. After a minute or so, the desktop appears, containing a command window but no Start screen or desktop icons see Figure This is the standard Windows Server Core interface. All configuration, management, and troubleshooting of Windows Server Core is done from the command line. Available utilities enable you to perform almost all regular configuration tasks in this fashion.
Table describes some of the more useful available commands. Joins an Active Directory domain. You will be prompted for the username and password of a user with domain administrator privileges. Configures and manages a series of common Server Core installation properties. See Figure Figure The Sconfig. We discuss many Server Core commands and PowerShell cmdlets in various chapters of this book and other Cert Guide books in this series.
Although Microsoft markets Server Core as being the default Windows Server R2 installation, the full GUI version still represents the most easily managed version of the server. Windows displays a Welcome message and prepares your desktop. Then the desktop with Server Manager shown in Figure appears. When you shut down a Windows Server R2 computer, it displays the Shutdown Event Tracker dialog box, which asks you for a reason for shutting down the server.
For learning purposes, it is helpful to disable this item. You can do so by typing gpedit. On the dialog box that appears, click Disabled and then click OK. You cannot upgrade a Windows Server or older computer or a computer running any client version of Windows to Windows Server R2. This command returns the index number for the server with a GUI image. Then type the following command:. Use the following PowerShell command in place of those given in steps 2 and To install the complete desktop experience on your server including access to Windows Store apps as in Windows 8 or Windows 8.
This mode adds a link to Windows Store on the Start screen, as shown in Figure :. Installing the minimal server interface on your server requires you to remove the Start screen shell. Use the following PowerShell command and then restart your computer. You receive a command prompt window and the Server Manager console as previously shown in Figure As an organization grows, administration of servers can become become quite overwhelming to manage.
To help balance the workload and create a smooth support process, a delegation model should be implemented. Implementing a delegation model involves the following:.
Preparing for a delegation model requires some planning up front. Deciding how to manage your systems administration can be a frustrating task. The key to success is to define a model that best works for your situation, agree upon the long-term strategy, and discipline those involved to stick with the model. There are three basic strategies to select from when deciding how to manage your environment:.
Containing characteristics of both decentralized and centralized models, the shared or delegated approach focuses on centralized policies and procedures governed by the enterprise admins.
This approach is hierarchical in nature in that many layers of administration can be defined. For example, the main office might contain the majority of the systems. With virtual memory, you can use disk space to extend the amount of memory available on a system by using part of the hard disk as part of system memory.
This feature writes RAM to disks by using a process called paging. With paging, a set amount of RAM, such as megabytes MB , is written to the disk as a paging file.
The paging file can be accessed from the disk when needed in place of physical RAM. An initial paging file is created automatically for the drive containing the operating system.
When you create a paging file, you set an initial size and a maximum size. Paging files are written to the volume as a file named Pagefile. Current releases of Windows Server automatically manage virtual memory much better than their predecessors.
Typically, Windows Server allocates virtual memory in an amount at least as large as the total physical memory installed on the computer. If you want to manage virtual memory manually, you can use a fixed virtual memory size in most cases. To do this, set the initial size and the maximum size to the same value. This ensures that the paging file is consistent and can be written to a single contiguous file if possible, given the amount of space on the volume.
Typically, this means setting the paging file to be the same size as physical memory. In the Performance Options dialog box, tap or click the Advanced tab and then tap or click Change to display the Virtual Memory dialog box, shown in Figure Paging File Size For Each Drive Provides information on the currently selected drive, and allows you to set its paging file size.
Space Available indicates how much space is available on the drive. Each volume is listed with its associated paging file if any. The paging file range shows the initial and maximum size values set for the paging file. By default, Windows Server manages the paging file size for all drives. The paging file is also used for debugging purposes when a Stop error occurs on the system.
If the paging file on the system drive is smaller than the minimum amount required to write the debugging information to the paging file, this feature is disabled. If you want to use debugging, you should set the minimum size to equal the amount of RAM on the system.
Table of contents. Additional resources In this article. Windows 8. Windows Vista: Limited only by kernel mode virtual address space and physical memory.
❿Memory and Address Space Limits - Windows server 2012 r2 standard edition memory limit free download
When you create a paging file, you set an initial size and a maximum size. Paging files are written to the volume as a file named Pagefile. Current releases of Windows Server automatically manage virtual memory much better than their predecessors.
Typically, Windows Server allocates virtual memory in an amount at least as large as the total physical memory installed on the computer. If you want to manage virtual memory manually, you can use a fixed virtual memory size in most cases.
To do this, set the initial size and the maximum size to the same value. This ensures that the paging file is consistent and can be written to a single contiguous file if possible, given the amount of space on the volume.
Typically, this means setting the paging file to be the same size as physical memory. In the Performance Options dialog box, tap or click the Advanced tab and then tap or click Change to display the Virtual Memory dialog box, shown in Figure Paging File Size For Each Drive Provides information on the currently selected drive, and allows you to set its paging file size.
Space Available indicates how much space is available on the drive. Each volume is listed with its associated paging file if any. The paging file range shows the initial and maximum size values set for the paging file. By default, Windows Server manages the paging file size for all drives.
The paging file is also used for debugging purposes when a Stop error occurs on the system. If the paging file on the system drive is smaller than the minimum amount required to write the debugging information to the paging file, this feature is disabled.
If you want to use debugging, you should set the minimum size to equal the amount of RAM on the system. Tap or click OK. Tap or click Restart. On a production server, you should schedule this reboot outside normal business hours. If code is executed from a memory page marked as nonexecutable, the processor can raise an exception and prevent it from executing.
This prevents malicious code such as a virus from inserting itself into most areas of memory because only specific areas of memory are marked as having executable code. The bit versions of Windows also support the NX processor feature. You can determine whether a computer supports DEP by using the System utility. If a computer supports DEP, you can also configure it by following these steps:.
The text at the bottom of this tab indicates whether the computer supports execution protection. If a computer supports execution protection and is configured appropriately, you can configure DEP by using the following options:. This is the default and recommended option for computers that support execution protection and are configured appropriately.
Select this option, and then tap or click Add to specify programs that should run without execution protection. With this option, execution protection will work for all programs except those you select. If you turned on DEP and allowed exceptions, you can add or remove a program as an exception by following these steps:. To be compatible with DEP, applications must be able to mark memory explicitly with Execute permission. Applications that cannot do this will not be compatible with the NX processor feature.
If you experience memory-related problems running applications, you should determine which applications are having problems and configure them as exceptions rather than disable execution protection completely. Execution protection is applied to both user-mode and kernel-mode programs. In most processes, this exception will be an unhandled exception, resulting in termination of the process. This is the behavior you want because most programs violating these rules, such as a virus or worm, will be malicious in nature.
You cannot selectively enable or disable execution protection for kernel-mode device drivers the way you can with applications. Furthermore, on compliant bit systems, execution protection is applied by default to the memory stack. On compliant bit systems, execution protection is applied by default to the memory stack, the paged pool, and the session pool. Windows uses environment variables to track important strings, such as a path where files are located or the logon domain controller host name.
Environment variables defined for use by Windows—called system environment variables —are the same no matter who is logged on to a particular computer.
Environment variables defined for use by users or programs—called user environment variables —are different for each user of a particular computer. You configure system and user environment variables by means of the Environment Variables dialog box, shown in Figure To access this dialog box, open the System Properties dialog box, tap or click the Advanced tab, and then tap or click Environment Variables. The following table specifies the limits on memory and address space for supported releases of Windows.
Unless otherwise noted, the limits in this table apply to all supported releases. The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server Windows Server is available only in X64 editions. The following table specifies the limits on physical memory for Windows Server R2. Windows Server R2 is available only in bit editions. If the memory is remapped, X64 Windows can use this memory. Any X64 Windows or X86 Server release can.
Implementing a delegation model involves the following:. Preparing for a delegation model requires some planning up front. Deciding how to manage your systems administration can be a frustrating task. The key to success is to define a model that best works for your situation, agree upon the long-term strategy, and discipline those involved to stick with the model.
There are three basic strategies to select from when deciding how to manage your environment:. Containing characteristics of both decentralized and centralized models, the shared or delegated approach focuses on centralized policies and procedures governed by the enterprise admins. This approach is hierarchical in nature in that many layers of administration can be defined.
For example, the main office might contain the majority of the systems. These systems are managed by senior administrators or an enterprise admin group. Desktop engineers might be delegated administrative access to all desktops but might escalate issues to site admins or even enterprise admins if necessary.
Once a delegation model has been selected, the next step is to decide how to delegate access. Depending on the server, installed roles, and applications installed, there are different ways to delegate access. In some cases, applications or roles include an interface where elevated access is granted. In most other situations, local built-in groups can be used to grant different access to different delegates depending on their function.
For example, suppose you have delegated backup duties to a small team of junior administrators. To help streamline this in larger organizations, you might consider additional layers of group nesting along with group policy to push down the elevated access to a group of servers. This method provides a more scalable solution as expanding delegate access is as simple as adding more junior admin accounts to a domain group.
The domain group is then automatically added to the backup operators local group on the servers. Active Directory will be discussed in more detail later.
Refer to Table for a listing of built-in local groups and their functions. Grants full access and control to the computer. Allows members to change and manage permissions and access to the computer.
Ability to back up and restore files regardless of the permissions assigned to the folder or files. These users are unable to modify and manage permissions.
Users are granted virtually no access to the system other than to use the Internet and basic applications. They are granted temporary profiles upon logon. Limited access to log on to the computer. Allows users to run applications, use local devices and peripherals but not make administrative changes. When delegating administrative tasks, it is a good practice to create separate delegate accounts for users. The idea is to operate on the principle of least privilege, meaning for normal operations you would use a standard user account with enough access to perform your job.
When elevated privileges are required, invoke the run as function or log in with your delegate account. This reduces the risk of unintentional changes that could make for an unpleasant day for the admin.
You can assign different sets of administrative responsibility to different users, and these can include segments of the directory structure such as OUs or sites. The following are several benefits of delegating administrative control:. When designing your AD DS forest structure, you should keep in mind the administrative requirements of each domain.
Each domain has the capability to contain a different OU hierarchy. The forest administrators, who are members of the Enterprise Admins group, are automatically granted the ability to create an OU hierarchy in any domain within the entire forest. Domain administrators, who are members of the Domain Admins group in each separate domain, by default are granted the right to create an OU hierarchy within their own domain. When you initially create your OU design, you should do so to enable administration.
After that, you should create any additional OUs required for the application of Group Policy and management of computers. The final step in delegating administrative duties is identifying the toolsets available to your delegates.
Microsoft has provided us with the following tools to help with administrative tasks:. Before using administrative tools, you must first ensure that the necessary access rights have been granted and that you have addressed any prerequisites, such as.
Net Framework 4. It helps administrators cut down on repetitive tasks by defining prebuilt configurations that accompany PowerShell 4. Configuration parameters are saved in a Managed Object File MOF and can be used as a baseline for comparison or as a template for new deployments.
DSC is often used in the following situations:. DSC works via two basic methods: Pull and Push. The Pull method works through the use of a Pull Server. Using this method, you can configure a server as the Pull Server, which acts as central configuration repository storing the configuration data for computers.
In large environments, nodes can be configured to pull from the server as they come online. The second method is the Push method. In smaller implementations, a central server can be configured to Push DSC configurations. As an administrator, you also have the ability to use a combination of both Pull and Push methods. DSC works through the basis of defining configurations within scripts. Using Notepad, you can build a custom DSC configuration.
Configurations contain several components, all of which are organized within a configuration block. The keyword Configuration tells PowerShell that a specific configuration is to follow. Together, both of these items create the foundation of a configuration block.
The basic structure of a configuration block is. Inside the configuration block, node blocks are identified. A node represents a computer in the environment. Nodes are used when you need to apply a configuration block to a specific computer or computers. Multiple node blocks can be created within a configuration block, although a configuration block does not have to contain any node blocks.
Depending on the requirements, you might need to use node blocks. Inside the node blocks, resource blocks can be identified. Resource blocks are used to configure specific resources. These can be configured manually, or you can use several prebuilt resources available within the PowerShell framework.
Some of the built-in resources include. Resource blocks are identified by a resource name followed by an identifier. For example, to add configuration details to ensure that the Web-Server role is installed for MyComputer1 , use the following syntax:. After you have created the appropriate configurations, save it as a PowerShell script. To invoke the configuration, execute it via an administrative PowerShell session.
Invoking the configuration creates the MOF file in the working directory containing the configuration block script. To execute the configuration, run the command:. The intent of this section was to provide a high-level overview of DSC and how to use it.
There are a variety of configuration parameters and best practices that go beyond the scope of this Cert Guide. In any large-scale deployment, imaging technology will be one of your strongest allies.
Microsoft has continued to evolve its imaging process through enhancements made to the Windows Deployment Services WDS role. WDS is covered in the Cert Guide , but in this section, we will assume you already have a prebuilt image and are looking to perform offline servicing of the image. So what is meant by servicing an image, and why offline?
Historically speaking, updates to images required the administrator to deploy a new computer from the image, run through any customizations or updates, repackage the image, and upload it back to the repository. This is often a lengthy process—especially when only minor updates are required.
For these instances, Microsoft has provided the ability to inject updates to a Windows image file. Scenarios in which images require updating include. DISM takes the legwork out of the mix by enabling an administrator to mount the image file, similar to mounting a hard disk, and issue commands to update the image.
When the updating is complete, changes are committed to the image and the file is unmounted, in which case the image is ready for the next deployment. Some key points and best practices to consider when using DISM:.
DISM is typically used for updating offline images, but it can also be used to update servers that are online especially in cases when you need a fast method to standardize or update to a higher edition of Windows.
There are several parameters you should understand when servicing images. Table outlines some of the key parameters:. Used to gather information from the image file such as index number, image name, description, and image size.
Parameter used to mount the image. When mounting the image, you must also specify an in index number or the name associated with the image. Directory in which the image is mounted to. For optimal performance, this should be on the local computer that is updating the image. Use this switch when experiencing trouble with mounting images that might have been previously mounted.
Adds one or more install packages or cabinet files. When applying multiple packages, packages are listed in the order in which they should be installed. Adds a driver to the offline image. Produces a list of Packages from the mounted image in the mount directory. Unmounts the image.
Used to change an offline windows image to a higher edition. This list is introduces only a few of the DISM parameters. The first thing you need to do is obtain a copy of the source image.
In this example, we will use one of the default Windows image files found on the Server installation media and extracted by a WDS server. To enable a feature in an offline image, perform the following steps:.
Using either the index number or name of the image, mount the image to a temporary mount directory. This will extract the contents of the image Figure to a directory structure in the temp mount directory specified.
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