Windows Server 2012: Up and Running

Preface

About This Book

Windows Server 2012 is not only the most significant update to the Windows Server operating system in recent years, but it is also all about cloud computing and the underlying technology for building clouds: virtualization.

Many features familiar to administrators of Server 2008 R2 and other legacy Windows Server versions have been updated in one way or another in Windows Server 2012, and this book introduces readers to the new features and capabilities.

There are two especially important concepts to keep in mind while reading this book. First, Server 2012 is all about the deployment, configuration, and management of cloud platforms—whether they are private, hybrid, or public clouds. Second, Server 2012 also centers on integrating workers’ private mobile devices into the corporate network.

Audience

While it would probably suffice to say that this book is for any person interested in learning about the new capabilities of Windows Server 2012, this book does assume a certain level of experience in managing or deploying Windows networks, in particular with user accounts and permissions, Active Directory, DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol), DNS (Domain Name System), and other major and fundamental Windows networking services and concepts. Anyone from novices to seasoned Windows system administrators can benefit from the small- to midsize-business test infrastructure deployment examples provided in the book.

Goals of This Book

This book focuses on the new features and capabilities that make Server 2012 an operating system tailored for the cloud. My goal is to get Windows system administrators acquainted with the new features by providing examples of deploying and configuring them.

New ways of managing virtual networks and storage, improved Unified Remote Access options, and advancements in storage with a new filesystem are some of the features you’ll learn about that make Server 2012 “future forward.” Step-by-step instructions—complete with screenshots—walk you through deploying and configuring what’s new and what’s been enhanced. All screenshots and instructions are based on actual deployment and configuration in a test environment as well as whitepaper documentation from Microsoft’s TechNet.

Contents of This Book

Chapter 1 and Chapter 2 provide background on the development of Windows Server 2012, editions and licensing, requirements, and installation.

The subsequent chapters delve into specific features.

Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 cover new ways to manage Windows Server and new capabilities in Active Directory.

Chapter 5 introduces Dynamic Access Control and provides examples for deployment.

Chapter 6 and Chapter 7 detail advancements in and configuration of storage, clustering, and Hyper-V.

Chapter 8 focuses on new networking capabilities and outlines steps for deployment.

Chapter 9 covers Unified Remote Access.

Chapter 10 explores new ways to troubleshoot Windows Sever 2012 and additional management information.

Conventions Used in This Book

The following typographical conventions are used in this book:

Plain text

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Italic

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Constant width

Indicates commands, options, switches, variables, attributes, keys, functions, types, classes, namespaces, methods, modules, properties, parameters, values, objects, events, event handlers, XML tags, HTML tags, macros, the contents of files, or the output from commands.

Constant width bold

Shows commands or other text that should be typed literally by the user.

Constant width italic

Shows text that should be replaced with user-supplied values.

Note

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Warning

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Using Code Examples

This book is here to help you get your job done. In general, you may use the code in this book in your programs and documentation. You do not need to contact us for permission unless you’re reproducing a significant portion of the code. For example, writing a program that uses several chunks of code from this book does not require permission. Selling or distributing a CD-ROM of examples from O’Reilly books does require permission. Answering a question by citing this book and quoting example code does not require permission. Incorporating a significant amount of example code from this book into your product’s documentation does require permission.

We appreciate, but do not require, attribution. An attribution usually includes the title, author, publisher, and ISBN. For example: “Windows Server 2012: Up and Running, by Samara Lynn (O’Reilly). Copyright 2013 Samara Lynn, 978-1-449-32075-1.”

If you feel your use of code examples falls outside fair use or the permission given above, feel free to contact us at [e-mail].

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Acknowledgments

A big thank you goes to Rachel Roumeliotis for her patience and guidance in this effort, to the O’Reilly editors, and to Rick Vanover for lending his technical expertise. Also, thank you to family and friends for their support. I would also like to thank Mary Jo Foley, an inspiration to me and other technology journalists—especially women in this field.