Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (Server Core)

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Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (Server Core)
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Four months ago I decided to test Microsoft Windows Server 2008 (Server Core), I read a few reviews and even thought they say that the server performance is unbeliavable, most administrators don’t have a it installed in their network environment.

INSTALLATION

01. Reboot server where installation will take place.

02. Boot from dvd media

03. Select and Install Windows Server 2008 (Server Core Installation)

04. Configure password for Administrator

05. Login to Windows Server 2008 (Server Core)

06. Run this command to change computer name:

           a. netdom renamecomputer %computername% /newname: {newcomputername}

b. reboot server after command is executed

07.  Set server’s IP Address:

           a. netsh interface ipv4 set address {InterfaceName} static {IPAddress} {SubnetMask} {DefaultGateway}

           b. netsh interface show interface

08. Set server’s DNS Server’s:

          a. netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name= {interface} address= {DNSServerIPAddress} index=1

* to add more DNS server’s increase index number

09. Join Domain:

              a. netdom Join {ComputerName} /Domain: {FQDN} /UserD: {username}\Administrator /Reboot:5 /PasswordD: {password}

              * /reboot:5 indicates to reboot server 5 seconds after command finishes

10. DCPROMO:

             a. notepad unattend.txt

             b.Write the following command for unattended file:

[DCInstall]
InstallDNS=yes
ConfirmGC=yes
RebootOnCompletion=yes
ReplicaDomainDNSName= {FQDN}
ReplicaOrNewDomain= {specify replica, newdomain or readonly}
ReplicationSourceDC= {primary DC FQDN}
SafeModeAdminPassword= {specify password}
UserDomain= {FQDN}
UserName= {specify user with priviledges Ex. Administrator}
Password=
CreateDNSDelagation= {Yes or NO}

                   c. save file

                   d. run DCPROMO /unattend:unattend.txt

                   e. Reboot server.

11. Add Server Roles:

                 a. start /w ocsetup {Role Name}

                          Roles:  Printing-ServerCore-Role
DHCPServerCore
DNS-Server-Core-Role
DirectoryServices-ADAM-ServerCore
MediaServer
Hyper-V
FRS-Infrastructure
DFSN-Server
SIS

12. Add Server Features:

              a. start /w ocsetup {Feature Name}

Features:BitLocker
BitLocker-RemoteAdminTool
FailoverCluster-Core
WINS-SC
NetworLoadBalancingHeadlessServer
WindowsServerBackup
SNMP-SC
Microsoft-Windows-RemovableStorageManagementCore

CONCLUSION

After installing and testing it the Microsoft Windows server 2008 Server CORE;  I found it to be very useful and the most important part of all is that “IT DOES” improve server performance because it doesn’t have the memory restrictions that comes with a GUI based OS.  Also it is not prone to viruses which is a big plus.  If anybody has any questions feel free to post them in this blog.

Alberto Ayala II, MS

MCSE, MCTS, MCITP, CompTIA A+