Mastering Windows Group Policy. Control and secure your Active Directory environment with Group Policy

Jordan Krause

This book begins with a discussion of the core material any administrator needs to know in order to start working with Group Policy. Moving on, we will also walk through the process of building a lab environment to start testing Group Policy today. Next we will explore the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC) and start using the powerful features available for us within that interface. Once you are well versed with using GPMC, you will learn to perform and manage the traditional core tasks inside Group Policy. Included in the book are many examples and walk-throughs of the different filtering options available for the application of Group Policy settings, as this is the real power that Group Policy holds within your network. You will also learn how you can use Group Policy to secure your Active Directory environment, and also understand how Group Policy preferences are different than policies, with the help of real-world examples. Finally we will spend some time on maintenance and troubleshooting common Group Policy-related issues so that you, as a directory administrator, will understand the diagnosing process for policy settings.By the end of the book, you will be able to jump right in and use Group Policy to its full potential.

Mastering Windows Server 2016. A comprehensive and practical guide to Windows Server 2016

Jordan Krause

Windows Server 2016 is the server operating system developed by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems, developed concurrently with Windows 10. With Windows Server 2016, Microsoft has gotten us thinking outside of the box for what it means to be a system administration, and comes with some interesting new capabilities. These are exciting times to be or to become a server administrator!This book covers all aspects of administration level tasks and activities required to gain expertise in Microsoft Windows Server 2016. You will begin by getting familiar and comfortable navigating around in the interface. Next, you will learn to install and manage Windows Server 2016 and discover some tips for adapting to the new server management ideology that is all about centralized monitoring and configuration.You will deep dive into core Microsoft infrastructure technologies that the majority of companies are going to run on Server 2016. Core technologies such as Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Certificate Services, File Services, and more. We will talk about networking in this new operating system, giving you a networking toolset that is useful for everyday troubleshooting and maintenance. Also discussed is the idea of Software Defined Networking. You will later walk through different aspects of certificate administration in Windows Server 2016. Three important and crucial areas to cover in the Remote Access role -- DirectAccess, VPN, and the Web Application Proxy -- are also covered.You will then move into security functions and benefits that are available in Windows Server 2016. Also covered is the brand new and all-important Nano Server!We will incorporate PowerShell as a central platform for performing many of the functions that are discussed in this book, including a chapter dedicated to the new PowerShell 5.0. Additionally, you will learn about the new built-in integration for Docker with this latest release of Windows Server 2016. The book ends with a discussion and information on virtualizing your datacenter with Hyper-V.By the end of this book, you will have all the ammunition required to start planning for and implementing Windows Server 2016.

Mastering Windows Server 2019. The complete guide for IT professionals to install and manage Windows Server 2019 and deploy new capabilities - Second Edition

Jordan Krause

Mastering Windows Server 2019 – Second Edition covers all of the essential information needed to implement and utilize this latest-and-greatest platform as the core of your data center computing needs. You will begin by installing and managing Windows Server 2019, and by clearing up common points of confusion surrounding the versions and licensing of this new product. Centralized management, monitoring, and configuration of servers is key to an efficient IT department, and you will discover multiple methods for quickly managing all of your servers from a single pane of glass. To this end, you will spend time inside Server Manager, PowerShell, and even the new Windows Admin Center, formerly known as Project Honolulu. Even though this book is focused on Windows Server 2019 LTSC, we will still discuss containers and Nano Server, which are more commonly related to the SAC channel of the server platform, for a well-rounded exposition of all aspects of using Windows Server in your environment. We also discuss the various remote access technologies available in this operating system, as well as guidelines for virtualizing your data center with Hyper-V. By the end of this book, you will have all the ammunition required to start planning for, implementing, and managing Windows.

Mastering Windows Server 2019. The complete guide for system administrators to install, manage, and deploy new capabilities with Windows Server 2019 - Third Edition

Jordan Krause

Written by a nine-time Microsoft MVP award winner with over twenty years of experience working in IT, Mastering Windows Server 2019 is a hands-on guide for anyone looking to keep their skills up to date.This third edition comes with four new chapters to provide you with the in-depth knowledge needed to implement and use this operating system in any environment.Centralized management, monitoring, and configuration of servers are key to an efficient IT department.This book delves into multiple methods for quickly managing all your servers from a ‘single pane of glass' — the ability to monitor different servers across a network using Server Manager, Windows PowerShell, and even Windows Admin Center — from anywhere. Despite the focus on Windows Server 2019 LTSC, you will still explore containers and Nano Server, which are more related to the SAC of server releases. This additional coverage will give you insights into all aspects of using Windows Server 2019 in your environment.This book covers a range of remote access technologies available in this operating system, teaches management of PKI and certificates, and empowers you to virtualize your datacenter with Hyper-V. You will also discover the tools and software included with Windows Server 2019 that assist in the inevitable troubleshooting of problems that crop up.

Mastering Windows Server 2022. Comprehensive administration of your Windows Server environment - Fourth Edition

Jordan Krause

Written by a 10-time Microsoft MVP award winner with over 20 years of IT experience, Mastering Windows Server 2022 is a hands-on guide to administer any Windows Server environment. Whether new to the server world or working to keep your existing skills sharp, this book aims to be referenced on a regular basis instead of gathering dust on your shelf.Updated with Server 2022 content, this book covers a wide variety of information pertaining to your role as a server administrator. We will expand upon versions and licensing models for this OS, and explore the 'single pane of glass' administration methodology by utilizing tools like Server Manager, PowerShell, and even Windows Admin Center. This book is primarily focused on Windows Server 2022 LTSC version, but follow along as we discuss the latest news for SAC server releases as this impacts Containers, Nano Server, and general OS release cadence.This book covers a range of remote access technologies, and even teaches management of PKI and certificates. You will be empowered to virtualize your datacenter with Hyper-V, and deploy your own Remote Desktop Services farm. Learn about Server Core, built-in redundancy, and explore troubleshooting skills. All this on top of chapters about core infrastructure technologies such as Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and Group Policy.

Microsoft DirectAccess Best Practices and Troubleshooting. Secure and efficient functioning of your DirectAccess environment

Jordan Krause

DirectAccess is an amazing Microsoft technology that is truly the evolution of VPN; any Microsoft-centric shop needs this technology. DirectAccess is an automatic remote access solution that takes care of everything from planning to deployment.Microsoft DirectAccess Best Practices and Troubleshooting will provide you with the precise steps you need to take for the very best possible implementation of DirectAccess in your network. You will find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions from administrators and explore unique troubleshooting scenarios that you will want to understand in case they happen to you.Microsoft DirectAccess Best Practices and Troubleshooting outlines best practices for configuring DirectAccess in any network. You will learn how to configure Manage Out capabilities to plan, administer, and deploy DirectAccess client computers from inside the corporate network. You will also learn about a couple of the lesser-known capabilities within a DirectAccess environment and the log information that is available on the client machines.This book also focuses on some specific cases that portray unique or interesting troubleshooting scenarios that DirectAccess administrators may encounter. By describing the problem, the symptoms, and the fixes to these problems, the reader will be able to gain a deeper understanding of the way DirectAccess works and why these external influences are important to the overall solution.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Administrator Cookbook. Over 80 hands-on recipes to effectively administer and manage your Windows Server 2012 R2 infrastructure in enterprise environments

Jordan Krause

Windows Server 2016 Administration Cookbook. Core infrastructure, IIS, Remote Desktop Services, Monitoring, and Group Policy

Jordan Krause

Windows Server 2016 is an operating system designed to run on servers. It supports enterprise-level data storage, communications, management, and applications. This book contains specially selected, detailed help on core, essential administrative tasks of Windows Server 2016.This book starts by helping you to navigate the interface of Windows Server 2016, and quickly shifts gears to implementing roles that are necessarily in any Microsoft-centric datacenter.This book will also help you leverage the web services platform built into Windows Server 2016, available to anyone who runs this latest and greatest Server operating system. Further, you will also learn to compose optimal Group Policies and monitor system performance and IP address management.This book will be a handy quick-reference guide for any Windows Server administrator, providing easy to read, step-by-step instructions for many common administrative tasks that will be part of any Server Administrator’s job description as they administer their Windows Server 2016 powered servers.The material in the book has been selected from the content of Packt's Windows Server 2016 Cookbook by Jordan Krause to provide a specific focus on key Windows Server administration tasks.