Windows Server advice for a novice

[Taras]

Hello everyone,

 

This is a question to those of you who's work revolves around Windows Server 2012.

 

I apologize in advance if I am posting this in the wrong section, please move this thread if this is the case. I just want to get some general tips and pointers from those of you who are more experienced. Currently we use Windows Server 2012 R2 and SBS at work, there are about 30 users in total and in the last 2 years the only things that I ever had to do is setup new users and modify permissions. There really is not enough exposure to the server environment at work, I won't go into much details but basically I'm not allowed on the server unless it is to change someone's password or create a user.

 

I just installed WS 2012 r2 VM on my PC at home, I know the basics of user setup & management as well as some other Active Directory stuff but that's where it ends for me. I'm not asking to teach me what you do, I'm just interested in the kind of advice that one IT professional would offer to another (who doesn't know much about WS).

 

Right now I have a Win 8 VM and a Server VM running on my home machine. I will try to setup the Win 8 VM as a domain member, give it a couple of network drives and mess around with Group Policy. Any general advice as to what other kind of things I should try doing? Maybe someone can suggest some kind of a challenge for me to try overcome? Any kind of pointers would be of great help, it is not the "how to do x" that I want to hear, it is the "you should know and be able to do x if you want to be able to say that you know Windows Server well".

 

Many thanks in advance!

Taras

Edited April 8, 2016 by Taras

[PR-UK]

Well if you've already set up a domain you're doing pretty well!

 

Personally I'd make a list of things that you experience during the day that frustrate you/the users and do some research to see if there's a solution. If you just try and work through a book to learn everything some of it you'll never need and other things you'll immediately forget, or perhaps that's just me...

[GuyJD]

With our servers I have a learn as you go way of doing things, half the stuff I've learned on various Microsoft courses I've forgotten, always remember to save links to solutions you find as you'll easily forget how to do it if it's not something you have to do regularly.

 

Also invest a little time in learning Powershell, it really is a great way to automate tasks on a server and lets you manage all of the client PCs from your workstation.

 

if you have a virtual environment set up, just work your way through the Roles and features list to get yourself acquainted with what each one does and how to set it up.

[diddylord]

Have a look into the 70-410 course for Windows server, it may be a little advanced in places however most of the books for it will start at the begging and work through different topics, you will leave a lot using that as a guide for labs ect

[Fazza]

So you've got a Domain Controller and a Client PC great!

 

Have you set up DHCP so it automatically assigns an IP address and DNS settings to your client?

 

Have you shared a printer on the server that a Pupil user can print to but cant view the print queue but a Staff user can?

Have you set up a shared area that uses NTFS permissions that gives staff full control over the folder but pupils only have read only access?

Have you created a logon script that has been assigned to both pupils and staff accounts that maps a drive letter to the shared area you have created?

Have you set up a Group Policy that assigns the printer to a computer/user?

Have you used Group Policies to restrict the control panel so pupils cant access it?

Have you used a GPO to assign a desktop background to the computer?

How about a message at the logon screen saying that the users must agree to the Acceptable Use Agreement before logging on?

 

If you've not done the things above then give them a go! It should be great fun for you to work out how to do them if it's not something you've done yet.

 

[asc]

I started off learning Windows Server, Active Directory and GPO using this series of videos

 

A couple of years later and I now do setups and designs of Windows Environments for small businesses.

 

Although it's recorded for 2008, it's all pretty much the same in 2012 - as long as you can find the 'Administrative Tools' folder, you're good to go

[Taras]

Thank you for the advice everyone! Some very useful tips here that I will take with me.

Since the original post I was able to setup a domain and have another VM join it, right now I am messing around with GPO and there's a lot of stuff to try out so it will take a while.

 

So you've got a Domain Controller and a Client PC great!

 

Have you set up DHCP so it automatically assigns an IP address and DNS settings to your client?

 

Have you shared a printer on the server that a Pupil user can print to but cant view the print queue but a Staff user can?

Have you set up a shared area that uses NTFS permissions that gives staff full control over the folder but pupils only have read only access?

Have you created a logon script that has been assigned to both pupils and staff accounts that maps a drive letter to the shared area you have created?

Have you set up a Group Policy that assigns the printer to a computer/user?

Have you used Group Policies to restrict the control panel so pupils cant access it?

Have you used a GPO to assign a desktop background to the computer?

How about a message at the logon screen saying that the users must agree to the Acceptable Use Agreement before logging on?

 

If you've not done the things above then give them a go! It should be great fun for you to work out how to do them if it's not something you've done yet.

 

Thanks! These are exactly the kinds of tasks I need, the ones where I have an objective but need to decide how to make it work myself.

[Duke5A]

Pickup a used college textbook for an Active Directory class and go through it. It'll bring you from the ground up and teach you the inner workings of domain controllers and roles. Great thing is you don't need to spend a lot of money on current texts. The core parts of Active Directory haven't changed much through the years. I'd say a book on server 2008R2 or even 2008 is fine.

[altecsole]

Setup and configure a DFS Namespace. In my view, this is an essential feature if you do any kind of file sharing and ever want to move files to another server. Once setup take a look at DFS Replication too.

[psheil99]

+1 For Chris Davis videos.. He is how I started to learn all of the basics. Just set up a home server and fiddle around with all of the different features etc..

 

Im 16 and have started to learn the basics and have a home server with AD, DHCP, DNS, Hyper-V and also installed VMware Esxi. You just need to expose yourself to it and even break it and figure out how to fix it.

[Fazza]

Thank you for the advice everyone! Some very useful tips here that I will take with me.

Since the original post I was able to setup a domain and have another VM join it, right now I am messing around with GPO and there's a lot of stuff to try out so it will take a while.

 

 

Thanks! These are exactly the kinds of tasks I need, the ones where I have an objective but need to decide how to make it work myself.

 

That's what I thought so came up with a list of things that are related to some of the things we do. Remember, if you cant quite get something to work then make use of Edugeek as there are loads of us here willing to help you!