Robert Clayton
KGA 1 Windows Server is a collection of server operating systems created by Microsoft. There are multiple editions; Windows Server 2008 Web which is designed specifically for computers functioning as Internet or intranet Web servers, including all of the Internet Information Services 7 capabilities, but cannot function as an Active Directory domain controller, Windows Server 2008 Standard (Standard edition is also limited to computers with up to 4 GB of RAM (in the x86 version) and up to four processors, Windows Server 2008 Enterprise(The Enterprise edition includes the full set of Windows Server 2008 features, and supports computers with up to eight processors and up to 64 GB of RAM (in the x86 edition). Enterprise also supports up to four virtual images with Hyper-V (in the 64-bit version) and an unlimited number of network connections), Windows Server 2008 Datacenter (Designed for large and powerful servers with up to 64 processors and fault tolerance features such as hot add processor support. This edition is available only from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), bundled with a server), and Server Core which is a completely stripped version of windows server, only having a command prompt and limited abilities. There are major advantages and disadvantages of both Windows Server and Linux based systems depending upon the needs of your system. The majority of Linux variants are available for free or at a much lower price than Microsoft Windows. The majority of Linux variants and versions are notoriously reliable and can often run for months and years without needing to be rebooted. Although the majority Linux variants have improved dramatically in ease of use, Windows is still much easier to use for new computer users. Microsoft has made several advancements and changes that have made it a much easier to use Operating System, and although arguably it may not be the easiest Operating System, it is still easier than Linux. Windows Server was designed to reduce the time it takes to implement and manage solutions by Standardizing common administration tasks, Providing robust tools for more customized administration. In addition, Windows Server is the most broadly tested and certified platform for applications and hardware, so it improves your ability to deliver solutions that will grow and change as the business needs change. The Security Development Lifecycle (SDL) was developed by Microsoft to provide a rigorous engineering process for developing secure code. This process includes the development of threat models during software design, the use of static analysis code-scanning tools during implementation, and the conducting of code reviews and security testing during a focused security push. IT organizations are in the best position to deliver secure solutions by utilizing a quality, innovative technology platform, like Windows Server, and establishing proactive security management processes. The Dynamic Systems Initiative (DSI) is the Microsoft technology strategy for products and solutions that help businesses enhance the dynamic capability of their people, processes, and IT infrastructure using technology. A directory service is a repository of information about the resources hardware, software, and human that are connected to a network. Users, computers, and applications throughout the network can access the repository for a variety of purposes, including user authentication, storage of configuration data, and even simple white pages style information look-ups. Active Directory is the directory service that Microsoft first introduced in Windows 2000 Server, and which they have upgraded in each successive server operating system release, including Windows Server 2008. Active Directory makes services and resources available. An Active Directory domain is a hierarchical structure that takes the form of a tree, much like a file system. The domain consists of objects, each of which represents a logical or physical resource. There are two basic classes of objects: container objects and leaf objects. A container object, including domains, is one that can have other objects subordinate to it. A leaf object can represent users, computers, groups, applications, and other resources on the network. Every object consists of attributes, which store information about the object. A container object has, as one of its attributes, a list of all the other objects it contains. Leaf objects have attributes that contain specific information about the specific resource the object represents. Some attributes are created automatically, such as the globally unique identifier that the domain controller assigns to each object when it creates it, while administrators must supply information for other attributes manually. A container object that functions in a subordinate capacity to a domain, something like a subdomain, but without the complete separation of security policies. As a container object, OUs can contain other OUs, as well as leaf objects. You can apply separate Group Policy to an OU, and delegate the administration of an OU as needed. An OU is still part of the domain and still inherits policies and permissions from its parent objects. Active Directory supports groups with varying capabilities, as defined by the group type and the group scope. There are two group types in Active Directory: Security groups and Distribution groups. When designing an Active Directory infrastructure, you might, in some cases, want to create multiple domains. Active Directory scales upward from the domain just as easily as it scales downward. An Active Directory forest consists of one or more separate domain trees, which have the same two-way trust relationships between them as two domains in the same tree. When you create the first domain on an Active Directory network, you are in fact creating a new forest, and that first domain becomes the forest root domain. Active Directory clients still need a way to locate and access the resources of other domains in the same forest. To make this possible, each forest has a global catalog, which is a list of all of the objects in the forest, along with a subset of each object’s attributes. Advantages of Active Directory include; Single user name and password, Password synced between AD and LDAP Directory Services, Reduce overhead through standardization, Improve services through centralized management capabilities, Provide foundation for the following AD related services such as Exchange and SharePoint, Improve workstation security,Provides central storage provided for individuals and departments, Backup and restoration services for central storage, Server storage space for user documents, Backed up data on Home and Departmental drives, and Lower departmental cost because infrastructure is managed and maintained by OIT. After completing this class, I believe that I possess the understanding of how networking from the server level works and how to efficiently implement a windows server infrastructure. It is important for me to have this knowledge because there are many avenues that I can pursue in my prospective field of study. The knowledge that I have attained from this class will allow me to hold numerous positions at almost any business and be able to effectively maintain a network for that business. Being able to set up and maintain a server based administration makes me a more well rounded IT student and introduced me to a different aspect of the networking process. Knowing the requirements for different versions as well as the capabilities and functions of those editions makes my analytical skills for implementation of a server administration that much more keen. Being able to understand the basics and the most important and highly used components of windows server is very important in helping me to be a successful IT professional.

Bibliography http://www.sadikhov.com/forum/index.php?/topic/181199-benefits-of-active-directory/ http://emdadblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/advantages-of-active-directory.html http://www.webhostdesignpost.com/webhosting/linuxwindowswebhosting.html http://www.bostoncomputing.net/webhosting/unix-vs-windows/
Class Presentations
Course Text
Exam 70-642: Windows Server 2008 Network Infrastructure Configuration with Lab Manual Set (Microsoft Official Academic Course Series) by Microsoft Official Academic Course (Mar 22, 2010)