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How to Manage Multiple Servers in Windows Server 2012

EWindows Server 2012 HOW TO MANAGE MULTIPLE SERVERS WITH WINDOWS SERVER 2012 ? WHY IS MANAGING MULTIPLE SERVERS A BIG DEAL? Gone are the days when we used to manage one server at a time. Life isn't that simple anymore! Now cloud computing is here, Server Manager needed to move from a single - to a multi-server view of the environment. Now you can see all your servers, check their performance and fix any issues - all from the Server Manager dashboard. Windows Server 2012 allows multiple servers; with remote management, monitoring, installations and roles. We can now make changes to a group of DCHP or DNS servers - regardless of where they are physically. On the Windows Server Blog, Jeffrey Snover groups the design of the all-new Server Manager into three principles: Glance-able You can glance at the Server Manager dashboard to get an overall view of the server environment. You can then quickly spot the key issues that need your attention Actionable You can fix these issues without opening another tool. Via the Server Manager dashboard, you can start and stop services across multiple machines Relevant The Server Manager dashboard is completely customisable. You can create a custom group - based on your needs - to display on the dashboard. WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED For most of us, the Server Manager application is the starting point for all server management in Windows Server 2012, both local and remote. To fully manage a server remotely from Windows Server 2012 (or RSAT Server Manager on Windows 8), it must have the following installed: However, just about everything can be done from the Command Line too, using PowerShell 3.0. Indeed it is possible to have your whole server estate running on Server Core installations; and to manage the servers remotely either by PowerShell, Server Manager from an additional administrative server, or from RSAT in Windows 8 (which has its own Server Manager app). A Windows Server operating system, 2008R2 or newer .Net 4.0 framework WMF 3.0 (which includes WinRM 3.0 and PowerShell 3.0) 2 HOW TO MONITOR YOUR SERVER ESTATE FROM ONE CONSOLE With the release of Windows Server 2012, the design goals have all been achieved. The dashboard view of Server Manager is 'Glance-able'. The below screenshot shows a rather unhealthy server dashboard which is monitoring seven roles, three server groups, containing five servers - one of which is a Virtual Server. e . Server Manager · Dashboard WELCOME TO SERVER MANAGER Configure this local server R AD LDS 2 Add roles and features ti DHCP A DNS 3 Add other servers to manage Feand Sorage Services 4 Create a server group ROLES ANO SERVER GROUPS Rele7 Sener g Senen tots V AD DS I Managnability E AD LDS O Manageability Managnability Managnatlity 2 Manageability Events tents Events Services Services PA ts na AM i Hotroup ii M Group i local Server O Manageability Managnability Services Services Pertormance Pertormance Pertormance SPA s SPA PA The screenshot below shows the effect of clicking on the HostGroup Tile, BPA (Best Practice Analyzer) entry. This list can be filtered by Severity, Category or Server. HostGroup - BPA Results Detail View SPA results Hide Alert Criteria A Categories Al Servers Server Name Severity Tele Category 260OMONSTER Emor The domain controller 2600MONSTERZ60OMONSTERLOCAL must be able to reach a DNS server and retrieve DNS records that are associated with this domain controller Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor e PDC emulator master 260OMONSTERZ60OMONSTERLOCAL in this forest should be configured to correctly synchronize time from a valid time source Configuration Z60OMONSTER Emor Virtual machines should be backed up at least once every week Configuration Z60OMONSTER Emor DNS: At least one DNS server on the list of forwarders must respond to DNS queries. Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: Zone 260OMONSTERLOCAL update notification list must not be empty. Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: At least one name server in the list of root hints must respond to queries for the root zone. Configuration Z60OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0254 on vEthernet (External Network) must resolve Global Catalog resource records for the domain controller Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0.254 on vEthernet (External Network) must resolve the name of this compute Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0.25 on vthernet xternal Network) must resolve Kerberos resource records for the domain controler Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0254 on VEthernet (External Network) must resolve LDAP resource records for the domain controller Configuration Z60OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0.254 on the vethermet (External Network) must resolve PDC resource records for the domain controller Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0.254 on vfthernet (External Network) must resolve names in the forest root domain name zone Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0254 on vEthernet (External Network) must resolve names in the primary DNS domain zone Configuration Go To HastGroup OK Cancel WHAT ABOUT MANAGING ROLES AND TAKING ACTION ON THE REMOTE SERVERS? Displaying information from a number of roles, servers and groups of servers is all very well. But to be of real use, we need to be able to manage these servers either individually or as a group, and carry out tasks on each one. By selecting a role in the left hand side of Server Manager, the servers which are available - which hold that role - are displayed. In this case both The Primary server and Z600monster servers hold the DNS Server role. Server Manager Server Manager • DNS SERVERS All servers 12 total i Local Server i All Servers Server Name IP4 Address Manageability Last Update Windows Activation a AD LDS ti puce PRIMARY 192.168.0241 Online - Cannot get event data 9/10/2012 90151 AM 00133-0010-0005-AAIS2 (Activated Z60OMONSTER 192.168.0200 Online 9/10/2012 9:00:19 AM 00183-80850-01958-AAT15 (Activated) A DNS i HostGroup ii VM Group FVENTS Server Manager Server Manager • DNS SERVERS Dashboard Local Server All Servers H AD DS AD LOS t DHCP n02012 9011 AM 00133-10010-000s AAIS2 (Ativated Add Roles and Features A Simple right-click on the server name brings up the menu: Restart Server s File and Storage Services Computer Management Remote Desktop Connection HostGroup Wodows Powershel B Hyper-V Configure NIC Teaming io Is ii VM Group Configure Windows Automatic feedback Manage As Remove Serves Copy This menu provides a shortcut to all the server management functions available on that server from this menu. Design goal number two achieved - Actionable, we can run DNS manager and make changes on the server concerned directly. If we had accessed the menu from the All Servers tile, this is what we would have been presented with. All still actionable. Note we can add roles remotely too. we can even add roles to OFFLINE VHDS. Server Manager• All Servers SERVERS i Local Server i All Servers AD DS a AD LDS P4 Address Manageabi TTTT A DNS Add Roles and Features Restart Server is File and Storage Services HostGroup Computer Management Remote Desktoo Connection B Hyper-V Windows Pow e The benefit here is that if you are only looking for a role specific function, then that is all you will be presented with. To see everything possible on a server, simply select it from the top of the tree (so to speak) and everything that is possible will be presented. In this case, the Primary server is an Active Directory Domain Services Domain Controller so all the AD DS functions and command lines are also available. Design goal three achieved - Relevant. io Is ii VM Group Configure NIC Teaming Configure Windows Automatic feethark Active Directorny Administrative Center Active Divectory Domains and Trusts Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell Active Directory Sites and Services Active Directory Users and Computers ADSI Edit Dediag.ee DNS Manager Dsads.ee Dsdbutilee Dsmgmteve Gpfup.ee Hyper-V Manager This relevancy is applicable on all menus at all levels within Server Netdom.exe Nitestexe Repadmin.ese Manager. W32mee Manage As. Remove Server Refresh Copy The final point to make on relevancy is that if you select a single server from a list, only the events, services or BPA entries relevant to that server will appear in the server manager window below. As the next two screenshots show: Server Manager • All Serv ers Server Manager• All Servers SERVERS Al servers |5 total SERVERS Al servers |5 total Dashboard I Local Server H Dashboard I Local Server Filter i All Servers i All Servers 1 AD DS IP Addres A AD LDS A AD LDS HURSTHYPERVR 192.16801192.168.0.221,192.168.06 PRIMARY REPLICA 192.16 41 192.168 2 DNS File and Storage Services i HostGroup 2 DNS is File and Storage Services i HostGroup VMSERVER1 76OOMONSTER 192.1680200 2600MONSTER 192.168.0200 B Hyper-V lo Is a Hyper-V io IS i VM Group EVENTS All events | 2285 total EVENTS All events |0 total Fite Filter Server Name ID Severity Source Server Name ID Severity Source 260OMONSTER 10028 Emor Mierosoft-Windows-Dis 260OMONSTER 10028 Emor Microsoft-Windows Dis 260OMONSTER 10oos Emor Micrpaoft-Windows-Dis 260OMONSTER 1002 Emor Microsoft-Windows-Dis 260OMONSTER 10028 Emor Mierosoft-Windows-Ds 260OMONSTER 10028 Emor Mierat-Wndows-Ds 260OMONSTER 1002 Eror Merpaoft-Windowni SERVICES All services 170 total SERVICES All services | 137 total Filte 260OMONSTER Helper Server Name Display Name Z60OMONSTER Windows Store Service (WSService) PRIMARY Windows Update 260OMONSTER Windows Update PRIMARY Application Identity 260OMONSTER Windows Instaler PRIMARY Special Administration Console Helper 260OMONSTER Remote Acces Auto Connection Manager PRIMARY Encrypting File System (EPS) 260OMONSTER lase Fitering Engine 260OMONSTER WinHTTP Web Proey Auto-Discovery Servi PRIMARY Cenificate Propagation PRIMARY Remote Acces Connection Manacer The final point to raise in the relevancy debate is that Server Groups now also exist. It is a simple matter of a few clicks to select a number of servers which may participate in the same functions or be physically located together. The criteria are not relevant. The simplicity of creating monitoring and managing a group of servers means that this is set to be the largest change to the way we control the servers in my estate. Currently we use groups for Hyper-V hosts, groups for Virtual Machines and groups for specific roles. What is great is that a machine can sit in any number of groups. SUMMARY The design goals for Server Manager have all been achieved. But the simplicity with which it is now possible to manage the Server estate is such a huge stride ahead that even if all the really cool new functions elsewhere in the product had not been released, the new Server Manager is enough for us to upgrade. While writing this article, we remotely installed roles on five servers at the same time with the same click of the mouse. All the results were returned to our management console and any reboots carried out automatically. Remember this can be administered from a Windows 8 Client with RSAT. FIREBRAND The fastest way to learn EWindows Server 2012 HOW TO MANAGE MULTIPLE SERVERS WITH WINDOWS SERVER 2012 ? WHY IS MANAGING MULTIPLE SERVERS A BIG DEAL? Gone are the days when we used to manage one server at a time. Life isn't that simple anymore! Now cloud computing is here, Server Manager needed to move from a single - to a multi-server view of the environment. Now you can see all your servers, check their performance and fix any issues - all from the Server Manager dashboard. Windows Server 2012 allows multiple servers; with remote management, monitoring, installations and roles. We can now make changes to a group of DCHP or DNS servers - regardless of where they are physically. On the Windows Server Blog, Jeffrey Snover groups the design of the all-new Server Manager into three principles: Glance-able You can glance at the Server Manager dashboard to get an overall view of the server environment. You can then quickly spot the key issues that need your attention Actionable You can fix these issues without opening another tool. Via the Server Manager dashboard, you can start and stop services across multiple machines Relevant The Server Manager dashboard is completely customisable. You can create a custom group - based on your needs - to display on the dashboard. WHAT YOU NEED TO GET STARTED For most of us, the Server Manager application is the starting point for all server management in Windows Server 2012, both local and remote. To fully manage a server remotely from Windows Server 2012 (or RSAT Server Manager on Windows 8), it must have the following installed: However, just about everything can be done from the Command Line too, using PowerShell 3.0. Indeed it is possible to have your whole server estate running on Server Core installations; and to manage the servers remotely either by PowerShell, Server Manager from an additional administrative server, or from RSAT in Windows 8 (which has its own Server Manager app). A Windows Server operating system, 2008R2 or newer .Net 4.0 framework WMF 3.0 (which includes WinRM 3.0 and PowerShell 3.0) 2 HOW TO MONITOR YOUR SERVER ESTATE FROM ONE CONSOLE With the release of Windows Server 2012, the design goals have all been achieved. The dashboard view of Server Manager is 'Glance-able'. The below screenshot shows a rather unhealthy server dashboard which is monitoring seven roles, three server groups, containing five servers - one of which is a Virtual Server. e . Server Manager · Dashboard WELCOME TO SERVER MANAGER Configure this local server R AD LDS 2 Add roles and features ti DHCP A DNS 3 Add other servers to manage Feand Sorage Services 4 Create a server group ROLES ANO SERVER GROUPS Rele7 Sener g Senen tots V AD DS I Managnability E AD LDS O Manageability Managnability Managnatlity 2 Manageability Events tents Events Services Services PA ts na AM i Hotroup ii M Group i local Server O Manageability Managnability Services Services Pertormance Pertormance Pertormance SPA s SPA PA The screenshot below shows the effect of clicking on the HostGroup Tile, BPA (Best Practice Analyzer) entry. This list can be filtered by Severity, Category or Server. HostGroup - BPA Results Detail View SPA results Hide Alert Criteria A Categories Al Servers Server Name Severity Tele Category 260OMONSTER Emor The domain controller 2600MONSTERZ60OMONSTERLOCAL must be able to reach a DNS server and retrieve DNS records that are associated with this domain controller Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor e PDC emulator master 260OMONSTERZ60OMONSTERLOCAL in this forest should be configured to correctly synchronize time from a valid time source Configuration Z60OMONSTER Emor Virtual machines should be backed up at least once every week Configuration Z60OMONSTER Emor DNS: At least one DNS server on the list of forwarders must respond to DNS queries. Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: Zone 260OMONSTERLOCAL update notification list must not be empty. Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: At least one name server in the list of root hints must respond to queries for the root zone. Configuration Z60OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0254 on vEthernet (External Network) must resolve Global Catalog resource records for the domain controller Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0.254 on vEthernet (External Network) must resolve the name of this compute Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0.25 on vthernet xternal Network) must resolve Kerberos resource records for the domain controler Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0254 on VEthernet (External Network) must resolve LDAP resource records for the domain controller Configuration Z60OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0.254 on the vethermet (External Network) must resolve PDC resource records for the domain controller Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0.254 on vfthernet (External Network) must resolve names in the forest root domain name zone Configuration 260OMONSTER Emor DNS: The DNS server 192.168.0254 on vEthernet (External Network) must resolve names in the primary DNS domain zone Configuration Go To HastGroup OK Cancel WHAT ABOUT MANAGING ROLES AND TAKING ACTION ON THE REMOTE SERVERS? Displaying information from a number of roles, servers and groups of servers is all very well. But to be of real use, we need to be able to manage these servers either individually or as a group, and carry out tasks on each one. By selecting a role in the left hand side of Server Manager, the servers which are available - which hold that role - are displayed. In this case both The Primary server and Z600monster servers hold the DNS Server role. Server Manager Server Manager • DNS SERVERS All servers 12 total i Local Server i All Servers Server Name IP4 Address Manageability Last Update Windows Activation a AD LDS ti puce PRIMARY 192.168.0241 Online - Cannot get event data 9/10/2012 90151 AM 00133-0010-0005-AAIS2 (Activated Z60OMONSTER 192.168.0200 Online 9/10/2012 9:00:19 AM 00183-80850-01958-AAT15 (Activated) A DNS i HostGroup ii VM Group FVENTS Server Manager Server Manager • DNS SERVERS Dashboard Local Server All Servers H AD DS AD LOS t DHCP n02012 9011 AM 00133-10010-000s AAIS2 (Ativated Add Roles and Features A Simple right-click on the server name brings up the menu: Restart Server s File and Storage Services Computer Management Remote Desktop Connection HostGroup Wodows Powershel B Hyper-V Configure NIC Teaming io Is ii VM Group Configure Windows Automatic feedback Manage As Remove Serves Copy This menu provides a shortcut to all the server management functions available on that server from this menu. Design goal number two achieved - Actionable, we can run DNS manager and make changes on the server concerned directly. If we had accessed the menu from the All Servers tile, this is what we would have been presented with. All still actionable. Note we can add roles remotely too. we can even add roles to OFFLINE VHDS. Server Manager• All Servers SERVERS i Local Server i All Servers AD DS a AD LDS P4 Address Manageabi TTTT A DNS Add Roles and Features Restart Server is File and Storage Services HostGroup Computer Management Remote Desktoo Connection B Hyper-V Windows Pow e The benefit here is that if you are only looking for a role specific function, then that is all you will be presented with. To see everything possible on a server, simply select it from the top of the tree (so to speak) and everything that is possible will be presented. In this case, the Primary server is an Active Directory Domain Services Domain Controller so all the AD DS functions and command lines are also available. Design goal three achieved - Relevant. io Is ii VM Group Configure NIC Teaming Configure Windows Automatic feethark Active Directorny Administrative Center Active Divectory Domains and Trusts Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell Active Directory Sites and Services Active Directory Users and Computers ADSI Edit Dediag.ee DNS Manager Dsads.ee Dsdbutilee Dsmgmteve Gpfup.ee Hyper-V Manager This relevancy is applicable on all menus at all levels within Server Netdom.exe Nitestexe Repadmin.ese Manager. W32mee Manage As. Remove Server Refresh Copy The final point to make on relevancy is that if you select a single server from a list, only the events, services or BPA entries relevant to that server will appear in the server manager window below. As the next two screenshots show: Server Manager • All Serv ers Server Manager• All Servers SERVERS Al servers |5 total SERVERS Al servers |5 total Dashboard I Local Server H Dashboard I Local Server Filter i All Servers i All Servers 1 AD DS IP Addres A AD LDS A AD LDS HURSTHYPERVR 192.16801192.168.0.221,192.168.06 PRIMARY REPLICA 192.16 41 192.168 2 DNS File and Storage Services i HostGroup 2 DNS is File and Storage Services i HostGroup VMSERVER1 76OOMONSTER 192.1680200 2600MONSTER 192.168.0200 B Hyper-V lo Is a Hyper-V io IS i VM Group EVENTS All events | 2285 total EVENTS All events |0 total Fite Filter Server Name ID Severity Source Server Name ID Severity Source 260OMONSTER 10028 Emor Mierosoft-Windows-Dis 260OMONSTER 10028 Emor Microsoft-Windows Dis 260OMONSTER 10oos Emor Micrpaoft-Windows-Dis 260OMONSTER 1002 Emor Microsoft-Windows-Dis 260OMONSTER 10028 Emor Mierosoft-Windows-Ds 260OMONSTER 10028 Emor Mierat-Wndows-Ds 260OMONSTER 1002 Eror Merpaoft-Windowni SERVICES All services 170 total SERVICES All services | 137 total Filte 260OMONSTER Helper Server Name Display Name Z60OMONSTER Windows Store Service (WSService) PRIMARY Windows Update 260OMONSTER Windows Update PRIMARY Application Identity 260OMONSTER Windows Instaler PRIMARY Special Administration Console Helper 260OMONSTER Remote Acces Auto Connection Manager PRIMARY Encrypting File System (EPS) 260OMONSTER lase Fitering Engine 260OMONSTER WinHTTP Web Proey Auto-Discovery Servi PRIMARY Cenificate Propagation PRIMARY Remote Acces Connection Manacer The final point to raise in the relevancy debate is that Server Groups now also exist. It is a simple matter of a few clicks to select a number of servers which may participate in the same functions or be physically located together. The criteria are not relevant. The simplicity of creating monitoring and managing a group of servers means that this is set to be the largest change to the way we control the servers in my estate. Currently we use groups for Hyper-V hosts, groups for Virtual Machines and groups for specific roles. What is great is that a machine can sit in any number of groups. SUMMARY The design goals for Server Manager have all been achieved. But the simplicity with which it is now possible to manage the Server estate is such a huge stride ahead that even if all the really cool new functions elsewhere in the product had not been released, the new Server Manager is enough for us to upgrade. While writing this article, we remotely installed roles on five servers at the same time with the same click of the mouse. All the results were returned to our management console and any reboots carried out automatically. Remember this can be administered from a Windows 8 Client with RSAT. FIREBRAND The fastest way to learn

How to Manage Multiple Servers in Windows Server 2012

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In this infographic we look at one of the five big New Features in Windows Server 2012. After reading this graphic you will know how to Manage Multiple Servers in Windows Server 2012.The How-to was w...

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