Install Terminal Services on Windows Server 2012 R2

---

Introduction

With the Release of Server 2012 R2 Microsoft completely changed how Remote Desktop Services are deployed and managed. This change tossed many like myself for a loop as I could not find any documentation on how to do what was once a 5 minute task.
Hopefully after reading this article this once simple task will be simple once again

Steps (13 total)

1

Open Server Manager

Expand

Click Manage and Select Add Roles and Features

2

Select Remote Desktop Services installation

Expand

Select Remote Desktop Services installation and click next

3

Select Quick Start

Expand

Select Quick Start and click next

4

Select Session-based desktop deployment

Expand

Select Session-based desktop deployment and click next

5

Server Pool

Expand

Make sure the server you are installing on is listed in the server pool.
If you are installing on the same server you are physically logged into then the server should be there by default
Click Next

6

Installation Checks

Expand

Once the installation checks are completed choose to allow (or not) your server to restart automatically if required as part of the install and click Deploy

7

Wait

Expand

Hurry up and wait while your server does the install

8

Success!

Expand

Click Close to continue

9

Add TS Licensing

Open Server Manager and go to "Remote Desktop Services" on the left menu. This will show you the Overview with the status and settings for your terminal server.
If you plan to install the licensing services locally on this server click the RD Licensing icon in the "deployment overview" window. Then follow the instructions to install the licensing service locally and add your purchased licensing.
I am going to use a licensing server in this example so I won't go into detail on this option

10

Add Licensing Server

Expand

If you have more than one TS like I do you will want to use a Licensing server. This allows you to share your client TS licenses across all of your terminal servers making it easier to purchase and manage your license needs.
To uses this option click "Tasks" and Edit Deployment Properties"

11

Edit Deployment Properties

Expand

Click "RD Licensing"
Select your licensing type, I am using Per User
type in the name of your licensing server and hit add. Your licensing server will be contacted, verified and added to the list.
Click OK

12

Set Who Can Log into this server

Expand

Go to System >> Remote Settings >> Select Users and add the Group or Users who will be allowed to connect to this server

Readmore...

Installing a Windows Server 2012 Domain Controller

Introduction

Microsoft has made a variety of changes to Windows Server 2012. From the minute that you install your first Windows Server 2012 system, you will see these changes front and center as the new operating system and are greeted with the new management interface, which provides administrators with the ability to centrally manage all Windows Server 2012 servers. Microsoft has made great progress in their attempts to streamline the overall management paradigm for Windows Server; centralizing management enables administrators to be more efficient with their tasks.
In this article, I will provide you with the first in a series of “getting reacquainted with Windows” articles intended to bridge the gap and help identify and cover the changes that have taken place between Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012. This article covers the creation of a new domain controller in a brand new Windows Server 2012 domain. I’m going to start the process on the assumption that you’ve already installed Windows Server 2012 and are just getting into the initial configuration.

Before you begin

There are a few important items to note before you begin the process or creating a domain controller in Windows Server 2012:

• dcpromo is gone and is no longer a supported method for creating a domain controller.
• Make sure you’ve named your server something other than the default – if you want to – before you start the process described below.
• It’s highly recommended that the server you intend to transform into a domain controller be assigned a static IP address.

The process – Part 1

When you first install a Windows Server 2012 system, it’s configured to start Server Manager automatically. The Server Manager dashboard is shown in Figure 1. To get started creating a new domain controller, click the Add roles and features option.

Figure 1: The Windows Server 2012 Server Manager dashboard
The first screen of the wizard provides you with an overview of the process that is about to take place. Click the Next button to proceed.

Figure 2: The before you begin page
Windows Server 2012 breaks role and feature installation apart from Remote Desktop Services installation. Choose the option marked Role-based or feature-based installation and then click the Next button to proceed.

Figure 3: Choose role-based or feature-based installation
Here, we’re interested in installation Active Directory Domain Services, shown below in Figure 4. When you click in the box next to that option, the window you see in Figure 5 pops up. This pop up window describes the services that will be added to the Windows Server 2012 system.

Figure 4: Choose Active Directory Domain Services

Figure 5: Additional features are automatically selected for you
As roles are added, you may find it necessary to add additional features to support those roles. On the Select features page of the installation wizard, decide whether or not you wish to add additional features. In general, all of the features that are required to support the target role are already selected so you can just click the Next button to continue.

Figure 6: No additional features beyond the default are required
The next screen of the wizard is for informational purposes only and provides details about the role you’re installing. Just click the Next button to continue (Figure 7).

Figure 7: Some general notes about Active Directory Domain Services
Some roles and features require that the server be restarted to complete the installation. You can choose to let this happen automatically or do it manually. If you select the checkbox next to Restart the destination server automatically if required, the restart will happen without administrator intervention. Otherwise, you have to reboot manually. The warning message in Figure 9 will make sure you are aware that restarts will happen by themselves.
Click the Install button on the screen shown in Figure 8 to initiate the deployment of the Active Directory Domain Services role.

Figure 8: The server needs to be restarted from time to time

Figure 9: A warning appears regarding restarts
You’re provided with a status progress bar for the installation, as shown in Figure 10. Once the installation finishes, click the Close button.

Figure 10: The installation is proceeding
However, you’re not done yet. While Active Directory Domain Services is installed, it’s not yet configured. Let’s get that done.

The process – Part 2

Now, it’s time to kick off the configuration. From the Server Manager dashboard, click the flag icon with the exclamation point and click the option marked Promote this server to a domain controller.

Figure 11: Start the second part of the process
For this article, I’m creating both a new forest and a new domain. You may want to just add an additional domain controller to an existing forest. For my purposes, I chose the Add a new forest option. Click the Next button to continue.

Figure 12: Add a whole new forest
On the next screen of the wizard, you get to choose a domain and forest functional levels and tell the wizard that you’d like to add the DNS server, which is a requirement for your Active Directory implementation. On this screen, shown below in Figure 13, you can also see that the Domain Controller Options page also asks you to provide a Directory Services Restore Mode password. Provide the requested information and click the Next button to proceed.

Figure 13: Add appropriate domain controller options
Since this is the first forest and domain and the only existing DNS “server” is the VMware Fusion host upon which this Windows Server 2012 virtual machine is running, Windows can’t find a delegation for the DNS server. You will get some warnings to this effect. Click the OK button and then click Next to continue.

Figure 14: Respond to DNS delegation warning
NetBIOS is still in use! Active Directory needs to make sure that the NetBIOS name you’ve selected for your domain is available on the network and is not a duplicate. If it is, you need to change the NetBIOS name on this screen (Figure 15) and then click the Next button to continue.

Figure 15: Establish a NetBIOS domain name
Active Directory is just a grouping of a database and log files. The first two paths you see in Figure 16 are the database and log files. On this screen you also see the default for SYSVOL. You can either accept the defaults of choose a different location. Many people move database and log file folders to a non-system drive. Click the Next button to proceed.

Figure 16: Choose paths for Active Directory database and SYSVOL
Before you commit to your selections, you have the opportunity to review your changes, as shown in Figure 17. Click the Next button to continue.

Figure 17: Summary of selected options
You may see some warnings on the Prerequisites Check screen. These are generally expected. Run through them and make sure that there’s nothing egregious and click the Install button to continue.

Figure 18: Check for necessary prerequisites
Again, you’re showed progress.

Figure 19: Track your progress
And that’s the process.

Readmore...

Install Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS) Role

Launch Server Manager
Click Add Roles and Features


Click Next

Select Role-based or feature-based installation and press Next

Since I am installing my forest locally I will select “Select a server from the server pool”
Select the server, in my case its DC2012
Press Next

Check off Active Directory Domain Services



When you check off Active Directory Domain Services a dialog window will pop up
Press Add Features

Press Next

Press Next on the features section, you do not need to check anything off here.
Some things will be checked off because you selected Active Directory Domain Services in the last section.

Read the important things to note about this installation.
Press Next

Press Install

Installation will complete. Press Close

Configure ADDS Forest and Domain

Next time your launch Server Manager. You will see a notification icon. Press the exclamation point. Select Promote this server to a domain controller


Warning: Do not create new Active Directory forests with the same name as an external DNS name. For example, if your Internet DNS URL is http://contoso.com, you must choose a different name for your internal forest to avoid future compatibility issues. That name should be unique and unlikely for web traffic. For example: corp.contoso.com.
Select Add a new forest
Specify the root domain name, in my case its pintolab.net
Press Next

In my new lab all servers will be Windows Server 2012. So I will be setting the functional level to Windows Server 2012. To understand more about Functional Levels please visit: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771294.aspx
I will select Domain Name System (DNS), because ADDS needs DNS. This machine will function as the DNS server for the whole forest.
Enter a password for Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM)
Press Next

Press Next. If there was an existing DNS server you would be able to change this option.

I like to set my domain name to 8 characters or less so that the NetBIOS name is the same as the domain name. If my domain name was longer, it would have truncated it. You can however make this anything you want. More information on NetBIOS Domain Names: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc961556.aspx
Press Next

Press Next

Press Next

Press Install
In my case I got a couple of warnings. The most important warning was the one saying I am using DHCP instead of an assigned IP Address. It’s important to make sure your Domain Controller and DNS Servers use static IP’s.

After Installation, Press Close

Setup will reboot the server, you will notice that the domain name is now in front of the username

One thing to take note of is that when DNS gets installed it will point the preferred DNS Server to itself and within DNS it will use the DNS Server that was in there before as a forwarder.

Managing Active Directory

Open Server Manager
Select AD DS
Right Click the Server Name, I find this is the quickest way to get to the Management Tools, since they removed the good ole start menu.

When you right click the server name you should see the familiar AD tools.

Active Directory Users and Computers thankfully has the same look and feel as previous versions.

 

Readmore...

Install Active Directory on Windows Server 2012

This article will walk you through setting up the Active Directory Role on a Windows Server 2012. This article is intended to be used for those without an existing Active Directory Forest, it will not cover configuring a server to act as a Domain Controller for an existing Active Directory Forest.

Note: For information on setting up the Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) on Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise 64-bit (W2K8), see Install Active Directory Domain Services on Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise 64-bit.

Install Active Directory

1. Open the Server Manager from the task bar.
   
2. From the Server Manager Dashboard, select Add roles and features.
   This will launch the Roles and Features Wizard allowing for modifications to be performed on the Windows Server 2012 instance.
   
3. Select Role-based or features-based installation from the Installation Type screen and click Next.
   
   Note: Roles are the major feature sets of the server, such as IIS, and features provide additional functionality for a given role.
4. The current server is selected by default. Click Next to proceed to the Server Roles tab.
   
5. From the Server Roles page place a check mark in the check box next to Active Directory Domain Services. A notice will appear explaining additional roles services or features are also required to install domain services, click Add Features.
   
   Note: There are other options including, Certificate services, federation services, lightweight directory services and rights management. Domain Services is the glue that holds this all together and needs to be installed prior to these other services.
6. Review and select optional features to install during the AD DS installation by placing a check in the box next to any desired features, and then click Next.
   
   
7. Review the information on the AD DS tab and click Next.
   
8. On the Confirm installation selections screen, review the installation and then click Install.
   
   Note: The installation progress will be displayed on the screen. Once installed, the AD DS role will be displayed on the ‘Server Manager’ landing page.

Start remote registry service

Before promoting the server to domain controller, the remote registry service must be started.

1. Click Start > Control Panel.
   
2. Under Services, right-click Remote Registry and open the Properties menu.
   
3. From the *Startup type:** drop-down menu, select Automatic.
   
4. Under Service Status, select Start.
   

The remote registry service will start.

Configure Active Directory

Once the AD DS role is installed the server will need to be configured for your domain.

1. If you have not done so already, Open the Server Manager from the task bar.
   
2. Open the Notifications Pane by selecting the Notifications icon from the top of the Server Manager. From the notification regarding configuring AD DS, click Promote this server to a domain controller.
   
   
3. From the Deployment Configuration tab select Add a new forest from the radial options menu. Insert your root domain name into the Root domain name field, and then click Next.
   
4. Select a Domain and Forest functional level, and then input a password for the Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) in the provided password fields.
   The DSRM password is used when booting the Domain Controller into recovery mode.
   
   Note: The selection made here will have lasting effects to features and server domain controller eligibility. For further information on Domain/Forest functional levels, see official Microsoft documentation.
5. Review the warning on the DNS Options tab and select Next.
   
6. Confirm or enter a NetBIOS name and click Next.
   
7. Specify the location of the Database, Log files, and SYSVOL folders and then click Next.
   
8. Review the configuration options and click Next.
   
9. The system checks to ensure all necessary prerequisites are installed on the system prior to moving forward. If the system passes these checks, proceed by clicking Install.
   
   Note: The server automatically reboots after the installation is complete.

After the server reboots, reconnect to it via RDP. Congratulations on successfully installing and configuring a Active Directory Domain Services on Windows Server 2012.

Readmore...

Computer Networking Tutorial

A network is nothing more than two or more computers connected by a cable or by a wireless connection so that they can communicate and exchange information or data.

In other words " Network Means a collection of interconnected computer network of stand-alone computer. Commenting on the computer for the exchange of information. The connection can be over copper, fiber optic, microwave and satellite communications".

Obviously, computers can exchange information in other ways called the sneakernet or FloppyNet. Means that copy a file to a diskette and then walk the disk over to some other computer.

You can create a computer network by hooking all the computers in your office together with cables and installing a special network interface card (NIC) in each computer so you have a place to plug in the cable. Then you set up your computer’s operating-system software to make the network work. If you don’t want to mess with cables, you can create a wireless network instead. In a wireless network, each computer is equipped with a special wireless network adapter.

Lets start with,

A Simple Network Structure

Above figure shows a simple network with three computers and a Printer. You can see that all devices are connected with network cables to a central network device called a Network Router. The printer in this network can be used by all the PCs. Also the figure show you how the Wireless network Works, the Notebook and the Computer connected with the wireless router by wireless adapters which equipped with them.

Network Stations: May be terminal, computers, telephones or other communication devices. They are also called HOST\END SYSTEMS. The hosts are connected to communication subnet or subnet. They carry messages from host and consist of switching elements and transmission lines. Transmission lines are also called CIRCUITS, CHANNELS, TRUNKS, move bits between the machines.

The switching elements are specialized computers used to connect two or more transmission lines. The purpose of the switching element is to choose outgoing line and forward the data arriving on an incoming line. All traffic to/from the host has to go via its IMP. They are also known as PACKET SWITCHING NODES, INTERMEDIATE SYSTEM OR DATA SWITCHING EXCHANGES.

Subnet is the collection of the communication lines and routers but not the host. The set of nods to which stations attached is the boundary of the communication network. The collection of routers and communication lines moves packets from source host to the destination host.

Network structure can be thought with

   - Data terminal equipment (DTE).
   - Data circuit terminating Equipment (DCE) concept.

Most digital data processing device have limited data transmission capacity and limited distance of data transmission. DTE is the end user machine, generally refers to (Devices) terminals and computers.

Example: Email terminal, workstation, ATM in a bank, sales terminal in a departmental store. They are not commonly connected directly to transmission medium.

DCE is used to connect the communication channel.

Example: modem. It interacts with DTE and provides an interface of DTE to communication network transmits and receive bits one at a time over the communication channel.

To specify the exact nature of interface between DTE and DCE various standards and protocols have been developed. DCEs and DTEs are connected in two ways. A high degree of cooperation is essential in DTE-DCE combination, as data and control information is to be exchanged. They can be connected in two ways

   - Point to point configuration: Here only two DTE devices are in the channel

   - Multidrop configuration: Here more than two devices are connected to the same communication channel.

This will provide the basic technology concepts required for understanding networking. The following are the lessons how we categorized Computer Network.

Browse Topics

Networking Basics

OSI Reference Model

Introduction to TCP/IP

LAN Basics

Understanding Switching

WAN Basics

Understanding Routing

What Is Layer 3 Switching?

Understanding Virtual LANs

Understanding Quality of Service

Security Basics

Understanding Virtual Private Networks

Voice Technology Basics

Network Management Basics The Internet

Readmore...