| Exam
70-215 STUDY GUIDE
Installing, Configuring and Administering Microsoft Windows
2000 Server
Installing Windows 2000 Server
Requirements
CD-ROM - Needed when not installing over the network
CPU - Pentium 133 (Pentium II or higher recommended)
Display - VGA SVGA Hard disk space: 1 GB or higher
Keyboard and Mouse Required
Memory 128 MB (256 MB or higher recommended)
Networking - Network card or dial up adapter needed to access
networking resources and tools
If you choose to reformat the partition as NTFS, only Windows
2000 and Windows NT has access to that partition.
Use FAT only if your boot partition is smaller than 2 GB and
you want to gain access to that partition when running MS-DOS,
Windows 3.x, Windows 95, Windows 98, or OS/2 on this computer.
You should choose the NTFS option if you are running Windows
2000 and you want to take advantage of these features in NTFS:
- File-level and directory level
local security: NTFS allows you to control access to files and
directories regardless of whether access is local or over the
network.
- Disk compression: NTFS compresses
files to store more data on the partition.
- Disk quotas: NTFS allows you to
control disk usage on a per-user basis.
- Encryption: NTFS allows you to
encrypt file data on the physical hard disk.
All hardware should appear on the
Windows 2000 Hardware Compatibility List (HCL).
If Windows 2000 is being
integrated into an existing Windows NT 4.0 domain structure, mixed
mode must be used. If Windows 2000 is being installed into an
infrastructure where all domain controllers will be running Windows
2000, the domain controllers should use native mode. Once all domain
controllers in a domain are upgraded, the domain can be moved from
Mixed mode to Native mode. In Native mode all clients make use of
Windows 2000 transitive trust. A user can connect to any resource in
the enterprise. Native mode allows group nesting.
Servers are installed as Member
Servers by default. To promote a machine to a Domain Controller, run
dcpromo.
Windows 2000 Server supports
Symmetric Multi-processing with a maximum of four processors, and up
to 4 GB of RAM. Advanced Server supports up to 8 processors and 8 GB
of RAM. Windows 2000 DataCenter Server is available in OEM
configurations and supports up to 32 processors and 64 GB of RAM.
Attended Installation
Four stages of Setup: Setup Program, Setup Wizard, Installing
Networking, Complete Setup.
1. Setup Program: Loads Setup program
into memory. Starts text-based Setup program.Creates Win2000
partition. Formats partition. Copies setup files to hard disk.
Reboots computer.
2. Setup Wizard: Graphical user
interface for installation information (e.g. product key, names,
passwords).
3. Install Windows Networking:
Detection of adapter cards, installation of default networking
components; Client for MS Networks, File and Printer Sharing for MS
Networks and TCP/IP protocol. Join a workgroup or domain.
Installation of components.
4. Complete Setup: Copy files.
Configure the computer. Save the configuration. Removal of temporary
files.
Installing
from CD-ROM
Does
not require floppies.
If installing using a MS-DOS or Win95/98 boot floppy, run
WINNT.EXE from the i/386 to begin Windows 2000 setup.
To make boot floppies, type MAKEBOOT A: in the \bootdisk
directory of the installation CD.
Installing
over a Network
685 MB minimum plus 100+ MB free hard drive space for temporary
files created during installation.
Boot the network client. Connect to the distribution server. Run
WINNT.EXE. Boot from the Setup boot disks. Install Windows 2000. Run
WINNT32.EXE if upgrading a previous version of Windows.
Create a Distribution Server with a file share containing the
contents of the /i386 directory from the Windows 2000 CD-ROM.
WINNT.EXE
Command Line Switches
Switch Function
/a Enables accessibility options.
/e:command Specifies the command to be executed at the end of GUI
setup.
/i:inffile Specifies the file name (no path) of the setup
information file. Default is DOSNET.INF.
/r[:folder] Specifies optional folder to be installed.
/rx[:folder] Specifies optional folder to be copied.
/s[:sourcepath] Specifies source location of Windows 2000 files.
Full path or network share.
/t[:tempdrive] Specifies drive to hold temporary setup files.
/u[:answer file] Specifies unattended setup using answer file
(requires /s).
/udf:id[,UDF_file] Establishes ID that Setup uses to specify how a
UDF file modifies an answer file.
Troubleshooting
Installations
Common errors and solutions:
Failure of dependency service to start Verify that you installed the
correct protocol and network adapter.Verify that the network adapter
has the proper configuration settings, such as transceiver type, and
that the local computer name is unique on the network.
Failure of
Windows 2000 Server to install or start Verify that Windows 2000 is
detecting all of the hardware and that all of the hardware is on the
HCL.
Inability
to connect to the domain controller Verify that the domain name is
correct. Verify that the server running the DNS service and the
domain controller are both running and online. Verify that the
network adapter card and protocol settings are set correctly.
Insufficient
disk space Use the Setup program to create a partition by using
existing free space on the hard disk. Delete and create partitions
as needed to create a partition that is large enough for
installation. Reformat an existing partition to create more space.
Media
errors If you are installing from a CD-ROM, use a different CD-ROM
drive. If you still receive media errors, try another CD.
Unsupported
CDROM drive Replace the CD-ROM drive with one that is supported, or
try installing over the network. After you have completed the
installation, you can add the driver for the CD-ROM drive.
Unattended
Installations
Answer files are created using the Setup Manager Wizard or a
text editor.
SMW allows for creation of a shared Distribution Folder and OEM
Branding.
Unattended installations use an answer file to provide
information during the setup process.
Creating
the Answer File
The answer file is a customized script that allows you to run an
unattended installation of Windows 2000 Server. The file answers the
questions that Setup normally prompts you for during installation.
Use the Setup Manager to create the answer file, or create it
manually.
To create
the answer file manually, you can use a text editor such as Notepad.
An answer file consists of section headers, parameters, and values
for those parameters. Although most of the section headers are
predefined, you can also define additional section headers.
User
Interaction Levels for Unattended Installs
Interaction Description
| Fully
Automated |
Mainly
used for Win2000 Professional desktop installs. Does not
prompt user for input. Note: Will fail where administrator
has not provided default answers. |
| GUI
Attended |
Only
used for automating the second stage of setup. All other
stages require manual input. |
| Hide
Pages |
Users
only interact where Administrator did not provide default
information. |
| Provide
Defaults |
Administrator
supplies default answers. User can accept defaults or make
changes when needed. |
| Read
Only |
Displays
information to user without allowing interaction to pages
where Administrator has provided default information. |
System
Preparation Tool (SYSPREP.EXE)
Use SYSPREP when the master computer and the target computers
have identical or nearly identical hardware, including the HAL and
mass storage devices.
Adds a
mini-setup wizard to the image file which is run the first time the
computer it is applied to is started. Guides user through
re-entering user specific data. Can be automated by providing a
script file.
Available switches for SYSPREP.EXE are: /quiet (no user
interaction), /pnp (forces detection of PnP devices), /reboot
(restarts computer), and /nosidgen (does not regenerate SID on
target computer).
Must
be extracted from DEPLOY.CAB in the \support\tools folder on the
Windows 2000 Professional CD-ROM.
Removes unique elements of a fully installed computer system so it
can be duplicated using imaging software.
Specifying a CMDLINES.TXT file in your SYSPREP.INF file allows an
administrator to run commands or programs during the mini-Setup
portion of SYSPREP. The Cmdlines.txt file contains the commands that
are executed during the GUI mode phase of the installation process.
Setup executes these commands when installing optional components,
such as applications that need to be installed immediately after
Windows 2000 Server is installed. If you plan to use CMDLINES.TXT,
you need to place the file in the \$OEM$ subfolder of the
distribution folder. If you are using SYSPREP, place CMDLINES.TXT in
the \$OEM$\$1\Sysprep subfolder.
To use
the SYSPREP tool, install Windows 2000 Server on a reference
computer. Install any other applications on the reference computer
that you want installed on the target computers. Then run SYSPREP
followed by a third-party disk imaging utility.
SYSPREP
prepares the hard disk on the master computer so that the disk
imaging utility can transfer an image of the hard disk to the other
computers.
Uses
Setup Manager Wizard (SMW) to create a SYSPREP.INF file. SMW creates
a SYSPREP folder in the root of the drive image and places
SYSPREP.INF in this folder. The mini-setup wizard checks for this
file when it runs.
Upgrading
from a Windows NT Domain
Upgrading a Windows NT domain involves several stages:
1. Planning for a Windows NT domain upgrade.
2. Preparing for a Windows NT domain upgrade.
3. Upgrading the PDC.
4. Upgrading the BDCs.
5. Upgrading member servers.
Upgrading
from Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
Run WINNT32 /CHECKUPGRADEONLY to check for compatible hardware
and software. This generates a report indicating which system
components are Windows 2000 compatible.
Run
WINNT32.EXE to upgrade from a previous version of Windows.
Upgrade installations from a network file share are not supported in
Windows 2000.
Do a
CD-based upgrade or perform a clean installation of Windows 2000 and
reinstall needed applications.
Upgrade paths are not available for Windows NT 3.51 with Citrix or
Microsoft BackOffice Small Business Server.
Upgrading Windows NT Server retains most system settings,
preferences, and application installations. If you prefer a
dual-boot configuration, choose the Install Windows 2000 Server
option. Press Enter or click Next to continue. Only Windows NT
Server can be upgraded to Windows 2000 Server. If you are installing
Windows 2000 Server on a Windows NT Server computer, you are
prompted to select Upgrade to Windows 2000 Server or Install Windows
2000 Server. If your computer is currently running Windows 95,
Windows 98, or Windows NT, connect to the system files over the
network and run WINNT32.EXE, located in the I386 directory.
Windows 2000 Server will upgrade and preserve settings from Windows
NT 3.51 and 4.0 Server, Windows NT 4.0 Terminal Server, and Windows
NT 4.0 Enterprise Edition.
Troubleshooting
Remote Installations
Symptom Solution
Cannot contact domain controller - Ensure network cable is
connected. Verify that servers running DNS and a domain controller
are both on-line. Make sure all network settings are correct.
Dependency
service will not start - Verify correct protocol and network adapter
in the Network Settings.
Error
loading operating system - Disk geometry is reported incorrectly on
a NTFS partition. Use a partition less than 4 GB or use a FAT32
partition.
Insufficient
disk space - Create a new partition or reformat an existing
partition to free up space.
Install,
Configure and Troubleshoot Access to Resources
Install and Configure Network Services
TCP/IP Server Utilities
FrontPage 2000 Server Extensions - Adds pre-compiled scripts and
programs that allow Web site authors to implement advanced features
without much programming knowledge.
FTP Server
- File Transfer Protocol. Administered using the IIS snap-in.
SMTP
Server - Used for sending mail in conjunction with FrontPage 2000
Server Extensions and Active Directory replication. Does not support
IMAP4, POP3, etc.
Telnet
Server - Windows 2000 includes a Telnet Server Service, which is
limited to a command line text interface.
Internet
Information Services 5. (Web Server)- Supports Internet Printing and
Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV).
TCP/IP
Client Utilities
Utility
- Feature
FTP Client
- Command line based.
Internet
Explorer 5 - Microsofts powerful and thoroughly integrated Web
browser.
Outlook
Express 5 - SMTP, POP3, IMAP4, NNTP, HTTP, and LDAP complaint Email
package.
Telnet
Client - Can be used to open a text-based console on UNIX, Linux and
Windows 2000 systems.
Install
and Configure Local and Network Printers
Enabling Availability option allows Administrator to specify the
hours the printer is available.
Internet Printing allows you to enter the URL where your printer
is located. The print server must be a Windows 2000 Server running
Internet Information Server. All shared printers can be viewed at:
http://servername/printers.
Print Pooling allows two or more identical printers to be
installed as one logical printer.
Print Priority is set by creating multiple logical printers for
one physical printer and assigning different priorities to each.
Print services can only be provided for Windows, UNIX, Apple,
and Novell clients.
The FIXPRNSV.EXE command-line utility to resolves printer
incompatibility issues.
Services for UNIX 2.0 must be installed to set up an LPR
port to print to a UNIX printer.
To remedy a stalled spooler, you will need to stop and restart
the spooler services in the Services applet in Administrative Tools
in the Control Panel.
Windows 2000 automatically downloads the printer drivers for
clients running Win2000, WinNT 4, WinNT 3.51 and Windows 95/98.
Windows 2000 Server supports Line Printer (LPT), COM, USB, IEEE
1394, and network attached devices.
You can change the directory containing the print spooler in the
advanced server properties for the printer.
Folders
and Shared Folders
Distributed File System (Dfs)
Dfs is a single, logical, hierarchical file system. It organizes
shared folders on different computers in a network to provide a
logical tree structure for file system resources.
Computers running Windows 98, Windows NT 4 and Windows 2000 have a
Dfs client built-in. Computers running Windows 95 will need to
download and install a Dfs client to have access to Dfs resources.
Logon
scripts are stored in the SYSVOL folder. Both NT4 and W2K create a
hidden share called REPL$ on the export server when it sends out a
replication pulse to the import server.
Standalone
Dfs
Created by using Administrative Tools, Distributed File System,
Create a standalone Dfs root.
Only single-level hierarchies are allowed when using standalone
Dfs.
Stand-alone Dfs information is stored in the local registry.
Stand-alone Dfs roots have no replication or backup. You can
create a replica from a stand-alone Dfs root; however, file
replication services are not available.
Domain-based
Dfs
A domain Dfs root must be hosted on either a member server or a
domain controller in the domain. Changes to a Dfs tree are
automatically synchronized through AD.
Created using Administrative Tools, Distributed File System,
Create a domain Dfs root.
Directories from multiple different computers can be shown as
one single file and folder hierarchy.
Fault-tolerance is implemented by assigning replicas to a Dfs
link. If one replica goes offline, AD directs the Dfs client making
the request to mirrored information that exists in a different
replica.
In a domain Dfs root, multiple servers hand out referrals for
the Dfs namespace. Fault tolerant Dfs roots use Active Directory
services to store Dfs tree topology and remove the root as a single
point of failure.
Local
Security on Files and Folders
Anytime a new file is created, the file will inherit permissions
from the target folder.
Features Reparse Points, Encrypting File System (EFS), Disk
Quotas, Volume Mount Points, SID Searching, Bulk ACL Checking, and
Sparse File Support.
NTFS 5 uses unique ACLs only once regardless of the number of
objects that share it.
NTFS can perform a volume wide scan for
files using the owners SID (SID Searching), which requires the
Indexing Service.
NTFS partitions can be defragmented in Windows 2000 (as can FAT
and FAT32 partitions).
Permissions are cumulative, except for Deny, which overrides
anything.
Sparse File Support prevents files containing large consecutive
areas of zero bits from being allocated corresponding physical space
on the drive and improves system performance.
Volume Mount Points allow new volumes to be added to the file
system without needing to assign a drive letter to it. As Volume
Mount Points are based on Reparse Points, they are only available
under NTFS 5 using Dynamic Volumes.
NTFS
File and Folder Permissions
- Copying
within a partition Inherits the target folders permissions.
- Moving
across partitions Inherits the target folders permissions.
- Moving
within a partition File keeps its original permissions.
Files
moved from an NTFS partition to a FAT partition do not retain their
attributes, but retain their long filenames.
The CACLS.EXE utility is used to modify NTFS volume permissions.
Access
to Web Sites
Virtual Servers
Multiple Web sites can be hosted on the same machine by using
Virtual Servers. There can only be one home directory per virtual
server. There are three methods for setting up virtual servers:
1. Each
virtual server can have its own IP address. Multiple IPs are bound
to the servers NIC and each virtual server is assigned its own IP
address.
2. Each
virtual server can have the same IP address, but uses a different
name under host headers. Host headers rely on newer browsers knowing
which site they want to access. Workarounds will have to be
implemented for older browsers.
3. Each
virtual server can have the same IP address but a different port
number.
Virtual
Directories
An alias must be created for the directory.
Specify the IP address of a virtual directory. If this is not
done, the virtual directory will be seen by all virtual servers.
To map to shares on another server, use the UNC path for the
remote server and share and provide a Username and Password to
connect with. If the share is on a server in another domain, the
credentials must match up in both domains.
Use a common scripts directory that is not assigned to the IP of
a virtual server can handle scripts for all virtual servers.
Virtual directories are referenced by alias names.
Controlling
Access to Web Services
Requires IIS to be running on the machine where folders are to
be shared.
Use My
Computer or Windows Explorer to share folders using Web Sharing tab.
Access permissions are; Read, Write, Script Source Access, and
Directory Browsing.
Application permissions are; None, Scripts, and Execute
(includes scripts).
Hardware
Devices and Drivers
Add and remove hardware by using the Add/Remove Hardware
applet in the Control Panel.
The Device Manager snap-in manages all currently installed
hardware.
Use Hardware Resources to view Conflicts/Sharing, DMAs, IRQs,
Forced Hardware, I/O and Memory.
Use the System Information snap-in to view configuration
information about your computer.
Disk
Devices
Removable media are managed through the Removable Media snap-in.
To Manage disk devices, use Control Panel, Administrative Tools,
Computer Management or by creating a custom console and adding the
Disk Management snap-in.
The Computer Management snap-in for your custom console enables
Disk Management, Disk Defragmenter, Logical Drives and Removable
Storage. There is a separate snap-in for each of these tools except
for Logical Drives.
Use Disk Management to create, delete, and format partitions as
FAT, FAT32 and NTFS. Used to change volume labels, reassign drive
letters, check drives for errors and backup drives.
Display
Devices
Desktop display properties are managed through the Display
applet in Control Panel.
Monitors are installed, removed, and drivers are updated through
Monitors under the Device Manager.
Use Display Adapters under the Device Manager to install, remove
and update drivers.
Driver
Signing
Open System applet in Control Panel and click Hardware tab. Then
in the Device Manager box, click Driver Signing to display options:
Ignore - Install all files, regardless of file signature.
Warn- Display a message before installing an unsigned
file.
Block- Prevent installation of unsigned files.
The Apply Setting As System Default checkbox is accessible only to
Administrators
Windows
Signature Verification (SIGVERIF.EXE)
Running SIGVERIF launches File Signature Verification.
Checks system files by default, but non-system files can also be
checked.
Saves search results to SIGVERIF.TXT.
System
Performance, Reliability and Availability
Usage of System Resources
Performance Console
Windows 2000 provides the System Monitor snap-in and the Performance
Logs and Alerts snap-in for monitoring resource usage. The System
Monitor snap-in allows you to track resource use and network
throughput. The Performance Logs And Alerts snap-in allows you to
collect performance data from local or remote computers.
System
Monitor Snap-In
Allows you to measure the performance of your own computer or other
computers on a network. It performs the following tasks:
Collect and view real-time performance data on a local computer
or from remote computers.
Create HTML pages from performance views.
Create reusable monitoring configurations that can be installed
on other computers that use MMC.
Incorporate System Monitor functionality into Microsoft Word or
other applications in the Microsoft Office suite by means of
Automation.
Present data in a printable graph, histogram, or report view.
View data collected either currently or previously in a counter
log.
Objects
include:
Cache - File system cache used to buffer physical device data.
Logicaldisk - Logical drives, stripe sets and spanned volumes.
Memory - Physical and virtual/paged memory on system.
Physicaldisk - Monitors hard disk as a whole.
Processor - Monitors CPU load.
Performance
Logs and Alerts Snap-In
Allows you to collect performance data automatically from local or
remote computers. Data can be viewed by using System Monitor, or
exported to a spreadsheet program or database for analysis and
report generation. Performance Logs and Alerts snap-in performs the
following: Collect data in a comma-delimited or tab-separated
format for easy import to spreadsheet programs. A binary log-file
format is also provided for circular logging or for logging
instances such as threads or processes that might begin after the
log starts collecting data.
Define start and stop times, file names, file sizes, and other
parameters for automatic log generation.
Manage multiple logging sessions from a single console window.
Set an alert on a counter, thereby stipulating that a message be
sent, a program be run, or a log be started when the selected
counter's value exceeds or falls below a specified setting.
View counter data during collection and after collection has
stopped.
Optimize
Disk Performance
Defragmenting your hard disks regularly will improve read
performance.
Mirrored volumes and spanned volumes slow down system
performance.
Page files are fastest when spread across several disks, but not
the boot or system disks.
Striping a disk set causes greatest performance increase.
System State Data
and User Data
System State data
Comprised of the registry, COM+ class registration database and
system startup files. Can also include Certificate Services database
if Certificate Services is installed. If machine is a domain
controller, Active Directory directory services and SYSVOL directory
are included.
For machines running Cluster Service, resource registry checkpoints
and quorum resource recovery log are included.
Can be backed up from the command line by typing: ntbackup
systemstate /m normal /f d:\sysstate.bkf /j System State Data
Backup On a domain controller, an Authoritative Restore may
need to be performed to force restored system state data to
replicate to other domain controllers throughout Active Directory.
Where /m=backup type (can be copy or normal), /f=filename and /j=job
name.
On a domain controller, moving system state data to a separate
volume from the system volume can increase performance.
Recovering
System State Data
Emergency Repair Disk
Use the Backup utility to create an emergency repair disk. To create
an ERD, from the Start menu, select Programs, Accessories, System
Tools, Backup. Click Emergency Repair Disk.
Insert
a blank formatted floppy into the A: drive. Select the Also Backup
the Registry to the Repair Directory (%systemroot%\repair\regback)
check box. ERD contains AUTOEXEC.NT, CONFIG.NT and SETUP.LOG.
Windows
Backup
Launched through Control Panel, System applet, Backup or by running
ntbackup from the Start menu. Users can back up their own files and
files they have read, execute, modify, or full control permission
for. Users can restore files they have write, modify or full control
permission for. Administrators and Backup Operators can backup and
restore all files regardless of permissions. To restore System State
data, start Backup, click the Restore tab and check the box next to
System State to restore it along with any other data you have
selected.
If
you do not specify a location for it, it will overwrite your current
System State data.
Safe
Mode
Enter safe mode by pressing F8 during operating system selection
phase.
Safe mode loads basic files/drivers, VGA monitor, keyboard,
mouse, mass storage and default system services. Networking is not
started in safe mode.
Mode
Feature
Boot Normally - Normal boot.
Debugging Mode - Only in Server.
Directory Services Restore Mode - Only on Domain Controller, not
applicable to Win2000 Professional.
Enable Boot Logging - Logs loading of drivers and services to
ntbtlog.txt in the windir folder.
Enable VGA Mode - Boots Windows with basic VGA driver.
Last Known Good Configuration - Uses registry info from previous
boot. Used to recover from unsuccessful driver installs and registry
changes.
Recovery Console Only - appears if it was installed using winnt32 /cmdcons
or specified in the unattended setup file.
Running
the Recovery Console
To install the Recovery Console, run WINNT32 /CMDCONS from the
Windows 2000 CD i386 folder.
Allows you to boot to a DOS prompt when your file system is
formatted with NTFS.
Can be used to disable services that prevent Windows from
booting properly.
When starting Recovery Console, you must log on as
Administrator.
Storage
Use
Disks and Volumes
Windows 2000 supports Basic and Dynamic storage. For Windows 2000,
basic storage is the default, so all disks are basic disks until you
convert them to dynamic storage. Basic storage is the division of a
hard disk into partitions. A partition is a portion of the disk that
functions as a physically separate unit of storage. Windows 2000
recognizes primary and extended partitions. It can contain primary
partitions, extended partitions and logical drives. Basic volumes
cannot be created on dynamic disks. Basic volumes should be used
when dual-booting between Windows 2000 and DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows
95/98 and all version of Windows NT.
Only
Windows 2000 supports dynamic storage. Dynamic storage allows you to
create a single partition that includes the entire hard disk.
Dynamic disks are divided into volumes, which can consist of a
portion, or portions of one or many disks. You do not need to
restart the operating system after resizing.
Volume
Types
You can upgrade basic disks to dynamic storage and then create
Windows 2000 volumes.
Fault
tolerance is the ability of a computer or operating system to
respond to a catastrophic event without loss of data. In Windows
2000, RAID-1 and RAID-5 volumes are fault tolerant.
Volume
Type Characteristics
Mirrored volume - A mirrored volume consists of two identical copies
of a simple volume, each on a separate hard disk. Mirrored volumes
provide fault tolerance in the event of hard disk failure.
RAID-5
volume - A RAID-5 volume is a fault-tolerant striped volume. Windows
2000 adds a parity-information stripe to each disk partition in the
volume. Windows 2000 uses the parity-information stripe to
reconstruct data when a physical disk fails. A minimum of three hard
disks is required in a RAID-5 volume.
Simple
volume - Contains space from a single disk Spanned volume Contains
space from multiple disks (maximum of 32). Fills one volume before
going to the next. If a volume in a spanned set fails, all data in
the spanned volume set is lost. Performance is degraded as disks in
spanned volume set are read sequentially.
Striped
set - Contains free space from multiple disks (maximum of 32) in one
logical drive. Increases performance by reading/writing data from
all disks at the same rate. If a disk in a stripe set fails, all
data is lost.
Dynamic
Volume Limitations
A boot disk that has been converted from basic to dynamic cannot
be converted back to basic.
Cannot be directly accessed by DOS, Win95/98 or any versions of
Windows NT if you are dual-booting.
Dynamic volumes which were upgraded from basic disk partitions
cannot be extended.
Volumes created after the disk was upgraded to dynamic can be
extended.
Not supported on portable computers or removable media.
When installing Windows 2000, if a dynamic volume is created
from unallocated space on a dynamic disk, Windows 2000 cannot be
installed on that volume.
Dynamic
Volume States
State Description
Failed Volume cannot be automatically restarted and needs to be
repaired.
Healthy Is accessible and has no known problems.
Healthy (at risk) Accessible, but I/O errors have been detected
on the disk. Underlying disk is displayed as Online (Errors).
Initializing Volume is being initialized and will be displayed
as healthy when process is complete.
Disk
Management Snap-in Tool
Disks can be upgraded from Basic to Dynamic storage at any time
but must contain at least 1 MB of unallocated space for the upgrade
to work.
Disks that have been removed from another computer will appear
labeled as Foreign.
Choose Import Foreign Disk and a wizard appears to provide
instructions.
Each time you remove or add a new disk to your computer you must
choose Rescan Disks.
For multiple disks removed from another computer, they will
appear as a group.
Right-click on any of the disks and choose Add Disk.
Whenever you add a new disk in a computer it is added as Basic
Storage.
Configuring
Data Compression
Compact is the command-line version of the real-time compression
functionality used in Windows Explorer. It can be used to display or
alter the compression attributes of files or folders on NTFS volumes
(does NOT work on FAT or FAT32 volumes).
Files and folders on NTFS volumes can have their compression
attributes set through My Computer or Windows Explorer.
Disk
Quotas
By default, only member of the Administrators group can view and
change quota settings.
Users
can be allowed to view quota settings. Volume usage can be monitored
on a per-user basis. Disk usage is based on file and folder
ownership. Quotas do not use compression.
Free
space for applications is based on a quota limit. Quotas can be
applied only to volumes formatted with NTFS that use Windows 2000. A
quota warning should be set to log an event indicating that the user
is nearing his limit. An event should be logged when a user exceeds
a specified disk space threshold.
Windows
2000 Network Connections
Using Shared Resources
The Administrators and Power Users groups can create shared folders
on a Windows 2000 Professional workstation. Windows 2000 creates
administrative shared folders for administrative reasons. These
shares are appended with dollar sign ($) which hides the share from
users browsing the computer. The system folder (Admin$), the
location of the printer drivers (Print$) and the root of each volume
(C$, D$, etc.) are all hidden shared folders.
Shared
folder permissions apply only when the folder is accessed via the
network. By default, the Everyone group is assigned Full Control for
all new shared folders. Share level permissions can be applied to
FAT, FAT32 and NTFS file systems.
Sharing
Tab
Option Description
Caching - The settings to configure if and how files within the
shared folder are cached locally when accessed by others.
Share
This Folder - If you want to share this folder. All other options
are active.
Do
Not Share This Folder - If you do not want to share this folder. All
other options are grayed out.
Permissions
- The shared folder permissions that apply only when the folder is
accessed over the network. By default, the Everyone group is
assigned Full Control for all new shared folders.
Remove
Share - The option that allows you to remove a share. This option
appears only after the folder has been shared more than once.
Share
Name - The name that users from remote locations use to make a
connection to the shared folder. You must enter a share name.
User
Limit - The number of users who can concurrently connect to the
shared folder. The Maximum Allowed option allows Windows 2000 Server
to support an unlimited number of connections. The number of Client
Access Licenses (CALs) purchased limits the connections.
Virtual
Private Networks (VPNs)
A virtual private network (VPN) is an extension of the private
network that encompasses encapsulated, encrypted, and authenticated
links across shared or public networks. A VPN mimics the properties
of a dedicated private network, allowing data to be transferred
between two computers across an internetwork, such as the Internet.
Point-to-point connections can be simulated through the use of
tunneling, and LAN connectivity can be simulated through the use of
virtual LANs (VLANs).
L2TP - Layer Two Tunneling Protocol. Creates a tunnel, but it does
not provide data encryption. Security is provided by using an
encryption technology like IPSec.
PPTP - Point to Point Tunneling Protocol. Creates an encrypted
tunnel through an untrusted network.
| Feature
- CHECK!!!!!! |
PPTP |
L2TP |
| Built-in
encryption |
Yes
(Uses MS-CHAP) |
No
(Must use IPSec) |
| Header
compression |
No |
Yes |
| Transmits
over IP-based internetwork |
Yes |
Yes |
| Transmits
over UDP, Frame Relay, X.25 or ATM |
No |
Yes |
| Tunnel
authentication |
No |
Yes |
Network
Protocols and Services
Protocols
A protocol is a set of rules and conventions for sending information
over a network. Windows 2000 relies on TCP/IP for logon, file and
print services, replication of information between domain
controllers, and other common functions. Primary network protocols
that Windows 2000 supports include:
AppleTalk
Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM)
Data Link Control (DLC)
Infrared Data Association (IrDA)
Internetwork Packet Exchange/Sequenced Packet Exchange (IPX/SPX)
NetBIOS Enhanced User Interface (NetBEUI)
Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
TCP/IP
protocol
Can be used to connect dissimilar systems.
Installed by default in Windows 2000.
IP addresses can be entered manually or provided automatically
by a DHCP server.
It is routable and works over most network topologies.
TCP/IP protocol is required for communicating with UNIX hosts.
Uses Microsoft Windows Sockets interface.
Configuring
DHCP to Allow Dynamic Updates
You must configure the DHCP server to perform dynamic updates. To do
so, on the DNS tab of the Properties dialog box for a DHCP server,
select Automatically Update DHCP Client Information In DNS. You must
also specify; Update DNS Only If DHCP Client Requests, or Always
Update DNS. Additional options include Discard Forward Lookups When
Lease Expires, and Enable Updates For DNS Client That Do Not Support
Dynamic Update.
Automatic
Private IP Addressing
When Obtain an IP Address Automatically is enabled, but the
client cannot obtain an IP address, Automatic Private IP addressing
takes over.
If no other computer responds to the address, the first system
assigns this address to itself.
IP address is generated in the form of 169.254.x.y (x.y is the
computers identifier) and a 16-bit subnet mask (255.255.0.0).
The 169.254.0.0 - 169.254.255.255 range has been set aside for
this purpose by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority.
The computer broadcasts this address to its local subnet.
When using the Auto Private IP, it can only communicate with
other computers on the same subnet that also use the 169.254.x.y
range with a 16-bit mask.
Services
for UNIX 2.0
FTP support has been added to Windows Explorer and to Internet
Explorer 5.0 allowing users to browse FTP directories as if they
were a local resource.
Install SNMP for Network Management (HP, OpenView, Tivoli and
SMS).
Print Services for UNIX allows connectivity to UNIX controlled
Printers (LPR).
Simple TCP/IP Services provides Echo, Quote of Day, Discard,
Daytime and Character Generator.
UNIX uses NFS (Network File System).
Windows 2000 uses CIFS (Common Internet File System) which is an
enhanced version of the SMB (Server Message Block) protocol.
Client
for NFS
Installs a full Network File System (NFS) client that integrates
with Windows Explorer.
NFS shares can be accessed using standard NFS syntax (servername:/pathname)
or standard UNC syntax (\\servername\pathname) Places a second
Telnet client on your system that uses NTLM authentication instead
of clear text.
Users can browse and map drives to NFS volumes and access NFS
resources through My Network Places. Microsoft recommends this over
installing Samba (SMB file services for Windows clients) on your
UNIX server.
Troubleshooting
Common TCP/IP problems are caused by incorrect subnet masks and
gateways.
Check DNS settings if an IP address works but a hostname
wont.
The Ping command tests connections and verifies configurations.
The Tracert command checks a route to a remote system.
Use IPConfig and IPConfig /all to display current TCP/IP
configuration.
Use NetStat to display statistics and connections for TCP/IP
protocol.
Use NBTStat to display statistics for connections using NetBIOS
over TCP/IP.
NWLink
(IPX/SPX) and NetWare Interoperability
Gateway Services for NetWare can be implemented on your NT
Server to provide an MS client system to access your NetWare server
by using the NT Server as a gateway.
Frame types for the NWLink protocol must match the computer that the
NT system is trying to connect with. Mismatching frame types will
cause connectivity problems between the two systems.
NetWare 3 servers uses Bindery Emulation (Preferred Server in CSNW).
NetWare 4.x and higher servers use NDS (Default Tree and Context.)
NWLink is used by NT to allow NetWare systems to access its
resources.
There are two ways to change a password on a NetWare server -
SETPASS.EXE and the Change Password option (from the CTRL-ALT-DEL
dialog box). The Change Password option is only available to NetWare
4.x and higher servers using NDS.
To
allow file and print sharing between NT and a NetWare server, CSNW
(Client Service for NetWare) must be installed on the NT system. In
a NetWare 5 environment, the Microsoft client does not support
connection to a NetWare Server over TCP/IP. You will have to use IPX/SPX
or install the Novell NetWare client.
When NWLink is set to auto-detect the frame type, it will only
detect one type and will go in this order: 802.2, 802.3, ETHERNET II
and 802.5 (Token Ring).
Other
protocols
AppleTalk must be installed to allow Windows 2000 Professional
to communicate with Apple printers. File and Print Services for
Macintosh allows Apple Clients to use resources on a Microsoft
Network.
DLC is a special-purpose, non-routable protocol used by Windows
2000 to talk with IBM mainframes, AS400s and Hewlett Packard
printers.
NetBEUI is used solely by Microsoft operating systems and is
non-routable.
Remote
Access Services (RAS)
Authentication protocols
CHAP - Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol - encrypts
user names and passwords, but not session data. Works with
non-Microsoft clients.
EAP - Extensible Authentication Protocol. Allows for an
arbitrary authentication mechanism to validate a dial-in connection.
Uses generic token cards, MD5-CHAP and TLS.
EAP-TLS - Transport Level Security. Primarily used for digital
certificates and smart cards.
MD5-CHAP - Message Digest 5 Challenge Handshake Authentication
Protocol. Encrypts usernames and passwords with an MD5 algorithm.
MS-CHAP (V1 and 2) - Microsoft Challenge Handshake
Authentication Protocol. Encrypts entire session, not just username
and password. V2 is supported in Windows 2000 and NT 4.0 and Win
95/98 (with DUN 1.3 upgrade) for VPN connections. MSCHAP cannot be
used with non-Microsoft clients.
PAP - Password Authentication Protocol. Sends username and
password in clear text.
RADIUS - Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service. Provides
authentication and accounting services for distributed dial-up
networking.
SPAP - Shiva Password Authentication Protocol. Used by Shiva LAN
Rover clients. Encrypts password, but not data.
Dial-up
Networking
Add new connections by using the Make New Connection wizard.
Dial-up networking entries can be created for modem connections,
LAN connections, direct cable connections and Infrared connections.
PPP is generally preferred because it supports multiple
protocols, encryption, and dynamic assignment of IP addresses. SLIP
is an older protocol that only supports TCP/IP and is used for
dialing into legacy UNIX systems.
Remote
Access Policies
A static IP can be assigned to a user when their connection is
made.
Applying static routes allows an admin to define a series of static
IP routes that are added to the routing table of the RRAS server
(used for demand-dial routing between RRAS servers).
Callback options let you specify, no callback, set by caller, and
always callback to.
The last option provides the greatest level of security. Letting the
user specify the callback number provides little in the way of
security but allows users such as a travelling sales force with
laptops to avoid long-distance charges by having the RRAS server
call them back.
Caller
ID verification requires specialized answering equipment and a
driver that passes Caller ID info to RRAS. If Caller ID is
configured for a user but you do not have the proper
equipment/drivers installed, the user is denied access.
Control access through Remote Access Policy is not available on
domain controllers in mixed-mode. While connections are initially
accepted, they must still meet policy requirements or be
disconnected.
Default remote access policy denies all connection attempts unless
user account is set to Allow. In Native mode, every account is set
to Control access through Remote Access Policy. If this is changed
to Grant remote access permission all connections are accepted.
On a stand-alone server, policies are configured through Local Users
and Groups, Dial-in, Properties. On an AD-based server, they are
configured through Active Directory Users and Computers, Dial-in,
Properties.
Remote
Access policies are stored on the server, not in Active Directory.
The three components of a remote access policy are its conditions,
permissions and profile: Component Feature Conditions List of
parameters (time of day, user groups, IP addresses or Caller Ids)
that are matched to the parameters of the client connecting to the
server. The first policy that matches the parameters of the inbound
connection is processed for access permissions and configuration.
Permissions
Connections are allowed based on a combination of the dial-in
properties of a users account and remote access policies. The
permission setting on the remote access policy works with the
users dial-in permissions in Active Directory providing a wide
range of flexibility when assigning remote access permissions.
Profile
Settings (authentication and encryption protocols) which are applied
to the connection. If connection settings do not match the users
dial-in settings, the connection is denied.
Remote
Access Profiles
Encryption - used to specify the types of encryption that are
allowed /required /prohibited.
Authentication
- Define authentication protocols required for connections using
this policy.
Dial-in
constraints - Idle time before disconnect, maximum session time,
days and times allowed, phone numbers, and media types.
IP
- Used to configure TCP/IP packet filtering.
Multilink
Configure to disconnect a line if bandwidth falls below the preset
threshold. Can be set to require BAP.
Terminal
Services
Terminal Services running on a Windows 2000 Server enables all
client application execution, data processing, and data storage to
occur on the server. It provides remote access to a server desktop
through terminal emulation software. The terminal emulation software
can run on a number of client hardware devices, such as a personal
computer, Windows CE-based Handheld PC (H/PC), or terminal.
Installing
Terminal Services
Terminal
Services Applications include:
Terminal Services Client Creator - Creates floppies for installing
Terminal Services Client.
Terminal Services Configuration - Used to manage Terminal Services
protocol and server configuration.
Terminal Services Licensing - Manages Client Access Licenses.
Terminal Services Manager - Used to manage and monitor sessions and
processes on the server running Terminal Services.
Added
through Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, Windows Components.
Terminal Services can be enabled during an unattended
installation by setting Terminal ServicesEnable=On in the
[Components] section of the answer file. If the ApplicationServer
key is not added then Terminal Services is installed in Remote
Administration mode.
Terminal Services uses RDP or RDP-TCP (Remote Desktop Protocol
over TCP/IP). This is a presentation protocol and it sends input
from the terminal to the server and returns video from the server
back to the terminal. It has been optimized for low-speed (modem)
connections and is suitable for deployment in a RAS dial-up
environment.
Remote
Server Administration Using Terminal Services
Do not use for tasks that require reboots.
If
another Administrator is in session on the same server you are
working on, you may overwrite each others work. Use the QUSER
command to see if other Administrators are in session.
Remote Administration Mode allows a maximum of 2 concurrent
connections to be made per server by an Administrator. Memory and
CPU utilization settings remain unaffected and application
compatibility settings are completely disabled.
Remote
Administration Mode allows Administrators have complete access to
the remote system to perform tasks such as software installation,
and administrative functions, etc.
There are no licensing requirements for using the Remote
Administration Mode.
Configuring
Terminal Services for Application Sharing
A Temp folder is created for each user by default. Use the
FLATTEMP.EXE tool or the Terminal Services Configuration Tool to
change the location of the temporary folders or disable them and
force all users to share one Temp folder (flattemp /disable).
Automatic Printer redirection is supported for all 32-bit Windows
clients. Terminal Services will detect printers attached locally to
the client and create corresponding print queues in the users
session. When a user disconnects print queues and any print jobs are
terminated.
Printers
must be manually redirected for 16-bit Windows clients and Windows
based terminals.
By default, users will be prompted for a password unless it is
changed in the properties for RDP-TCP.
Remove
the default Home Directories created by Windows 2000 for each user
and create Terminal Services specific network Home Directories on a
file server. All application specific files (e.g., .INI) are written
to these directories.
Sessions will disconnect when the connection is broken but will
continue executing a users processes by default. To prevent
system resources from being taken up by these processes, set your
sessions to reset on broken connections.
Terminal Services cannot be clustered, but it can be load-balanced
using Network Load Balancing.
This
causes a group of servers to appear as a single virtual IP address.
Alternately you can use round-robin DNS resolution to load balance
your Terminal Services servers.
Users
can be assigned a specific Terminal Services profile. If one is not
available Terminal Services will then try to load a users Roaming
Profile. If the two previous are not available Terminal Services
will load the standard Windows 2000 Profile.
Configuring
Applications for Use with Terminal Services
Some applications may require special installation or execution
scripts to modify the applications performance in a multi-user
environment.
Terminal Services does not recognize devices that connect to
parallel or serial ports (multimedia applications, streaming
applications, etc.).
Use Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel to install applications. If
you are installing an application directly, put Terminal Services
into install mode by typing change user /install at a command
prompt. Typing change user /execute turns off install mode.
Security
using Group Policies
Security Configuration
The Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in can be used to
directly configure local system security. You can import security
templates created with the Security Templates snap-in, and apply
these templates to the group policy object (GPO) for the local
computer.
Security
Templates Snap-In
A security template is a physical representation of a security
configuration; it is a file where a group of security settings may
be stored. Windows 2000 includes a set of security templates, each
based on the role of a computer. The templates range from security
settings for low security domain clients to highly secure domain
controllers. They can be used as provided, modified, or serve as a
basis for creating custom security templates.
Security
Configuration Tool Set
The Security Configuration and Analysis snap-in is used to
troubleshoot security in Windows 2000.
The security database is compared to an incremental template such as
HISECSV.INF and the results displayed. The log of the analysis will
be placed in %systemroot%\ security\logs\mysecure.log The
text-based version is run from the command line using SECEDIT.EXE.
Encrypting
File System (EFS)
Compressed files cant be encrypted and vice versa.
Cut and paste to move files into an encrypted folder - if you
drag and drop files, the files are not automatically encrypted in
the new folder.
Default encryption is 56-bit. North Americans can upgrade to
128-bit encryption.
Designated Recovery Agents can recover encrypted data for the
domain using AD and Certificate Server.
EFS resides in the Windows OS kernel and uses the non-paged
memory pool to store file encryption keys.
Encrypted files are decrypted if you copy or move them to a FAT
volume.
Encrypted files can be backed up using the Backup Utility, but
will retain their encrypted state as access permissions are
preserved.
Encryption is transparent to the user.
If the owner has lost his private key, an appointed recovery
system agent can open the file using his/her key instead.
Only works on Windows 2000 NTFS partitions (NTFS v5).
The EFSINFORMATION.EXE utility in the Win2000 Resource Kit
allows an administrator to determine information about encrypted
files.
There can be more than one recovery agent, but at least one
public recovery key must be present on the system when the file is
encrypted.
Use the Cipher command to work with encrypted files from the
command line.
You cant share encrypted files.
Uses public-key encryption. Keys that are used to encrypt the
file are encrypted by using a public key from the users
certificate. The list of encrypted file-encryption keys is kept with
the encrypted file and is unique to it. When decrypting the file
encryption keys, the file owner provides a private key which only he
has.
Policies
in a W2K Environment
Local and System Policy
System Policies are a collection of user environment settings that
are enforced by the operating system and cannot be modified by the
user. User profiles refer to the environment settings that users can
change.
System
Policy Editor (POLEDIT.EXE) - Windows NT 4, Windows 95 and
Windows 98 all use the System Policy Editor (POLEDIT.EXE) to specify
user and computer configuration that is stored in the registry.
Are considered undesirably persistent as they are not removed
when the policy ends.
Not secure. Settings can be changed by a user with the Registry
Editor (regedit.exe). Settings are imported/exported using .ADM
templates.
Windows 2000 comes with SYSTEM.ADM (system settings),
INETRES.ADM (Internet Explorer settings) and CONF.ADM (NetMeeting
settings).
Group
Policy snap-in (GPEDIT.MSC)
Exclusive to Windows 2000 and supercedes the System Policy Editor.
Uses Incremental Security Templates.
More flexible than System Policies as they can be filtered using
Active Directory.
Settings are imported/exported using .INF files. The Group
Policy snap-in can be focused on a local or remote system.
Settings can be stored locally or in AD. Are secure and can be
changed only by Administrators.
Should only be applied to Windows 2000 systems that have been
clean installed onto an NTFS partition. NTFS computers that have
been upgraded from NT 4.0 or earlier, only the Basic security
templates can be applied.
Auditing
Auditing in Microsoft Windows 2000 is the process of tracking both
user activities and Windows 2000 events. You can specify that
Windows 2000 writes a record of an event to the security log. The
security log maintains a record of valid and invalid logon attempts
and events related to creating, opening, or deleting files or other
objects. Auditing can be enabled by clicking Start, Program,
Administrative Tools, Local Security Policy. In the Local Security
Settings window, double-click Local Policies and then click Audit
Policy.
Highlight
the event you want to audit and on the Action menu, click Security.
Set the properties for each object as desired then restart computer
for new policies to take effect.
Auditable
Events
Event Description
Account logon events - A domain controller received a request to
validate a user account.
Account
management - An administrator created, changed, or deleted a user
account or group. A user account was renamed, disabled, or enabled,
or a password was set or changed.
Directory
service access - A user gained access to an Active Directory object.
Configure specific Active Directory objects for auditing to log this
type of event.
Logon
events - A user logged on or logged off, or a user made or canceled
a network connection to the computer.
Object
access - A user gained access to a file, folder, or printer.
Configure specific files, folders, or printers for auditing.
Directory service access is auditing a user's access to specific
Active Directory objects. Object access is auditing a user's access
to files, folders, and printers.
Policy
change - A change was made to the user security options, user
rights, or audit policies.
Privilege
use - A user exercised a right, such as changing the system time.
Process
tracking - A program performed an action.
System
- A user restarted or shut down the computer, or an event occurred
that affects Windows 2000 security or the security log.
Local
accounts
Built in user accounts are Administrator and Guest.
Creating and duplicating accounts requires username and password.
Disabling an account is typically used when someone else will take
the users place or when the user might return.
Delete an account only when absolutely necessary for space or
organization purposes.
Domain user accounts reside in AD on domain controllers and can
access all resources on a network that they have been accorded
privileges for.
Resides only on the computer where the account was created in its
local security database. If computer is part of a peer-to-peer
workgroup, accounts for that user will have to be created on each
additional machine that they wish to log onto locally.
Local
accounts cannot access Windows 2000 domain resources and should not
be created on computers that are part of a domain.
User accounts are added and configured through the Computer
Management snapin.
User logon names are not case sensitive. You can use alphanumeric
combinations to increase security, if desired.
When copying a user account, the new user will stay in the same
groups that the old user was a member of. The user will keep all
group rights that were granted 25 through groups, but lose all
individual rights that were granted specifically for that user.
Account
Policy
Accessed through Administrative Tools, Local Security Policy,
Account Policies. There are two choices, Password Policy and Account
Lockout Policy.
|