| Windows Server 2008 Administrative Tools
Windows Server 2008 Administrative Tools
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Remote
Server Administration Tools or RSAT is the latest version of the Admin
Pack found in Windows Sever 2003. The RSAT can be downloaded over the
web so it means that one can install the administration tools for
Windows Server 2008 on a Microsoft Vista with Service Pack 1 computer.
The Server Manager is a management tool that is streamlined for IT administrators to be able to finish the setup of Windows Server with the use of the page of Initial Configuration Tasks.
Furthermore, the Server Manager can manage and configure features and server roles with a command-line interface, a management console that is unified and wizards that are prescriptive.
There are a variety of tools and methods which can be employed for Windows remote administration. Traditionally, remote Windows system administration can be accomplished by using APIs of Win32 legacy management.
These APIs get the server name as a parameter so they can be identified with ease. Take note that if the server name is not specified, the local server is where the API functions. Otherwise, a particular remote server is where the API functions.
An example is APIs
with names that begin with Net like NetShareEnum(). NetSharEnum()
belongs to the Net API class.
In remote server administration, APIs employ the MSRPC protocol together
with the transport of SMB. The MSRPC protocol is the DCE RPC standard
implementation of Microsoft.
On the other hand, SMB is the main protocol of networks on Windows. Furthermore, it works on port 139/tcp and 445/tcp. If named pipes located in the IPC$ share are utilized for MSRPC transport, they are also employed as endpoints in RPC services.
Prominent Windows administration tools employ APIs that can function on
remote or local systems. Some examples of these tools are the Registry
Editor, netsh command, Certificates MMC snapin, Device Manager MMC
snapin, Shared Folders MMC snapin, Services MMC snapin, Event Viewer MMC
snapin, Local Groups and Users MMC snapin and Computer Management MMC
snapin.
Other popular third-party tools depend greatly on these APIs. These
tools are incorporated in the package of SysInternals' pstools.
These
are psservice.exe for managing remote service, pspasswd.exe for managing
remote user password, psloglist.exe for managing remote eventlog,
psloggedon.exe for enumerating remote logon session, pslist.exe for
enumerating remote processes and psfile.exe for enumerating remotely the
opened files.
Authentication is applied in the SMB level only because the APIs makes
use of the SMB transport for the MSRPC. With this, an SMB session is
recognized first in the remote system before administration tools that
are remote can be used. Establishing an SMB session in the remote system
can be done by utilizing administrator credentials.
The SMB session can be recognized transparently if the remote system is
located in the similar Windows domain as the local machine. An instance
is the user connecting to a local system using the credentials of the
domain administrator.
But if a local account or a domain account which
is unprivileged will be employed, it is essential to recognize an SMB
session using alternate credentials in the remote system.
In the similar remote system, a number of SMB sessions can be possibly
established. This could be done by making use of distinct credentials
through various server names in every case.
Automatically, the SMB
session recognized will be employed and remote administration is most
likely to happen by using the remote system's local administrator
credentials.
Here are some other articles about Windows Server 2008 Administrative Tools:
Connection Manager Administration Kit in Windows Server 2008
Delegated Remote Administration in Windows Server 2008
Desktop Experience in Windows Server 2008
Remote Server Administration Tools in Windows Server 2008
Server Manager in Windows Server 2008
Windows Management Instrumentation in Windows Server 2008