Category: MCSA

Install Windows Server 2016 on Hyper-v Complete Guide

Post author By Mehdi Karimi
Post date September 7, 2017
1 Comment on Install Windows Server 2016 on Hyper-v Complete Guide

Virtualization has been a successful testing and lab tool recently. Currently virtualization is used in enterprise networks for running virtual servers especially DNS and DHCP servers. It has many advantages for the company. I list some of them below.

Less hardware requirements: You install a server on a powerrful physical server and enable the Hyper-v and install more servers.
Easy physical security efforts: When you’ve dozens of physicals servers, maintaining physical security is difficult. While you have less physical servers you easily can handle the task.
Cost effective: You should pay money for hardware. Using Hyper-v, you buy some powerful physical servers and install many virtual servers on.

Before we create the virtual machine and install Windows server on Hyper-v, you need to know what is virtual machine.

Virtual machines (VMs) run in its own isolated environment. VMs are self-contained units that can easily be moved from one physical computer to another physical computer. At the time of creating virtual machine, the hardware is abstracted and multiple virtualized hardware environments are created. On the virtual environment you can run a complete copy of operating system (OS) separately.

In this article I’m going to install Windows server 2016 on Hyper-v. Read Hypver-v beginner guide.

Topics covered in this article:

Create Virtual Machine (VM)
Install Windows servver 2016 on VM
Conclusion

Install Windows Server 2016 on Hyper-v

Create Virtual Machine

Firstly, we create the virtual machine. Secondly, we install Windows server 2016 on the VM we have created.

1. Open Hyper-v Manager. In the right pane, right-click on New tool and choose Virtual Machine. A new window will be opened.

2. You have nothing to do in the Welcome page. Just click on Next button. In the Specify Name and Location page you need to assign a name for the virtual machine. Then specify the path which you want to store VM’s files in. Then click on Next button.

3. In the Specify Generation page, you have to specify the generation of the virtual machine. You have got two options: Generation 1 and Generation 2. Generation 1 supports both 32-bit and 64-bit processor architectures. Generation 2 supports only 64-bit processor architecture. Also be aware that once you select one of the generations, later you can’t change that.

4. Assign the memory based on MB in the box next to startup memory. Put a mark in the vacant box next to Use dynamic Memory for the virtual machine. It is a very useful option. Selecting this option, virtual machine uses memory dynamically. It means it uses the amount of memory which is needed, not the all of the memory which is specified. If you don’t select the option, the amount of memory you specified for the virtual machine would be abstracted fully when virtual machine is turned on. Click on Next button to move to the next page.

5. Network adapter is the tool which a machine can be connected to network through. Use a network adapter that you have created before. Then click on Next button.

6. You need to connect the virtual machine to a virtual hard disk. For the purpose, click on Create a virtual hard disk. All Windows server files would be copied in the hard disk which you connect the virtual machine to. You can specify name, location and size for the hard disk. By default, the location of the hard disk is the folder which you have stored virtual machine files inside. If you want you can change the location. If you have created a hard disk before, select Use an existing virtual hard disk and then specify path.

While you’re done, click on Next button.

7. Select the Install an operating system from a bootable CD/DVD-ROM option. Then elect the Image file (.iso) file. You need to have the operating system with .iso extension. Type the path where you have stored the image file. If you don’t know the path, click on Browse button and search for the location of the image file through file explorer. When finished click on Next button.

8. Finally we’re done. We created the Virtual machine. Click on Finish button to close the wizard.

Install Windows Server 2016

We are ready to install Windows server 2016 on virtual machine.

1. Open Hyper-v Manger and right-click on the Virtual machine name which you have created. Select the Connect option. Virtual machine windows will be opened.

2. Click on Start button to turn on the virtual machine. Also you can click on Action in the menu bar and select Start.

3. It is the time to specify installation language, time format and keyboard. When finished click on Next button.

4. We are ready to go. Just click on Install now button shown in the picture below to start the installation.

5. Select the appropriate edition that meets your needs. I choose Datacenter edition with full GUI (Graphical User Interface). Then click on Next button.

6. We are doing clean installation. It means we install new operating system. Therefor select the second option.

7. Select the drive you want to install the Windows server on. If you want you can do the partitions here. If not, you can do it later when your installation is finished. For doing the partition select the disk you want to part, then click on New button below and continue the instructions. Click on Next button.

8. Be patient for a while. Files should be copied on your local drive from image file. Some features are needed to be installed. Your machine will reboots several times.

9. While Windows installed on your computer, you need to assign a user name and password as administrator. User name is Administrator by default. Type a complex password (containing uppercase, lowercase, numbers & symbols). Click on Finish button to finish the installation process. If your screen size is not big enough, scroll down to see the Finish button.

10. Account is created. Log in to the Windows server 2016. Type your password and hit Enter button.

Finally we are done. Windows server 2016 is installed and you can see the default background image of Windows server 2016.

Conclusion

We installed Windows server 2016 on the Hyper-v. You can go ahead and do the initial configurations. For the purpose refer to this link and learn more about.

Check out: Initial Configuration of Windows server 2016

For any kind of question feel free and leave comment below.

Tags Hyper-v, server 2016, Virtual Machine, Virtual Server, Virtualization, Windows Server 2016

MCSA

Initial Configuration of Group Policy Procedure

Post author By Mehdi Karimi
Post date January 5, 2017
2 Comments on Initial Configuration of Group Policy Procedure

The Group Policy (GP) is the center of change and configuration features in Windows operating system. Also, You can specify settings for both users and computers inside your network. Settings include registry-based policies, security, script, and software installation.

Group Policy affects groups of users or computers. Hence it is called Group Policy. You simply make a policy and link the policy to an OU (Organizational Unit). Also, you link a policy to the domain. When you link a policy to the domain, it applies the policy settings on all computers and users in the entire domain.

Furthermore, if you don’t want the policy affect a specific user or computer, you can do that.

Consequently, policy affects users when they log on to the domain. It affects computers when they start. Of course, when computers are started, and users are working, group policy can affect them. Users just open the Command Prompt and run the “gpupdate” command. The policy would be applied to them.

Topics covered in this article

Group policy Advantages
Group Policy Management Console
- Create Group Policy Object (GPO)
- Link GPO to an OU
Group Policy Management Editor
- Computer Settings
- User Settings
- Edit GPO

Group Policy Advantages

Control User Experience: It seems like you can make any kind of changes on desktop computers. For example you can lock the Taskbar, Control Panel, etc. Nobody can open the Control Panel or unlock the Taskbar. No one can escape the policy except the people you specify.
Configure Security: You specify how people should choose passwords for themselves. How many characters the password should have. In addition, you force users to change there password after an specific period of time and many more security settings.
Configure System: Administrator force the computers to use the printer they want. You specify which radius server they can use and many more system configurations.
Install Software: Administrator easily can install software through group policy.
Run Script: Administrator can write an script and apply the script on users and computers. For example administrator makes an script to restart computers at specific time.

Group Policy Management Console (GPMC)

GPMC is Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in. GPMC is an scriptbale MMC snap-in. It provides a tool for centralized Group Policy in the network. In addition, it is the standard tool that Microsoft recommends to administrators.

While opened, expand Forest>Domains. Almost you see all the domain components. You can only see the OUs, not the users and computers that are inside the OU. For example, you see the OU itself not the users inside the OU.

In the left pane of GPM Console, you see Group Policy Objects. If you click on, all policies are visible there.

Create GPO

Group Policy Object (GPO) is collection of settings. In addition it defines how computers look and how they behave for specific group of users and computers. For example you define a group to have a special background image. You apply the policy, as a result of applying policy, the image will be applied on their desktops. It is not a matter which desktop a user logs on from. It means from every desktop computer they log in, the image will be applied on the background.

1. For creating a GPO, First of all, right-click on Group Policy Objects on the left pane. Select New option. A window pops up.

2. Type a name for the GPO you are creating. While finished click on OK button to close the window.

in the window, you can see the GPO you just created.

Link GPO to an OU

While done with creating new GPO, it is the time to link the GPO to an OU. If you don’t link it to an OU or the entire domain, it won’t work.

1. Right-click on an OU. Select Link an Existing GPO. It means you want to link this OU to a group policy object.

2. Select the group policy that you want to apply on the OU. While selected, click on OK button.

Group Policy Management Editor (GP Editor)

Group Policy Management Editor is a tool that helps administrators to manage policy settings. When you do settings using GP Editor, settings are stored in GPO to be applied on computers and users.

GP Editor has two different kinds of settings for computers and users. Computer Configuration is affecting computers and User Configuration affects users.

When administrators create a GP object, they add some settings to that. So, for editing GP object, right-click on the GP object and select Edit.

The new window which opens is GP Editor. Do the settings whether for computers or users. While done, close the window. If GP object is not linked to an OU, link it. If already linked, it applies to users and computers from 90 minutes to 120 minutes. If you are in hurry, just tell your clients to update the policy running the GP update command line on their Command Prompts.

Conclusion

Finally, you learned a few things about GP which will be really needed for our further lessons. For any kind of question, feel free and leave a comment.

Thank you for reading the post.

Tags Basic Configutations, GP Editor, GP Oject, GPMC, GPO, Group, Group Policy, Group Policy Editor, Group Policy Management Console, Group Policy Terms, Policy, Settings

MCSA MCSE Servers Windows

Install or Enable Hyper-v Virtualization on Windows 10

Post author By Mehdi Karimi
Post date November 16, 2016
3 Comments on Install or Enable Hyper-v Virtualization on Windows 10

Virtualization is successful method for creating lab and testing tool in recent years. Hyper-v enables Windows administrator to create virtual machine (VM). Virtual machines run in their own isolated environment. VMs are self-contained units that can easily be moved from one physical computer to another physical computer.

At the time of creating virtual machine, the hardware is abstracted and multiple virtualized hardware environments are created. On the virtual environment you can run a complete copy of operating system (OS) separately. As a result of enabling Hyper-v and sufficient hardware configurations you can run many operating systems on physical computer. Finally, you can manage virtual machines as standalone computers.

You create network card which works as a physical connection. The computers which use the same network cards are placed in the same network. You have complete authority on a virtual machine (VM). You can delete, stop and turn on, off and restart a virtual machine.

VMs have their own storage. When you create a virtual machine, virtual hard drive (VHD) is created for each machine. You can add many of them for each machine. Your physical hard drive is virtually divided to many other hard drives. The same as your physical hard disk you may have many hard drives with the same functionality. It is called virtual hard drive (VHD) which is saved by .vhd extension. Logically your VHDs seems like physical drive but all files stored on each VHD, in fact stored on one physical hard drive.

One of the useful tools in Hyper-v is Checkpoint. While you want you easily create a checkpoint. It is the screenshot of your machine state. When you want, you can run the checkpoint and you are taken to the state you had created the checkpoint. It is a good tool and makes your life easy. In addition your time won’t be wasted especially when you are testing some thing.

The term host computer is used for the computer that hosting the Hyperr-v. Let’s go and enable Hyper-v on Windows 10.

Hardware Requirements

To enable Hyper-v, these requirements are necessary, but not all hardware requirements that the host computer should have. There are many more requirements that I don’t mention here.

64-bit processor
CPU support for VM Monitor Mode Extension (VT-c on Intel CPU’s)
Minimum of 4GB RAM. Virtual machines share their memory with the host computer. You need to provide enough memory to handle the workload.

The following items must be enabled on system BIOS

Virtualization technology
Hardware Enforced Data Execution Prevention

Operating system requirements

All editions of Windows 10 can’t support Hyper-v. Therefore, appropriate edition of operating system needs to be installed on host computer. Here is the list of Windows editions that can or can’t support the Hyper-v.

Windows 10 editions which can support Hyper-v:

Windows 10 Enterprise
Windows 10 Professional
Windows 10 Education

Windows 10 editions which can’t support Hyper-v:

Windows 10 Home
Windows 10 Mobile
Windows 10 Mobile Enterprise

Enable Hyper-v on Windows 10

It is really easy to enable Hyper-v on Windows 10. Also make sure that you have logged in with an account with administrative privileges. Otherwise you won’t be able to do upcoming tasks.

1. Open Control Panel. You can open Control Panel in many ways. Search for Control Panel in search box in Start menu. While found, click on to open it. If you like, keep pressing the Start menu button then press the R button: start+R. When run is opened type control and click on the OK button.

2. Scroll down and find Programs and Features. Click on Programs and features. Here is the place you can uninstall the applications and features you don’t want. Of course, if you want to add a feature you are at the right place.

3. In the left pane you see Turn Windows features on or off option. Click on that and Windows Features page will be opened for you.

4. You see the Hyper-v with a vacant box next to it. Put a check mark in the box and click on Ok button to turn on the feature on host computer.

5. Be patient for a while. Windows searches for some files needed due to enable the Hyper-v on Windows. Finally Windows wants you to restart your computer. Click on Restart now button due to reboot your machine.

Enable Hyper-v through PowerShell

1. Search for the PowerShell in Start menu. While found, right-click on the PowerShell and run it as an administrator because you need PowerShell with administrative privileges for turning on the feature.

2. Hyper-v is an optional feature. First of all enable the feature typing this command in PowerShell window: Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName Microsoft-Hyper-v -All

So, press the Enter button to run the command.

3. Finally you need to reboot your computer. If you like you can type Y which the contracted form of Yes, as shown below. If you want to restart your computer in other way you can do so.

Open Hyper-V

1. Log in to your computer. In the Start menu search for Hyper-v typing the word Hyper-v. Because of the easy access pin the Hyper-v in Start by right-clicking on it. Then select the Pin to start option. After that while you press the Start menu button you can see the Hyper-v there.

2. At the end you can see the Hyper-v manager. No virtual machine is created. In the left pane below the Hyper-v manager you see Client03 which is the host computer’s name. When you create VMs, they will be listed below my computer’s name.

Conclusion

Consequently we are done. Finally Hyper-v enabled on the computer. Also you can create virtual machines on Hyper-v.

Check out: Install Windows Server 2016 on Hyper-v step by step

Tags Enable Hyper-v, Enable Hyper-v on Windows 10, Hyper-v, Virtualization, windows 10

MCSA MCSE Servers

Install & Configure WDS in Windows Server 2016

Post author By Mehdi Karimi
Post date November 15, 2016
No Comments on Install & Configure WDS in Windows Server 2016

Windows Deployment Services(WDS) is the key of deploying automated-based installations of standard or custom images to servers in a network. WDS server store the installation files and help you to manage the boot and operating system files used in the network installations. Like capturing image firstly, then deploying them on client computers with all drivers and applications you need for your network. Update operating system, drivers and applications then take an image of the template computer. The computer you take capture image from is called template computer. Sysprep is the tool that you can image through from a template computer and store the image on WDS server to deploy on WDS clients.

WDS makes your life easy. You don’t need to move from one room to another room deploying operating system with needed softwares and drivers. Administrators can make schedule for deployment. Next day when you come and login to your computer, you see the new operating system installed. In addition, drivers and softwares have been installed.

These are some other methods of deploying operating system on client computers:

DVD: You can go to computers one by one with a shiny disk in hand and install operating system on. For an enterprise network you need lots of disks and it takes a long time. This method can be implemented on
Bootable Flash memory: You can install operating system using bootable flash memory. When the flash memory is bootable, you copy all operating system files in, and plug the flash to computers. For the process you need lots of flash memories.

Topics covered in this post:

WDS Advantages
WDS Images
Hardware Requirements
Prerequisites
Install WDS role Graphically
Installation WDS role through PowerShell
WDS Basic Configuration
Add Install Image
Add Boot Image
Conclusion

WDS Advantages:

Install Windows 7, 8, 8.1 or 10 remotely.
You can install Windows with needed softwares and drivers simultaneously.
Install Windows on large number of computers at one time.

WDS Images

WDS uses four image: Install image, Boot image, Discover image and Capture image. The minimum of requirement is boot and install images.

Install Image: It is the actual operating system. It is found in the operating system media\sources\install.wim.

Boot Image: It is Windows PE image. You can find it the operating system media\sources\boot.wim.
Discover Image: This image is used by WDS clients which don’t support PXE boot. You create the image using boot.wim image from media file and Windows Assessment Tool Kit (ADK) to create a discover image.
Capture Image: This image is custom install image. You capture the image from a template computer using Sysprep, and deploy the image on client computes.

Hardware Requirements

RAM: minimum of 2GB
Processor: 64-bit processor
Hard Drive Space: At least 6GB

Prerequisites

AD DS: The deployment server must be either member server (joined to a domain) or a domain controller. If you want to install (AD DS), read this article: Install Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) on Windows Server 2016
DNS: An active DNS (Domain Name Services) is required for Preboot eXecution Environment (PXE). Refer to this link for completely step by step guide. Install DNS Server on Windows Server 2016 fully step by step
DHCP: It is needed for supporting PXE boot. Refer to this link for completely step by step guide. Install DHCP Server on Windows Server 2016 step by step
NTFS volume: The volume which contains images must be NTFS format.
Credentials: Make sure that you have logged on with an account that have permissions to do this tasks.

Install Graphically

Undoubtedly the easiest way of installing a role is graphical interface.

1. First of all press the Start Menu button. Then select the Server Manager.

2. Click on Add roles and features for installing WDS role.

2. Skip the Before you begin page. Leave the Select a server from the server pool checked. From Server Pool select the server which you want to install the role on. Click on Next button.

3. In the Select server roles page, select Windows Deployment Services. A windows pops up and asks you to add some features for management. Click on Add Features button then click on Next button.

4. You have got nothing to do in Features page. In the WDS page, some essential information is written. In Role Services page you got two options:

Deployment Server: It is the deployment server with management tools.
Transport Server: It is WDS core service, but doesn’t include management tools. You need to use scripts for every task that you want to do. Therefor you need to select both of them.

Click on Next button.

5. In the Confirm installation selections page, click on Install button. No reboot is needed after the installation.

Installation through PowerShell

PowerShell is a powerful tool in Windows Server 2016. You need to know how to use it.

1. Press Windows button and select Windows PowerShell. Make sure you run PowerShell as an administrator. Right-click on and click Run as administrator. Also you can run PowerShell as an administrator with command. Open PowerShell as standard user and type this command to run it as an administrator: Start-Processs PowerShell.exe -Verb RunAS. Then press the Enter button.

2. Install-WindowsFeature is a command for installing roles on server. You need to run this command: Install-WindowsFeature -Name WDS -ComputerName <Server_Name> -IncludeManagementTools

After -ComputerName parameter, type your server’s name. In my case it is SVR-A. Then press the Enter button. While WDS installed successfully on your server, the summary would be shown to you. Saying that role installed successfully and no reboot is needed.

The -IncludeMnagementTools parameter installs the management tools. If you don’t type the parameter you won’t have the management tools. It means you just have installed the core services.

WDS Basic Configuration

Finally role was installed. We need to configure WDS server and use it across the network.

1. In Server Manger console, in the menu bar, click on the Tools. Then click on Windows Deployment Service. In addition, you can open it through Run. In the Run just type wdsmgmt.msc and press Enter button.

2. Windows Deployment Services console is opened. But the WDS server is not configured yet. For the purpose, right-click WDS server below the Servers. Select Configure Server.

3. In Install Options page two options are visible. Select the Integrated with Active Directory option if your WDS server is a member of a domain. If it is standalone server, select the Standalone server option. Click on Next button.

4. Select the folder in which you want to store WDS server files, like images and drivers. Click on Browse button and specify the path. Click on Next button.

5. In the Proxy DHCP Server page, leave both Do not listen on DHCP and IPv6 ports and Configure DHCP options for Proxy DHCP options selected. Click on Next button.

6. In PXE Server Initial Settings page, select Respond to known-client computers. This option is secure. Click on Next button.

7. Finally we are done. Below the green line we got a message which says that this serve still can’t respond WDS clients. Finish the wizard.

8. At the very end we can start the WDS server. WDS server is just configured not started. Right-click on WDS server which in my case is SVR-A, hover your mouse point on All Tasks, then click on Start. Soon after the WDS server would be started.

Add Install Image

1. Before you add install image, create some groups for different operating system install images. Before you add an install image, you need to an image group. You can easily manage your image in groups. Right-click on Install image. Click on Add Image group. A small windows opens, type name of the group inside and click on Ok button.

2. Now which groups are created, right-click on the group which you want to add install image in. Select Add Install Image option.

3. Specify the path. The path is simple: Whatever is your file media letter:\sources\install.wim. In my case path is E:\sources\install.wim. Click on Next button.

4. In the Available page of the wizard, select the install images that you need for your network. I need Windows 10 Pro for my network. While done, click on Next button.

5. It takes a while, when WDS server copies install.wim image from media file. At the end click on Finish button to close the wizard.

Windows 10 Pro Install image was added to WDS server.

Add Boot Image

1. Right-click on Boot Images and click on Add Boot Image.

2. Specify path of the file which contains the image. Install and boot images located in the same folder with Install image. Boot image path: media file:\sources\boot.wim. In my case path is E:\sources\install.wim.

3. Name the image. Select a friendly name for the image you can recognize. Click on Next button.

4. Image was added to the server. Finish the wizard by clicking on Finish button.

Microsoft Windows Setup (x64) Boot Image was added to WDS server.

Conclusion

Finally we are done with WDS basic configurations. For any kind of question feel free end leave a comment below the post. Thank you for reading the post.

Tags WDS, WDS role, WDS Windows server 2016, Windows Deployment Services

MCSA MCSE Servers

Install & Configure Print Services in Windows Server 2016

Post author By Mehdi Karimi
Post date November 9, 2016
10 Comments on Install & Configure Print Services in Windows Server 2016

Printing and file sharing are the essential sectors for users, groups, organizations in a network. Like in a network, there are a large number of printers with different varieties and there are an enormous number of groups, users who need to use. As an administrator, you should know how to install and configure print services in Windows Server to manage tens or hundreds of printers in a network. As most of the modern printers have a network interface card and Internet Protocol (IP) address can be assigned to the printers. Therefore, all users through the network can access and use them. One of the most handful features in print services is print pooling by which a number of printers are added to a pool. When one is performing a print job, other printers perform the next print jobs sent to them. As you can grant priority access to a printer from 1 through 99. When there are two print jobs in the print server, the user with higher priority will get the job done before the another. In this lesson, we will learn + understand how to install and configure print services fully in Windows Server 2016. Let’s get started.

Don’t Miss: Sharing files & folders in Windows Server 2016
MCSA Lab Manual Articles.

Understanding Windows Print Architecture

Microsoft uses some terms referring to components of print services architecture, better to know for the certification exams or working with them. The Components involved with the print services are the following:

1. Print Device: printer device is actual hardware that produces hard-copy documents on paper.

2. Printer: It is the software interface through which a computer communicates with the print device.

3. Print Server: It is a server or a standalone computer which receives print jobs from clients that are attached locally or connected to the network.

4. Driver: It is a device driver that converts print jobs generated by an application to appropriate string of commands for a specific printer.

Attaching Printer Device

These are four fundamental configurations, you can configure a printer to work. As a result, the printer works depending on your configurations to print documents.

1. Direct Printing is the simplest way of using a printer device. That a printer is attached directly to a Server. The Server sends a print job to the printer, as a result, it produces the hard-copy document.

2. Local-attached printer sharing: Except direct printing, you also need to share printer and printer device with other clients on the same network. In this arrangement, the Server which is directly attached to the printer device works as a print server. Doing this, you can share the print server’s printer. Consequently, the clients can use the print device through server’s print interface. As a result, the advantage of this arrangement is that everyone from everywhere in the network has access to the printer device. Also, it is handful when you have light printing jobs.

3. Network-attached printing: Unlike the previous kinds of attaching the printer device with computer by USB or other port, here you don’t need to attach them. Instead, you can attach a printer device directly to a network. As a result of attaching printer device to a network, it becomes the network component. Most of the printer devices nowadays have network interface card (NIC) which allow you to attach a network standard cable to it. Due to this capability, a print device can have their own IP addresses. Also, you can buy NIC card separately and attach to a printer device. If the printer device has none of this capabilities a standalone print server is possible to be used.

Finally, by network attached printing you’ve to choose a computer to act as print server or let all or everyone uses the printer directly (or be print server) by sending print jobs and seeing their own queue. If you’ve chosen to be the print server everyone or multiple users then there are many disadvantages, which includes:

Users examining the print queue see only their own jobs.
Users are oblivious of the other users accessing the print device. They have no way of
knowing what other jobs have been sent to the print device or how long it will be until
the print device completes their jobs.
Administrators have no way of centrally managing the print queue because each client
has its own print queue.
Administrators cannot implement advanced printing features, such as printer pools
or remote administration.
Error messages appear only on the computer that originated the job that the print
device is currently processing.
All print job processing is performed by the client computer rather than being partially
offloaded to an external print server.

4. Network-attached printer sharing: In this method, you assign a computer as a print server and use it to serve clients means when you install a printer on a computer(that becomes the print server), you will share it on the network and configure it to access the printer directly through TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) port. When done, you just share the printer for the clients and manage them for accessing + managing.

Install Print Services Role in Windows Server

First of all, we need to install Print and document services role on Windows server 2016. Consequently you can use Windows server print services.

Role Installation

1. Open Server Manger and click on Add roles and features to install Print and document services role.

2. In the Welcome we’ve got nothing to do at all. Click on Next button. In Select destination server page, elect the Select a server from the server pool. Select the server you want to install the role on from the list below. Click on Next button.

3. Put a check mark in the box next to Print and document services. A small windows pops up and wants you to add some features for print services management. Click on Add features to install management tools. If you don’t install the management features, you just install the core service.

4. In the Print and Document Services page, provided essential information about the services to be noted. Finally click on Next button.

5. In the Select role services page four options are visible:

1. Print Server: It is the actual print server. Selecting this option you can manage print services components as printers and drivers and furthermore things.

2. Distributed Scan Server: allows you to send scanned images to specific users or groups in the domain.

3. Internet Printing: It creates a web page and gives the access to printer clients using printers through IIS web server.

4. LPD Service: This option enables UNIX clients running line printer remote (LPR) to send print jobs to Windows printers. I install only Print Server.

6. We’re almost done. Click on Install button for installing the role on server. No reboot is needed.

Configure Print Services in Windows Server

First of all we need to add some printers and drivers on the server and manage them.

Open Server Manager, click on Tools dropdown menu and select Print Management services. Using this tool we can add and manage print services easily.

While Print Management tool is opened. Expand Custom Filters on the left pane to see the custom filters. You see four default filters:

All Printers: It shows the list of all printer connected to the domain from all print servers.
All Drivers: You can see a complete list of all drivers available for your clients through all the domain.
Printers Not Ready: It shows you list the servers which are not available to clients. They don’t work, fix them.
Printers With Jobs: Shows the list of printers currently doing print jobs.

Below Custom Filters another option is visible by the name Print Servers. Expand it to see all the print server in your domain. You can add all print servers in the domain here for easy management. Just right-click on Print Servers and select Add Server and go on.

You can see the same options like drivers and printer below the SVR-A server as the below Custom Filters. So the difference between this and the Custom Filter is that which the printers shown below the filter is the list of all printers in the domain. The printers below the Print Servers is the list of printers installed on each print server.

Add Printer

1. Print Management tool opened, expand Print Servers and right-click on the server and select Add Printer option.

2. In the Welcome page we’ve nothing to do so just click on Next button. In the Printer Installation page select the Add a new printer using an existing port. Elect a port and hit Next button.

3. In the Printer Driver page select Use an existing printer driver on the computer option. From the drop-down list select a driver that matches your printer device manufacturer and model.

4. Now you need to type a name for the printer in the box shown in the picture below. Below the Printer Name you can also see another option: Share this printer. As a result you can choose a share name and location for the printer. If needed you can leave a comment for users guidance.

5. Finally we are done with adding printer on a server. Just click on Finish button to finish the wizard. While finished the wizard you can find the printer in All Printers option in the left pane. If you would like to print a test page selecting Print a test page at the bottom of the wizard also you can add another printer by selecting Add another printer.

Add Driver

Maybe you need different kinds of drivers for client computers to use be able to use print device. So you need to have 32-bit and 64-bit drivers.

1. First of all you need to right-click on Drivers option below the server which you want to add driver to. Select the Add driver option.

2. In the Welcome page we have nothing to do. In the Processor Selection page you need to specify which kind of processors do your clients use. You can one or both of the options and hit Next.

3. In the Printer Driver Selection page you need to specify two things. First of all you should specify your devices’s manufacturer. Secondly specify the printer model. In addition to these you have one more useful option. If you have driver on a disk, you can click on Have Disk button and find path of the source and add it.

4. We are done and the driver was added to the server. So click on Finish button due to finish the wizard.

Conclusion

Ok, that’s all. For any kind of question feel free and leave a comment below the post. I answer you as soon as possible.

Tags Configure Print, Configure Print Services, Install Print Services, MCSA, Print Server, Print Services, server

MCSA MCSE Servers

Upgrade Windows Server 2012 to Server 2016 Complete Guide

Post author By Mehdi Karimi
Post date October 13, 2016
8 Comments on Upgrade Windows Server 2012 to Server 2016 Complete Guide

Do you want to move to a newer version of Windows Server? Yes, it’s time to upgrade Windows Server 2012 to Windows Server 2016. Because the Windows Server 2016 is out. There are many awesome features added in Windows server 2016. There is a list of improvements and new features which are ready to use that enhance handling managements.

Unlike upgrading Windows Servers prior versions to Server 2012, thus, upgrading Windows Server 2016 supports only 64-bit architecture and Itanium edition isn’t supported. Also, the Windows Server 2012 and 2016 have only four editions.

Upgrading Windows server is complicated process. Therefor Microsoft recommends Administrators to migrate the roles and settings to Server 2016 instead of upgrading, because the upgrading process many things can go wrong. No matter, in this article, we’ll upgrade Windows Server 2012 to Server 2016 fully step by step.

Upgrade and conversion options:

In order to upgrade Windows Server 2012 to Server 2016, you need to obtain the following requirements.

All editions of Windows Serer 2016 are 64-bit only (upgrades from 32-bit to 64-bit can’t be done).
Only Server 2012 can be upgraded to Server 2016 not earlier versions of Windows Server.
Upgrades from one version to another version isn’t supported. Like you can’t upgrade Windows Server 2012 Standard edition to Windows Server 2016 Datacenter edition.
Upgrades from one language to another language server isn’t supported. For example, you can’t upgrade Windows Server running on German language to Chinese.
Upgrades that switch from a Server Core installation to a Server with a Desktop installation (or vice versa) are not supported.
Upgrades from a previous Windows Server installation to an evaluation copy of Windows Server are not supported. Evaluation versions should be installed as a clean installation.
Deactivate virus protection because it makes the process slower. Because the virus protection scanning every file copied on the disk.
If the server uses NIC Teaming, disable it and when the server upgraded, enable the NIC Teaming again.
Backup the server fully before upgrading the server because maybe you face the problem and want to go back to the previous version. Check out: Backup Windows Server 2016 Step by Step
Check out if the server doesn’t have any problem, if it has, search for fixing it. Otherwise it might cause an error which can fail whole upgrade process.

Upgrade Windows Server 2012 to Windows Server 2016

Now that you’ve understood the rules, let’s get started and move on.

1. Log in to Windows Server 2012 and plug the media file (DVD, Flash memory, etc) to the server. Open the file explorer and double click on the DVD Drive to run the Windows Server 2016 setup.

2. Select Download & install updates to let the installation go on smoothly and mark, I want to help make installation of Windows better. Click on Next button.

3. Select an edition of Windows Server 2016 which meets your organization requirements. Also, in the future you may enlarge your network and need more roles and license support for your network computers. Click on Next button.

4. Read the notes and license terms. If you don’t like, clicking on Decline button, you can go back. If you agree, click on Accept button.

5. If you choose the edition same as the edition you used currently, you can keep your apps and files. As mentioned before if you don’t choose the right edition you can’t keep your apps and files. Select Keep personal files and apps if you’re using the same edition or select Nothing to erase everything. Then click on Next button.

Installing Windows Server 2016

6. The Windows Server automatically checks your system and finds if your server is compatable, so just click on Install button to start the installation.

Be patient because it takes almost long time since the Windows server installs on your system. Therefore, your system may restart several times until the installation completes.

7. Specify country and keyboard for server. Don’t forget that you can’t change the language. Click on Next button to move to the next page.

8. Read the license terms carefully and click on Accept button.

9. The user name is Administrator by default, just type a complex password (a password composed of lowercase letters, uppercase letters, numbers and symbols) and reenter you password. Then click on Finish button. Using this user name and password you can log on to the server locally.

10. Unlock the page pressing Ctrl+Alt+Del buttons in order to unlock the page then sign in with the password you had entered before and press the Sign in button.

Welcome to Windows server 2016. Finally you upgraded Windows server 2012 to Windows server 2016. You can see the server Windows Server 2016 homepage + the latest improvements.

Conclusion

Finally, we upgraded Server 2012 to Windows Server 2016 and we can take deep breathes. For any kind of question feel free and leave a comment below. I’ll answer your questions as soon as possible. Hope you would like our articles and wait for the next.

If you like to know how to do the initial configuration of Windows Server 2016, please click on the link below and read the article on our website.

Check out: Initial configuration of Windows Server 2016

Tags MCSE, upgrade Windows Serve 2012, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2016

MCSA Servers

Create & Deploy Active Directory Snapshot in Windows Server 2016

Post author By Mehdi Karimi
Post date October 1, 2016
No Comments on Create & Deploy Active Directory Snapshot in Windows Server 2016

Create-Deploy-AD-Snapshot-in-Windows-Server-2016

A Snapshot is the exact copy of the original contents and configurations that is the easiest and cheapest way to create and deploy it on the additional domain controller. Like you can take a snapshot of Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and you use the snapshot for occasional usages like deploying on an additional domain controller, not like often tasks like backup. In this article, I will take a snapshot of my root domain controller (DC), which is the first domain controller of my active directory. Then, I will deploy the snapshot on the additional (DC). Snapshot is used for adding additional DC in remote sites, not in Local Area Networks (LAN). When you create a snapshot from active directory and save the files to a DVD or flash memory, then deploy it on the remote site on the new domain controller then you’ll have the exact contents and configurations on the new DC. So here first we will create then deploy Active Directory snapshots in Windows Server 2016.

Remember: This is the second part of adding an additional domain controller to existing domain, if you haven’t read that article, you ought to read that first. Click on the link below for reading the previous part, then continue reading this article.

Watch out: How to Add Additional Domain Controller to Existing Domain

Create Active Directory Snapshot on Current DC

Before getting started, make sure both, the current DC and additional DC needs to be the member of the same domain and both of them should be active or approached by you. So that you can take a snapshot from current DC and deploy it on the new DC.

Take Snapshot through PowerShell

1. Right-click on PowerShell icon and choose Run as administrator option due to run the PowerShell with administrative privileges.

2. Launch PowerShell as administrator and create the IFM (Install From Media) media. This media is a snapshot of AD DS. Now Run the ntdsutil.exe cmdlet to run the program, therefore, type ntdsutil.exe and press Enter key.

3. Type activate instance ntds, because it focuses the program on the installed AD DS instance.

Activate instance ntds cmdlet — Activate instance NTDS cmdlet

4. Type ifm to create the IFM (Install From Image) media.

5. Now you should decide you want full snapshot or not, to create a full snapshot type: create sysvol full c:\snapshot. The C:\snapshot is the path where I save the files, the program creates a folder by the name snapshot in the C:\ drive. When snapshot process completed, close the PowerShell window.

Finally the snapshot is ready to be deployed on the next domain controller. So, we will move to the new server and continue our deploying there. I’ve copied the files in a flash memory due to making the deployment easy then paste the files on the new DC’s desktop to use later.

Deploy Active Directory Snapshot on Additional DC

Snapshot Deployment

It is the time to turn on the new machine and get it ready to be promoted to new domain controller.

1. Install Active Directory Domain Services from Server Manager. If you don’t know how to do that, please refer to this link:

See this: Install Active Directory Domain Services on Windows Server

2. When the installation finished, click on Promote this server to a domain controller hyperlink.

Promote this server to a domiain controller hyperlink — Promote this server to a domain controller hyperlink

Or maybe you’ve closed the window and you don’t see the window containing hyperlink, don’t worry. Click on the flag on the top of the window, you can see the hyperlink.

Promote this server to domain controller hyperlink

3. Select Add domain controller to existing domain option. This option means that we have a domain and we just want to add an additional domain controller in the domain. Be sure that you’ve logged on by a user name who have the right to do these tasks then hit Next.

5. All options are disabled yet. Click on Allow domain controller reinstall to permit the domain controller, to be reinstalled on the new machine. Then enter a DSRM password then hit Next.

6. Select Install from media option to be enabled to use your AD DS snapshot. Then click on three dotted button, find the media path that you’ve the snapshot inside. Verify the IFM media by clicking on Verify button then hit Next.

7. In the Paths and Review options pages we have nothing to do, so just click on Next button. In the Prerequisites Check page click on Install button to install the domain controller. When domain controller installed, the machine will be restarted or restart manually if the server didn’t restarted automatically.

Conclusion

Consequently the new machine is domain controller in your domain. So log in to new domain controller, you’ll see the same contents as the previous domain controller. Active Directory snapshot is an easy and quick way than WAN link. If you used WAN link like internet, replication between two servers took long time. For any sort of question feel free and leave a comment. We will respond you as soon as possible.

Tags active directory, Active Directory Snapshot, ADDS

MCSA MCSE Servers

Add Additional Domain Controller to Existing Domain step by step

Post author By Mehdi Karimi
Post date September 16, 2016
3 Comments on Add Additional Domain Controller to Existing Domain step by step

As you know, Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) is installed on a server that is called Domain Controller (DC). You can add dozens of domain controllers to an active directory for load balancing, fault tolerance, etc purposes. All the domain controllers should contain the same contents like user accounts, computer accounts, etc for working as a group.

They need to replicate with each other. When you add a new domain controller to existing domain, they automatically replicate with each other. If the new DC and the previous DC are on the same site, they can replicate easily with each other. If the new DC is in a remote site, therefore automatic replication is not so practical. Because they are replicating through Wide Area Network (WAN) connection which costs much and takes a long time. That’s why I’ve written the article in two parts. Part 1 is for Local Area Network (LAN). Part 2 is for Wide Area Network(WAN).

In this article, we will learn how to add additional domain controller to existing domain in local area network(LAN). Let’s move on.

Check out: Install Active Directory Domain Services on Windows Server

Promote Windows Server to Domain Controller

Topics covered in this article:

Role Installation
Promote this server to a domain controller
Root DC and New DC Replication
Conclusion

Add Additional Domain Controller to Existing Domain

First of all, we need to install Active Directory Domain Services on the new DC, then promote that as DC.

#1: Role Installation

1. First of all open Server Manager by clicking on Server Manager icon in Start Menu. When Server Manager opened, click on Add roles and features to open roles and features installation console.

2. Skip the Before you Begin page. Let the role-based or featured-based installation selected; click on Next button. In the Server Selection page, again click Next button.

3. Select Active Directory Domain Services role, a window pops up, click on Add Features button to add active directory management tools.

When installation process is completed, reboot the server, log in as an administrator and furthermore follow the following steps.

#2: Promote this server to a domain controller

1. When logged in as an administrator, click on Promote this server to a domain controller hyperlink to promote the server to domain controller.

Promote this server to domain controller

2. Select the Add a domain controller to an existing domain option, below the specify the domain information for this operation, type your domain name. If you are logged as a standard user, you can change the credential below that. Click on Select button, a new window opens, select your domain name then hit on Ok then Next button.

3. In the Domain Controller Options page, leave unchecked the DNS server if you don’t want to install that on your DC. Let the Global Catalog checked. Type a password and confirm it then click Next button.

Domain Controller Optionsq — **Domain Controller Options**

4. In the Additional options page, Specify the server that you want replicate with and copy all information from that domain controller to new domain controller.You can take a snapshot from AD DS and apply the image on the new machine. The new machine will have the exact copy. You can read about the Install From Media (IFM) here:

Check out: Create & Deploy Active Directory Snapshot in Windows Server 2016

5. In the Paths and Review options pages almost we have nothing to do, skip them by clicking on Next button. In the prerequisite page if any error you see, check that then click on Install button.

#3: Root DC and New DC Replication

We are almost done, just use the DCs to replicate between the root DC(DC01.tactig) and the new DC(DC02.tactig). While replicating between these two DCs, the Active Directory files will be copied from the DC01.tactig to DC02.tactig. then check out, you will see all files exactly the same to the root domain controller in the current domain controller.

6. In the Server Manager, click on Tools and select Active directory sites and services option.

7. In the left pane expand the Sites>Default-First-Site-Name> Servers, then the name of the current server that you are now working on, then click on NTDS Settings. In my case DC01 is root doamin controller and I am logged in currently in DC02 which is additional domain controller.

8. Right-click on automatically generated node, Click on Replicate now, an alert informs you that replication between root domain controller and new domain controller occurred.

9. Do the same thing for DC01 in the same server. Expand DC01 node and click on NTDS Settings. Right-click on automatically generated then click on Replicate now option. Both server replicate with each other and all the contents of DC01 will be copied in DC02.

Conclusion

Finally we’re done! After all, you’ve completed replication between two DCs successfully, but remember if the DCs are in different sites, then you can do it using our next article that will be the second part in addition of this.

For part 2 click on this link: Create & Deploy Active Directory Snapshot in Windows Server 2016

Tags Additional DC, additional domain controller, DC, Domain Controller, server, server 2016

MCSA MCSE Servers

How to Backup Active Directory Fully in Windows Server 2016?

Post author By Mehdi Karimi
Post date July 1, 2016
1 Comment on How to Backup Active Directory Fully in Windows Server 2016?

Managing network is a critical task in the networking world but not much tough with active directory. The Active Directory was first time introduced in Windows Server 2000 for centralized domain management. Before the active directory, Microsoft had added tools to manage users, computers but they were not as efficient as active directory. The Active Directory Services (AD DS) or directly Active Directory (AD) is the repository of management and information. You can manage and have information of every type of information about users, computers, services. Also, it offers excellent services like load balancing, failover cluster. As much as it’s affected that much, you need just to make it relevant and take care of it means you need to take backup of the active directory if someone accidentally delete something or being hacked. Therefore, if the domain controller stops working, you should be able to restore the data back. Don’t worry, because we have the every solution of your problem, let’s move on and do it now.

Backup Active Directory in Windows Server 2016

The Active directory backup is not much involved. Indeed, you can learn and do it easily.

First of all, you need to install the Windows Backup Server, using Server Manager.

1. Open Server Manager, click on Add roles and features, skip the Welcome page clicking on Next button, then select the server you want to install the backup server on, click on Next button. It is not the role; it is a feature, skip the select Server Roles page. In the feature page, scroll down and check the Windows Server Backup, hit Next!

2. In the Confirm installation selections page, click on Install button. Take a rest, because it takes a while, no reboot is needed.

3. Now on the Server Manager, click on Tools, then click on Windows Server Backup at the end of the list to open the server.

4. Now the server backup is opened, click on backup once. If you like to make a schedule for active directory backup, so click on Backup schedule.

5. Select Different options, click on Next button because Different options are used while we don’t have any schedule for backup.

6. On the Select backup configuration page, two options are available, Full Server and Custom. We just want to take backup of the active directory, so we choose the second option.

7. In the Select items for the backup page, click on Add items button, select system state option and click on Ok button. so you are done here, hit next!

8. It is the time to decide where to restore the backup files, Local drives or shared folder; I choose the local drive.

9. In the Select backup destination page, the place for backup files restoration is specified.

10. We are done, so click on the Backup button, take a rest. Let the server do its work.

Backup Active Directory Fully on Windows Server 2016

Conclusion

Ok, hope it was informative and helpful, to restore the Active Directory backup, follow our next article covering restoring active directory’s backup.

Tags active direcotory, active directory, backup, Backup Active Directory, restore, server, server 2016, windows server