Microsoft Management ConsoleConcepts |
WS2003 administration is based largely on a software framework called the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). The MMC is an application that in itself has no administrative functionality, but in which other software components called snap-ins can be installed and utilized. Each of these snap-ins provides basic administrative functionality for some component or aspect of WS2003. When one or more snap-ins are installed in the MMC, the result is called a console. WS2003 includes a number of preconfigured consoles and utilities called administrative tools. These tools can be launched by shortcuts found in the Administrative Tools program group .
Table 4-28 lists the various snap-ins included with WS2003. If the table entry under "Component Required" is "None," the snap-in is present when a typical setup of WS2003 has been performed; otherwise , the associated Windows component must be installed before the snap-in becomes available in the Add/Remove Standalone Snap-in box.
Snap-in | Component required |
---|---|
.NET Framework 1.1 Configuration | None |
Active Directory Domains and Trusts | None |
Active Directory Sites and Services | None |
Active Directory Users and Computers | None |
ActiveX Control | None |
Authorization Manager | None |
Certificate Templates | None |
Certificates | None |
Certification Authority | None |
Component Services | None |
Computer Management | None |
Device Manager | None |
DHCP | DHCP |
Disk Defragmenter | None |
Disk Management | None |
Distributed File System | None |
DNS | DNS |
Event Viewer | None |
Fax Service Management | Fax Service |
Folder | None |
FrontPage Server Extensions | FrontPage Server Extensions |
Group Policy Object Editor | None |
Indexing Service | None |
Internet Authentication Service (IAS) | None |
Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager | IIS |
IP Security Monitor | None |
IP Security Policy Management | None |
Link to Web Address | None |
Local Users and Groups | None |
Performance Logs and Alerts | None |
QoS Admission Control | QoS Admission Control |
Remote Desktop | None |
Remote Storage | Remote Storage |
Removable Storage Management | None |
Resultant Set of Policy | None |
Routing and Remote Access | None |
Security Configuration and Analysis | None |
Security Templates | None |
Services | None |
Shared Folders | None |
Telephony | None |
Terminal Services Client Creator | Terminal Services |
Terminal Services Configuration | None |
Terminal Services Licensing | Terminal Services Licensing |
Terminal Services Manager | Terminal Services |
WINS | WINS |
Wireless Monitor | None |
WMI Control | None |
When you try to add a snap-in to an MMC console, a dialog box sometimes appears prompting you for further information. For example, if you try to add the Computer Management snap-in to a console, a dialog box appears prompting you to specify whether the console will be used to manage the local computer or a remote computer. As a different example, when you install the Shared Folders snap-in, you must specify whether to display all three subnodes (Shares, Sessions, and Open Files) or just one of them. Table 4-29 summarizes the options offered when installing various snap-ins. When no options are indicated, no dialog box appears when you try to add the snap-in.
Snap-in | Manage local or remote computer | Select computer from command line | Other options |
---|---|---|---|
Active Directory Domains and Trusts | |||
Active Directory Sites and Services | |||
Active Directory Users and Computers | |||
ActiveX Control | Starts the Insert ActiveX Control Wizard | ||
Certificates | Can specify whether to manage the user , service, or computer account | ||
Component Services | |||
Computer Management | Yes | Yes | |
Device Manager | Yes | ||
Disk Defragmenter | |||
Disk Management | Yes | ||
Distributed File System | |||
DNS | |||
Event Viewer | Yes | Yes | |
Fax Service Management | Yes | ||
Folder | |||
FrontPage Server Extensions | |||
Group Policy | Yes | Yes | |
Indexing Service | Yes | ||
Internet Authentication Service | Yes | ||
Internet Information Services | |||
IP Security Policy Management | Yes | Can manage domain policy for current or different domain | |
Link to Web Address | Can specify URL | ||
Local Users and Groups | Yes | Yes | |
Performance Logs and Alerts | |||
QoS Admission Control | |||
Removable Storage Management | Yes | Yes | |
Routing and Remote Access | |||
Security Configuration and Analysis | |||
Security Templates | |||
Services | Yes | Yes | |
Shared Folders | Yes | Yes | Can also display one or all subnodes |
System Information | Yes | ||
Telephony | |||
WMI Control | Yes | Can specify credentials when managing remote computers |
Let's examine one particular administrative tool as an example of a preconfigured MMC console. The tool we will look at is Computer Management, which is used to manage a variety of resources on both local and remote computers. You can launch the Computer Management console in several ways:
Start Programs Administrative Tools Computer Management
By using My Computer or Windows Explorer to browse the System32 folder and double-clicking on the file compmgmt.msc
From the command line by typing %SystemRoot%\system32\compmgmt.msc
By opening a new (blank) MMC console and adding the Computer Management snap-in to create a custom MMC console
Computer Management consists of a single window with two panes:
Displays a treelike structure of different nodes called the console tree. The root node identifies the snap-in involved (Computer Management) and displays which computer is currently being managed (local computer). Beneath the root node are three containers (System Tools, Storage, and Services and Applications) whose only purpose is to group together the nodes under them according to function or usagethese nodes themselves being either leaf nodes (nodes that can't contain other nodes) or further containers.
Also called the details pane. What is displayed in this pane depends entirely on which node is selected in the left pane of the console tree. For example, if you select Event Viewer under System Tools in the left pane, the right pane displays a simple list showing the various logs that are managed by this tool. The details pane can also contain more complex elements such as multiple subpanes, graphic elements, or web pages, depending on the node selected in the console tree.
Besides the other usual Windows gadgets (titlebar, control gadget, sizing gadgets, status bar), there is also a toolbar displayed in the console window. This toolbar is context-sensitive, meaning that it changes depending on which node you select in the console tree or which object you select in the details pane. The toolbar typically includes several drop-down menus such as Action and View, usually providing the same set of options you obtain in the shortcut menu when you right-click on a node in the console tree or an object in the details pane.
The real power of the MMC, however, resides in the capability of creating your own custom MMC consoles. Custom consoles can contain any snap-ins you wish and can be arranged into a console tree in any fashion you desire . Some of the reasons you might want to create custom consoles include:
Creating a console that can be used to manage the resources on more than one computer at a time (the preconfigured administrative tool called Computer Management can connect to only one computer at a time)
Creating a console that can be used to manage a limited subset of resources on a computer and then assigning this console to a junior-level administrator
Creating a console with multiple windows arranged just the way you like it
Creating a console with shortcuts to frequently used nodes and objects to facilitate easy administration of those nodes and objects
Table 4-30 lists the various preconfigured consoles ( .msc files) installed on WS2003. Some of these files are present only when certain optional Windows components like DHCP or DNS are installed. All of these are found in the \System32 folder except:
\system32\Com
\system32\inetsrv
\system32\Microsoft.NET\Framework\version
File | Console |
---|---|
acssnap.msc | QoS Admission Control |
appsrv.msc | Application Server |
asman.msc | Authorization Manager |
certmgr.msc | Certificates |
certsrv.msc | Certification Authority |
certtmpl.msc | Certificate Templates |
ciadv.msc | Indexing Service |
comexp.msc | Component Services |
compmgmt.msc | Computer Management |
dcpol.msc | Domain Controller Security Policy |
devmgmt.msc | Device Manager |
dfrg.msc | Disk Defragmenter |
DFSgui.msc | Distributed File System |
dhcpmgmt.msc | DHCP |
diskmgmt.msc | Disk Management |
dnsmgmt.msc | DNS |
domain.msc | Active Directory Domains and Trusts |
dompol.msc | Domain Security Policy |
dsa.msc | Active Directory Users and Computers |
dssite.msc | Active Directory Sites and Services |
eventvwr.msc | Event Viewer |
faxserv.msc | Fax Service Management |
filesrv.msc | File Server Management |
fsmgmt.msc | Shared Folders |
gpedit.msc | Group Policy Object Editor |
ias.msc | Internet Authentication Service |
iis.msc | Internet Information Services |
lusrmgr.msc | Local Users and Groups |
mscorcfg.msc | .NET 1.1 Configuration |
ntmsmgr.msc | Removable Storage |
ntmsoprq.msc | Removable Storage Operator Requests |
perfmon.msc | Performance |
rrasmgmt.msc | Routing and Remote Access |
rsadmin.msc | Remote Storage |
rsop.msc | Resultant Set of Policy |
secpol.msc | Local Security Settings |
services.msc | Services |
tapimgmt.msc | Telephony |
tscc.msc | Terminal Services Configuration |
tsmcc.msc | Remote Desktops |
winsmgmt.msc | WINS |
wmimgmt.msc | Windows Management Infrastructure (WMI) |