Chapter 20. Windows Server 2003 System Registry

In This Chapter

• Windows Server 2003 Registry Architecture

• The Windows Server 2003 Registry Editor

• Protecting the Registry

• Maintaining the Registry

• Backing Up the Registry

The concept of a centralized repository of hardware- and software-related information for a system isn't new, but it was perfected starting with Windows 95. This central repository was called the Registry. The Registry was designed to overcome the limitations of .ini and .dat files used in previous Microsoft operating systems.

Since its initial implementation, the concept behind the Registry and its purpose haven't undergone a tremendous amount of change. It remains a database containing hardware, operating system, policy, file association, and application configuration information. It also houses information on users who log on to the system. As you can tell, the Registry is involved in almost every aspect of the system. Because of its involvement, you need to have a solid understanding of the Registry, how to manage and maintain it, and how to secure it from unauthorized access.

Regrettably, the Registry's capabilities and uses are rarely fully understood by system administrators, much less end users. This is partly because of the Registry's complexity and also because of the fact that many users are somewhat intimidated by the warning messages about modifying the Registry. Although it is true that modifications can have disastrous effects on the entire system, Registry changes occur more often than you realize. Most of these changes take place through the GUI, but some system configurations can happen more efficiently either through a manual Registry modification (instead of going through a series of dialog boxes) or only through a manual change.

The Windows Server 2003 Registry is not a piece of the operating system to take lightly. Because Windows Server 2003 relies greatly on the Registry to function, it is critical that you understand the Registry's approach to system configuration. This chapter serves to give you the necessary information to manipulate the Registry so that you maintain system reliability and performance. Overall, this chapter focuses on the following four key topics related to the Windows Server 2003 Registry:

• Understanding the Registry's structural design

• Properly using the tools available to manage and maintain the Registry

• Adequately protecting the Registry

• Backing up and restoring the Registry