Managing a SharePoint Server Remotely

SharePoint's operating system, Windows Server 2003, has a built-in feature set that allows it to be easily managed remotely. This capability eases administration time, expenses, and energy by allowing administrators to manage systems from remote locations rather than having to be physically at the system.

Many tools are available to remotely manage a system. They include, but aren't limited to, the following:

• Microsoft Management Console (MMC) The MMC not only provides a unified interface for most, if not all, graphical interface utilities but also can be used to connect and manage remote systems. For example, administrators can use the Event Viewer to examine event logs on the local machine as well as a remote system.

• Remote Desktop for Administration This tool, also known as Terminal Services Remote Administration Mode, empowers administrators to log on to a remote system as if they were logging on to the system locally. The desktop and all functions are at the administrators' disposal.

• Scripting with Windows Scripting Host (WSH) Scripting on Windows Server 2003 can permit administrators to automate tasks locally or remotely. These scripts can be written using common scripting languages.

• Command-line utilities Many command-line utilities can manage systems remotely.

Using the Remote Desktop for Administration to Administer a SharePoint Server

Remote Desktop for Administration, formerly known as Terminal Services Remote Administration Mode, allows administrators to log on to a SharePoint server running Windows Server 2003 remotely as if they were logging on locally. This facilitates the remote administration of the entire server and reduces the amount of local administration required.

An administrator logging in to a server through Remote Administration mode can view a graphical interface just as if he was logged in at the local server. Therefore, administrators can use all the available tools and access all aspects of the server from a Terminal Services client session.

NOTE

The Remote Desktops snap-in can be used to connect to multiple Terminal Services servers or computers with the Remote Desktop for Administration enabled.

Remote Desktop for Administration is disabled by default, but it can be enabled by doing the following on the server:

1.	Double-click the System applet located in the Control Panel.
2.	Select the Remote tab, and check Allow Users to Connect Remotely to This Computer, as shown in Figure 18.17. Figure 18.17. Configuring remote desktop administration.
3.	Click OK when prompted.
4.	Administrators are now able to connect remotely to the server. You can optionally add other users by clicking the Select Remote Users button to display the Remote Desktop Users window.
5.	Click Add to display the Select Users window.
6.	Add the appropriate users to log on to the server. NOTE It is highly recommended that only administrators are allowed to access the server.
7.	Click OK three times to exit.

Using the Remote Control Add-on for Active Directory Users and Computers

A significant add-on to Windows 2003 for network administrators is the Remote Control Add-on for Active Directory Users and Computers. This tool provides an administrator the ability to right-click on a computer account in the Active Directory MMC and choose to remotely administer the system. The tool effectively launches a Terminal Services/Remote Desktop connection to the system.

The Remote Control Add-on for Active Directory Users and Computers is freely downloadable to all network administrators who are licensed for Windows Server 2003. The add-on is available at http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/downloads/featurepacks/default.mspx.

Using Telnet for Remote Access Management

Another remote access management mechanism is Telnet. Telnet is a gateway type of service through which an administrator or client can connect and log on to a server running the Telnet Server service. Although this is a viable service for administering the system, other remote management mechanisms such as Remote Desktop for Administration allow for greater flexibility and control.

CAUTION

Telnet sends usernames and passwords across the network in plain text and is not recommended in most scenarios, unless some form of encryption, such as IPSec, is used in addition to Telnet.