Using Graphical Administrative Tools

Windows Server 2003 provides several types of tools for system administration. The graphical user interface (GUI)-based tools are the ones you'll use the most. Usually you can use graphical administrative tools to manage the system to which you're currently logged on, as well as systems throughout Windows Server 2003 domains. For example, in the Component Services console you specify the computer you want to work with by right-clicking the Event Viewer entry in the left panel and then choosing Connect To Another Computer. This opens the Select Computer dialog box shown in Figure 1-3. You can then choose Another Computer and type the name of the computer, as shown.

Figure 1-3. Connecting to another computer allows you to manage remote resources.

Key Graphical Administrative Tools

Table 1-1 lists the key graphical administrative tools and their uses. You can access these tools by selecting them on the Administrative Tools submenu or by double-clicking Administrative Tools in the Control Panel.

Table 1-1. Quick Reference for Key Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools

Administrative Tool	Purpose
Active Directory Domains and Trusts	Manage trust relationships between domains
Active Directory Sites and Services	Create sites to manage the replication of Active Directory information
Active Directory Users and Computers	Manage users, groups, computers, and other objects in the Active Directory
Certification Authority	Manage certificate services
Cluster Administrator	Manage the Cluster service
Component Services	Configure and manage COM+ applications; manage events and services
Computer Management	Start and stop services, manage disks, and access other system tools
Configure Your Server	Add, remove, and configure Windows services for the network
Connection Manager Administration Kit	Configure and customize Connection Manager
Data Sources (ODBC)	Add, remove, and configure Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) data sources and drivers
DHCP	Configure and manage the DHCP service
Distributed File System	Create and manage distributed file systems that connect shared folders from different computers
DNS	Manage the DNS service
Domain Controller Security Policy	View and modify security policy for a domain controller's organizational unit
Domain Security Policy	View and modify domain security policy
Event Viewer	Manage events and logs
Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager	Manage Web, File Transfer Protocol (FTP), and SMTP servers
Licensing	Manage client access licensing for server products
Microsoft Network Monitor	Monitor network traffic and troubleshoot networking problems
Performance	Display graphs of system performance and configure data logs and alerts
QoS Admission Control	Manage the Quality of Service (QoS) Admissions Control service, which provides resource and bandwidth management for network traffic
Remote Desktop	Configure remote connections and view remote desktop sessions
Remote Storage	Manage the Remote Storage service, which automatically transfers data from infrequently used files to tape libraries
Routing and Remote Access	Configure and manage the Routing and Remote Access service, which controls routing interfaces, dynamic IP routing, and remote access
Server Extensions Administrator	Manage server extensions, such as the Microsoft FrontPage Server extensions
Services	Manage the startup and configuration of Windows services
Telnet Server Manager	Manage telnet service and user sessions
Terminal Services Configuration	Manage Terminal Service protocol configurations and server settings
Terminal Services Manager	Manage and monitor Terminal Service users, sessions, and processes
WINS	Manage WINS, which resolves NetBIOS names to IP addresses

Tools and Configuration

Which administrative tools are available on your system depends on its configuration. When you add services, the tools needed to manage those services are installed on the server. These same tools might not be available in Windows XP Professional or on another server. In this case you might want to install the administration tools on the workstation you're using. To install Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools, complete the following steps:

1. Log on to the workstation using an account with administrator privileges.

2. Insert the Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM into the CD-ROM drive.

3. When the Autorun screen appears, click Perform Additional Tasks, and then click Browse This CD. This starts Windows Explorer.

4. Double-click I386 and then double-click Adminpak.msi. The complete set of Windows Server 2003 management tools are installed on your workstation or server.

Real World

The Windows 2000 administration tools are incompatible with Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003. If you upgraded to Windows XP Professional from Windows 2000 Professional, you'll find that many of the Windows 2000 administration tools won't work, and you'll encounter errors frequently. You should uninstall these tools and instead install the Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack (Adminpak.msi) on the Windows XP Professional systems that administrators use. The Windows Server 2003 administration tools are compatible with both Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003.