Initial Configuration Tasks
One of the new features of Windows 2008 is the Initial Configuration Tasks Wizard. Windows 2008 streamlines the default installation steps, allowing an administrator to quickly set up a new server without having to answer an endless stream of questions.
This helps separate the tasks of installing the base operating system and configuring the server, making the best use of the administrator's time. This will be a welcome relief to all the administrators who have sat through a prior Windows version install watching files get copied from CD to the hard drive.
After the server operating system has been installed, it will boot up into a secure state and be ready for the initial configuration tasks. The initial configuration tasks are broken into three general categories:
- Provide Computer Information: This section is where computer-specific information such as the administrator password, time zone, network configuration, and computer name are set.
- Update This Server: This section of tasks is where the automatic update options are set and the updates are manually installed.
- Customize This Server: This section is where the roles and features for the computer are added, as well as configuring the remote desktop and the firewall.
The initial configuration settings are stripped down and basic (as shown in Table-1), with little or no security. For example, the latest security updates have not been applied and the system is not configured to download them automatically. Thus, the Windows Firewall is enabled by default to protect the server from network access until the initial configuration is completed and the Remote Desktop feature is turned off.
TABLE-1 Default Configuration Settings| Setting | Default Configuration |
|---|---|
| Time zone | Pacific Time (GMT-8) is the time zone set by default. |
| Computer name | The computer name is randomly assigned during installation. Administrators can modify the computer name by using commands in the Initial Configuration Tasks Wizard. |
| Domain membership | The computer is not joined to a domain by default; it is joined to a workgroup named WORKGROUP. |
| Windows Update | Windows Update is turned off by default. |
| Network connections | All network connections are set to obtain IP addresses automatically by using DHCP |
| Windows Firewall | Windows Firewall is turned on by default. |
| Roles installed | No role or features are installed by default. |
Each of the settings can be configured via wizards that launch from the Initial Configuration Tasks Wizard, making it easy to configure the server.
In this tutorial:
- Windows Server 2008 Management and Maintenance
- Initial Configuration Tasks
- Managing Windows Server 2008 Roles and Features
- Server Manager
- Server Manager Diagnostics Page
- Server Manager Reliability and Performance Monitor
- Server Manager Configuration Page
- Server Manager Storage Page
- Auditing the Environment
- Auditing Resource Access
- Managing Windows Server 2008 Remotely
- Server Manager Command-Line Tool
- Using Common Practices for Securing and Managing Windows Server 2008
- Keeping Up with Service Packs and Updates
- Maintaining Windows Server 2008
- Running the Domain Controller Diagnosis Utility