▶Book Description
Windows Server 2016 is the server operating system developed by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family of operating systems, developed concurrently with Windows 10. With Windows Server 2016, Microsoft has gotten us thinking outside of the box for what it means to be a system administration, and comes with some interesting new capabilities. These are exciting times to be or to become a server administrator!
This book covers all aspects of administration level tasks and activities required to gain expertise in Microsoft Windows Server 2016. You will begin by getting familiar and comfortable navigating around in the interface. Next, you will learn to install and manage Windows Server 2016 and discover some tips for adapting to the new server management ideology that is all about centralized monitoring and configuration.
You will deep dive into core Microsoft infrastructure technologies that the majority of companies are going to run on Server 2016. Core technologies such as Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, Certificate Services, File Services, and more. We will talk about networking in this new operating system, giving you a networking toolset that is useful for everyday troubleshooting and maintenance. Also discussed is the idea of Software Defined Networking. You will later walk through different aspects of certificate administration in Windows Server 2016. Three important and crucial areas to cover in the Remote Access role -- DirectAccess, VPN, and the Web Application Proxy -- are also covered.
You will then move into security functions and benefits that are available in Windows Server 2016. Also covered is the brand new and all-important Nano Server!
We will incorporate PowerShell as a central platform for performing many of the functions that are discussed in this book, including a chapter dedicated to the new PowerShell 5.0. Additionally, you will learn about the new built-in integration for Docker with this latest release of Windows Server 2016. The book ends with a discussion and information on virtualizing your datacenter with Hyper-V.
By the end of this book, you will have all the ammunition required to start planning for and implementing Windows Server 2016.
▶What You Will Learn
- Familiarize yourself with Windows Server 2016's ideology, the core of most datacenters running today
- Learn the new functions and benefits provided only by the new Windows Server 2016
- Get comfortable working with Nano Server and Server Core
- Secure your network with new technologies in Windows Server 2016
- Harden your Windows Servers to help keep those bad guys out!
- Use new built-in integration with Docker with this latest release of Windows Server 2016
- Virtualize your datacenter with Hyper-V
▶Key Features
- In-depth coverage of new features of Windows Server 2016
- Gain the necessary skills and knowledge to design and implement Microsoft Server 2016 in enterprise environment
- Know how you can support your medium to large enterprise and leverage your experience in administering Microsoft Server 2016,
- A practical guide to administering Windows server 2016
▶Who This Book Is For
Anyone interested in Windows Server 2016 or in learning more in general about a Microsoft-centric datacenter will benefit from this book. An important deciding factor when choosing which content was appropriate for such a volume was making sure that anyone who had a baseline in working with computers could pick this up and start making use of it within their own networks. If you are already proficient in the Microsoft infrastructure technologies and have worked with prior versions of Windows Server, there are some focused topics on the parts and pieces that are brand new only in Server 2016. On the other hand, if you are currently in a desktop support role or if you are coming fresh into the IT workforce, care was taken in the pages of this book to ensure that you will receive a rounded understanding not only of what is brand new in Server 2016, but what core capabilities it includes that are carry-over from the previous versions of the operating system, but are still critical knowledge to have when working in a Microsoft-driven datacenter
▶What this book covers
- Chapter 1, Getting Started with Windows Server 2016, gives us an introduction to the new operating system and an overhead view of the new technologies and capabilities that it can provide. We will also spend a little bit of time exploring the new interface for those who may not be comfortable with it yet.
- Chapter 2, Installing and Managing Windows Server 2016, dives right into the very first thing we will have to do when working with Server 2016, install it! From there, we will start to expand upon Microsoft's centralized management mentality, exploring the ways that we can now manage and interact with our servers without ever having to log into them.
- Chapter 3, Core Infrastructure Services, gives us a solid baseline on the technologies that make up the infrastructure of any Microsoft-centric network. We will discuss the "big three"—AD, DNS, and DHCP—and also address some Server Backup capabilities as well as a cheat-sheet list of MMC and MSC shortcuts to make your day job easier.
- Chapter 4, Certificates in Windows Server 2016, jumps into one of the pieces of Windows Server that has existed for many years and yet the majority of server administrators that I meet are unfamiliar with. Let's take a closer look at certificates as they become more and more commonly required for the new technologies that we roll out. By the end of this chapter, you should be able to spin up your own PKI and start issuing certificates for free!
- Chapter 5, Networking with Windows Server 2016, begins with an introduction to that big scary IPv6, and continues from there into building a toolbox of items that are built into Windows Server 2016 and can be used in your daily networking tasks. We will also discuss Software-Defined Networking.
- Chapter 6, Enabling Your Mobile Workforce, takes a look at the three remote access technologies that are built into Windows Server 2016. Follow along as we explore the capabilities provided by VPN, DirectAccess, and the Web Application Proxy.
- Chapter 7, Hardening and Security, gives some insight into security and encryption functions that are built into Windows Server 2016. Security is the top focus of CIOs everywhere this year, let's explore what protection mechanisms are available to us out of the box.
- Chapter 8, Tiny Servers, throws us into the shrinking world of headless servers. We will take a look at both Server Core, which has existed for years unbeknownst to many IT personnel, and also at Nano Server, which is brand new for Server 2016.
- Chapter 9, Redundancy in Windows Server 2016, takes a look at two different platforms in Server 2016 that provide powerful data and computing redundancy. Follow along as we discuss Network Load Balancing as well as Failover Clustering.
- Chapter 10, Learning PowerShell 5.0, gets us into the new, blue command-line interface so that we can become comfortable using it, and also learn why it is so much more powerful than command prompt. PowerShell is quickly becoming an indispensable tool for administering servers, especially if you are interested in Nano Server.
- Chapter 11, Application Containers and Docker, brings the terms open source and Linux into a Microsoft book! Let's figure out together why Microsoft thinks this new containers thing is going to be such a big deal, and try out some of the new tools that we will have to learn in order to start using these containers to enhance our DevOps story.
- Chapter 12, Virtualizing Your Datacenter with Hyper-V, covers a no-brainer topic to learn when working in a Microsoft network. Organizations have been moving their servers over to virtual machines in mass quantities over the past few years. Let's use this chapter to make sure you understand how that hypervisor works and gives you the resources needed to build and manage one if and when you have the need.
