Setting up a Windows Server 2003 part 1

In previous tutorials, we studied a lot about the configuration of Linux servers, including the configuration of Samba servers. We now also studying a little on the dark side of the force, seeing how things work in the world of Windows servers.

The objective of this tutorial is to serve as an introduction to the configuration of Windows 2003 Server, showing the main features of the system and the basic steps to configure it. The idea is not to transform it into an expert in Windows networks, but provide a summary of options available, demystifying the subject.

Indeed, the 2003 server already has a successor, Windows 2008 Server. Nevertheless, Server 2003 still remains the most widely used for many years as the pace of upgrading the servers is much slower than in desktops, since the investment required to upgrade the servers (including machinery, manpower and other costs related) is larger and we also have the risk of something go wrong during the migration, causing interruption in network services and causing damage.

Windows 2003 Server has several different versions, which are differentiated by price and features offered by:

Standard Edition: This is the standard version of the system, intended for use in general purpose servers deed. It supports machines with up to 4 processors and up to 4 GB of RAM. Along with the x64-bit version, this is the version you use on a network server location.

Web edition: This is a limited version of the system, intended to be used in Web servers, which is offered to companies in the hosting costs. It supports machines with up to two processors and up to 2 GB of RAM and offers a limited set of services. To hire a web server with Windows, this is probably the version that will be used.

Enterprise Edition: It supports machines with up to 8 processors and allows you to configure clusters with up to 8 machines. She supports PAE, which allows access up to 32 GB of RAM in 32-bit processors to provide support to the appeal. This version is typically used in large servers, databases and servers in high availability.

Datacenter Edition: This version runs on a proprietary hardware architecture, which can use up to 64 processors.The system comes with the hardware and a service package that includes the implementation, making it an incredibly expensive solution, restricted to some specific niches.

x64-bit Edition: This is the version with support for 64-bit processors. It offers the same features of Standard Edition and is configured the same way, but supports more RAM and can run applications optimized for the use of 64-bit instructions.

Although the licenses to use the 2003 Server are relatively expensive, you can download a trial version of the system, which can be used without restrictions for 180 days at:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/

(use the link "Download Windows Server 2003 R2 for a Trial Run")

You can use the trial version to study the system, or even to implement a home network for testing purposes. The idea of Microsoft is just to facilitate access to those who want to learn to use it, but hang it later in time to deploy the system in your company. As in the case of Windows Vista, you must register the system (free process) for the license to use for 180 days, otherwise it expires after two weeks.

Many of the functions performed by server 2003 may be implemented in other versions of Windows running additional software. You could, for example, turning a machine running Windows XP on a web server by installing the Windows versions of Apache, the PHP and MySQL, but you could not have the same services and the same management tools available on 2003 Server. Moreover, if you want to run a web server with Apache, it would be simpler and more secure directly using a Linux server, because Windows XP is an operating system for use in desktops, and has a little history of security honorable.

Overall, Windows servers are used in situations where the native resources of the system provide any real benefit (such as Active Directory, for example), when the administrative body responsible for the network only has experience with the implementation of Windows servers (in this case possibly be more expensive to recycle all of the team that paid for the licenses required), or when it is necessary to use software or platforms that run only on Windows.

Returning to the 2003 Server, the basic configuration options of the server is centralized in the "Configure Your Server Wizard", available through the Start> Manage Your Server. " Through it you can add functions (roles) to the server, according to the functions to which it is intended:

All services configurable through it can be configured through the control panel, the wizard is only a facilitator. If you have activated a service by other means, it is marked as configured in the wizard. In the screenshot, for example, the function of file server "File Server" is marked as a shared folder manually. In such cases the wizard can also be used to remove the previous configuration.

As you can see, I chose to use the English version of 2003 Server screenshots in the topic instead of the version in Portuguese because, contrary to what we have in the desktop versions of Windows, both the English version in Portuguese are also used in . As it is easier for someone familiar with the English version using the version in Portuguese of the contrary, I chose to use it in examples.