Remote computer management in Windows Server 2008 R2

TipsMake.com - Unlike Windows Server 2008 RTM, Windows Server 2008 R2 has a feature that allows you to remotely manage using Server Manager.

Note : Windows Server 2008 RTM can also be managed remotely. You can easily manage these servers with MMC Snap-In. However, using Server Manager in R2 is new .

By using Server Manager to remotely manage Windows Server 2008 R2 servers, you can manage:

Server to server : Fully installed Server Manager in Windows Server 2008 R2 can be used to manage the roles and features installed on another server running Windows Server 2008 R2.

Server to Server Core - Server Manager in a fully installed Windows Server 2008 R2 can be used to manage the roles and features installed on a Server Core of Windows Server 2008 R2.

Client to server - Server Manager is installed as part of the Remote Server Administration Tools - RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tool Group) on a computer running Windows 7 operating system. It is used to manage roles. and feature on a computer that runs Server Core of Windows Server 2008 R2. To install Server Manager on Windows 7 operating system, you need to install RSAT.

Things you can do remotely with Server Manager include:

• Display Windows auto update status.

• Run Best Practices Analyzer.

• Display or change information of Windows Firewall.

• Display and manage roles.

• Manage installed service roles

• Display Internet Explorer Advanced Security Configuration (IE ESC) settings

• Configure Windows Error Reporting

• Display or change the Windows Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) status.

However, since this feature is still not 100% complete, you can't control everything. Here's what you can't do with Server Manager.

• Add or remove remove roles, roles services, and features

• Configure Remote Desktop settings

• Configure System Properties

• Check the new role

• Change Windows auto update settings

• Change network settings

• Change the computer name or domain member

• Change Internet Explorer Advanced Security Configuration settings

• Run the Security Configuration Wizard, if the source computer is a server running Windows Server 2008 R2

How to turn on remote management:

Suppose the remote management server is fully installed and ready to operate. First, open Server Manager on the control server

Click the Configure Server Manager for Remote Management link

Select Enable remote management of this server from other computers

Click OK .

Remote computer management in Windows Server 2008 R2 Picture 1

The server's firewall will automatically configure to allow relevant information.

How do you connect to the control server?

On the server (running Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows with RSAT), open Server Manager

Right-click Server Manager and select Connect to Another Computer

Remote computer management in Windows Server 2008 R2 Picture 2

In the Connect to Another Computer window, type the name or browse to the server you want to connect to.

Remote computer management in Windows Server 2008 R2 Picture 3

If you want to keep the remote connection and do not want to reconfigure the admin server name after each time, you can open a new MMC window, add the Server Manager snap-in, connect to the administrative server and save Repeat this snap-in.