172291793 administering windows server 2012 20411b

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Product Number: 20411B

Part Number: X18-77105

Released: 12/2012

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Acknowledgments

Microsoft Learning wants to acknowledge and thank the following for their contribution toward developing this title. Their effort

at various stages in the development has ensured that you have a good classroom experience.

Andrew J. Warren – Content Developer

Andrew Warren has more than 25 years of experience in the IT industry, many of which he has spent teaching and writing. He has

been involved as a subject matter expert for many of the Windows Server® 2008 courses, and the technical lead on a number of

other courses. He also has been involved in developing TechNet sessions on Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007. Based in the

United Kingdom, Andrew runs his own IT training and education consultancy.

Jason Kellington – Content Developer

Jason Kellington (Microsoft Certified Trainer (MCT), Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP), and Microsoft Certified Solutions

Expert (MCSE) is a consultant, trainer, and author. He has experience working with a wide range of Microsoft technologies,

focusing on enterprise network infrastructure. Jason works in several capacities with Microsoft. He is a content developer for

Microsoft Learning courseware titles, a senior technical writer for Microsoft IT Showcase, and an author for Microsoft Press®.

Brian Desmond – Technical Reviewer

Brian Desmond is a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) and consultant based out of Chicago, Illinois. Brian focuses on

Active Directory®, Exchange Server, and Identity Management projects for global enterprise customers. Brian is the author of

Active Directory, 4th Edition (O’Reilly), and numerous articles in industry leading publications such as Windows IT Pro magazine.

A frequent traveler, you can usually find Brian on the road speaking at conferences and visiting customers.

David Susemiehl – Content Developer

David Susemiehl has worked as consultant, trainer, and courseware developer since 1996. David has extensive experience

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consulting on Microsoft Systems Management Server and Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007, as well as

Active Directory, Exchange Server, and Terminal Server/Citrix deployments. David has developed courseware development for

Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard, and delivered those courses successfully in Europe, Central America, and across North America.

For the last several years, David has been writing courseware for Microsoft Learning, and consulting on infrastructure transitions

in Michigan.

Contents

Title Copyright

Welcome!

Acknowledgments

About ThisCourse

About This Course

Course Materials

Virtual Machine Environment

Module 1: Deploying and Maintaining Server Images

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Overview of Windows Deployment Services

Lesson 2: Implementing Deployment with Windows Deployment Services

Lesson 3: Administering Windows Deployment Services

Lab: Using Windows Deployment Services to Deploy Windows Server 2012

Module Review and Takeaways

Module 2: Configuring and Troubleshooting Domain Name System

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Installing the DNS Server Role

Lesson 2: Configuring the DNS Server Role

Lesson 3: Configuring DNS Zones

Lesson 4: Configuring DNS Zone Transfers

Lesson 5: Managing and Troubleshooting DNS

Lab: Configuring and Troubleshooting DNS


Module 3: Maintaining Active Directory Domain Services

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Overview of AD DS

Lesson 2: Implementing Virtualized Domain Controllers

Lesson 3: Implementing Read-Only Domain Controllers

Lesson 4: Administering AD DS

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Lesson 5: Managing the AD DS Database

Lab: Maintaining AD DS


Module 4: Managing User and Service Accounts

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Automating User Account Management

Lesson 2: Configuring Password-Policy and User-Account Lockout Settings

Lesson 3: Configuring Managed Service Accounts

Lab: Managing User and Service Accounts


Module 5: Implementing a Group Policy Infrastructure

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Introducing Group Policy

Lesson 2: Implementing and Administering GPOs

Lesson 3: Group Policy Scope and Group Policy Processing

Lesson 4: Troubleshooting the Application of GPOs

Lab: Implementing a Group Policy Infrastructure


Module 6: Managing User Desktops with Group Policy

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Implementing Administrative Templates

Lesson 2: Configuring Folder Redirection and Scripts

Lesson 3: Configuring Group Policy Preferences

Lesson 4: Managing Software with Group Policy

Lab: Managing User Desktops with Group Policy


Module 7: Configuring and Troubleshooting Remote Access

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Configuring Network Access

Lesson 2: Configuring VPN Access

Lesson 3: Overview of Network Policies

Lesson 4: Troubleshooting Routing and Remote Access

Lab A: Configuring Remote Access

Lesson 5: Configuring DirectAccess

Lab B: Configuring DirectAccess




































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Module 8: Installing, Configuring, and Troubleshooting the Network Policy Server Role

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Installing and Configuring a Network Policy Server

Lesson 2: Configuring RADIUS Clients and Servers

Lesson 3: NPS Authentication Methods

Lesson 4: Monitoring and Troubleshooting a Network Policy Server

Lab: Installing and Configuring a Network Policy Server


Module 9: Implementing Network Access Protection

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Overview of Network Access Protection

Lesson 2: Overview of NAP Enforcement Processes

Lesson 3: Configuring NAP

Lesson 4: Monitoring and Troubleshooting NAP

Lab: Implementing NAP


Module 10: Optimizing File Services

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Overview of FSRM

Lesson 2: Using FSRM to Manage Quotas, File Screens, and Storage Reports

Lesson 3: Implementing Classification and File Management Tasks

Lab A: Configuring Quotas and File Screening Using FSRM

Lesson 4: Overview of DFS

Lesson 5: Configuring DFS Namespaces

Lesson 6: Configuring and Troubleshooting DFS-R

Lab B: Implementing DFS


Module 11: Configuring Encryption and Advanced Auditing

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Encrypting Files by Using Encrypting File System

Lesson 2: Configuring Advanced Auditing

Lab: Configuring Encryption and Advanced Auditing




































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Module 12: Implementing Update Management

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Overview of WSUS

Lesson 2: Deploying Updates with WSUS

Lab: Implementing Update Management


Module 13: Monitoring Windows Server 2012

Module Overview

Lesson 1 : Monitoring Tools

Lesson 2: Using Performance Monitor

Lesson 3: Monitoring Event Logs

Lab: Monitoring Windows Server 2012


Course Evaluation

Lab Answer Key: Module 1: Deploying and Maintaining Server Images


Lab Answer Key: Module 2: Configuring and Troubleshooting Domain Name System


Lab Answer Key: Module 3: Maintaining Active Directory Domain Services


Lab Answer Key: Module 4: Managing User and Service Accounts


Lab Answer Key: Module 5: Implementing a Group Policy Infrastructure


Lab Answer Key: Module 6: Managing User Desktops with Group Policy


Lab Answer Key: Module 7: Configuring and Troubleshooting Remote Access



Lab Answer Key: Module 8: Installing, Configuring, and Troubleshooting the Network Policy Server Role


Lab Answer Key: Module 9: Implementing Network Access Protection


Lab Answer Key: Module 10: Optimizing File Services


















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Lab Answer Key: Module 11: Configuring Encryption and Advanced Auditing


Lab Answer Key: Module 12: Implementing Update Management


Lab Answer Key: Module 13: Monitoring Windows Server® 2012








5/21/13 About This Course


About This Course

This section provides you with a brief description of the course—20411B: Administering Windows Server® 2012— audience,

suggested prerequisites, and course objectives.

Course Description

The main objective for this course is to configure and maintain core infrastructure services in a Windows Server 2012 enterprise

environment. The primary audience for this course is Information Technology (IT) Professionals who have successfully

implemented a Microsoft® Windows Server 2008 server, either in an existing enterprise infrastructure or as a standalone

installation, and wish to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to broaden that implementation to manage and maintain the

core infrastructure required for a Windows Server 2008 environment. Candidates must also have knowledge equivalent to that

already covered in Windows Server 2012 Enterprise Core 1 course, as this course will build upon that knowledge.

Audience

This course is intended for students to broaden the initial deployment of services in Core 1, and provide the skills necessary to

manage and maintain domain-based Windows Server 2012 infrastructure.

Candidates would typically be System Administrators and must have at least one year experience working in a Windows Server

2012 or Windows® 8 environment. The secondary audience for this course will be candidates aspiring to acquire the Microsoft

Certified Solutions Associate (MCSA) credential either in its own right, or to proceed in acquiring the Microsoft Certified Solutions

Expert (MCSE) credentials, of which this course is a prerequisite.

Student Prerequisites

This course requires that you have the ability to meet following prerequisites:

• Install and Configure Windows Server 2012 into existing enterprise environments, or as standalone installations.

• Configure local storage.

• Configure roles and features.

• Configure file and print services.

• Configure Windows Server 2012 servers for local and remote administration.

• Configure IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.

• Configure Domain Name System (DNS) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) services.

• Install domain controllers.

• Create and configure users, groups, computers and organizational units (OUs).

• Create and manage Group Policies.

• Configure local security policies.

Course Objectives

After completing this course, students will be able to:



• Deploy, manage, and maintain servers.

• Configure file and print services.

• Configure network services and access.

• Configure a network policy server Infrastructure.

• Configure and manage Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS).

• Configure and manage Group Policy.

Course Outline

The course outline is as follows:

Module 1, “Deploying and Maintaining Server Images”

Module 2, “Configuring and Troubleshooting Domain Name System”

Module 3, “Maintaining Active Directory Domain Services”

Module 4, “Managing User and Service Accounts”

Module 5, “Implementing a Group Policy Infrastructure”

Module 6, “Managing User Desktops with Group Policy”

Module 7, “Configuring and Troubleshooting Remote Access”

Module 8, “Installing, Configuring, and Troubleshooting the Network Policy Server Role”

Module 9, “Implementing Network Access Protection”

Module 10, “Optimizing File Services”

Module 11, “Configuring Encryption and Advanced Auditing”

Module 12, “Implementing Update Management”

Module 13, “Monitoring Windows Server 2012”

Exam/Course Mapping

This course, 20411B: Administering Windows Server® 2012, has a direct mapping of its content to the objective domain for the

Microsoft Exam 70-411: Administering Windows Server 2012.

The following table is provided as a study aid that will assist you in preparation for taking this exam, and to show you how the

exam objectives and the course content fit together. The course is not designed exclusively to support the exam, but rather

provides broader knowledge and skills to allow a real-world implementation of the particular technology. The course will also



contain content that is not directly covered in the examination and will utilize the unique experience and skills of your qualified

Microsoft Certified Trainer.

Note: The exam objectives are available online at the following URL:http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exam.aspx?ID=70-411#tab2.

Exam 70-411: Administering Windows Server 2012

Exam Objective Domain Course Content

Deploy, Manage, and Maintain Servers (17%) Module Lesson Lab

Deploy and manage server

images.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Install the Windows Deployment Services

(WDS) role; configure and manage boot, install, and discover images; update images with

patches, hotfixes, and drivers; install features for offline images

Mod 1 Lesson

1/2/3

Mod 1 Ex 1/2/3/4

Implement patch

management.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Install and configure the Windows Server

Update Services (WSUS) role; configure group policies for updates; configure client-side

targeting; configure WSUS synchronization; configure WSUS groups

Mod 12 Lesson 1/2 Mod 12 Ex 1/2/3

Monitor servers. This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure Data Collector Sets (DCS);

configure alerts; monitor real-time performance; monitor virtual machines (VMs); monitor

events; configure event subscriptions; configure network monitoring

Mod 13 Lesson

1/2/3

Mod 13 Ex 1/2/3

Configure File and Print Services (15%)

Configure Distributed File

System (DFS).

This objective may include but is not limited to: Install and configure DFS namespaces;

configure DFS Replication Targets; configure Replication Scheduling; configure Remote

Differential Compression settings; configure staging; configure fault tolerance

Mod 10 Lesson

4/5/6

Mod 10 Lab B Ex

1/2/3

Configure File Server

Resource Manager

(FSRM).

This objective may include but is not limited to: Install the FSRM role; configure quotas;

configure file screens; configure reports

Mod 10 Lesson

1/2/3

Mod 10 Lab A Ex

1/2

Configure file and disk

encryption.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure Bitlocker encryption; configure

the Network Unlock feature; configure Bitlocker policies; configure the EFS recovery agent;

manage EFS and Bitlocker certificates including backup and restore

Mod 11 Lesson 1 Mod 11 Ex 1

Configure advanced audit

policies.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Implement auditing using Group Policy and

AuditPol.exe; create expression-based audit policies; create removable device audit

policies

Mod 11 Lesson 2 Mod 11 Ex 2


Configure Network Services and Access (17%)

Configure DNS zones. This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure primary and secondary zones;

configure stub zones; configure conditional forwards; configure zone and conditional

forward storage in Active Directory; configure zone delegation; configure zone transfer

settings; configure notify settings

Mod 2 Lesson

1/3/4

Mod 2 Ex 2/4

Configure DNS records. This objective may include but is not limited to: Create and configure DNS Resource

Records (RR) including A, AAAA, PTR, SOA, NS, SRV, CNAME, and MX records; configure

zone scavenging; configure record options including Time To Live (TTL) and weight;

configure round robin; configure secure dynamic updates

Mod 2 Lesson 2/5 Mod 2 Ex 1/3

Configure VPN and

routing.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Install and configure the Remote Access

role; implement Network Address Translation (NAT); configure VPN settings; configure

remote dial-in settings for users; configure routing

Mod 7 Lesson

1/2/3/ 4

Mod 7 Lab A Ex

1/2

Configure DirectAccess. This objective may include but is not limited to: Implement server requirements; Mod 7 Lesson 5 Mod 7 Lab B Ex

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implement client configuration; configure DNS for Direct Access; configure certificates for

Direct Access

1/2/3

Configure a Network Policy Server Infrastructure (14%)

Configure Network Policy

Server (NPS).

This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure multiple RADIUS server

infrastructures; configure RADIUS clients; manage RADIUS templates; configure RADIUS

accounting; configure certificates

Mod 8 Lesson 3/4 Mod 8 Ex 2

Configure NPS policies. This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure connection request policies;

configure network policies for VPN clients (multilink and bandwidth allocation, IP filters,

encryption, IP addressing); manage NPS templates; import and export NPS policies

Mod 6 Lesson 2

Mod 8 Lesson 1/2 Mod 8 Ex 1

Configure Network Access

Protection (NAP).

This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure System Health Validators

(SHVs); configure health policies; configure NAP enforcement using DHCP and VPN;

configure isolation and remediation of noncompliant computers using DHCP and VPN;

configure NAP client settings

Mod 9 Lesson

1/2/3/ 4

Mod 9 Ex 1/2/3



Configure and Manage Active Directory (19%)

Configure service

authentication.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Create and configure Service Accounts;

create and configure Group Managed Service Accounts; create and configure Managed

Service Accounts; configure Kerberos delegation; manage Service Principal Names (SPNs)

Mod 4 Lesson

1/2/3

Mod 4 Ex 1/2

Configure Domain

Controllers.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure Universal Group Membership

Caching (UGMC); transfer and seize operations masters; install and configure a read-only

domain controller (RODC); configure Domain Controller cloning

Mod 3 Lesson

1/2/3

Mod 3 Ex 1/2

Maintain Active Directory. This objective may include but is not limited to: Back up Active Directory and SYSVOL;

manage Active Directory offline; optimize an Active Directory database; clean up

metadata; configure Active Directory snapshots; perform object- and container-level

recovery; perform Active Directory restore

Mod 3 Lesson

1/3/4/ 5

Mod 3 Ex 2/3

Configure account policies. This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure domain user password policy;

configure and apply Password Settings Objects (PSOs); delegate password settings

management; configure local user password policy; configure account lockout settings

Mod 4 Lesson

1/2/3

Mod 4 Ex 1

Configure and Manage Group Policy (18%)

Configure Group Policy

processing.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure processing order and

precedence; configure blocking of inheritance; configure enforced policies; configure

security filtering and WMI filtering; configure loopback processing; configure and manage

slow-link processing; configure client-side extension (CSE) behavior

Mod 5 Lesson

1/3/4

Mod 5 Ex 1/2

Configure Group Policy

settings.

This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure settings including software

installation, folder redirection, scripts, and administrative template settings; import

security templates; import custom administrative template file; convert administrative

templates using ADMX Migrator; configure property filters for administrative templates

Mod 6 Lesson

1/2/4

Mod 6 Ex 2

Manage Group Policy

objects (GPOs).

This objective may include but is not limited to: Back up, import, copy, and restore GPOs;

create and configure Migration Table; reset default GPOs; delegate Group Policy

management

Mod 5 Lesson

2

Mod 5 Ex 4



Configure Group Policy This objective may include but is not limited to: Configure Group Policy Preferences (GPP) Mod 6 Lesson Mod 6 Ex 1



preferences. settings including printers, network drive mappings, power options, custom registry

settings, Control Panel settings, Internet Explorer settings, file and folder deployment, and

shortcut deployment; configure item-level targeting

1/2/3

Important: Attending this course in itself will not successfully prepare you to pass any associated certification exams.

The taking of this course does not guarantee that you will automatically pass any certification exam. In addition to attendance at

this course, you should also have the following:

• Real-world, hands-on experience administering, managing and maintaining a Windows Server 2012 infrastructure.

• Additional study outside of the content in this handbook.

There may also be additional study and preparation resources, such as practice tests, available for you to prepare for this exam.

Details of these are available at the following URL: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exam.aspx?ID=70-411#tab3

You should familiarize yourself with the audience profile and exam prerequisites to ensure you are sufficiently prepared before

taking the certification exam. The complete audience profile for this exam is available at the following URL:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exam.aspx?ID=70-411#tab1

The exam/course mapping table outlined above is accurate at the time of printing, however it is subject to change at any time

and Microsoft bears no responsibility for any discrepancies between the version published here and the version available online

and will provide no notification of such changes.

Course Materials

The following materials are included with your kit:

Course Handbook A succinct classroom learning guide that provides all the critical technical information in a crisp, tightly-

focused format, which is just right for an effective in-class learning experience.

• Lessons: Guide you through the learning objectives and provide the key points that are critical to the success of the in-class

learning experience.

• Labs: Provide a real-world, hands-on platform for you to apply the knowledge and skills learned in the module.

• Module Reviews and Takeaways: Provide improved on-the-job reference material to boost knowledge and skills retention.

• Lab Answer Keys: Provide step-by-step lab solution guidance at your fingertips when it’s needed.

Course Companion Content on the http://www.microsoft.com/learning/companionmoc Site:Searchable, easy-to-navigate digital content with integrated premium on-line resources designed to supplement theCourse Handbook.

• Modules: Include companion content, such as questions and answers, detailed demo steps and additional reading links, for



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each lesson. Additionally, they include Lab Review questions and answers and Module Reviews and Takeaways sections, which

contain the review questions and answers, best practices, common issues and troubleshooting tips with answers, and real-

world issues and scenarios with answers.

• Resources: Include well-categorized additional resources that give you immediate access to the most up-to-date premium

content on TechNet, MSDN®, and Microsoft Press®.

Student Course files on the http://www.microsoft.com/learning/companionmoc Site: Includes the Allfiles.exe, a self-extracting executable file that contains all the files required for the labs and demonstrations.

• Course evaluation At the end of the course, you will have the opportunity to complete an online evaluation to provide

feedback on the course, training facility, and instructor.

• To provide additional comments or feedback on the course, send e-mail to [email protected]. To inquire

about the Microsoft Certification Program, send e-mail to [email protected].

Virtual Machine Environment

This section provides the information for setting up the classroom environment to support the business scenario of the course.

Virtual Machine Configuration

In this course, you will use Hyper-V® to perform the labs.

Important At the end of each lab, you must close the virtual machine and must not save any changes. To close avirtual machine without saving the changes, perform the following steps:

1. On the virtual machine, on the Action menu, click Close.

2. In the Close dialog box, in the What do you want the virtual machine to do? list, click Turn off and deletechanges, and then click OK.

The following table shows the role of each virtual machine that is used in this course.

Virtual machine Role

20411B-LON-DC1 Windows Server 2012 domain controller for the Adatum.com domain

20411B-LON-CL1 Windows 8 client computer and in the Adatum.com domain

20411B-LON-CL2 Windows 8 client computer and in the Adatum.com domain

20411B-LON-SVR1 Windows Server 2012 in the Adatum.com domain

20411B-LON-SVR3 No operating system installed

20411B-LON-SVR4 A Windows Server 2012 server computer in the Adatum.com domain

20411B-LON-RTR A Windows Server 2012 server computer in the Adatum.com domain

Software Configuration

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mailto:[email protected]



The following software is installed on each virtual machine:

• Network Monitor 3.4 is installed on LON-SVR2.

Course Files

There are lab files associated with the labs in this course. The lab files are located in the folder E:\Labfiles\LabXX on NYC-DC1.

Classroom Setup

Each classroom computer will have the same virtual machine configured in the same way.

Course Hardware Level

To ensure a satisfactory student experience, Microsoft Learning requires a minimum equipment configuration for trainer and

student computers in all Microsoft Certified Partner for Learning Solutions (CPLS) classrooms in which Official Microsoft

Learning Product courseware are taught.

• Hardware level 6 with 8 gigabytes (GB) of random access memory (RAM)

Navigation in Windows Server 2012

If you are not familiar with the user interface in Windows Server 2012 or Windows 8 then the following information will help

orient you to the new interface.

• Sign in and Sign out replace Log in and Log out.

• Administrative tools are found in the Tools menu of Server Manager.

• Move your mouse to the lower right corner of the desktop to open a menu with:

• Settings: This includes Control Panel and Power

• Start menu: This provides access to some applications

• Search: This allows you to search applications, settings, and files

You may also find the following shortcut keys useful:

• Windows: Opens the Start menu

• Windows+C: Opens the same menu as moving the mouse to the lower right corner

• Windows+I: Opens Settings

• Windows+R: Opens the Run window

5/21/13 Module 1: Deploying and Maintaining Server Images


Module 1: Deploying and Maintaining Server Images

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Overview of Windows Deployment Services





Module Overview

Larger organizations need deployment technologies that can reduce or eliminate user interaction during the deployment process.

You can use the Deployment Services role in Windows Server® 2012 and Windows Server 2008 to help support both lite-touch

and zero-touch, high-volume deployments. This module explores the functionality of Windows Deployment Services, and

explains how to use Windows Deployment Services tools to perform lite-touch deployments.

Objectives

After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Describe the important features and functionality of Windows Deployment Services.

• Configure Windows Deployment Services in Windows Server 2012.

• Perform deployments with Windows Deployment Services.

Lesson 1 : Overview of Windows Deployment Services

Windows Deployment Services enables you to deploy Windows® operating systems. You can use a network-based installation of

Windows Deployment Services to deploy these operating systems on new computers. This means that you do not have to be

physically present at each computer. In addition, you do not have to install each operating system directly from local media.

Consequently, Windows Deployment Services scales well to support the deployment needs of larger organizations.

Lesson Objectives

After completing this lesson, you will be able to:

• Describe the function of Windows Deployment Services.

• Describe the components of Windows Deployment Services.

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• Describe the benefits of Windows Deployment Services.

• Identify how to use Windows Deployment Services to support various deployment scenarios.

What Is Windows Deployment Services?

Windows Deployment Services is a server role provided with Windows Server 2012. It provides the following functions:

• Enables you to perform network-based installations.

• Simplifies the deployment process.

• Supports deployment to computers that have no current operating system.

• Provides end-to-end deployment solutions for both client and server computers.

• Uses existing technologies, such as Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), Windows image (.wim) file and Virtual

Hard Disk (.vhd) image files, and image-based deployment.

Windows Deployment Services enables automated deployment of Windows operating systems. You can completely automate

deployment of the following operating systems:

• Windows XP

• Windows Server 2003

• Windows Vista® with Service Pack 1 (SP1)


• Windows 7

• Windows Server 2008 R2

• Windows 8


Windows Deployment Services provides the ability to create, store, and deploy installation images of supported operating

systems, and supports .wim and .vhd image files. Deployment now can be unicast or multicast. Using multicasting enables more



effective management of network traffic that the deployment process consumes. This potentially speeds up deployment without

affecting other network services adversely.

Operating Systems with Components

Windows Deployment Services integrates closely with Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2,

Windows 8, and Windows Server 2012. One important example of this integration is the design of these operating systems with

components. These operating systems consist of self-describing elements, known as components. Self-describing refers to the

fact that the elements contain a manifest that lists the different configuration options that you can set for each component. You

can see the features and configurations for each component. Updates, service packs, and language packs are components that

are applied on top of operating systems that can be divided.

Drivers also are considered separate, configurable components. The primary benefit of this is that you can install drivers, such as

hotfixes and service packs, into an offline operating system. Instead of updating complete images each time a new update,

service pack, or driver becomes available, you can install these components into the offline image so that Windows applies them

when you deploy the image.

When deploying the images to the hard disk of a new computer, the system receives the base image with each of the

components added, before the system boots for the first time.

If your organization is multilingual or international, you can utilize the language-neutral nature of the latest Windows operating

systems. The number of images that you need to maintain shrinks again because there are no longer localized versions. Some

Windows operating systems versions are limited to the number of language packs. You can add or remove language packs from

a system as necessary and at any time without otherwise altering the installation.

If you need to support multiple languages, you add all of the necessary language packs to your deployment .wim file and then

activate them as necessary, either on all computers or on specific computers.

Windows Deployment Services Components

Windows Deployment Services provides a number of distinct functions through a number of identifiable components.

Windows Deployment Services Pre-Boot EXecution Environment Server

The Pre-Boot EXecution Environment (PXE) server provides the following functionality:

• Binds to network interfaces.



• Listens for incoming PXE requests.

• Formats the Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) response packets.

Windows Deployment Services client

The Windows Deployment Services client provides a graphical interface that is built on the Windows Server setup graphical

interface. It establishes a communication channel with the Windows Deployment Services server and retrieves a list of install

images on the Windows Deployment Services server. Additionally, the Windows Deployment Services client provides status

information at the target computer during deployment.

Server Components

Additional server components include a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) server that enables network-booting clients to load a

boot image into memory. Also included is: an image repository that contains boot images, install images, files needed

specifically for network-boot support, and a shared folder that hosts the install images.

Multicasting Engine

Transmitting large operating system images over the network is more efficient with Windows Deployment Services. However,

pushing multi-gigabyte files across the network creates a large amount of network traffic. By using the new multicast feature,

you can further reduce the network cost of using Windows Deployment Services deployment.

With multicasting, the server sends the data a single time, and multiple targets receive the same data. If you are deploying to

multiple targets, this can cut the network traffic to a fraction of the equivalent number of multiple unicast transmissions.

Windows Deployment Services provides two types of multicasting:

• Scheduled-cast. There are two ways that you can configure scheduled-cast:

o Client count. When you specify a client count, the server waits until the defined count of connected clients is reached, and

then it starts to send the information.

o Point in time. When you specify a point in time, the server waits until the specified time and begins deployment to

connected client computers.

While scheduled-cast provides a more efficient use of the network, it is somewhat labor-intensive; each target computer must

be connected, turned on, and cued.

• Autocast. A target can join an Autocast at any time, and the server repeats the transmission as long as targets are connected. If

the target starts receiving the image in the middle, or if it misses some portion of the image, it remains connected and collects

the additional parts of the file when the server restarts the transmission.

Question: What is the advantage of multicasting as opposed to unicasting in volume deployment scenarios?

Why Use Windows Deployment Services?



Any organization that wants to reduce the administrator interaction that is required during deployment of Windows Server

should use Windows Deployment Services. Because of its ability to support deployment from across the network, potentially with

no user interaction, Windows Deployment Services allows organizations to create a more autonomous and efficient environment

for installing Windows. Consider the following scenarios.

Scenario 1

In a small network consisting of a single server and around 25 Windows XP computers, you could use Windows Deployment

Services to expedite the upgrade process of the client computers to Windows 8. Once you have installed and configured the

Windows Deployment Services server role on the single server, you can use Windows Deployment Services to perform the

following tasks:

1. Add boot.wim from the sources folder of the Windows Server 2012 media as a boot image in Windows Deployment Services.

2. Add install.wim from the sources folder of the Windows 8 media as an install image.

3. Create a capture image from the boot image that you added previously.

Note: A capture image is a modified boot image that contains the necessary elements that enable you to capturea WIM file image from a configured reference computer.

4. Start your reference computer from the network using PXE.

5. Perform a standard installation of Windows 8 from the install.wim image.

6. Install office productivity applications and custom applications as required on the reference computer.

7. Generalize the reference computer with the System Preparation (Sysprep) tool.

8. Restart the reference computer from the network using PXE.

9. Connect to the capture image that you created, use it to capture the local operating system, and upload it back to the

Windows Deployment Services server.

10. Start each of the existing target computers from the network using PXE, and connect to the appropriate boot image.

11. Select the custom install image.

12. Deployment starts.



Benefits to the organization in this scenario are:

• A standardized desktop computer image.

• Quick deployment of each computer with limited installer interaction.

This solution would not suit larger deployments, as you need the installer to start the deployment on the target computer.

Additionally, the installer is required to select a disk partition on which to install the selected installation image.

Scenario 2

In the second scenario, a medium to large-sized organization wants to deploy multiple servers in branch offices that are

geographically dispersed. It would be time-consuming and expensive to send experienced IT staff to each location to deploy the

servers.

By using Windows Deployment Services, IT staff can address this issue:

1. Add boot.wim from the Windows Server 2012 media as a boot image in Windows Deployment Services.

2. Add install.wim from the Windows Server 2012 media as an install image.

3. Create a capture image.

4. Start the reference computer from the network.

5. Perform a standard installation of Windows Server 2012 from the install.wim image.

6. Customize the reference computer as required.

7. Generalize the reference computer.

8. Restart the reference computer.

9. Capture the reference Windows operating system, and upload it back to the Windows Deployment Services server.

10. Configure the necessary Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS) computer accounts; this is known as prestaging the

computer accounts.

11. Use Windows System Image Manager (SIM) in the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows ADK) to create an

unattended answer file.

12. Configure the answer file for use with the captured installation image on Windows Deployment Services.

13. Configure a custom naming policy in Windows Deployment Services so that each server computer receives a suitable

computer name during deployment.

14. Configure Windows Deployment Services to use a default boot image.

15. Configure Windows Deployment Services to respond to PXE requests and start deployment of the install image

automatically.

16. Start each of the target computers from the network.

Note: To avoid a boot loop, it is advisable to configure the computer’s basic input/output system (BIOS) to startup from the hard disk and then the network. For further information about avoiding a boot loop, refer to theWindows Deployment Services Deployment Guide.



Benefits to the organization in this scenario are:

• Standardized server builds.

• Automatic domain-join following deployment.

• Automatic computer naming.

• Little or no installer interaction.

The solution does not implement multicast transmissions, nor does it use PXE referral. These technologies could be used as well,

to help manage network traffic during the deployment.

Discussion: How to Use Windows Deployment Services

Windows Deployment Services can be useful for many deployment scenarios involving Windows operating systems.

Question: The A. Datum Corporation IT staff is about to deploy Windows Server 2012 to various branch offices. Thefollowing information has been provided to the IT staff by management:o The configuration of the various branch office servers is expected to be fairly consistent.

o There is no requirement to upgrade settings from existing servers, as these are new branch offices with no current ITinfrastructure in place.

o Automation of the deployment process is important, as there are many servers to deploy.

How would you use Windows Deployment Services to aid deployment?

Question: A. Datum Corporation wants to deploy several dozen new servers in their head offices. These servers will beinstalled with Windows Server 2012. The following information has been provided to the IT staff by management:o The configuration of the various servers is expected to vary slightly; there are two basic server configurations: full

server, and Server Core.

o Managing network traffic is critical, as the network is near capacity.

How would you advise staff at A. Datum to proceed with the deployment?




While Windows Deployment Services is not complicated to install and configure, it is important that you understand the makeup

of its components, and how to correctly configure it. By doing this, you will ensure that it provides the appropriate level of

deployment automation, and that it addresses the deployment needs of your organization. Once you install and configure

Windows Deployment Services, you must understand how to use it and its associated tools to create, manage, and deploy images

to computers within your organization.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe Windows Deployment Services components.

• Explain how to install and configure Windows Deployment Services.

• Explain the process of using Windows Deployment Services to deploy Windows Server.

Understanding Windows Deployment Services Components

When you deploy the Windows Deployment Services server role, you can choose from two configuration options. You can

choose the default configuration, which deploys both the Deployment Server and Transport Server role services, or you can

choose to deploy only the Transport Server role service. In this second scenario, the Deployment Server role service provides the

image server; the Transport Server does not provide imaging functionality.

The Deployment Server enables an end-to-end deployment solution, while the Transport Server provides a platform that you use

to create a custom multicast deployment solution.

The following table compares the two role services.

Server component Deployment server Transport server

Requirements AD DS, DHCP, and Domain Name System (DNS) No infrastructure requirements

PXE Uses the default PXE provider You must create a PXE provider

Image server Includes Windows Deployment Services image server None



Transmission Unicast and multicast Multicast only

Management Both the WDSutil.exe command-line tools and the Windows

Deployment Services Microsoft® Management Console

(MMC) snap-in

WDSutil.exe only

Target computer Uses Windows Deployment Services client or the

Wdsmcast.exe tool

Wdsmcast.exe only

Transport Server Functionality

You can use the Transport Server to provide the following functions:

• Boot from the network. The Transport Server provides only a PXE listener; this is the component that listens and accepts

incoming traffic. You must write a custom PXE provider to use a Transport Server to boot a computer from the network.

• Multicasting. The multicast server in Windows Deployment Services consists of a multicast provider and a content provider:

o Multicast provider. Transmits data over the network.

o Content provider. Interprets the data and passes it to the multicast provider. This is installed with both the Transport Servers

and Deployment Server, and can be used to transfer any file type, although it has specific knowledge about the .wim image

file format.

Windows Deployment Services Installation Requirements

The specific requirements for installing the Windows Deployment Services role depend on whether you are deploying a

Deployment Server or only a Transport Server.

To install a Deployment Server, your network and target server must meet the following requirements.

• AD DS. Your Windows Deployment Services server must be either a member of an AD DS domain or a domain controller for an

AD DS domain.

Note: The AD DS domain and forest functional levels are not relevant; all domain and forest configurations supportWindows Deployment Services.

• DHCP. You must have a working DHCP server with an active scope on the network. This is because Windows Deployment

Services uses PXE, which relies on DHCP to allocate IP configurations.

• DNS. You must have a working DNS server on the network so that client computers can locate the required services for

deployment.

• NTFS file system volume. The server running Windows Deployment Services requires an NTFS volume for the image store.

Windows Deployment Services accesses the image store within the context of the logged on user. Therefore, deployment user

accounts must have sufficient permissions on image files.

While not a requirement, the Windows ADK enables you to simplify the process for creating answer (unattend.xml) files for use

with automated Windows Deployment Services deployments.



Note: To install the Windows Deployment Services role, you must be a member of the Local Administrators group onthe server. To initialize the server, you must be a member of the Domain Users group.

Installing and Configuring Windows Deployment Services

Once your network infrastructure meets the prerequisites, you can install the Windows Deployment Services server role.

Installing the Windows Deployment Services Server Role

Use the following high-level steps to provide guidance on installing the role.

1. Open Server Manager, and then add the Windows Deployment Services server role.

2. Choose whether you want to install the Deployment Server role service (which includes the Transport Server role), or just the

Transport Server role service.

3. Complete the wizard to install the required role.

Initial Windows Deployment Services Configuration

Once Windows Deployment Services is installed, open Windows Deployment Services from Administrative Tools, and then use

the following high-level guidance to configure Windows Deployment Services.

1. Select your server in Windows Deployment Services the console, and launch the Configuration wizard.

2. Specify a location to store images. This location:

o Must be an NTFS partition.

o Must be large enough to accommodate the deployment images that you anticipate needing.

o Should be a separate physical disk from that on which the operating system is installed to help optimize performance.

3. If the DHCP server role is co-hosted on the Windows Deployment Services server, you must:

o Prevent the PXE server from listening on User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port 67; this port is used by DHCP.

o Configure DHCP option 60 to PXEClient; this enables the PXE client to locate the Windows Deployment Services server

port.



Note: If you deploy Windows Deployment Services to a server that is already running the DHCP Server role,these changes are made automatically. If you subsequently add the DHCP Server role to a WindowsDeployment Server, you must ensure that you make these changes.

4. Determine how you want the PXE server to respond to clients:

o The default is that the PXE server does not respond to any clients; this is useful when you are initially configuring

Windows Deployment Services, as you do not yet have any images available for clients.

o Alternatively, you can choose to configure the PXE server to:

▪ Respond to known client computers; these are computers that you have prestaged.

▪ Respond to all client computers, whether you have prestaged them or not; if you select this option, you can

additionally define that administrator approval is required for unknown computers. While awaiting approval,

client computers are held in a pending queue.

Note: If necessary, you can reconfigure these settings after the initial configuration is complete.

Managing Deployments with Windows Deployment Services

Once you install and configure Windows Deployment Services, you can then prepare Windows Deployment Services to service

client deployments; this involves the following procedures.

Configuring Boot Settings

You must complete several configuration tasks to configure boot settings on the server that is hosting Windows Deployment

Services.

• Add boot images. A boot image is a Windows PE image that you use to boot a computer and install the install image.

Typically, you use the boot.wim file on the Windows Server 2012 product DVD in the \sources folder. You may also decide to

create a capture image, which is a specific type of boot image that you can use to capture a currently installed operating

system on a reference computer.

• Configure the PXE boot policy for known and unknown clients. This policy determines the required installer behavior during



the initial part of the deployment. By default, both known and unknown computer policies require the installer to press F12 to

connect to the Windows Deployment Services image server. Failure to do so results in the computer using BIOS settings to

determine an alternative boot method—for example, hard disk or CD ROM. Instead of this default, you can configure the

following options:

o Always continue the PXE boot. This option ensures that the computer continues through the deployment process without

any installer interaction.

o Continue the PXE boot unless the user pressed the Esc key. This option gives the installer the ability to cancel the

deployment.

• Configure a default boot image. If you have multiple boot images—for example, to support multiple platforms—you can

configure a default boot image for each of them. This image is selected after a timeout period on the PXE client computer.

• Associate an answer file for setup. You can define an associated answer file for each client architecture. This answer file

provides information that is used during the initial setup phase, and enables the Windows Deployment Services image server

to select the appropriate install image for the client, without installer intervention.

• Create discover images. Not all computers support PXE network boot. For those that do not, you can create a discover image

based on a boot image and export it to a removable storage device. To create a discover image, specify:

o The image name and description.

o The boot image on which it is based.

o A filename with which to store the image.

o The name of the Windows Deployment Services server that will be used for deployment.

Configuring Install Settings

You must configure additional install settings in Windows Deployment Services.

• Add install images. This is the operating system image that you use to install Windows Server. Typically, you start with the

installation image install.wim, in the \sources folder on the Windows Server 2012 product DVD. Thereafter, you might choose

to create custom images for groups of computers that have similar configurations.

Note: Before you can create install images, you must define an install image group in which to consolidate therelated images. If you do not do so, the Windows Deployment Services administration program creates a genericgroup.

• Associate an answer file with an install image. If you have created an answer file, for example by using Windows ADK, you can

associate it with an install to provide the necessary information to complete deployment of the computer with no installer

interaction.

• Configure a client naming policy. You can use the client naming policy to define computer names for unknown computers

during deployment. The policy uses a number of variables to create a unique name:

a. %First. The installer’s first name. Placing a number after the % sign results in using only that many characters. For example,

%3First uses the first three characters of the installer’s first name.

b. %Last. The installer’s last name. You can also define the number of characters to use.



c. %Username. The installer’s user name. Again, you can limit the number of characters by specifying a number after the %

sign.

d. %MAC. The Media Access Control (MAC) address.

e. %[n]#. You can use this sequence to define a unique identifying sequential number to the computer name containing n

digits. If you want to use a multiple-digit number, pad the variable with leading zeros, after the % sign. For example, %2#

results in the sequential numbers 1, 2, 3, and so on. %02# results in 01, 02, and 03.

• Specify the AD DS location for computer accounts. The default is to use the same AD DS domain as the Windows Deployment

Services server. Alternatively, you can select between:

o The same domain as the user performing the deployment.

o The same organizational unit (OU) as the user who is performing the deployment.

o A specified AD DS location.

Note: The Windows Deployment Services computer requires Create Computer object and Write All Propertiespermissions on the AD DS container that you specify.

Configuring Transmission Settings

Configure multicast transmissions. Unicast transmission is enabled by default; that is, you need do nothing further and you can

deploy clients using unicast. However, to enable multicast transmission, specify:

• The multicast transmission name.

• An install image with which the transmission is associated.

• A method of multicast transmission. Choose between Autocast and Scheduled-Cast. If you choose Scheduled-Cast, you can

define both a threshold minimum number of clients before transmission starts and the start date and time.

Configuring Drivers

Windows Deployment Services in Windows Server 2012 enables you to add and configure driver packages on the server, and then

deploy them to client computers during installations based on their hardware.

Use the following high-level steps to configure drivers:

1. Obtain the drivers that you need. These must be in the form of an .inf file rather than an .msi or .exe file.

2. Configure filters, if desired, on the driver group. These filters determine which computers receive the drivers based on the

hardware characteristics of the client computers. For example, you can create a filter that applies the drivers only to

computers that have a BIOS manufactured by A. Datum.

3. Add the drivers as a driver package. Driver packages must be associated with a driver group. If you associate the driver

package with an unfiltered group, all computers receive the driver.

You can use Windows Deployment Services to add driver packages to your Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 boot images;



consequently, you do not have to export the image. Use the tools in the Windows ADK to add driver packages manually, and then

add the updated boot image.

Question: What is the advantage of defining a client naming policy?


When you have completed the configuration of Windows Deployment Services, you must create and administer boot images,

install images, and optionally capture and discover images. In addition, you must make these images available to client

computers with the desired level of automation, using an appropriate transmission mechanism.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe the common administration tasks.

• Explain how to add and configure boot, capture, discover, and install images.

• Explain how to automate deployments.

• Explain how to configure multicast transmission to deploy your images.

Common Administration Tasks

To configure Windows Deployment Services effectively, you must complete a number of common administration tasks. To help

you complete these tasks, Windows Deployment Services provides a number of tools to help you. The administrative tasks that

you must complete include the following:

• Configuring DHCP

• Creating and servicing images

• Managing the boot menu

• Prestaging client computers

• Automating deployment



• Configuring transmission

Configuring DHCP

Clients that boot using PXE require a dynamically allocated IPv4 configuration. You must create and configure an appropriate

DHCP scope for this purpose. Additionally, if the DHCP and Windows Deployment Services server roles are co-hosted, then you

must configure how the PXE server listens for client requests; there is an inherent conflict as both DHCP and Windows

Deployment Services use UDP port 67. To create and manage DHCP scopes, you can use the DHCP snap-in or the Netsh.exe

command-line tool.

Creating and Servicing Images

You can create and service images with the Windows Deployment Services snap-in, Windows SIM, the WDSutil.exe command-

line tool, or the Dism.exe command-line tool.

For example, to add a boot image, use the following command:

WDSUTIL /Verbose /Progress /Add-Image /ImageFile:<path> /ImageType:Boot

To create a capture image, use the following command:

WDSUTIL /New-CaptureImage /Image:<source boot image name> /Architecture:{x86|ia64|x64}

/DestinationImage /FilePath:<file path>

To add an install image, use the following two commands, pressing Enter after each line:

WDSUTIL /Add-ImageGroup /ImageGroup:<image group name> WDSUTIL /Verbose /Progress /Add-Image

/ImageFile:<path to .wim file> /ImageType:Install

Note: You can also perform these management tasks using the Windows Deployment Service management console,found in Server Manager.

Managing the Boot Menu

The boot environment for Windows Server 2012 relies on the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store. This store defines how the

boot menu is configured. You can customize the store using Bcdedit.exe.

Note: When you customize the BCD store, you must force it to be recreated for your changes to take effect. To do this,run the following two WDSutil.exe commands (pressing Enter after each line), to stop and then restart the WindowsDeployment Services server:wdsutil /stop-serverwdsutil /start-server



The following is a list of limitations for the boot menu user interface:

• Screen size. Only 13 images can be displayed on the menu. If you have more, the installer must scroll down to see them.

• Mouse. There is no mouse pointer.

• Keyboard. There is no support for alternate keyboards, other than what the BIOS supports.

• Localization. There is limited support for localization, other than what the BIOS supports.

• Accessibility. There is limited support for accessibility.

Prestaging Client Computers

Windows Deployment Services supports deployment to unknown clients. You can exert some control over unknown clients by

configuring administrator approval. This ensures that clients that are attempting to deploy with Windows Deployment Services

are placed in a pending queue awaiting your approval. You can also configure the client computer’s name during approval.

However, if you want more specific control over deployments, you can prestage the computers in AD DS; this enables you to

configure the client to:

• Start from a different Windows Deployment Services server.

• Use a different network boot program.

• Use a specific unattend file.

• Use a specific boot image.

• Join a particular AD DS domain.

You can use the following WDSutil.exe command-line tool to prestage computers:

WDSUTIL /Add-Device /Device:<name> /ID:<GUIDorMACAddress>

In this example, <GUIDorMACAddress> is the identifier of the new computer.

Automating Deployment

You can automate Windows Deployment Services deployments from end-to-end. You can use the Windows Deployment

Services snap-in and Windows SIM to complete these tasks.

Configuring Transmission

Multicasting enables you to deploy an image to a large number of client computers without consuming excessive network

bandwidth.

Consider enabling multicast transmissions if your organization:

• Anticipates many concurrent deployments.



• Has routers that support the propagation of multicasts; that is support for the Internet Group Management Protocol (IGMP).

You can use the Windows Deployment Services snap-in or the WDSutil.exe command-line tool to manage multicast

transmission. For example, to create a multicast transmission with Autocast, use the following command:

WDSUTIL /New-MulticastTransmission /Image:<image name> /FriendlyName:<friendly name>

/ImageType:Install /ImageGroup:<Image group name> /TransmissionType:AutoCast

To create a Scheduled-Cast transmission, use the following command:

WDSUTIL /New-MulticastTransmission /Image:<image name> /FriendlyName:<friendly name>

/ImageType:Install /ImageGroup:<Image group name> /TransmissionType:ScheduledCast

[/Time:<yyyy/mm/dd:hh:mm>][/Clients:<no of clients>]

Demonstration: How to Administer Images

This demonstration shows how to administer images. In this demonstration, this process will be broken down into the following

four steps:

• Install and configure the Windows Deployment Services role.

• Add a boot image.

• Create a capture image.

• Add an install image.

Demonstration Steps

Install and configure the Windows Deployment Services role

1. Switch to the LON-SVR1 computer.

2. Open Server Manager.

3. Install the Windows Deployment Services server role with both role services.

4. In the Windows Deployment Services console, right-click LON-SVR1.Adatum.com, and then click Configure Server.

5. Use the following information to complete configuration:

o Integrate Windows Deployment Services with Active Directory.

o On the Remote Installation Folder Location page, accept the defaults.

o Accept the System Volume Warning message.

o On the PXE Server Initial Settings page, select the Respond to all (known and unknown) client computers option.

o When prompted, choose to not add images to the server.



Add a boot image

1. Switch to LON-SVR1.

2. If necessary, open the Windows Deployment Services console.

3. Add a new boot image using the following information to complete the process:

a. On the Image File page, use the file name: D:\sources\boot.wim.

b. Accept the defaults on the Image Metadata page.

c. Accept the defaults on the Summary page.

4. On the Task Progress page, click Finish.

Add an install image

1. If necessary, open Windows Deployment Services.

2. Add a new Image Group with the image group name of Windows Server 2012.

3. Use the Add Image Wizard to add a new install image to this group. Use the following information to complete the process:

a. On the Image File page, use the following file name: D:\sources\install.wim.

b. On the Available Images page, clear all check boxes except Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARDCORE.


d. On the Task Progress page, click Finish.

4. Minimize the Windows Deployment Services window.

Automating Deployments

There are four phases that you can automate during the Windows Deployment Services deployment process. These are:

• PXE Boot Policy. You can determine how the PXE server responds to clients, and whether the installer is required to press the

F12 key to connect to the Windows Deployment Services server and select a boot image. For example, the Always continue

the PXE boot option ensures that the computer continues through the deployment process without any installer interaction.



• The default boot image. If you configure a default boot image, the installer will not be prompted to make a selection.

• The Windows Deployment Services screens. When the client computer uses the TFTP protocol to connect to the Windows

Deployment Services server and select a boot image, the installer must then provide credentials and select an operating system

image to install. You can create an Unattend.xml answer file to automate this phase.

• Windows Setup. You can customize the setup program so that once the install image has been selected (either automatically

or manually), the setup program will complete the installation process with no installer intervention. This is the same type of

automation that you use to automate installations with the Windows ADKADK.

Use Windows SIM to create both types of answer files, and then use the Windows Deployment Services snap-in to associate the

answer files with the required deployment phase.

Automate Client Unattend

Use the following procedure to associate an answer file for the client unattend deployment phase:

1. Create the Unattend.xml file in Windows ADK with settings appropriate to Windows Deployment Services.

2. Copy the file to the Windows Deployment Services server, and paste it into a folder under \RemoteInstall.

3. Open Windows Deployment Services.

4. View the Properties dialog box for the Windows Deployment Services server in the Windows Deployment Services console.

5. On the Client tab, enable unattended installation, and then select the answer file that you created earlier.

Sample Unattend Answer File for Windows Deployment Services client Unattend

The following is a portion of a sample answer file that required to automate the Windows Deployment Services client Unattend

phase:

<WindowsDeploymentServices> <Login> <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI> <Credentials>

<Username>Installer</Username> <Domain>Adatum.com</Domain> <Password>Pa$$w0rd</Password>

</Credentials> </Login> <ImageSelection> <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI> <InstallImage>

<ImageName>Windows Server 2021</ImageName> <ImageGroup>Adatum Server Images</ImageGroup>

<Filename>Install.wim</Filename> </InstallImage> <InstallTo> <DiskID>0</DiskID>

<PartitionID>1</PartitionID> </InstallTo> </ImageSelection> </WindowsDeploymentServices>

Automate Windows Setup

To automate the Windows Setup process, use the following steps:

1. Create the Unattend.xml file in Windows ADK, with settings appropriate to Windows Setup.

2. Copy the file to a suitable location on the Windows Deployment Services server.

3. In Windows Deployment Services, view the properties of the appropriate install image.

4. Enable the Allow image to install in unattended mode option, and then select the answer file that you created.



Demonstration: How to Configure Multicast Transmission

This demonstration shows how to configure multicast transmission.

Demonstration Steps

1. Open the Windows Deployment Services console on LON-SVR1.

2. Create a new multicast transmission by using the following information:

o Transmission name: Windows Server 2012 Branch Servers

o Image group: Windows Server 2012

o Image: Windows Server 2012 SERVERENTERPRISECORE

o Multicast type: Autocast


Scenario

A. Datum Corporation is a global engineering and manufacturing company with its head office in London, U.K. An IT office and

data center are in London to support the head office and other branch locations. A. Datum has recently deployed a Windows

Server 2012 server and client infrastructure.

A. Datum is deploying servers to branch offices throughout the region for the Research department. You have been tasked with

helping to automate this deployment. You suggest using Windows Deployment Services to deploy Windows Server 2012 to the

branch offices. You have been sent some instructions by email regarding the deployment. You must read these instructions, and

then install and configure Windows Deployment Services to support the deployment.

Objectives

After completing this lab, you will be able to:

• Install and configure Windows Deployment Services.

• Create operating system images using Windows Deployment Services.

• Configure custom computer naming.

• Deploy images with Windows Deployment Services.

Lab Setup

Estimated Time: 75 minutes

Virtual Machines 20411B-LON-DC1

20411B-LON-SVR1

20411B-LON-SVR3



User Name Administrator

Password Pa$$w0rd

For this lab, you will use the available virtual machine environment. Before you begin the lab, you must complete the following

steps:

1. On the host computer, click Start, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Hyper-V Manager.

2. In Hyper-V® Manager, click 20411B-LON-DC1, and in the Actions pane, click Start.

3. In the Actions pane, click Connect. Wait until the virtual machine starts.

4. Log on using the following credentials:

o User name: Adatum\Administrator

o Password: Pa$$w0rd

5. Perform steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-SVR1. Do not start 20411B-LON-SVR3 until directed to do so.

Exercise 1: Installing and Configuring Windows Deployment Services

Scenario

To assist with the process of configuring Windows Deployment Services, you have been sent an email with the appropriate

configuration information.

Branch Office Deployment Guide

Requirements Overview To configure Microsoft Windows Deployment Services to aid in the deployment of branch office servers.

Additional Information Deployment method: Automated standard image deployments

• Configuration information:

o LON-SVR1 is to be used to host Windows Deployment Services.

o Configure multicast transmission to use Autocast.

o Configure automatic naming to identify branch servers.

o Place branch servers in the Research organizational unit (OU).

o Operating system should be Windows Server 2012 Enterprise Edition.

o A Server Core installation should be performed.

The main tasks in this exercise are:

1. Read the supporting documentation.

2. Install the Windows Deployment Services role.



3. Configure Windows Deployment Services.

Task 1: Read the supporting documentation

• Read the supporting documentation in the exercise scenario to determine the deployment details.

Task 2: Install the Windows Deployment Services role



3. Install the Windows Deployment Services server role with both role services.

4. Close Server Manager.

Task 3: Configure Windows Deployment Services

1. Open the Windows Deployment Services console.

2. Right-click LON-SVR1.Adatum.com, and then click Configure Server.

3. Use the following information to complete configuration:

a. Integrate Windows Deployment Services with Active Directory.

b. On the Remote Installation Folder Location page, accept the defaults.

c. Accept the System Volume Warning message.

d. On the PXE Server Initial Settings page, select the Respond to all client computers (known and unknown) option.

e. When prompted, choose to not add images to the server.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have installed and configured Windows Deployment Services.

Exercise 2: Creating Operating System Images with Windows Deployment Services

Scenario

Windows Deployment Services is installed and configured successfully. You now must create various operating-system images to

aid deployment.


1. Insert the Windows Server 2012 installation media in LON-SVR1.



2. Add a boot image.

3. Add an install image.

Task 1: Insert the Windows Server 2012 installation media in LON-SVR1

1. On the host computer, open Hyper-V Manager.

2. Open the Settings page for 20411B-LON-SVR1.

3. Select the DVD Drive, and attach the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) file located at C:\Program

Files\Microsoft Learning\20411\Drives\WIndows2012_RTM.iso.

Task 2: Add a boot image


2. If necessary, open the Windows Deployment Services console.

3. Add a new boot image using the following information to complete the process:

o On the Image File page, use the file name: D:\sources\boot.wim.

o Accept the defaults on the Image Metadata page.

o Accept the defaults on the Summary page.


Task 3: Add an install image

1. If necessary, open Windows Deployment Services.

2. Add a new Image Group with the image group name of Windows Server 2012.

3. Use the Add Image Wizard to add a new install image to this group. Use the following information to complete the process:

a. On the Image File page, use the following file name: D:\sources\install.wim.

b. On the Available Images page, clear all check boxes except Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARDCORE.


d. On the Task Progress page, click Finish.


Results: After completing this exercise, you will create an operating system image with Windows Deployment Services.

Exercise 3: Configuring Custom Computer Naming



Scenario

To automate computer naming, you must configure the custom naming properties for Windows Deployment Services as per the

document that was sent to you. This also involves configuring delegation on the Active Directory OU that will contain the

computer accounts. Administrator approval is required, so you must also configure that.


1. Configure automatic naming.

2. Configure Administrator approval.

3. Configure AD DS permissions.

Task 1: Configure automatic naming

1. In Windows Deployment Services, view the properties of LON-SVR1.Adatum.com.

2. On the AD DS tab, use the following information to configure automatic naming:

o Format: BRANCH-SVR-%02#

o Computer Account Location: Adatum Research OU

Task 2: Configure Administrator approval

1. In Windows Deployment Services, view the properties of LON-SVR1.Adatum.com.

2. On the PXE Response tab, select Require administrator approval for unknown computers, and change the PXE Response

Delay to 3 seconds.

3. Open Windows PowerShell®, and then type the following command to create a message for installers to view while

awaiting admin approval:

WDSUTIL /Set-Server /AutoAddPolicy /Message:“The Adatum administrator is authorizing this

request. Please wait.”

4. Close the Command Prompt window.

Task 3: Configure Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) permissions

1. Switch to the LON-DC1 computer, and open Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. Right-click the Research organizational unit (OU), and use the Delegate Control Wizard to delegate the LON-SVR1

computer account the ability to create computer objects in the OU. Use the following information to help:



a. Tasks to delegate: Create a custom task to delegate

b. On the Active Directory Object Type page, click Only the following objects in the folder, select the Computer

objects check box, and select the Create selected objects in this folder check box.

c. On the Permissions page, in the Permissions list, select the Full Control check box.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured custom computer naming.

Exercise 4: Deploying Images with Windows Deployment Services

Scenario

You have provided instructions for a branch supervisor to initiate the installation process on the branch office server computer.

The installation now will occur.


1. Configure a Windows Deployment Services server for multicast transmission.

2. Configure the client for Pre-Boot Execution Environment (PXE) Booting.

Task 1: Configure a Windows Deployment Services server for multicast transmission


2. Create a new multicast transmission using the following information to complete the process:

o Transmission name: Windows Sever 2012 Branch Servers

o Image group: Windows Server 2012

o Image: Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARDCORE

o Multicast type: Autocast

Task 2: Configure the client for Pre-Boot PXE Booting

1. On the host computer, switch to Hyper-V Manager.

2. In the Virtual Machines list, right-click 20411B-LON-SVR3, and then click Settings.

3. In the Settings for 20411B-LON-SVR3 dialog box, click BIOS.

4. In the results pane, click Legacy Network adapter.

5. Use the arrows to move Legacy Network adapter to the top of the list, and then click OK.

6. In Hyper-V Manager, click 20411B-LON-SVR3, and in the Actions pane, click Start.



7. In the Actions pane, click Connect.

8. When the computer reboots, note the PXE Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) notice. When prompted, press F12

for Network Boot.

Question: Do you see the admin approval message?


10. In Windows Deployment Services, click Pending Devices.

11. Right-click the pending request, and then click Approve.

12. In the Pending Device dialog box, click OK.


Question: Which image is the default?

Question: Does setup start?

14. You do not have to continue setup.

To prepare for the next module

When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines to their initial state.

1. On the host computer, start Hyper-V Manager.

2. Right-click 20411B-LON-DC1 in the Virtual Machines list, and then click Revert.

3. In the Revert Virtual Machine dialog box, click Revert.

4. Repeat these steps for 20411B-LON-SVR3 and 20411B-LON-SVR1.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have deployed an image with Windows Deployment Services.


Tools

Tool What it is used for Where to find it

Windows Deployment Services console Administering Windows Deployment Services Server Manager - Tools

WDSutil.exe Command-line management of Windows Deployment Services Command line

Windows ADK Managing image files and creating answer files Download from Microsoft.com



Dism.exe Offline and online servicing of images Windows ADK

Netsh.exe Command-line tool for managing network-related settings Command line

5/21/13 Lab Answer Key: Module 1: Deploying and Maintaining Server Images


Lab Answer Key: Module 1: Deploying and Maintaining Server Images


Exercise 1: Installing and Configuring Windows Deployment Services

Task 1: Read the supporting documentation

• Read the supporting documentation in the exercise scenario to determine the deployment details.

Task 2: Install the Windows Deployment Services role


2. In Server Manager, click Manage, and then click Add Roles and Features.

3. In the Add Roles and Features Wizard window, click Next.

4. On the Select installation type page, click Next.

5. On the Select destination server page, click Next.

6. On the Select server roles page, select the Windows Deployment Services check box.

7. In the Add Roles and Features Wizard window, click Add Features.

8. On the Select server roles page, select click Next.

9. On the Select features page, click Next.

10. On the WDS page, review the information presented, and then click Next.

11. On the Select role services page, click Next.

12. On the Confirm installation selections page, click Install.

13. On the Installation Results page, click Close.

Task 3: Configure Windows Deployment Services

1. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Windows Deployment Services.

2. In the Windows Deployment Services console, expand Servers.

3. Right-click LON-SVR1.Adatum.com, and then click Configure Server. Click Next.

4. On the Install Options page, click Next.

5. On the Remote Installation Folder Location page, click Next.

6. In the System Volume Warning dialog box, click Yes.



7. On the PXE Server Initial Settings page, click Respond to all client computers (known and unknown), and then click

Next.

8. On the Operation Complete page, clear the Add images to the server now check box, and then click Finish.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have installed and configured Windows Deployment Services.

Exercise 2: Creating Operating System Images with Windows Deployment Services

Task 1: Insert the Windows Server 2012 Installation media in LON-SVR1

1. On the host computer, open Hyper-V Manager.

2. In Hyper-V® Manager, right-click the 20411B-LON-SVR1 virtual machine, and then click Settings.

3. In the Settings window, under IDE Controller 1, click DVD Drive.

4. In the Settings window, under Media, click to select Image file, and then click Browse.

5. In the Open window, double-click Local Disk (C:), double-click Program Files, double-click Microsoft Learning, double-

click 20411, double-click Drives, and then double-click WIndows2012_RTM.iso.

6. Click OK to close the Settings for 20411B-LON-SVR1 window.

Task 2: Add a boot image


2. In Windows Deployment Services, in the console tree, expand LON-SVR1.Adatum.com.

3. Right-click Boot Images, and then click Add Boot Image.

4. In the Add Image Wizard, on the Image File page, click Browse.

5. In the Select Windows Image File dialog box, in the navigation pane, click Computer, double-click DVD Drive (D:),

double-click sources, and then double-click boot.wim.

6. On the Image File page, click Next.

7. On the Image Metadata page, click Next.

8. On the Summary page, click Next.


Task 3: Add an install image

1. In the Windows Deployment Services console, right-click Install Images, and then click Add Image Group.



2. In the Add Image Group dialog box, in the Enter a name for the image group field, type Windows Server 2012, and then

click OK.

3. In the Windows Deployment Services console, right-click Windows Server 2012, and then click Add Install Image.

4. In the Add Image Wizard, on the Image File page, click Browse.

5. In the File name text box, type D:\sources\install.wim, and then click Open.

6. On the Image File page, click Next.

7. On the Available Images page, clear all check boxes except Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARDCORE, and then

click Next.




Results: After completing this exercise, you will create an operating system image with Windows Deployment Services.

Exercise 3: Configuring Custom Computer Naming

Task 1: Configure automatic naming

1. In Windows Deployment Services, in the console tree, right-click LON-SVR1.Adatum.com, and then click Properties.

2. Click the AD DS tab.

3. In the Format text box, type BRANCH-SVR-%02#.

4. Under Computer Account Location, click The following location, and then click Browse.

5. In the Browse for a Directory Service Folder dialog box, expand Adatum, click Research, and then click OK.

6. In the LON-SVR1 Properties dialog box, click OK.

Task 2: Configure Administrator approval

1. In Windows Deployment Services, in the console tree, right-click LON-SVR1.Adatum.com, and then click Properties.

2. Click the PXE Response tab.

3. Select the Require administrator approval for unknown computers check box. Change the PXE Response Delay to 3

seconds, and then click OK.

4. On the taskbar, click the Windows PowerShell® shortcut.

5. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

WDSUTIL /Set-Server /AutoAddPolicy /Message:“The Adatum administrator is authorizing this



request. Please wait.”

6. Close the command prompt window.

Task 3: Configure Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS) permissions

1. Switch to the LON-DC1 computer.

2. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

3. In Active Directory Users and Computers, expand Adatum.com, right-click Research, and then click Delegate Control.

4. In the Delegation of Control Wizard, click Next.

5. On the Users or Groups page, click Add.

6. In the Select Users, Computers, or Groups dialog box, click Object Types.

7. In the Object Types dialog box, select the Computers check box, and then click OK.

8. In the Select Users, Computers, or Groups dialog box, in the Enter the object names to select text box, type LON-SVR1,

click Check Names, and then click OK.

9. On the Users or Groups page, click Next.

10. On the Tasks to Delegate page, click Create a custom task to delegate, and then click Next.

11. On the Active Directory Object Type page, click Only the following objects in the folder, select the Computer objects

check box, select the Create selected objects in this folder check box, and then click Next.

12. On the Permissions page, in the Permissions list, select the Full Control check box, and then click Next.

13. On the Completing the Delegation of Control Wizard page, click Finish.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured custom computer naming.

Exercise 4: Deploying Images with Windows Deployment Services

Task 1: Configure a Windows Deployment Services server for multicast transmission


2. In Windows Deployment Services, in the console tree, right-click Multicast Transmissions, and then click Create Multicast

Transmission.

3. In the Create Multicast Transmission Wizard, on the Transmission Name page, in the Type a name for this transmission

field, type Windows Server 2012 Branch Servers, and then click Next.

4. On the Image Selection page, in the Select the image group that contains the image list, click Windows Server 2012.

5. In the Name list, click Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARDCORE, and then click Next.



6. On the Multicast Type page, verify that Auto-Cast is selected, and then click Next.

7. Click Finish.

Task 2: Configure the client for Pre-Boot EXecution Environment (PXE) Booting

1. On the host computer, switch to Hyper-V Manager.

2. In the Virtual Machines list, right-click 20411B-LON-SVR3, and then click Settings.

3. In the Settings for 20411B-LON-SVR3 dialog box, click BIOS.

4. In the results pane, click Legacy Network adapter.

5. Use the arrows to move Legacy Network adapter to the top of the list, and then click OK.

6. In Hyper-V Manager, click 20411B-LON-SVR3, and in the Actions pane, click Start.

7. In the Actions pane, click Connect.

8. When the computer reboots, review the PXE Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) notice. When prompted, press

F12 for Network Boot.

Question: Do you see the admin approval message?

Answer: Yes.


10. In Windows Deployment Services, click Pending Devices.

11. Right-click the pending request, and then click Approve.

12. In the Pending Device dialog box, click OK.


Question: Which image is the default?

Answer: Microsoft® Windows Setup (x64)

Question: Does setup start?

Answer: Yes.

14. You do not have to continue setup.




When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines to their initial state


2. Right-click 20411B-LON-DC1 in the Virtual Machines list, and then click Revert.



Results: After completing this exercise, you will have deployed an image with Windows Deployment Services.

5/21/13 Module 2: Configuring and Troubleshooting Domain Name System


Module 2: Configuring and Troubleshooting Domain Name System

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Installing the DNS Server Role







Module Overview

The Domain Name System (DNS) is the foundation name service in Windows Server® 2012. It provides name resolution, and

enables DNS clients to locate network services, such as Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS) domain controllers, global

catalog servers, and messaging servers. If you configure your DNS infrastructure poorly, or it is not working correctly, these

important network services will be inaccessible to your network servers and clients. Consequently, it is vital that you understand

how to deploy, configure, manage, and troubleshoot this critical service.

Objectives

After completing this module, you will be able to:

• Install the DNS server role.

• Configure the DNS server role.

• Create and configure DNS zones.

• Configure zone transfers.

• Manage and troubleshoot DNS.

Lesson 1 : Installing the DNS Server Role

To support the underlying network services within your organization, you must be able to install and configure the Windows

Server 2012 DNS server role. Before installing the DNS server role, you must understand the requirement of your organization’s

network infrastructure and decide whether to use a split-brain DNS. You also must consider the placement of the DNS server role,

and the number of DNS clients and zones that you will use. This lesson describes the installation process for a DNS server role.











Lesson Objectives


• Explain the role and benefits of DNS in the network infrastructure.

• Explain a DNS namespace.

• Describe how to integrate DNS into AD DS.

• Explain the use of split-brain DNS.

• Explain how to install the DNS server role.

• Describe the considerations for deploying a DNS server.

Overview of the DNS Role

DNS is a name-resolution service that resolves names to IP addresses. The DNS service is a logically separated, hierarchical

distributed database, which enables many different servers to host a worldwide database of DNS names.

How DNS Supports the Internet Naming Scheme Foundation

DNS is a worldwide service that allows you to type in a domain name (for example, Microsoft.com), which your computer

resolves to an IP address. A benefit of DNS is that IPv4 addresses can be long and difficult to remember, such as 131.107.0.32.

However, a domain name typically is easier to remember. Furthermore, you can use host names that do not change, although

you can modify the underlying IP addresses to suit your organizational needs.

With the adoption of IPv6, DNS will become even more critical because IPv6 addresses are even more complex than IPv4

addresses. An example of an IPv6 address is 2001:db8:4136:e38c:384f:3764:b59c:3d97.

How DNS Supports an Organization’s Foundation for AD DS Naming Schemes

DNS is responsible for resolving resources in an Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) domain. The DNS role is a prerequisite

for installing AD DS. DNS provides information to workstation clients, which enable them to sign in to the network. DNS resolves

resources in the domain, such as servers, workstations, printers, and shared folders. If you configure a DNS server incorrectly, it

can be the source of source of many AD DS problems.

Overview of the DNS Namespace



The DNS namespace facilitates how a DNS resolver locates a computer. The namespace is organized hierarchically to distribute

information across many servers.

Root Domain

A period (.) represents the root domain, and you do not type it into a web browser. The period (.) is assumed. The next time that

you type an address into a computer, try adding the period at the end (for example, www.microsoft.com.). There are 13 root

domain servers worldwide.

Note: When troubleshooting DNS, it is usual to specify the trailing period.

Top-Level Domain

The top-level domain (TLD) is the first level of the DNS name space. Examples of TLDs on the Internet include .com, .net, .org,

.biz, and .ca. The most recognized domains are .com, .net, .org, and .gov, which is for the government of the United States. There

are several more domain names at this level, and there is a TLD for each country. For example, the TLD for Canada is .ca, and the

TLD for the United Kingdom is .uk. The organization that regulates domain names, known as the Internet Corporation for

Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), adds new TLDs occasionally.

Second-Level Domain

The second-level domain name is the portion of the domain name that appears before the TLD. An example of a second-level

domain name is microsoft in the www.microsoft.com domain. The organizations that register second-level domain names

control them. Anyone may register a second-level domain name through an Internet registry service. Many second-level

domains have special rules about what organizations or people can register a domain name. For example, only nonprofit

organizations may use .org.

Subdomain

The subdomain is listed before the second-level and top-level domains. An example of a subdomain is www in the

www.microsoft.com domain name. Subdomains are defined in the DNS server of the organization that holds the second-level

DNS server.

Fully Qualified Domain Name

A fully qualified domain name (FQDN) is the explicit DNS name that includes the computer name and the subdomains to the

root domain. For example, if the computer is designated as Server1 in the sales.south.contoso.com domain, the FQDN for that

http://www.microsoft.com/





computer is server1.sales.south.contoso.com.

DNS Naming Standards

The following characters are valid for DNS names:

• A through Z

• a through z

• 0 through 9

• Hyphen (-)

Note: The underscore (_) is a reserved character.

Integrating AD DS and DNS

When you begin planning your DNS namespace, you must consider both the internal and external namespaces. The internal

namespace is the one that internal clients and servers use within your private network. The external namespace is the one by

which your organization is referenced on the Internet. There is no requirement that you should implement the same DNS domain

name internally that you have externally.

When you implement AD DS, you must use a DNS namespace for hosting AD DS records.

Note: Consider carefully your options before selecting a namespace design for AD DS. Although it is possible tochange a namespace after implementing AD DS, it is a time-consuming and complex process that has manylimitations.

To determine a DNS namespace for your AD DS environment, you can choose from the following scenarios:

• Make the internal namespace the same as the public namespace. In this scenario, the internal and public namespaces are the

same, but will have different records. Although this provides simplicity, which makes it a suitable choice for smaller

organizations, it can be difficult to manage for larger networks.



• Make the internal namespace different from the public namespace. In this scenario, the internal and public namespaces are

completely different, with no link between them. This provides for obvious separation in the namespace. In complex networks,

with many Internet-facing applications, use of a different name introduces some clarity when configuring these applications.

For example, Edge Servers that are placed on a perimeter network often require multiple network interface cards: one

connected to the private network; and one servicing requests from the public network. If each network interface card has a

different domain name, it often is easier to complete the configuration of that server.

• Make the internal namespace a subdomain of the public namespace. In this scenario, the internal namespace is linked to the

public namespace, but there is no overlap between them. This provides a hybrid approach. The internal name is different,

which allows for separation of the namespace. However, the internal name also is related to the public name, which provides

simplicity. This approach is the simplest to implement and manage. However, if you cannot use a subdomain of the public

namespace for AD DS, you should use unique namespaces.

Note: In most situations, computers within an AD DS domain have a primary DNS suffix that matches the DNSdomain name. Occasionally, you may require these names to differ, such as following a merger or during anacquisition. When names differ, this is known as a disjoint namespace. A disjoint namespace scenario is one inwhich the primary DNS suffix of a computer does not match the DNS domain name in which that computer resides.The computer with the primary DNS suffix that does not match is said to be disjointed. Another disjoint namespacescenario occurs if the NetBIOS domain name of a domain controller does not match the DNS domain name.

Determining Whether to Use Split DNS

Using the same namespace internally and externally simplifies resource access from the perspective of users, but it also increases

management complexity. You should not make internal DNS records available externally, but some synchronization of records for

external resources typically is required. For example, both your internal and external namespaces might use the name

Contoso.com.

Using unique namespaces for the internal and public namespaces provides a clear delineation between internal and external DNS,

and avoids the need to synchronize records between the namespaces. However, in some cases, having multiple namespaces may

lead to user confusion. For example, you may choose the external namespace of Contoso.com and the internal namespace of

Contoso.local. Note that when you implement a unique namespace configuration, you no longer are tied to using registered

domain names.

Using a subdomain of the public namespace for AD DS avoids the need to synchronize records between the internal and external

DNS servers. Because the namespaces are linked, users typically find this structure easy to understand. For example, if your public



namespace is Contoso.com, you might choose to implement your internal namespace as the subdomain AD, or

AD.Contoso.com.

Considering Split DNS

Having a matching internal and external DNS namespace can pose certain problems. However, split DNS can provide a solution

to these problems. Split DNS is a configuration in which your domain has two root-server zones that contain domain-name

registration information. Your internal network hosts are directed to one zone, while external hosts are directed to another for

name resolution. For example, in a nonsplit DNS configuration for the domain Contoso.com, you might have a DNS zone that

looks like the example in the following table.

Host Record type IP address

www A 131.107.1.200

Relay A 131.107.1.201

Webserver1 A 192.168.1.200

Exchange1 A 192.168.0.201

When a client computer on the Internet wants to access the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) relay by using the published

name of relay.contoso.com, it queries the DNS server that returns the result 131.107.1.201. The client then establishes a

connection over SMTP to that IP address.

However, the client computers on the corporate intranet also use the published name of relay.contoso.com. The DNS server

returns the same result: a public IP address of 131.107.1.201. The client now attempts to establish a connection to the returned IP

address by using the external interface of the publishing computer. Depending upon the client configuration, this may or may

not be successful.

By configuring two zones for the same domain name—one on each of the two DNS servers—you can avoid this problem.

The internal zone for adatum.com would resemble the information in the following table.


www CNAME Webserver1.contoso.com

Relay CNAME Exchange1.contoso.com

Webserver1 A 192.168.1.200

Exchange1 A 192.168.0.201

The external zone for adatum.com would resemble the information in the following table.


www A 131.107.1.200

Relay A 131.107.1.201

MX Relay.contoso.com



Now, client computers in the internal and external networks can resolve the name relay.contoso.com to the appropriate internal

or external IP address.

Demonstration: Installing the DNS Server Role

This demonstration shows how to install the DNS server role.

Demonstration Steps

1. Switch to LON-SVR1, and sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Use Server Manager to install the DNS Server role.

Considerations for Deploying the DNS Server Role

When you are planning to deploy DNS, you must review several considerations. Some of the questions that you should ask

include:

• How many DNS zones will you configure on the server and how many DNS records will each zone contain? Typically, zones

map on a one-to-one basis with domains in your namespace. When you have a large number of records, it might make more

sense to split the records into multiple zones.

• How many DNS clients will be communicating with the server on which you configure the DNS role? The larger the number of

client resolvers, the greater is the load placed on the server. When you anticipate additional load, consider deploying additional

DNS servers.

• Where will you place DNS servers? For example, will you place the servers centrally, or does it make more sense to locate DNS

servers in branch offices? If there are few clients at a branch office, you could satisfy most DNS requests by using a central DNS

server or by implementing a caching-only server. A large number of users at a branch might benefit from a local DNS server

with appropriate zone data.

How you answer the preceding questions will determine how many DNS servers you must deploy, and where you should place

them.

Active Directory Integration

The Windows Server 2012 DNS role can store the DNS database in two different ways, as the following table shows.



Storage method Description

Text File The DNS server role stores the DNS entries in a text file, which you can edit with a text editor.

Active Directory The DNS server role stores the DNS entries in the Active Directory database, which replicates to other domain controllers, even if they

do not run the Windows Server 2008 DNS role. You cannot use a text editor to edit DNS data that Active Directory stores.

Active Directory integrated zones are easier to manage than traditional text-based zones, and are more secure. The replication of

zone data occurs as part of Active Directory replication.

DNS Server Placement

Typically, you will deploy the DNS role on all domain controllers. If you decide to implement some other strategy, ask yourself

the following questions, and keep the answers in mind:

• How will client computers resolve names if their usual DNS server becomes unavailable?

• What will the impact on network traffic be if client computers start to use an alternate DNS server, perhaps located remotely?

• How will you implement zone transfers? Active Directory integrated zones use Active Directory replication to transfer the zone

to all other domain controllers. If you implement non-Active Directory integrated zones, you must plan the zone transfer

mechanism yourself.


The DNS infrastructure is the basis for name resolution on the Internet and in AD DS domains based on Windows Server 2012.

This lesson provides guidance and information about what is required to configure the DNS server role, and explains the basic

functions of a DNS server.

Lesson Objectives


• List the components of a DNS solution.

• Describe how various types of DNS queries work.

• Describe DNS resource records.

• Explain how root hints work.

• Explain how forwarding and conditional forwarding works.

• Explain how DNS server caching works.

• Explain how to configure the DNS server role properties.

What Are the Components of a DNS Solution?



The components of a DNS solution include DNS servers, DNS servers on the Internet, and DNS resolvers or clients.

DNS Servers

A DNS server answers recursive and iterative DNS queries. DNS servers also can host one or more zones of a particular domain.

Zones contain different resource records. DNS servers also can cache lookups to save time for common queries.

DNS Servers on the Internet

DNS servers on the Internet are accessible publicly. They host public zone information and the root server, and other common

TLDs, such as .com, .net, and .edu.

Note: Do not confuse these servers with your organization’s DNS servers that host your public namespace. These arelocated physically on your perimeter network.

DNS Resolvers

The DNS resolver generates and sends iterative or recursive queries to the DNS server. A DNS resolver can be any computer

performing a DNS lookup that requires interaction with the DNS server. DNS servers also can issue DNS requests to other DNS

servers.

What Are DNS Queries?

A DNS query is the method that you use to request name resolution, and involves a query being sent to a DNS server. There are

two types of responses to DNS queries: authoritative and nonauthoritative.



It is important to note that DNS servers also can act as DNS resolvers and send DNS queries to other DNS servers.

A DNS server can be either authoritative or nonauthoritative for the query’s namespace. A DNS server is authoritative when it

hosts a primary or secondary copy of a DNS zone. The two types of queries are:

• An authoritative query is one for which the server can return an answer that it knows is correct, because the request is directed

to the authoritative server that manages the domain.

• A DNS server that contains in its cache the domain being requested answers a nonauthoritative query by using forwarders or

root hints. However, the answer provided might not be accurate, because only the authoritative DNS server for the given

domain can issue that information.

If the DNS server is authoritative for the query’s namespace, the DNS server will check the zone, and then do one of the following:

• Return the requested address.

• Return an authoritative “No, that name does not exist.”

Note: An authoritative answer can be given only by the server with direct authority for the queried name.

If the local DNS server is nonauthoritative for the query’s namespace, the DNS server will do one of the following:

• Check its cache, and return a cached response.

• Forward the unresolvable query to a specific server known as a forwarder.

• Use well-known addresses of multiple root servers to find an authoritative DNS server to resolve the query. This process uses

root hints.

Recursive Queries

A recursive query can have two possible results:

• It returns the IP address of the requested host.

• The DNS server cannot resolve an IP address.

For security reasons, it sometimes is necessary to disable recursive queries on a DNS server. This prevents the DNS server in

question from forwarding its DNS requests to another server. This can be useful when you do not want a particular DNS server

communicating outside its local network.

Iterative Queries

Iterative queries provide a mechanism for accessing domain-name information that resides across the DNS system, and enable

servers to resolve names quickly and efficiently across many servers.



When a DNS server receives a request that it cannot answer using its local information or its cached lookups, it makes the same

request to another DNS server by using an iterative query.

When a DNS server receives an iterative query, it might answer with either the IP address for the domain name (if known) or with

a referral to the DNS servers that are responsible for the domain being queried.

DNS Resource Records

The DNS zone file stores resource records. Resource records specify a resource type and the IP address to locate the resource. The

most common resource record is an A resource record. This is a simple record that resolves a hostname to an IP address. The

host can be a workstation, server, or another network device, such as a router.

Resource records also help find resources for a particular domain. For instance, when an Exchange server needs to find the server

that is responsible for delivering mail for another domain, it will request that domain’s Mail Exchanger (MX) record, which points

to the A record of the host that is running the SMTP mail service.

Resource records also can contain custom attributes. MX records, for instance, have a preference attribute, which is useful if an

organization has multiple mail servers. This will inform the sending server which mail server the receiving organization prefers.

Service locator (SRV) records also contain information regarding on which port the service is listening and the protocol that you

should use to communicate with the service.

The following table describes the most common resource records.

DNS resource records Description

Start of authority (SOA) resource record The record identifies the primary name server for a DNS zone, as well as other specifics, such as Time to Live

(TTL) and refresh.

Host address (A) resource record The main record that resolves a host name to an IPv4 address.

Canonical name (CNAME) resource record An alias record type that maps one name to another (for example, www.microsoft.com is a CNAME of the

A record microsoft.com).

MX resource record The record is used to specify an email server for a particular domain.

SRV resource record The record identifies a service that is available in the domain. Active Directory uses these records extensively.

Name Server (NS) resource record The record identifies a name server for a domain.

AAAA The main record that resolves a host name to an IPv6 address.




Pointer (PTR) resource record The record is used to look up and map an IP address to a domain name. The reverse lookup zone stores the

names.

What Are Root Hints?

Root hints are the list of servers on the Internet that your DNS server uses if it cannot resolve a DNS query by using a DNS

forwarder or its own cache. The root hints are the highest servers in the DNS hierarchy and can provide the necessary information

for a DNS server to perform an iterative query to the next lowest layer of the DNS namespace.

Root servers are installed automatically when you install the DNS role. They are copied from the cache.dns file that the DNS role

setup files include.

You also can add root hints to a DNS server to support lookups for noncontiguous domains within a forest.

When a DNS server communicates with a root hints server, it uses only an iterative query. If you select the Do Not Use Recursion

For This Domain option, the server will not be able to perform queries on the root hints. If you configure the server to use a

forwarder, it will attempt to send a recursive query to its forwarding server. If the forwarding server does not answer this query,

the server will respond that the host could not be found.

It is important to understand that recursion on a DNS server and recursive queries are not the same thing. Recursion on a server

means that the server will use its root hints and try to resolve a DNS query. The next topic discusses iterative and recursive queries

in more detail.

What Is Forwarding?



A forwarder is a DNS server-configuration setting that forwards DNS queries for external DNS names to DNS servers outside that

network. You also can use conditional forwarders to forward queries according to specific domain names.

A network DNS server is designated a forwarder when the network’s other DNS servers forward to it the queries that they cannot

resolve locally. By using a forwarder, you can manage name resolution for names outside your network, such as names on the

Internet, and improve the efficiency of name resolution for your network’s computers.

The server that is forwarding requests in the network must be able to communicate with the DNS server that is located on the

Internet. This means that either you configure it to forward requests to another DNS server or it uses root hints to communicate.

Best Practice

Use a central forwarding DNS server for Internet name resolution. This can improve performance, simplify troubleshooting, and is

a security best practice. You can isolate the forwarding DNS server on a perimeter network, which ensures that no server within

the network is communicating directly to the Internet.

Conditional Forwarding

A conditional forwarder is a configuration setting in the DNS server that forwards DNS queries according to the query’s DNS

domain name. For example, you can configure a DNS server to forward all queries that it receives for names ending with

corp.contoso.com to the IP address of a specific DNS server or to the IP addresses of multiple DNS servers. This can be useful

when you have multiple DNS namespaces in a forest.

Best Practice for Conditional Forwarding

Use conditional forwarders if you have multiple internal namespaces. This provides faster name resolution.

How DNS Server Caching Works

DNS caching increases the performance of an organization’s DNS system by decreasing the time it takes to provide DNS lookups.

When a DNS server resolves a DNS name successfully, it adds the name to its cache. Over time, this builds a cache of domain

names and their associated IP addresses for the most common domains that the organization uses or accesses.

Note: The default time to cache DNS data is one hour. You can configure this by changing the SOA record for theappropriate DNS zone.



A caching-only server will not host any DNS zone data; it only answers lookups for DNS clients. This is the ideal type of DNS

server to use as a forwarder.

The DNS client cache is a DNS cache that the DNS Client service stores on the local computer. To view the current client-side

cache, run the ipconfig /displaydns command at the command prompt. If you must clear the local cache, such as when you are

troubleshooting name resolution, you can use ipconfig /flushdns.

Note: You also can use the following Windows PowerShell® cmdlets:• clear-DnsClientCache to delete the DNS resolver cache

• get-DnsClientCache to view the resolver cache

Demonstration: Configuring the DNS Server Role

This demonstration shows how to configure the DNS server properties.

Demonstration Steps Configure DNS server properties

1. Switch to LON-DC1 and, if necessary, log on as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Open the DNS console.

3. Review the properties of the LON-DC1 server:

a. On the Forwarders tab, you can configure forwarding.

b. On the Advanced tab, you can configure options including securing the cache against pollution, and DNSSEC.

c. On the Root Hints tab, you can see the configuration for the root hints servers.

d. On the Debug Logging tab, you can configure debug logging options.

e. On the Event Logging tab, you can configure the level of event recording.

f. On the Monitoring tab, you can perform simple and recursive tests against the server.

g. On the Security tab, you can define permissions on the DNS infrastructure.

Configure conditional forwarding

• From the Conditional Forwarders node, you can configure conditional forwarding:

a. In the New Conditional Forwarder dialog box, in the DNS Domain box, type contoso.com.

b. Click the <Click here to add an IP Address or DNS Name> box. Type 131.107.1.2, and then press Enter. Validation will fail

since this is just an example configuration.

Clear the DNS cache

• In the navigation pane, right-click LON-DC1, and then click Clear Cache.




DNS zones are an important concept in DNS infrastructure, because they enable you to logically separate and manage DNS

domains. This lesson provides the foundation for understanding how zones relate to DNS domains, and provides information

about the different types of DNS zones that are available in the Windows Server 2012 DNS role.

Lesson Objectives


• Explain a DNS zone.

• Explain the various DNS zone types available in Windows Server 2012.

• Explain the purpose of forward and reverse lookup zones.

• Explain the purpose of stub zones.

• Explain how to create zones.

• Explain how you can use DNS zone delegation.

What Is a DNS Zone?

A DNS zone hosts all or a portion of a domain and its subdomains. The slide illustrates how subdomains can belong to the same

zone as their parents or can be delegated to another zone. The microsoft.com domain is separated into two zones. The first zone

hosts the www.microsoft.com and ftp.microsoft.com records. Example.microsoft.com is delegated to a new zone, which hosts

the example.microsoft.com subdomain, and its records ftp.example.microsoft.com and www.example.microsoft.com.

Note: The zone that hosts a root of the domain (microsoft.com) must delegate the subdomain(example.microsoft.com) to the second zone. If this does not occur, example.microsoft.com will be treated as if it werepart of the first zone.

Zone data can be replicated to more than one server. This adds redundancy to a zone because the information needed to find

resources in the zone now exists on two or more servers. The level of redundancy that is needed is one reason to create zones. If

you have a zone that hosts critical server resource records, it is likely that this zone will have a higher level of redundancy than a

zone in which noncritical devices are defined.


http://www.example.microsoft.com/



Characteristics of a DNS Zone

Zone data is maintained on a DNS server and is stored in one of two ways:

• In a flat zone file that contains mapping lists

• Integrated into Active Directory

A DNS server is authoritative for a zone if it hosts the resource records for the names and addresses that the clients request in the

zone file.

What Are the DNS Zone Types?

The four DNS zone types are:

• Primary

• Secondary

• Stub

• Active Directory-integrated

Primary Zone

When a zone that a DNS server hosts is a primary zone, the DNS server is the primary source for information about this zone, and

it stores the master copy of zone data in a local file or in AD DS. When the DNS server stores the zone in a file, the primary zone

file is by default, named zone_name.dns, and is located in the %windir%\System32\Dns folder on the server. When the zone is not

stored in Active Directory, the DNS server hosting the primary zone is the only DNS server that has a writable copy of the zone file.

Secondary Zone

When a zone that a DNS server hosts is a secondary zone, the DNS server is a secondary source for the zone information. The zone

at this server must be obtained from another remote DNS server that also hosts the zone. This DNS server must have network

access to the remote DNS server to receive updated zone information. Because a secondary zone is a copy of a primary zone that

another server hosts, it cannot be stored in AD DS. Secondary zones can be useful if you are replicating data from DNS zones that

are not on Windows or you are running DNS on servers that are not AD DS domain controllers.



Stub Zone

Windows Server 2003 introduced stub zones, which solves several problems with large DNS namespaces and multiple tree forests.

A multiple tree forest is an Active Directory forest that contains two different top-level domain names.

Active Directory–Integrated Zone

If Active Directory stores the zone, DNS can take advantage of the multimaster replication model to replicate the primary zone.

This enables you to edit zone data on any DNS server. Windows Server 2008 introduced a new concept called a read-only domain

controller (RODC). Active Directory–integrated zone data can be replicated to domain controllers, even if the DNS role is not

installed on the domain controller. If the server is a read-only domain controller, a local process cannot write to the data.

What Are Forward and Reverse Lookup Zones?

Zones can be either forward or reverse, sometimes known as inverse zones.

Forward Lookup Zone

The forward lookup zone resolves host names to IP addresses and hosts the common resource records: A, CNAME, SRV, MX,

SOA, TXT, and NS.

Reverse Lookup Zone

The reverse lookup zone resolves an IP address to a domain name, and hosts SOA, NS, and PTR records.

A reverse zone functions in the same manner as a forward zone, but the IP address is the part of the query and the host name is

the returned information. Reverse zones are not always configured, but you should configure them to reduce warning and error

messages. Many standard Internet protocols rely on reverse zone lookup data to validate forward zone information. For example,

if the forward lookup indicates that training.contoso.com is resolved to 192.168.2.45, you can use a reverse lookup to confirm that

192.168.2.45 is associated with training.contoso.com.

Having a reverse zone is important if you have applications that rely on looking up hosts by their IP addresses. Many applications

will log this information in security or event logs. If you see suspicious activity from a particular IP address, you can resolve the

host by using the reverse zone information.

Many email security gateways use reverse lookups to validate that the IP address that is sending messages is associated with a

domain.



Overview of Stub Zones

A stub zone is a replicated copy of a zone that contains only those resource records necessary to identify that zone’s authoritative

DNS servers. A stub zone resolves names between separate DNS namespaces, which might be necessary when a corporate merger

requires that the DNS servers for two separate DNS namespaces resolve names for clients in both namespaces.

A stub zone consists of the following:

• The delegated zone’s SOA resource record, NS resource records, and A resource records.

• The IP address of one or more master servers that you can use to update the stub zone.

The master servers for a stub zone are one or more DNS servers that are authoritative for the child zone, usually the DNS server

that is hosting the primary zone for the delegated domain name.

Stub Zone Resolution

When a DNS resolver performs a recursive query operation on a DNS server that is hosting a stub zone, the DNS server uses the

resource records in the stub zone to resolve the query. The DNS server sends an iterative query to the authoritative DNS servers

that the stub zone’s NS resource records specify as if it were using NS resource records in its cache. If the DNS server cannot find

the authoritative DNS servers in its stub zone, the DNS server that is hosting the stub zone attempts standard recursion by using

root hints.

The DNS server will store the resource records it receives from the authoritative DNS servers that a stub zone in its cache lists, but

it will not store these resource records in the stub zone itself. Only the SOA, NS, and glue A resource records returned in response

to the query are stored in the stub zone. The resource records that the cache stores are cached according to the TTL value in each

resource record. The SOA, NS, and glue A resource records, which are not written to cache, expire according to the expire interval

that the stub zone’s SOA record specifies. During the stub zone’s creation, the SOA record is created. SOA record updates occur

during transfers to the stub zone from the original, primary zone.

If the query was an iterative query, the DNS server returns a referral containing the servers that the stub zone specifies.

Communication between DNS Servers That Host Parent and Child Zones

A DNS server that delegates a domain to a child zone on a different DNS server is made aware of new authoritative DNS servers

for the child zone only when resource records for them are added to the parent zone that the DNS server hosts. This is a manual

process that requires administrators for the different DNS servers to communicate often. Stub zones enable a DNS server that is



hosting a stub zone for one of its delegated domains to obtain updates of the authoritative DNS servers for the child zone when

the stub zone is updated. The update is performed from the DNS server that is hosting the stub zone, and the administrator for

the DNS server that is hosting the child zone does not need to be contacted.

Contrasting Stub Zones and Conditional Forwarders

There might be some confusion about when to use conditional forwarders rather than stub zones. This is because both DNS

features allow a DNS server to respond to a query with a referral for, or by forwarding to, a different DNS server. However, these

settings have different purposes:

• A conditional forwarder setting configures the DNS server to forward a query that it receives to a DNS server, depending on the

DNS name that the query contains.

• A stub zone keeps the DNS server that is hosting a parent zone aware of all the DNS servers that are authoritative for a child

zone.

When to Use Conditional Forwarders

If you want DNS clients on separate networks to resolve the names of each other without having to query Internet DNS servers,

such as when a company merger occurs, you should configure each network’s DNS servers to forward queries for names in the

other network. DNS servers in one network will forward names for clients in the other network to a specific DNS server, which

builds a large information cache about the other network. This allows you to create a direct point of contact between two

networks’ DNS servers, which reduces the need for recursion.

Stub zones do not provide the same server-to-server benefit, however. This is because a DNS server that is hosting a stub zone in

one network replies to queries for names in the other network with a list of all authoritative DNS servers for the zone with that

name, rather than the specific DNS servers that you designated to handle this traffic. This configuration complicates any security

settings that you want to establish between specific DNS servers that are running in each of the networks.

When to Use Stub Zones

Use stub zones when you want a DNS server to remain aware of the authoritative DNS servers for a foreign zone.

A conditional forwarder is not an efficient way to keep a DNS server that is hosting a parent zone aware of the authoritative DNS

servers for a child zone. This is because whenever the authoritative DNS servers for the child zone change, you have to configure

the conditional forwarder setting manually on the DNS server that hosts the parent zone. Specifically, you must update the IP

address for each new authoritative DNS server for the child zone.

Demonstration: Creating Zones

This demonstration shows how to:

• Create a reverse lookup zone.

• Create a forward lookup zone.

Demonstration Steps Create a reverse lookup zone

1. Switch to LON-DC1, and then create a new reverse lookup zone for the 172.16.0.0 IPv4 subnet.



2. Enable dynamic updates on the zone.

Create a forward lookup zone

1. Switch to LON-SVR1, and then open the DNS console.

2. Create a new forward lookup zone.

3. Configure the type as secondary, and then define LON-DC1 as the Master server for this zone.

DNS Zone Delegation

DNS is a hierarchical system, and zone delegation connects the DNS layers together. A zone delegation points to the next

hierarchical level down, and identifies the name servers that are responsible for lower-level domain.

When deciding whether to divide the DNS namespace to make additional zones, consider the following reasons to use additional

zones:

• You need to delegate management of a part of the DNS namespace to another organizational location or department.

• You need to divide one large zone into smaller zones so you can distribute traffic loads among multiple servers. This improves

DNS name-resolution performance, and it creates a more fault-tolerant DNS environment.

• You need to extend the namespace by adding numerous subdomains immediately to accommodate the opening of a new

branch or site.


DNS zone transfers determine how the DNS infrastructure moves DNS zone information from one server to another. Without zone

transfers, the various name servers in your organization maintain disparate copies of the zone data. You also should consider that

the zone contains sensitive data, and securing zone transfers is important. This lesson covers the different methods that the DNS

server role uses when transferring zones.

Lesson Objectives




• Describe how DNS zone transfers work.

• Explain how to configure zone transfer security.

• Explain how to DNS zone transfers.

What Is a DNS Zone Transfer?

A zone transfer occurs when you replicate the DNS zone that is on one server to another DNS server.

Zone transfers synchronize primary and secondary DNS server zones. This is how DNS builds its resilience on the Internet. It is

important that DNS zones remain updated on primary and secondary servers. Discrepancies in primary and secondary zones can

cause service outages and host names that are resolved incorrectly.

Zone transfers can happen in one of three ways:

• Full zone transfer. A full zone transfer occurs when you copy the entire zone from one DNS server to another. A full zone

transfer is known as an All Zone Transfer (AXFR).

• Incremental zone transfer. An incremental zone transfer occurs when there is an update to the DNS server and only the

resource records that were changed are replicated to the other server. This is an Incremental Zone Transfer (IXFR).

• Fast transfer. Windows DNS servers also perform fast transfers, which is a type of zone transfer that uses compression and

sends multiple resource records in each transmission.

Not all DNS server implementations support incremental and fast zone transfers. When integrating a Windows 2012 DNS server

with a Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND) DNS server, you must ensure that the features you need are supported by the BIND

version that is installed.

The following table lists the features that various DNS servers support.

DNS server Full zone (AXFR) Incremental zone (IXFR) Fast transfer

BIND Older than 4.9.4 Supported Not supported Not Supported



BIND 4.9.4 – 8.1 Supported Not supported Supported

BIND 8.2 Supported Supported Supported

Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 (SP3) Supported Supported Supported

Windows 2003 (R2) Supported Supported Supported

Windows 2008 and R2 Supported Supported Supported

Windows 2012 Supported Supported Supported

Active Directory-integrated zones replicate by using multimaster AD DS replication instead of the zone transfer process. This

means that any standard domain controller that also holds the DNS role can update the DNS zone information, which then

replicates to all DNS servers that host the DNS zone.

DNS Notify

DNS notify is used by a master server to alert its configured secondary servers that zone updates are available. The secondary

servers then petition their master to obtain the updates. DNS notify is an update to the original DNS protocol specification that

permits notification to secondary servers when zone changes occur. This is useful in a time-sensitive environment, where data

accuracy is important.

Configuring Zone Transfer Security

Zone information provides organizational data, so you should take precautions to ensure it is protected from access by malicious

users, and that it cannot be overwritten with bad data, which is known as DNS poisoning. One way to protect the DNS

infrastructure is to secure the zone transfers.

On the Zone Transfers tab in the Zone Properties dialog box, you can specify the list of allowed DNS servers. You also can use

these options to disallow zone transfer. By default, zone transfers are turned off.

Although the option that specifies the servers that might request zone data provides security by limiting the data recipients, it

does not secure that data during transmissions. If the zone information is highly confidential, we recommend that you use an

Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) policy to secure the transmission or replicate the zone data over a virtual private network (VPN)

tunnel. This prevents packet sniffing to determine information in the data transmission.

Using Active Directory–integrated zones replicates the zone data as part of normal AD DS replications. The zone transfer is then

secured as a part of AD DS replication.



Demonstration: Configuring DNS Zone Transfers

This demonstration shows you how to:

• Enable DNS zone transfers.

• Update the secondary zone from the master server.

• Update the primary zone, and then verify the change on the secondary zone.

Demonstration Steps Enable DNS zone transfers

1. On LON-DC1, enable zone transfers by configuring the Allow zone transfers option.

2. Configure zone transfers to Only to servers listed on the Name Servers tab.

3. Enable Notify to Only to servers listed on the Name Servers tab.

4. Add LON-SVR1.adatum.com as a listed name server to receive transfers.

Update the secondary zone from the master server

• Switch to LON-SVR1 and in the DNS Manager, select Transfer from Master. It is sometimes necessary to perform this step a

number of times before the zone transfers. Also, note that the transfer might occur automatically at any time.

Update the primary zone, and then verify the change on the secondary zone

1. Switch back to LON-DC1, and then create a new alias record.

2. Switch back to LON-SVR1, and then verify that the new record is present in the secondary zone. This may require a manual

Transfer from Master and a screen refresh before the record is visible.


DNS is a crucial service in the Active Directory infrastructure. When the DNS service experiences problems, it is important to know

how to troubleshoot them and identify the common issues that can occur in a DNS infrastructure. This lesson covers the

common problems that occur in DNS, the common areas from which you can gather DNS information, and the tools that you

can use to troubleshoot problems.

Lesson Objectives


• Explain how TTL, aging, and scavenging help to manage DNS records.

• Explain how to manage TTL, aging, and scavenging for DNS records.

• Explain how to identify problems with DNS by using DNS tools.



• Describe how to troubleshoot DNS by using DNS tools.

• Explain how to monitor DNS by using the DNS Event Log and debug logging.

What Is TTL, Aging, and Scavenging?

TTL, aging, and scavenging help manage DNS resource records in the zone files. Zone files can change over time, so there needs

to be a way to manage DNS records that are updated or that are not valid because the hosts they represent are no longer on the

network.

The following table describes the DNS tools that help to maintain a DNS database.

Tool Description

TTL Indicates how long a DNS record remains valid and ineligible for scavenging.

Aging Occurs when records inserted into the DNS server reach their expiration and are removed. This keeps the zone database accurate. During normal

operations, aging should take care of stale DNS resource records.

Scavenging Performs DNS server resource record grooming for old records in DNS. If resource records have not been aged, an administrator can scavenge the

zone database for stale records to force a database cleanup.

If left unmanaged, the presence of stale resource records in zone data might cause problems. For example:

• If a large number of stale resource records remain in server zones, they eventually can use up server disk space and cause

unnecessarily long zone transfers.

• A DNS server that is loading zones with stale resource records might use outdated information to answer client queries, which

could cause the client computers to experience name resolution or connectivity problems on the network.

• The accumulation of stale resource records on the DNS server might degrade its performance and responsiveness.

• In some cases, the presence of a stale resource record in a zone could prevent another computer or host device from using a

DNS domain name.

To solve these problems, the DNS Server service has the following features:



• Time stamping, based on the current date and time that is set at the server computer, for any resource records that are added

dynamically to primary-type zones. Additionally, time stamps are recorded in standard primary zones where you enable aging

and scavenging.

• For resource records that you add manually, you use a time-stamp value of zero to indicate that the aging process does not

affect these records and that they can remain without limitation in zone data unless you otherwise change their time stamp or

delete them.

• Aging of resource records in local data, based on a specified refresh time period, for any eligible zones.

• Only primary type zones that the DNS Server service loads are eligible to participate in this process.

• Scavenging for any resource records that persist beyond the specified refresh period.

When a DNS server performs a scavenging operation, it can determine that resource records have aged to the point of becoming

stale, and then remove them from zone data. You can configure servers to perform recurring scavenging operations

automatically, or you can initiate an immediate scavenging operation at the server.

Note: By default, the aging and scavenging mechanism for the DNS Server service is disabled. You should enable itonly when all parameters are understood fully. Otherwise, you could configure the server to delete records accidentallythat you should not delete. If a record is deleted accidentally, not only will users fail to resolve queries for that record,but any user can create the record and take ownership of it, even on zones that you configure for secure dynamicupdate. This is a significant security risk.

The server uses the contents of each time stamp for specific resource records, as well as other aging and scavenging properties

that you can adjust or configure, to determine when it scavenges records.

Prerequisites for Aging and Scavenging

Before you can use the aging and scavenging features of DNS, several conditions must be met:

• You must enable scavenging and aging at the DNS server and on the zone. By default, aging and scavenging of resource

records is disabled.

• You must add resource records to zones dynamically or manually modify them for use in aging and scavenging operations.

Typically, only those resource records that you add dynamically by using the DNS dynamic update protocol are subject to aging

and scavenging.

For records that you add to zones by loading a text-based zone file from another DNS server or by manually adding them to a

zone, a time stamp of zero is set. This makes these records ineligible for use in aging and scavenging operations.

To change this default, you can administer these records individually to reset and permit them to use a current (nonzero) time-

stamp value. This enables these records to become aged and scavenged.

Demonstration: Managing DNS Records




• Configure TTL.

• Enable and configure scavenging and aging.

Demonstration Steps Configure TTL

1. Switch to LON-DC1, and then open the Adatum.com zone properties.

2. On the Start of Authority tab, configure the Minimum (default) TTL value to be 2 hours.

Enable and configure scavenging and aging

1. Right-click LON-DC1, and then select the Set Aging/Scavenging for All Zones option to configure aging and scavenging

options.

2. Enable Scavenge stale resource records, and then use the default values.

Demonstration: Testing the DNS Server Configuration

Issues can occur when you do not configure the DNS server, and its zones and resource records, properly. When resource records

are causing issues, it can sometimes be more difficult to identify the issue because configuration problems are not always

obvious.

The following table lists possible configuration issues that can cause DNS problems.

Issue Result

Missing records Records for a host are not in the DNS server. They might have been scavenged prematurely. This can result in workstations not being

able to connect with each other.

Incomplete records Records that are missing information required to locate the resource they represent can cause clients requesting the resource to use

invalid information. For example, a service record that does not contain a needed port address is an example of an incomplete record.

Incorrectly configured records Records that are pointing to an invalid IP address or have invalid information in their configuration will cause problems when DNS

clients try to find resources.

The tools used to troubleshoot these and other configuration issues are:

• Nslookup. Use this tool to query DNS information. The tool is flexible, and it can provide valuable information about DNS

server status. You also can use it to look up resource records and validate their configuration. Additionally, you can test zone

transfers, security options, and MX record resolution.

Note: You can use the Windows PowerShell cmdlet Resolve-DnsName to perform similar functions to Nslookupwhen troubleshooting DNS.

• Windows PowerShell. You can use Windows PowerShell cmdlets to configure and troubleshoot various DNS aspects.

• Dnscmd. Manage the DNS Server service with this command-line interface. This utility is useful in scripting batch files to help

automate routine DNS management tasks or to perform simple unattended setup and configuration of new DNS servers on



your network.

• IPconfig. Use this command to view and modify IP configuration details that the computer uses. This utility includes additional

command-line options that you can use to troubleshoot and support DNS clients. You can view the client local DNS cache by

using the command ipconfig /displaydns, and you can clear the local cache using ipconfig /flushdns.

Note: You can also use the following Windows PowerShell cmdlets:o clear-DnsClientCache to delete the DNS resolver cache

o get-DnsClientCache to view the resolver cache

• Monitoring tab on DNS server. In the DNS server Monitoring tab, you can configure a test that allows the DNS server to

determine whether it can resolve simple local queries and perform a recursive query to ensure that the server can

communicate with upstream servers. You also can schedule these tests for regular intervals.

These are basic tests, but they provide a good place to start troubleshooting the DNS service. Possible causes for a test to fail

include:

o The DNS Server service has failed.

o The upstream server is not available on the network.

This demonstration shows how to use Nslookup.exe to test the DNS server configuration.

Demonstration Steps

1. Open a command prompt, and then run the following command:

nslookup –d2 LON-svr1.Adatum.com

2. Review the information provided by nslookup.

Monitoring DNS by Using the DNS Event Log

The DNS server has its own category in the event log. As with any event log in Windows® Event Viewer, you should review the



event log periodically.

Common DNS Events

The following table describes common DNS events.

Event

ID

Description

2 The DNS server has started. This message generally appears at startup when either the server computer or the DNS Server service is started.

3 The DNS server has shut down. This message generally appears when either the server computer is shut down or the DNS Server service is stopped

manually.

408 The DNS server could not open socket for address [IPaddress]. Verify that this is a valid IP address for the server computer.

To correct the problem, you can do the following:

1. If the specified IP address is not valid, remove it from the list of restricted interfaces for the server and restart the server.

2. If the specified IP address is no longer valid and was the only address enabled for the DNS server to use, the server might not have started as a

result of this configuration error. To correct this problem, delete the following value from the registry and restart the DNS server:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\DNS\Parameters \ListenAddress

3. If the IP address for the server computer is valid, verify that no other application that would attempt to use the same DNS server port (such as

another DNS server application) is running. By default, DNS uses TCP port 53.

413• The DNS server sends requests to other DNS servers on a port other than its default port (TCP port 53).

• This DNS server is multihomed and has been configured to restrict DNS Server service to only some of its configured IP addresses. For this reason,

there is no assurance that DNS queries that this server makes to other remote DNS servers will be sent by using one of the IP addresses that was

enabled for the DNS server.

• This might prevent query answer responses that these servers return from being received on the DNS port that the server is configured to use. To

avoid this problem, the DNS server sends queries to other DNS servers using an arbitrary non-DNS port, and the response is received regardless of

the IP address used.

• If you want to limit the DNS server to using only its configured DNS port for sending queries to other DNS servers, use the DNS console to perform

one of the following changes in server properties configuration on the Interfaces tab:

o Select All IP addresses to enable the DNS server to listen on all configured server IP addresses.

o Select Only the following IP addresses to limit the IP address list to a single server IP address.

414 The server computer currently has no primary DNS suffix configured. Its DNS name currently is a single label host name. For example, its configured name

is host rather than host.example.microsoft.com or another FQDN.

Although the DNS server has only a single label name, default resource records created for its configured zones use only this single label name when

mapping the host name for this DNS server. This can lead to incorrect and failed referrals when clients and other DNS servers use these records to locate

this server by name.

In general, you should reconfigure the DNS server with a full DNS computer name that is appropriate for its domain or workgroup use on your network.

708 The DNS server did not detect any zones of either primary or secondary type. It will run as a caching-only server, but will not be authoritative for any zones.

3150 The DNS server wrote a new version of zone [zonename] to file [filename]. You can view the new version number by clicking the Record Data tab.

This event should appear only if you configure the DNS server to operate as a root server.

6527 Zone [zonename] expired before it could obtain a successful zone transfer or update from a master server that is acting as its source for the zone. The



zone has been shut down.

This event ID might appear when you configure the DNS server to host a secondary copy of the zone from another DNS server that is acting as its source or

master server. Verify that this server has network connectivity to its configured master server.

If the problem continues, consider one or more of the following options:

1. Delete the zone and recreate it, specifying either a different master server, or an updated and corrected IP address for the same master server.

2. If zone expiration continues, consider adjusting the expiration interval.

Monitoring DNS by Using Debug Logging

Sometimes it might be necessary to get more details about a DNS problem than what the Event Viewer provides. In this instance,

you can use debug logging to provide additional information.

The following DNS debug logging options are available:

• Direction of packets. This option has the following settings:

o Send. The DNS server log file logs packets that the DNS server sends.

o Receive. The log file logs packets that the DNS server receives.

• Content of packets. This option has the following settings:

o Standard query. Specifies that packets containing standard queries, according to Request for Comments (RFC) 1034, are

logged in the DNS server log file.

o Updates. Specifies that packets containing dynamic updates, according to RFC 2136, are logged in the DNS server log file.

o Notifies. Specifies that packets containing notifications, according to RFC 1996, are logged in the DNS server log file.

• Transport protocol. This option has the following settings:

o UDP. Specifies that packets sent and received over User Datagram Protocol (UDP) are logged in the DNS server log file.

o TCP. Specifies that packets sent and received over TCP are logged in the DNS server log file.

• Type of packet. This option has the following settings:

o Request. Specifies that request packets are logged in the DNS server log file. A request packet is characterized by a

Query/Response (QR) bit set to zero in the DNS message header.

A QR bit is a one-bit field that specifies whether this message is a query (0) or a response.

o Response. Specifies that response packets are logged in the DNS server log file. A response packet is characterized by a QR



bit set to 1 in the DNS message header.

• Enable filtering based on IP address. This option provides additional filtering of packets that are logged in the DNS server log

file. This option allows logging of packets that are sent from specific IP addresses to a DNS server or from a DNS server to

specific IP addresses.

• Log file maximum size limit. This option allows you to set the maximum file size for the DNS server log file. When the DNS

server log file reaches its specified maximum size, the DNS server overwrites the oldest packet information with new

information.

If you do not specify a maximum log-file size, the DNS server log file can consume a large amount of hard-disk space.

By default, all debug logging options are disabled. When you enable them selectively, the DNS Server service can perform

additional trace-level logging of selected types of events or messages for general troubleshooting and server debugging.

Debug logging can be resource intensive, affecting overall server performance and consuming disk space. Therefore, you should

use it only on a temporary basis, when you need more detailed server-performance information.

Note: Dns.log contains debug logging activity. By default, it is located in the %systemroot%\System32\Dns folder.


Scenario

A. Datum is a global engineering and manufacturing company with its head office in London, UK. An IT office and a data center

are located in London to support the head office and other locations. A. Datum has recently deployed a Windows Server 2012

server and client infrastructure.

You have been asked to add several new resource records to the DNS service installed on LON-DC1. Records include a new MX

record for Exchange Server 2010 and a SRV record for a Microsoft Lync® deployment that is occurring. A. Datum is working with

a partner organization, Contoso, Ltd. You have been asked to configure internal name resolution between the two organizations.

A small branch office has reported that name resolution performance is poor. The branch office contains a Windows Server 2012

server that performs several roles.

However, there is no plan to implement an additional domain controller. You have been asked to install the DNS server role at the

branch office and create a secondary zone of Adatum.com. To maintain security, you have been instructed to configure the

branch office server to be on the Notify list for Adatum.com zone transfers. You also should update all branch office clients to

use the new name server in the branch office.

You should configure the new DNS server role to perform standard aging and scavenging, as necessary and as specified by

corporate policy. After implementing the new server, you need to test and verify the configuration by using standard DNS

troubleshooting tools.

Objectives




• Configure DNS resource records.

• Configure DNS conditional forwarding.

• Install and configure DNS zones.

• Troubleshoot DNS.

Lab Setup



20411B-LON-SVR1

20411B-LON-CL1

User Name Adatum\Administrator

Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:




4. Sign in using the following credentials:

o User name: Administrator


o Domain: Adatum

5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-SVR1 and 20411B-LON-CL1.

Exercise 1: Configuring DNS Resource Records

Scenario

You have been asked to add several new resource records to the DNS service installed on LON-DC1. Records include a new MX

record for Exchange Server 2010, and a SRV record required for a Lync deployment that is taking place currently. You have also

been asked to configure a reverse lookup zone for the domain.

The main tasks for this exercise are as follows:

1. Add the required MX record.

2. Add the required Lync server records.



3. Create the reverse lookup zone.

Task 1: Add the required MX record

1. Switch to LON-DC1, and sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Open the DNS Manager console.

3. Create a new host record with the following properties:

o Zone: Adatum.com

o Name: Mail1

o IP address: 172.16.0.250

4. In the Adatum.com zone, add a new record with the following information:

o Type: New Mail Exchanger (MX)

o Fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of mail server: Mail1.Adatum.com.

Task 2: Add the required Lync server records

1. Create a new host record with the following properties:

o Zone: Adatum.com

o Name: Lync-svr1

o IP address: 172.16.0.251

2. In the Adatum.com zone, add a new record:

o Type: Service Location (SRV)

o Service: _sipinternaltls

o Protocol: _tcp

o Port Number: 5061

o Host offering this service: Lync-svr1.adatum.com.

Task 3: Create the reverse lookup zone

• Create a new reverse lookup zone with the following properties:

o Zone Type: Primary zone

o Active Directory Zone Replication Scope: Default

o Reverse Lookup Zone Name: IPv4 Reverse Lookup Zone



o Reverse Lookup Zone Name: 172.16.0

o Dynamic Update: Default

Results: After this exercise, you should have configured the required messaging service records and the reverse lookup zonesuccessfully.

Exercise 2: Configuring DNS Conditional Forwarding

Scenario

You have been asked to configure internal name resolution between A. Datum Corporation and its partner organization, Contoso

Ltd.

The main task for this exercise is to add the conditional forwarding record for contoso.com.

Task 1: Add the conditional forwarding record for contoso.com

• From the Conditional Forwarders node, configure conditional forwarding for Contoso.com:

a. In the New Conditional Forwarder dialog box, in the DNS Domain box, type contoso.com.

b. Click in the <Click here to add an IP Address or DNS Name> box. Type 131.107.1.2, and then press Enter. Validation will

fail since the server cannot be contacted.

c. Enable Store this conditional forwarder in Active Directory, and replicate it as follows.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully configured conditional forwarding.

Exercise 3: Installing and Configuring DNS Zones

Scenario

A small branch office has reported that name resolution performance is poor. The branch office contains a Windows Server 2012

Server that performs several roles. However, there is no plan to implement an additional domain controller. You have been asked

to install the DNS server role at the branch office, and then create a secondary zone of Adatum.com. To maintain security, you

also have been instructed to configure the branch office server to be on the Notify list for Adatum.com zone transfers. You also

should update all branch office clients to use the new name server in the branch office, and then configure the new DNS server

role to perform standard aging and scavenging, as needed and specified by corporate policy.


1. Install the DNS server role on LON-SVR1.

2. Create the required secondary zones on LON-SVR1.

3. Enable and configure zone transfers.



4. Configure TTL, aging, and scavenging.

5. Configure clients to use the new name server.

Task 1: Install the DNS server role on LON-SVR1


2. Use Server Manager to install the DNS Server role.

Task 2: Create the required secondary zones on LON-SVR1

1. Open a command prompt.

2. Type the following command to create the required secondary zone:

Dnscmd.exe /zoneadd Adatum.com /secondary 172.16.0.10

3. Open DNS Manager, and then verify the presence of the new secondary forward lookup zone Adatum.com.

Task 3: Enable and configure zone transfers

1. Switch to LON-DC1.

2. Open a command prompt, and then run the following command to configure zone transfers for the Adatum.com zone:

Dnscmd.exe /zoneresetsecondaries Adatum.com /notifylist 172.16.0.21

3. In DNS Manager, verify the changes to the Zone Transfers settings:

a. In the navigation pane, click Adatum.com, and then on the toolbar, click Refresh.

b. Right-click Adatum.com, and then click Properties.

c. In the Adatum.com Properties dialog box, click the Zone Transfers tab.

d. Click Notify, and verify that the server 172.16.0.21 is listed. Click Cancel.

e. Close the Adatum.com Properties dialog box.

Task 4: Configure TTL, aging, and scavenging

1. On LON-DC1, open the Adatum.com zone properties.

2. On the Start of Authority tab, configure the Minimum (default) TTL value to be 2 hours.



3. Right-click LON-DC1, and then select the Set Aging/Scavenging for All Zones option to configure aging and scavenging

options.

4. Enable Scavenge stale resource records, and then use the default values.

Task 5: Configure clients to use the new name server

1. Sign in to the LON-CL1 virtual machine as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Use Network and Sharing Center to view the properties of Local Area Connection.

3. Reconfigure Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) as follows:

o Modify the Preferred DNS server: 172.16.0.21.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully installed and configured DNS on LON-SVR1.

Exercise 4: Troubleshooting DNS

Scenario

After implementing the new server, you need to test and verify the configuration by using standard DNS troubleshooting tools.


1. Test simple and recursive queries.

2. Verify start-of-authority (SOA) resource records with Windows PowerShell.

Task 1: Test simple and recursive queries

1. On LON-DC1, in DNS Manager, open the LON-DC1 properties.

2. On the Monitoring tab, perform a simple query against the DNS server. This is successful.

3. Perform simple and recursive queries against this and other DNS servers. The recursive test fails because there are no

forwarders configured.

4. Stop the DNS service, and then repeat the previous tests. They fail because no DNS server is available.

5. Restart the DNS service, and then repeat the tests. The simple test is successful.

6. Close the LON-DC1 Properties dialog box.

Task 2: Verify start-of-authority (SOA) resource records with Windows PowerShell



1. Open Windows PowerShell LON-DC1.

2. Type the following command, and then press Enter:

resolve-dnsname –name Adatum.com –type SOA

3. View the results, and then close the Windows PowerShell prompt.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully tested and verified DNS.


When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines to their initial state. To do this, perform the following steps:


2. In the Virtual Machines list, right-click 20411B-LON-DC1, and then click Revert.


4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 20411B-LON-SVR1 and 20411B-LON-CL1.


Review Questions

Question: You are deploying DNS servers into an Active Directory domain, and your customer requires that theinfrastructure is resistant to single points of failure. What must you consider while planning the DNS configuration?

Question: What is the difference between recursive and iterative queries?

Question: What must you configure before a DNS zone can be transferred to a secondary DNS server?

Question: You are the administrator of a Windows Server 2012 DNS environment. Your company recently acquiredanother company. You want to replicate their primary DNS zone. The acquired company is using Bind 4.9.4 to host theirprimary DNS zones. You notice a significant amount of traffic between the Windows Server 2012 DNS server and the Bindserver. What is one possible reason for this?

Question: You must automate a DNS server configuration process so that you can automate the deployment of WindowsServer 2012. What DNS tool can you use to do this?

Tools

Tool Use for Where to find it



Dnscmd.exe Configure DNS server role Command-line

Dnslint.exe Test DNS server Download from the Microsoft website and then use from the

command-line

Nslookup.exe Test DNS name resolution Command-line

Ping.exe Simple test of DNS name resolution Command-line

Ipconfig.exe Verify and test IP functionality and view or clear the DNS client

resolver cache

Command-line

5/21/13 Lab Answer Key: Module 2: Configuring and Troubleshooting Domain Name System


Lab Answer Key: Module 2: Configuring and Troubleshooting Domain Name

System


Exercise 1: Configuring DNS Resource Records

Task 1: Add the required MX record

1. Switch to LON-DC1, and sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click DNS.

3. In DNS Manager, expand LON-DC1, expand Forward Lookup Zones, and then click Adatum.com.

4. Right-click Adatum.com, and then click New host (A or AAAA).

5. In the New Host dialog box, in the Name box, type Mail1.

6. In the IP address box, type 172.16.0.250, and then click Add Host.

7. In the DNS dialog box, click OK.

8. In the New Host dialog box, click Done.

9. Right-click Adatum.com, and then click New Mail Exchanger (MX).

10. In the New Resource Record dialog box, in the Fully qualified domain name (FQDN) of mail server box, type

Mail1.Adatum.com, and then click OK.

Task 2: Add the required Lync server records

1. Right-click Adatum.com, and then click New host (A or AAAA).

2. In the New Host dialog box, in the Name box, type Lync-svr1.

3. In the IP address box, type 172.16.0.251, and then click Add Host.

4. In the DNS dialog box, click OK.

5. In the New Host dialog box, click Done.

6. Right-click Adatum.com, and then click Other New Records.

7. In the Resource Record Type dialog box, in the Select a resource record type list, click Service Location (SRV), and then

click Create Record.

8. In the New Resource Record dialog box, in the Service box, type _sipinternaltls.

9. In the Protocol box, type _tcp.

10. In Port Number, type 5061.



11. In the Host offering this service box, type Lync-svr1.adatum.com.

12. Click OK, and then click Done.

Task 3: Create the reverse lookup zone

1. In DNS Manager, in the navigation pane, click Reverse Lookup Zones.

2. Right-click Reverse Lookup Zones, and then click New Zone.

3. In the New Zone Wizard, click Next.

4. On the Zone Type page, click Primary zone, and then click Next.

5. On the Active Directory Zone Replication Scope page, click Next.

6. On the Reverse Lookup Zone Name page, click IPv4 Reverse Lookup Zone, and then click Next.

7. On the second Reverse Lookup Zone Name page, in the Network ID: box, type 172.16.0, and then click Next.

8. On the Dynamic Update page, click Next.

9. On the Completing the New Zone Wizard page, click Finish.

Results: After this exercise, you should have configured the required messaging service records and the reverse lookup zonesuccessfully.

Exercise 2: Configuring DNS Conditional Forwarding

Task 1: Add the conditional forwarding record for contoso.com

1. In DNS, in the navigation pane, click Conditional Forwarders.

2. Right-click Conditional Forwarders, and then click New Conditional Forwarder.

3. In the New Conditional Forwarder dialog box, in the DNS Domain box, type contoso.com.

4. Click in the <Click here to add an IP Address or DNS Name> box. Type 131.107.1.2, and then press Enter. Validation will

fail since the server cannot be contacted.

5. Select the Store this conditional forwarder in Active Directory, and replicate it as follows check box.

6. Click OK.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully configured conditional forwarding.

Exercise 3: Installing and Configuring DNS Zones



Task 1: Install the DNS server role on LON-SVR1


2. If necessary, on the taskbar, click Server Manager.

3. In Server Manager, in the navigation pane, click Dashboard, and then in the details pane, click Add roles and features.

4. In the Add Roles and Features Wizard, click Next.

5. On the Select installation type page, click Role-based or feature-based installation, and then click Next.


7. On the Select server roles page, in the Roles list, select the DNS Server check box.

8. In the Add Roles and Features Wizard dialog box, click Add Features.

9. On the Select server roles page, click Next.


11. On the DNS Server page, click Next.


13. After the role is installed, click Close.

Task 2: Create the required secondary zones on LON-SVR1

1. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower left of the display, and then click Start.

2. From Start, type cmd.exe, and then press Enter.


Dnscmd.exe /zoneadd Adatum.com /secondary 172.16.0.10

4. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click DNS.

5. From Start, click DNS.

6. In DNS Manager, in the navigation pane, expand LON-SVR1, and then click Forward Lookup Zones. Notice the new zone.

Task 3: Enable and configure zone transfers


2. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower-left of the display, and then click Start.





Dnscmd.exe /zoneresetsecondaries Adatum.com /notifylist 172.16.0.21

5. In DNS Manager, in the navigation pane, click Adatum.com, and then on the toolbar, click Refresh.

6. Right-click Adatum.com, and then click Properties.

7. In the Adatum.com Properties dialog box, click the Zone Transfers tab.

8. Click Notify, and verify that the server 172.16.0.21 is listed.

9. Click Cancel.

10. Click OK to close the Adatum.com Properties dialog box.

Task 4: Configure TTL, aging, and scavenging

1. On LON-DC1, in DNS Manager, right-click Adatum.com, and then click Properties.

2. In the Adatum.com Properties dialog box, click the Start of Authority (SOA) tab.

3. In the Minimum (default) TTL box, type 2, and then click OK.

4. Right-click LON-DC1, and then click Set Aging/Scavenging for All Zones.

5. In the Set Aging/Scavenging Properties dialog box, select the Scavenge stale resource records check box, and then click

OK.

6. In the Server Aging/Scavenging Confirmation dialog box, select the Apply these settings to the existing Active

Directory-integrated zones check box, and then click OK.

Task 5: Configure clients to use the new name server

1. Switch to LON-CL1.

2. Sign in to the LON-CL1 virtual machine as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

3. On the Start screen, type Control, and then click Control Panel.

4. In Control Panel, click Network and Internet.

5. In Network and Internet, click Network and Sharing Center.

6. In Network and Sharing Center, to the right of the Adatum.com Domain network, click Local Area Connection.

7. In the Local Area Connection Status dialog box, click Properties.

8. Click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and then click Properties.

9. In the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties dialog box, in the Preferred DNS server box, type 172.16.0.21,

and then click OK.

10. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click Close.

11. In the Local Area Connection Status dialog box, click Close.



Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully installed and configured DNS on LON-SVR1.

Exercise 4: Troubleshooting DNS

Task 1: Test simple and recursive queries


2. On LON-DC1, switch to DNS Manager.

3. In the navigation pane, right-click LON-DC1, and then click Properties.

4. Click the Monitoring tab.

5. On the Monitoring tab, select A simple query against this DNS server, and then click Test Now.

6. On the Monitoring tab, select A recursive query to other DNS servers, and then click Test Now. Notice that the Recursive

test fails for LON-DC1, which is normal given that there are no forwarders configured for this DNS server to use.

7. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower-left of the display, and then click Start.

8. In Start, type cmd, and then press Enter.


sc stop dns

10. Switch back to DNS Manager.

11. In DNS Manager, in the LON-DC1 Properties dialog box, on the Monitoring tab, click Test Now. Now, both simple and

recursive tests fail because no DNS server is available.

12. Switch to the command prompt.


sc start dns

14. Switch back to DNS Manager.

15. On the Monitoring tab, click Test Now. The simple test completes successfully.

16. Close the LON-DC1 Properties dialog box.

Task 2: Verify start-of-authority (SOA) resource records with Windows PowerShell

1. On LON-DC1, on the taskbar, click Windows PowerShell.



2. At the Windows PowerShell® prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

resolve-dnsname –name Adatum.com –type SOA

3. Close the Windows PowerShell prompt.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully tested and verified DNS.






4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 20411B-LON-SVR1 and 20411B-LON-CL1.

5/21/13 Module 3: Maintaining Active Directory Domain Services


Module 3: Maintaining Active Directory Domain Services

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Overview of AD DS







Module Overview

Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS) is the most critical component in a Windows Server® 2012 domain-based network.

AD DS contains important information about authentication, authorization, and resources in your environment. This module

focuses on explaining why you implement specific AD DS features, how important components integrate with each other, and

how you can ensure that your domain-based network functions properly.

You will learn about new features, such as virtualized domain controller cloning, recent features like read-only domain controllers

(RODCs), and a host of other features and tools that you can use in the AD DS environment.

Objectives


• Explain the general structure of AD DS.

• Implement virtualized domain controllers.

• Implement RODCs.

• Administer AD DS.

• Manage the AD DS database.

Lesson 1 : Overview of AD DS

The AD DS database stores information on user identity, computers, groups, services, and resources. AD DS domain controllers

also host the service that authenticates user and computer accounts when they sign in to the domain. AD DS stores information

about all of the domain’s objects, and all users and computers must connect to AD DS domain controllers when signing into the











network. Therefore, AD DS is the primary means by which you can configure and manage user and computer accounts on your

network.

This lesson covers the core logical components of an AD DS deployment.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe AD DS components.

• Explain AD DS forest and schema structure.

• Explain AD DS domain structure.

Overview of AD DS Components

AD DS is composed of both physical and logical components. You need to understand the way the components of AD DS work

together so that you can maintain your AD DS environment effectively.

Physical Components

AD DS information is stored in a single file on each domain controller’s hard disk. The following table lists some physical

components and their storage locations.

Physical component Description

Domain controllers Contain copies of the AD DS database.

Data store The file on each domain controller that stores the AD DS information.

Global catalog servers Host the global catalog, which is a partial, read-only copy of all the objects in the forest. A global catalog speeds up searches for

objects that might be stored on domain controllers in a different domain in the forest.

Read-only domain controllers (RODC) A special AD DS install in read-only format. You typically use these in branch offices where security and IT support may be less

advanced than in an enterprise’s main corporate centers.

Logical Components

AD DS logical components are structures that you use to implement an Active Directory design that is appropriate for an



organization. The following table describes some of the types of logical structures that an Active Directory database might

contain.

Logical component Description

Partition A section of the AD DS database. Although the database actually is just one file named NTDS.DIT, users view, manage, and

replicate it as if it consists of distinct sections or instances. These are partitions, or naming contexts.

Schema Defines the list of object types and attributes that all AD DS objects can have.

Domain A logical, administrative boundary for users and computers.

Domain tree A collection of domains that share a common root domain and a Domain Name System (DNS) namespace.

Forest A collection of domains that share a common AD DS.

Site A collection of users, groups, and computers, which are defined by their physical locations. Sites are useful in planning

administrative tasks such as replication of changes to the AD DS database.

OU Organizational units (OUs) are containers in AD DS that provide a framework for delegating administrative rights and for linking

Group Policy Objects (GPOs).

Understanding AD DS Forest and Schema Structure

In AD DS forest and schema structure are important for the defining the functionality and scope of your environment.

AD DS Forest Structure

A forest is a collection of one or more domain trees. A tree is a collection of one or more domains. The first domain that is

created in the forest is called the forest root domain. The forest root domain contains a few objects that do not exist in other

domains in the forest. For example, the forest root domain contains two special roles, the schema master and the domain

naming master. In addition, the Enterprise Admins group and the Schema Admins group exist only in the forest root domain. The

Enterprise Admins group has full control over every domain within the forest.

The AD DS forest is a security boundary. This means that, by default, no users from outside the forest can access any resources

inside the forest. It also means that administrators from outside the forest have no administrative access within the forest. One of

the primary reasons why organizations deploy multiple forests is because they need to isolate administrative permissions

between different parts of the organization.

The AD DS forest is also the replication boundary for the configuration and schema partitions in the AD DS database. This means

that all domain controllers in the forest must share the same schema. A second reason why organizations deploy multiple forests



is because they must deploy incompatible schemas in two parts of the organization.

The AD DS forest is also the replication boundary for the global catalog. This makes most forms of collaboration between users in

different domains easier. For example, all Microsoft® Exchange Server 2010 recipients are listed in the global catalog, making it

easy to send mail to any of the users in the forest, even those users in different domains.

By default, all the domains in a forest automatically trust the other domains in the forest. This makes it easy to enable access to

resources such as file shares and websites for all users in a forest, regardless of the domain in which the user account is located.

AD DS Schema Structure

The AD DS schema is the AD DS component that defines all object types and attributes that AD DS uses to store data. It is

sometimes referred to as the blueprint for AD DS.

AD DS stores and retrieves information from a wide variety of applications and services. AD DS standardizes how data is stored so

that it can store and replicate data from these various sources. By standardizing how data is stored, AD DS can retrieve, update,

and replicate data, while ensuring that the integrity of the data is maintained.

AD DS uses objects as units of storage. All object types are defined in the schema. Each time that the directory handles data, the

directory queries the schema for an appropriate object definition. Based on the object definition in the schema, the directory

creates the object and stores the data.

Object definitions control both the types of data that the objects can store, and the syntax of the data. Using this information, the

schema ensures that all objects conform to their standard definitions. As a result, AD DS can store, retrieve, and validate the data

that it manages, regardless of the application that is the original source of the data. Only data that has an existing object

definition in the schema can be stored in the directory. If a new type of data needs to be stored, a new object definition for the

data must first be created in the schema.

In AD DS, the schema defines the following:

• Objects that are used to store data in the directory

• Rules that define what types of objects you can create, what attributes must be defined (mandatory) when you create the

object, and what attributes are optional

• Structure and content of the directory itself

You can use an account that is a member of the Schema Administrators to modify the schema components in a graphical form.

Examples of objects that are defined in the schema include user, computer, group, and site. Among the many attributes are

location, accountExpires, buildingName, company, manager, and displayName.

The schema master is one of the single master operations domain controllers in AD DS. Because it is a single master, you must

make changes to the schema by targeting the domain controller that holds the schema master operations role.

The schema is replicated among all domain controllers in the forest. Any change that is made to the schema is replicated to every

domain controller in the forest from the schema operations master role holder, typically the first domain controller in the forest.

Because the schema dictates how information is stored, and because any changes that are made to the schema affect every



domain controller, changes to the schema should be made only when necessary. Before making any changes, you should review

the changes through a tightly-controlled process, and then implement them only after you have performed testing to ensure that

the changes will not adversely affect the rest of the forest and any applications that use AD DS.

Although you might not make any change to the schema directly, some applications make changes to the schema to support

additional features. For example, when you install Exchange Server 2010 into your AD DS forest, the installation program extends

the schema to support new object types and attributes.

Understanding AD DS Domain Structure

An AD DS domain is a logical grouping of user, computer, and group objects for the purpose of management and security. All of

these objects are stored in the AD DS database, and a copy of this database is stored on every domain controller in the AD DS

domain.

There are several types of objects that can be stored in the AD DS database, including user accounts. User accounts provide a

mechanism that you can use to authenticate and then authorize users to access resources on the network. Each domain-joined

computer must have an account in AD DS. This enables domain administrators to use policies that are defined in the domain to

manage the computers. The domain also stores groups, which are the mechanism for grouping together objects for

administrative or security reasons; for instance, user accounts and computer accounts.

The AD DS domain is also a replication boundary. When changes are made to any object in the domain, that change is replicated

automatically to all other domain controllers in the domain.

An AD DS domain is an administrative center. It contains an Administrator account and a Domain Admins group, which both

have full control over every object in the domain. Unless they are in the forest root domain, however, their range of control is

limited to the domain. Password and account rules are managed at the domain level by default. The AD DS domain also provides

an authentication center. All user accounts and computer accounts in the domain are stored in the domain database, and users

and computers must connect to a domain controller to authenticate.

A single domain can contain more than 1 million objects, so most organizations need to deploy only a single domain.

Organizations that have decentralized administrative structures, or that are distributed across multiple locations, might instead

implement multiple domains in the same forest.

Domain Controllers

A domain controller is a server that you can configure to store a copy of the AD DS directory database (NTDS.DIT) and a copy of

the System Volume (SYSVOL) folder. All domain controllers except RODCs store a read/write copy of both NTDS.DIT and the



SYSVOL folder. NTDS.DIT is the database itself, and the SYSVOL folder contains all the template settings for GPOs.

Changes to the AD DS database can be initiated on any domain controller in a domain except for RODCs. The AD DS replication

service then synchronizes the changes and updates to the AD DS database to all other domain controllers in the domain.

Additionally, either the file replication service (FRS), or the newer Distributed File System Replication (DFS-R), replicates the

SYSVOL folders.

An AD DS domain should always have a minimum of two domain controllers. This way, if one of the domain controllers fails,

there is a backup to ensure continuity of the AD DS domain services. When you decide to add more than two domain controllers,

consider the size of your organization and the performance requirements.

Organization Units

An OU is a container object within a domain that you can use to consolidate users, groups, computers, and other objects. There

are two reasons to create OUs:

• To configure objects contained within the OU. You can assign GPOs to the OU, and the settings apply to all objects within the

OU. GPOs are policies that administrators create to manage and configure computer and user accounts. The most common

way to deploy these policies is to link them to OUs.

• To delegate administrative control of objects within the OU. You can assign management permissions on an OU, thereby

delegating control of that OU to a user or group within AD DS other than the administrator.

You can use OUs to represent the hierarchical, logical structures within your organization. For example, you can create OUs that

represent the departments within your organization, the geographic regions within your organization, or a combination of both

departmental and geographic regions. You can use OUs to manage the configuration and use of user, group, and computer

accounts based on your organizational model.

Every AD DS domain contains a standard set of containers and OUs that are created when you install AD DS, including the

following:

• Domain container. Serves as the root container to the hierarchy.

• Users container. The default location for new user accounts and groups that you create in the domain. The users container also

holds the administrator and guest accounts for the domain, and some default groups.

• Computers container. The default location for new computer accounts that you create in the domain.

• Domain Controllers OU. The default location for the computer accounts for domain controller computer accounts. This is the

only OU that is present in a new installation of AD DS.

Note: None of the default containers in the AD DS domain can have GPOs linked to them, except for the defaultDomain Controllers OU and the domain itself. All the other containers are just folders. To link GPOs to applyconfigurations and restrictions, create a hierarchy of OUs, and then link GPOs to them.




Virtualization is a common practice in IT departments. The consolidation and performance benefits that virtualization provides

are great assets to any organization. Windows Server 2012 AD DS and domain controllers are now more aware of virtualization. In

this lesson, you will learn the considerations for implementing virtualized domain controllers in Windows Server 2012, and how

you can deploy and manage these domain controllers in the AD DS environment.

Lesson Objectives


• Identify considerations for implementing cloned virtualized domain controllers.

• Explain how to deploy a cloned virtualized domain controller.

• Describe how to manage virtualized domain controller snapshots.

Understanding Cloned Virtualized Domain Controllers

Windows Server 2012 introduces virtualized domain-controller cloning. In previous Windows Server versions, domain controllers

that were running within a virtual machine were unaware of their virtual state. This made performing processes like cloning and

restoring virtual machine snapshots potentially dangerous, because changes could occur to the operating-system environment

that the domain controller did not expect. For example, two domain controllers cannot coexist in the same forest with the same

name, invocation ID, and directory system agent (DSA) globally unique identifier (GUID). In earlier Windows versions prior to

Windows Server 2012, you created virtualized domain controllers by deploying a Sysprepped base server image, and then

promoting it manually to be a domain controller. Windows Server 2012 provides specific virtualization capabilities to AD DS

Virtualized Domain Controllers (VDCs) to resolve those issues.

Windows Server 2012 VDCs provide two significant benefits:

• You can clone domain controllers safely to deploy additional capacity and save configuration time.

• Accidental restoration of domain controller snapshots does not disrupt the AD DS environment.

Cloning VDCs in Windows Server 2012

In Windows Server 2012, cloning virtual machines that act as domain controllers provides the ability to deploy domain controllers

rapidly in your environment. For example, you may need to increase your environment’s domain controllers to support increased

AD DS usage. You can deploy additional domain controllers quickly with the following process:



1. Run the cloning operation on an existing VDC.

2. Shut down the existing VDC, and then use Hyper-V to export the virtual machine files.

3. Start the existing VDC (if it’s intended to continue in production usage).

4. Use Hyper-V to import the virtual machine files as a new virtual machine, and then start the virtual machine, which now

contains the new domain controller.

Virtual domain controller cloning provides the following benefits in Windows Server 2012:

• Rapid domain-controller deployment in a new forest or domain.

• Scalable provisioning of domain controllers to handle increased load.

• Quick replacement or recovery of domain controllers for business continuity.

• Fast provisioning of test environments.

Safe Cloning

Domain controllers have unique characteristics that make unmanaged cloning detrimental to the AD DS database-replication

process. Domain controllers that are simply cloned end up with the same name, which is unsupported within the same domain

or forest. In previous Windows Server versions, you had to prepare a domain controller for cloning by using sysprep. After the

cloning process, you then had to promote the new server to a domain controller manually.

With Safe Cloning in Windows Server 2012, a cloned domain controller automatically runs a subset of the sysprep process, and

promotes with the existing local AD DS data as installation media.

Safe Backup and Restore

Rolling back to a previous snapshot of a VDC is problematic because AD DS uses multimaster replication that relies on

transactions being assigned numeric values called Update Sequence Numbers (USNs). The VDC tries to assign USNs to prior

transactions that have already been assigned to valid transactions. This causes inconsistencies in the AD DS database. Windows

Server 2003 and newer implements a process that is known as USN rollback protection. With this in place, the VDC does not

replicate, and you must demote it forcibly or manually restore it.

Windows Server 2012 now detects the snapshot state of a domain controller, and synchronizes or replicates the delta of changes,

between a domain controller and its partners for AD DS and the SYSVOL. You now can use snapshots without risk of permanently

disabling domain controllers and requiring manually forced demotion, metadata cleanup, and repromotion.

Deploying a Cloned Virtualized Domain Controller



When deploying a VDC, consider the following regarding installation:

• All Windows Server 2012 computers support VDC cloning automatically.

• The following requirements must be met to support VDC cloning:

o The primary domain controller (PDC) Emulator FSMO role must be located on a Windows Server 2012 domain controller.

o The domain controller hosting the PDC Emulator flexible single master operations (FSMO) role must be available during

cloning operations.

• The following requirements must be met to support both VDC cloning and safe restore:

o Guest virtual machines must be running Windows Server 2012.

o The virtualization host platform must support VM Generation ID (VM GENID). This includes Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V®.

Creating a VDC Clone

To create a VDC clone in Windows Server 2012, perform the following steps:

1. Create a DcCloneConfig.xml file that contains the unique server configuration.

2. Copy this file into the location of the AD DS database on the source domain controller (C:\Windows\NTDS by default). This

file can also be stored on removable media, if required.

3. Take the source VDC offline and export or copy it.

4. Create a new virtual machine by importing the exported one. This virtual machine is promoted automatically as a unique

domain controller.

Managing Virtualized Domain Controllers



The Windows Server 2012 safe restore capability enables VDCs that are running Windows Server 2012 to participate gracefully in

the AD DS replication topology, after you apply a snapshot within Hyper-V to the virtual machine that is hosting the domain

controller.

Taking and applying snapshots for a VDC in Hyper-V requires specific considerations and steps.

Validating AD DS Replication

When a virtual machine snapshot is applied to a VDC, the safe restore process initiates, inbound replication for the changes in AD

DS between the virtual domain controller and the rest of the AD DS environment. The relative identifier (RID) pool is released, and

a new one is requested, to prevent duplicated SIDs in AD DS. It also initiates a nonauthoritative replication of the SYSVOL folder.

This process ensures that the new applied snapshot version of the virtual domain controller is aware of all AD DS objects, fully up-

to-date, and is fully functional.

To ensure that this process can complete successfully, the following elements of AD DS replication must be considered:

• A virtual domain controller recovered from a Hyper-V snapshot must be able to contact a writable domain controller.

• You may not restore all domain controllers in a domain simultaneously. If all domain controllers are restored simultaneously,

SYSVOL replication will halt, and all partners in synchronization will be considered nonauthoritative. This is an important

consideration for full environment rollback situations that may occur frequently in a test environment.

• Changes originated on a restored virtual domain controller that have not replicated since the snapshot was taken are lost.

Because of this, you must ensure that all outgoing replication on a domain controller has been completed before taking a

snapshot of the virtual machine.

Using Windows PowerShell for Hyper-V Snapshot Management

You can use the following Windows PowerShell® cmdlets to perform snapshot management in Windows Server 2012:

• Checkpoint-VM

• Export-VMSnapshot

• Get-VMSnapshot

• Remove-VMSnapshot

• Rename-VMSnapshot



• Restore-VMSnapshot

Considerations for Managing Virtual Domain Controller Snapshots

Consider the following when managing virtual domain controller snapshots in Windows Server 2012:

• Do not use snapshots to replace regular system state backups. In a frequently changing AD DS environment, snapshots do not

always contain the full contents of AD DS objects, due to replication changes.

• Do not restore a snapshot of a domain controller that was taken before it was promoted. Doing so will require that you

repromote the server manually after the snapshot is applied and the metadata cleanup occurs.

• Do not host all virtual domain controllers on the same hypervisor or server. This introduces a single point of failure into the AD

DS infrastructure, and circumvents many of the benefits that virtualizing your domain-controller infrastructure provides.


RODCs provide an alternative to a fully writable domain controller. In many scenarios, such as a remote branch office or a

location where a server cannot be placed in a secure physical environment, RODCs can provide the functionality of a domain

controller without potentially exposing your AD DS environment to unnecessary risks. This lesson will help you to better

understand the methods and best practices that you can use to manage RODCs in the Windows Server 2012 environment.

Lesson Objectives


• Explain considerations for implementing RODCs.

• Describe how to manage RODC credential caching.

• Identify the important aspects of managing local administration for RODCs.

Considerations for Implementing RODCs

An RODC has a read-only copy of an Active Directory domain, which contains all of the domain’s objects, but not all of their

attributes. System-critical attributes, such as passwords, do not replicate to an RODC because it is not considered secure. You can



prevent additional attributes from being replicated to RODCs by marking the attribute as confidential and adding it to the Filtered

Attribute Set (FAS).

Understanding RODC Functionality

You cannot make changes to the domain database on the RODC, because the AD DS database on the RODC does not accept

modification requests from clients and applications. All requests for changes are forwarded to a writable domain controller.

Because no changes occur on the RODC, replication of Active Directory changes is one way only from writable domain

controllers to the RODC.

Credential Caching

User and computer credentials are not replicated to an RODC by default. To use an RODC to enhance user logon, you need to

configure a Password Replication Policy (PRP) that defines which user credentials can be cached. Limiting the credentials cached

on the RODC reduces the security risks. If the RODC is stolen, only passwords for the cached user and computer accounts need to

be reset.

If user and computer credentials are not replicated to an RODC then a writable domain controller must be contacted during the

authentication process. Typically (in a branch office scenario), the credentials for local users and computers are cached on an

RODC. When RODCs are placed in a perimeter network, the credentials for users and computers typically are not cached.

Administrative Role Separation

To manage a writable domain controller, you must be a member of the domain local Administrators group. Any user placed in

the domain local Administrators group is given permissions to manage all domain controllers in the domain. This causes

problems for remote-office administration with a writable domain controller, because the administrator in a remote office should

not be given access to the organization’s other domain controllers.

This gives the administrator of a remote office permission to manage only that RODC, which may also be configured to provide

other services such a file shares and printing.

Read-Only DNS

DNS is a critical resource for a Windows network. If you configure an RODC as a DNS server, then you can replicate DNS zones

through AD DS to the RODC. DNS on the RODC is read-only. DNS update requests are referred to a writable copy of DNS.

Deploying RODCs

To deploy an RODC, ensure that the following activities are performed:

• Ensure that the forest functional level is Windows Server 2003 or newer. That means that all domain controllers must be

Windows Server 2003 or newer, and each domain in the forest must be at the domain functional level of Windows Server 2003

or newer.

• Run ADPrep /RODCPrep. This configures permissions on DNS application directory partitions to allow them to replicate to

RODCs. This is required only if the Active Directory forest has been upgraded.

• Ensure that there is a writable domain controller running Windows Server 2008 or newer. An RODC replicates the domain

partition only from these domain controllers. Therefore, each domain with RODCs must have at least one Windows Server 2008

or newer domain controller. You can replicate the Schema and Configuration partitions from Windows Server 2003.



RODC Installation

Like a writable domain controller, you can install an RODC by using an attended or an unattended installation. If you perform an

attended installation by using the graphical interface, you select the RODC as one of the additional domain controller options.

You also can delegate the RODC installation to the administrator in the remote office by using a staged installation. In a staged

installation, you need to perform the following steps:

1. Ensure that the server to be configured as the RODC is not a member of the domain.

2. A domain administrator uses Active Directory Users and Computers to precreate the RODC account in the Domain

Controllers organizational unit (OU). The wizard for performing this process prompts for the necessary information,

including the user or group that is allowed to join the RODC to the domain.

3. The administrator in the remote office runs the Active Directory Domain Services installation Wizard, and follows the wizard

to join the domain as the precreated RODC account.

Managing RODC Credential Caching

RODCs provide the capability to store only a subset of credentials for accounts in AD DS through the implementation of

credential caching. With credential caching, a password replication policy (PRP) determines which user and computer credentials

can be cached on a specific RODC. If PRP allows an RODC to cache an account’s credentials, authentication and service ticket

activities of that account can be processed locally by the RODC. If an account’s credentials cannot be cached on RODC, or they

are not cached on the RODC, authentication and service ticket activities are chained by the RODC to a writable domain controller.

Password Replication Policy Components

The PRP for an RODC contains both an Allowed List and a Denied List. Each list can contain specific accounts or groups. An

account must be on the Allowed List for credentials to be cached. If a group is on the Allowed List and a member of that group is

on the Denied List, caching is not allowed for that member.

There are two domain local groups that you can use to allow or deny caching globally to all RODCs in a domain:

• Allowed RODC Password Replication Group is added to the Allowed List of all RODCs. This group has no members by default.

• Denied RODC Password Replication Group is added to the Denied List of all RODCs. By default, Domain Admins, Enterprise

Admins, and Group Policy Creator Owners are the members of this group.



You can configure the Allowed List and Denied List for each RODC. The Allowed List contains only the Allowed RODC Password

Replication Group. The default membership of the Denied List includes Administrators, Server Operators, and Account Operators.

In most cases, you will want to add accounts separately to each RODC, or add global groups containing accounts rather than

globally allowing password caching. This allows you to limit the number of credentials cached to only those accounts commonly

at that location. Domain administrative accounts should not be cached on RODCs in remote offices. You should cache computer

accounts to speed up authentication of computer accounts during system startup. Additionally, you should cache service

accounts for services that are running at the remote office.

Best Practices for Credential Caching

The following best practices should be observed to ensure the most effective use of cached credentials:

• Create separate AD DS global groups for each RODC.

• Do not cache passwords for domain-wide administrative accounts.

Managing Local Administration for RODCs

The management of RODCs is separated from other domain controllers. Therefore, you can delegate administration of RODCs to

local administrators in remote offices, without giving those administrators access to writable domain controllers.

You can delegate administration of an RODC in the properties of the RODC computer account on the Managed By tab. You

should follow this method to delegate the administration of an RODC because you can manage it centrally and easily.

You can specify only a single security principal on the Managed By tab of an RODC computer account. Specify a group so that

you can delegate management permissions to multiple users by making them members of the group.

You also can delegate administration of an RODC by using ntdsutil or dsmgmt with the local roles option, as the following

example shows:

C:\>dsmgmt Dsmgmt: local roles local roles: add Adatum\Research

You should cache the password for delegated administrators to ensure that you can perform system maintenance when a

writable domain controller is unavailable.



Note: You should never access the RODC with an account that has permissions similar to Domain Admins. RODCcomputers are considered compromised by default, so, you should assume that by logging in to the RODC you aregiving up domain admin credentials. Thus domain administrators should have a separate server admin type accountthat is delegated management access to the RODC.


AD DS management happens in many different forms. The AD DS environment contains a large number of management tools

that enable you to monitor and modify AD DS, to ensure that your organization’s domain infrastructure is serving its purpose and

functioning properly. Windows Server 2012 includes a broader set of tools for working within AD DS than previous Windows

versions included. Improvements to the Active Directory Administrative Center and the addition of several cmdlets to the Active

Directory module for Windows PowerShell enable even greater control over your AD DS domain.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe the Active Directory administrative snap-ins.

• Describe the Active Directory Administrative Center.

• Explain how to manage AD DS by using management tools.

• Describe the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell.

• Explain how to manage operations master roles.

• Explain how to manage AD DS backup and recovery.

Overview of the Active Directory Administration Snap-ins

You typically will perform most Active Directory administration by using the following snap-ins and consoles:

• Active Directory Users and Computers. This snap-in manages most common day-to-day resources, including users, groups,

and computers. This is likely to be the most heavily used snap-in for an Active Directory administrator.

• Active Directory Sites and Services. This manages replication, network topology, and related services.

• Active Directory Domains and Trusts. This configures and maintains trust relationships and the domain and forest functional



level.

• Active Directory Schema. This schema examines and modifies the definition of Active Directory attributes and object classes.

The schema is the blueprint for Active Directory, and you typically do not view or change it very often. Therefore, the Active

Directory Schema snap-in is not fully installed, by default.

Overview of the Active Directory Administrative Center

Windows Server 2012 provides another option for managing AD DS objects. The Active Directory Administrative Center provides a

graphical user interface (GUI) built on Windows PowerShell. This enhanced interface allows you to perform Active Directory

object management by using task-oriented navigation. Tasks that you can perform by using the Active Directory Administrative

Center include:

• Creating and managing user, computer, and group accounts.

• Creating and managing OUs.

• Connecting to and managing multiple domains within a single instance of the Active Directory Administrative Center.

• Searching and filtering Active Directory data by building queries.

• Creating and managing fine-grained password policies.

• Recovering objects from the Active Directory Recycle Bin.

Installation Requirements

You can install the Active Directory Administrative Center only on computers that are running Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows

Server 2012, Windows® 7 or Windows 8. You can install the Active Directory Administrative Center by:

• Installing the AD DS server role through Server Manager.

• Installing the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) on a Windows Server 2012 server or Windows 8.

Note: The Active Directory Administrative Center relies on the Active Directory Web Services (ADWS) service, whichyou must install on at least one domain controller in the domain. The service also requires port 9389 to be open onthe domain controller where ADWS is running.



New Active Directory Administrative Center Features in Windows Server 2012

Active Directory Administrative Center contains several new features in Windows Server 2012 that enable the graphical

management of AD DS functionality:

• Active Directory Recycle Bin. Active Directory Administrative Center now offers complete management of the Active Directory

Recycle Bin. Administrators can use Active Directory Administrative Center to view and locate deleted objects, and manage

and restore those objects to their original or other desired location.

• Fine-Grained Password Policy. Active Directory Administrative Center also provides a graphical user interface for the creation

and management of password settings objects to implement fine-grained password policies in an AD DS domain.

• Windows PowerShell History Viewer. Active Directory Administrative Center functionality is built on Windows PowerShell. Any

command or action that you perform within the Active Directory Administrative Center interface is carried out in Windows

Server 2012 through Windows PowerShell cmdlets. When an administrator performs a task within the Active Directory

Administrative Center interface, the Windows PowerShell History Viewer shows the Windows PowerShell commands that were

issued for the task. This enables administrators to reuse code to create reusable scripts, and allows them to become more

familiar with Windows PowerShell syntax and usage.

Overview of the Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell

The Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell in Windows Server 2012 consolidates a group of cmdlets that you can use

to manage your Active Directory domains. Windows Server 2012 builds on the foundation built in the Active Directory module for

Windows PowerShell originally introduced in Windows Server 2008 R2, by adding an additional 60 cmdlets that expand the

preexisting areas of Windows PowerShell capabilities and add new capabilities in the areas of replication and resource access

control.

The Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell enables management of AD DS in the following areas:

1. User management

2. Computer management

3. Group management

4. OU management

5. Password policy management

6. Searching and modifying objects



7. Forest and domain management

8. Domain controller and operations master management

9. Managed service account management

10. Site replication management

11. Central access and claims management

Cmdlet Examples

• New-ADComputer creates a new computer object in AD DS.

• Remove-ADGroup removes an Active Directory group.

• Set-ADDomainMode sets the domain functional level for an Active Directory domain.

Installation

You can install the Active Directory module by using any of the following methods:

• By default, on a Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012 server, when you install the AD DS or Active Directory

Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) server roles.

• By default, when you make a Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012 server a domain controller.

• As part of the RSAT feature on a Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7 or Windows 8 computer.

Demonstration: Managing AD DS by Using Management Tools

The various AD DS management tools each have a purpose in the administration of the complete AD DS environment. This

demonstration will show you the primary tools that you can use to manage AD DS and a task that you typically perform with the

tool.


• Create objects in Active Directory Users and Computers.

• View object attributes in Active Directory Users and Computers.

• Navigate within Active Directory Administrative Center.

• Perform an administrative task in Active Directory Administrative Center.

• Use the Windows PowerShell Viewer in Active Directory Administrative Center.

• Manage AD DS objects with Windows PowerShell.

Demonstration Steps Active Directory Users and Computers

View objects



1. On LON-DC1, open Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. Navigate the Adatum.com domain tree, viewing Containers, Organizational Units (OUs) and Computer, User, and Group

objects.

Refresh the view

• Refresh the view in Active Directory Users and Computers.

Create objects

1. Create a new computer object named LON-CL4 in the Computers container.

2. To create an object in Active Directory Users and Computers, right-click a domain, or a container (such as Users or

Computers), or an organizational unit, point to New, and then click the type of object that you want to create.

3. When you create an object, you are prompted to configure several of the object’s most basic properties, including the

properties that the object requires.

Configure object attributes

1. In Active Directory Users and Computers, open the Properties page for LON-CL4.

2. Add LON-CL4 to the Adatum/Research group.

View all object attributes

1. Enable the Advanced Features view in Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. Open the Properties page for LON-CL4, and then view the AD DS attributes.

Active Directory Administrative Center

Navigation

1. On LON-DC1, open Active Directory Administrative Center.

2. In Active Directory Administrative Center, click the Navigation nodes.

3. Switch to the tree view.

4. Expand Adatum.com.

Perform administrative tasks

1. Navigate to the Overview view.



2. Reset the password for Adatum\Adam to Pa$$w0rd, without requiring the user to change the password at the next logon.

3. Use the Global Search section to find any objects that match the search string Rex.

Use the Windows PowerShell History Viewer

1. Open the Windows PowerShell History pane.

2. View the Windows PowerShell cmdlet that you used to perform the most recent task.

Windows PowerShell

Creating a group

1. Open the Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell.

2. Create a new group called SalesManagers by using the following command:

New-ADGroup –Name “SalesManagers”–GroupCategory Security –GroupScope Global – DisplayName

“Sales Managers” –Path ”CN=Users,DC=Adatum,DC=com”

3. Open Active Directory Administrative Center, and confirm that the SalesManager group is present in the Users

container.

Move an object to a new organizational unit (OU)

1. At the PowerShell prompt, move SalesManagers to the Sales OU by using the following command:

Move-ADObject “CN=SalesManagers,CN=Users,DC=Adatum,DC=com” –TargetPath

“OU=Sales,DC=Adatum,DC=com”

2. Switch to Active Directory Administrative Center, and then confirm that the SalesManagers group has been moved to

the Sales OU.

Managing Operations Master Roles



In an AD DS environment multimaster replication means that all domain controllers have the same general capabilities and

priorities when modifying the AD DS database. However, certain operations must be performed by only one system. In AD DS,

operation masters are domain controllers that perform a specific function within the domain environment.

Forest-Wide Operations Master Roles

The schema master and the domain-naming master must be unique in the forest. Each role is performed by only one domain

controller in the entire forest.

Domain Naming Master Role

The domain-naming role is used when adding or removing domains and application partitions in the forest. When you add or

remove a domain or application partition, the domain naming master must be accessible, or the operation will fail.

Schema Master Role

The domain controller holding the schema master role is responsible for making any changes to the forest’s schema. All other

domain controllers hold read-only replicas of the schema. When you need to modify the schema, the modifications must be sent

to the domain controller that hosts the schema master role.

Domain-Wide Operations Master Roles

Each domain maintains three single master operations: relative identifier (RID) master, infrastructure master, and primary domain

controller (PDC) Emulator. Each role is performed by only one domain controller in the domain.

RID Master Role

The RID master plays an integral part in the generation of security identifiers (SIDs) for security principals such as users, groups,

and computers. The SID of a security principal must be unique. Because any domain controller can create accounts, and

therefore, SIDs, a mechanism is necessary to ensure that the SIDs generated by a domain controller are unique. Active Directory

domain controllers generate SIDs by appending a unique RID to the domain SID. The RID master for the domain allocates pools of

unique RIDs to each domain controller in the domain. Therefore, each domain controller can be confident that the SIDs that it

generates are unique.

Infrastructure Master Role

In a multidomain environment, it is common for an object to reference objects in other domains. For example, a group can

include members from another domain. Its multivalued member attribute contains the distinguished names of each member. If

the member in the other domain is moved or renamed, the infrastructure master of the group’s domain updates the references to



the object.

PDC Emulator Role

The PDC Emulator role performs multiple, crucial functions for a domain:

• Participates in special password update handling for the domain. When a user's password is reset or changed, the domain

controller that makes the change replicates the change immediately to the PDC emulator. This special replication ensures that

the domain controllers know about the new password as quickly as possible.

• Manages Group Policy updates within a domain. If you modify a GPO on two domain controllers at approximately the same

time, there could be conflicts between the two versions that could not be reconciled as the GPO replicates. To avoid this

situation, the PDC emulator acts as the default focal point for all Group Policy changes.

• Provides a master time source for the domain. Many Windows components and technologies rely on time stamps, so

synchronizing time across all systems in a domain is crucial. The PDC emulator in the forest root domain is the time master for

the entire forest, by default. The PDC emulator in each domain synchronizes its time with the forest root PDC emulator. Other

domain controllers in the domain synchronize their clocks against that domain’s PDC emulator. All other domain members

synchronize their time with their preferred domain controller.

• Acts as the domain master browser. When you open network in Windows, you see a list of workgroups and domains, and

when you open a workgroup or domain, you see a list of computers. The browser service creates these two lists, called browse

lists. In each network segment, a master browser creates the browse list: the lists of workgroups, domains, and servers in that

segment. The domain master browser serves to merge the lists of each master browser so that browse clients can retrieve a

comprehensive browse list.

Guidelines for Placing Operations Master Roles

• Place the domain-level roles on a high-performance domain controller.

• Do not place the Infrastructure Master domain-level role on a global catalog server, except when your forest contains only one

domain or all of the domain controllers in your forest also are global catalogs.

• Leave the two forest-level roles on a domain controller in the forest-root domain.

• Adjust the workload of the PDC emulator, if necessary, by offloading non-AD DS roles to other servers.

Note: You can view the assignment of operations master roles by running the following from a command prompt:

Netdom query fsmo

Managing AD DS Backup and Recovery



In earlier Windows versions, backing up Active Directory involved creating a backup of the SystemState, which was a small

collection of files that included the Active Directory database and the registry.

In Windows Server 2012, the SystemState concept still exists, but it is much larger. Because of interdependencies between server

roles, physical configuration, and Active Directory, the SystemState is now a subset of a Full Server backup and, in some

configurations, might be just as big. To back up a domain controller, you must back up all critical volumes fully.

Restoring AD DS Data

When a domain controller or its directory is corrupted, damaged, or failed, you have several options with which to restore the

system.

Nonauthoritative Restore

The first such option is called normal restore or nonauthoritative restore. In a normal restore operation, you restore a backup of

Active Directory as of a known good date. Effectively, you roll the domain controller back in time. When AD DS restarts on the

domain controller, the domain controller contacts its replication partners and requests all subsequent updates. Effectively, the

domain controller catches up with the rest of the domain by using standard replication mechanisms.

Normal restore is useful when the directory on a domain controller has been damaged or corrupted, but the problem has not

spread to other domain controllers. What about a situation in which damage has been done, and the damage has been

replicated? For example, what if you delete one or more objects, and that deletion has replicated?

In such situations, a normal restore is not sufficient. If you restore a known good version of Active Directory and restart the

domain controller, the deletion (which happened subsequent to the backup) will simply replicate back to the domain controller.

Authoritative Restore

When a known good copy of AD DS has been restored that contains objects that must override existing objects in the AD DS

database, an authoritative restore is necessary. In an authoritative restore, you restore the known good version of Active Directory

just as you do in a normal restore. However, before restarting the domain controller, you mark the accidentally deleted or

previously corrupted objects that you wish to retain as authoritative so that they will replicate from the restored domain

controller to its replication partners. Behind the scenes, when you mark objects as authoritative, Windows increments the version

number of all object attributes to be so high that the version is virtually guaranteed to be higher than the version number on all

other domain controllers.

When the restored domain controller is restarted, it replicates from its replication partners all changes that have been made to the



directory. It also notifies its partners that it has changes, and the version numbers of the changes ensure that partners take the

changes and replicate them throughout the directory service. In forests with the Active Directory Recycle Bin enabled, you can

use the Active Directory Recycle Bin as a more simple alternative to an authoritative restore.

Other Restore Options

The third option for restoring the directory service is to restore the entire domain controller. This is done by booting to the

Windows Recovery Environment, and then restoring a full server backup of the domain controller. By default, this is a normal

restore. If you also need to mark objects as authoritative, you must restart the server in the Directory Services Restore Mode and

set those objects as authoritative prior to starting the domain controller into normal operation.

Finally, you can restore a backup of the SystemState to an alternate location. This allows you to examine files and, potentially, to

mount the NTDS.dit file. You should not copy the files from an alternate restore location over the production versions of those

files. Do not do a piecemeal restore of Active Directory. You also can use this option if you want to use the Install From Media

option for creating a new domain controller.


At the core of the AD DS environment is the AD DS database. The AD DS database contains all the critical information required to

provide AD DS functionality. Maintaining this database properly is a critical aspect of AD DS management, and there are several

tools and best practices of which you should be aware so that you can manage your AD DS database effectively. This lesson will

introduce you to AD DS database management, and show you the tools and methods for maintaining it.

Lesson Objectives


• Explain the AD DS database architecture.

• Describe NTDSUtil.

• Explain restartable AD DS.

• Explain how to perform AD DS database management.

• Describe how to create AD DS snapshots.

• Explain how to restore deleted objects.

• Describe how to configure the Active Directory Recycle Bin.

Understanding the AD DS Database



AD DS information is stored within the directory database. Each directory partition, also called a naming context, contains objects

of a particular replication scope and purpose. There are three AD DS partitions on each domain controller, as follows:

• Domain. The Domain partition contains all the objects stored in a domain, including users, groups, computers, and Group

Policy containers (GPCs).

• Configuration. The Configuration partition contains objects that represent the logical structure of the forest, including

information about domains, as well as the physical topology, including sites, subnets, and services.

• Schema. The Schema partition defines the object classes and their attributes for the entire directory.

Domain controllers also can host application partitions. You can use application partitions to limit replication of application-

specific data to a subset of domain controllers. Active Directory integrated DNS is a common example of an application that takes

advantage of application partitions.

Each domain controller maintains a copy, or replica, of several partitions. The Configuration is replicated to every domain

controller in the forest, as is the Schema. The Domain partition for a domain is replicated to all domain controllers within a

domain, but not to domain controllers in other domains, with the exception of global catalog servers. Therefore, each domain

controller has at least three replicas: the Domain partition for its domain, Configuration, and Schema.

AD DS Database Files

The AD DS database is stored as a file named NTDS.dit. When you install and configure AD DS, you can specify the location of the

file. The default location is %systemroot%\NTDS. Within NTDS.dit are all of the partitions hosted by the domain controller: the

forest schema and configuration; the domain-naming context; and, depending on the server configuration, the partial attribute

set and application partitions.

In the NTDS folder, there are other files that support the Active Directory database. The Edb*.log files are the transaction logs for

Active Directory. When a change must be made to the directory, it is first written to the log file. The change is committed to the

directory as a transaction. If the transaction fails, it can be rolled back.

The following table describes the different file level components of the AD DS database.

File Description

NTDS.dit• Main AD DS database file



• Contains all AD DS partitions and objects

EDB*.log Transaction log(s)

EDB.chk Database checkpoint file

Edbres00001.jrs Edbres00002.jrs Reserve transaction log file that allows the directory to process transactions if the server runs out of disk space

AD DS Database Modifications and Replication

Under normal operations, the transaction log wraps around, with new transactions overwriting old transactions that had already

been committed. However, if a large number of transactions are made within a short period of time, AD DS creates additional

transaction log files, so you may see several EDB*.log files if you look in the NTDS folder of a particularly busy domain controller.

Over time, those files are removed automatically.

The EDB.chk file acts like a bookmark into the log files, marking the location before which transactions have been successfully

committed to the database, and after which transactions remain to be committed.

If a disk drive runs out of space, it is highly problematic for the server. It is even more problematic if that disk is hosting the AD DS

database, because transactions that may be pending cannot be written to the logs. Therefore, AD DS maintains two additional log

files, edbres0001.jrs and edbres0002.jrs. These are empty files of 10 megabytes (MB) each. When a disk runs out of space for

normal transaction logs, AD DS recruits the space used by these two files to write the transactions that are in a queue currently.

After that, it safely shuts down AD DS services, and dismounts the database. Of course, it will be important for an administrator to

remediate the issue of low disk space as quickly as possible. The file simply provides a temporary solution to prevent the directory

service from refusing new transactions.

What Is NTDSUtil?

NTDSUtil is a command-line executable that you can use to perform database maintenance, including the creation of snapshots,

offline defragmentation, and the relocation of the database files.

You also can use NTDSUtil to clean up domain controller metadata. If a domain controller is removed from the domain while

offline, it is unable to remove important information from the directory service. You can then use NTDSUtil to clean out the

remnants of the domain controller, and it is very important that you do so.

NTDSUtil can also reset the password used to log on to the Directory Services Restore Mode. This password is initially configured

during the configuration of a domain controller. If you forget the password, the NTDSUtil set dsrm command can reset it.



Understanding Restartable AD DS

In most scenarios where AD DS management is required, you should restart the domain controller in Directory Services Restore

mode.

Windows Server 2012 enables administrators to stop and start AD DS just like any other service, and without restarting a domain

controller, to perform some management tasks quickly. This feature is called Restartable Active Directory Domain Services.

Restartable AD DS reduces the time required to perform certain operations. You can stop AD DS so that you can apply updates to

a domain controller. Also, administrators can stop AD DS to perform tasks such as offline defragmentation of the Active Directory

database, without restarting the domain controller. Other services that are running on the server and that do not depend on AD

DS to function, such as Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP), remain available to satisfy client requests while AD DS is

stopped.

Restartable AD DS is available by default on all domain controllers that run Windows Server 2012. There are no functional-level

requirements or any other prerequisites for using this feature.

Note: You cannot perform a system state restore of a domain controller while AD DS is stopped. To complete a systemstate restore of a domain controller, you need to start in Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM). You can howeverperform an authoritative restore of Active Directory objects while AD DS is stopped by using Ntdsutil.exe.

Restartable AD DS adds minor changes to the existing Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins. A domain controller

running Windows Server 2012 AD DS displays Domain Controller in the Services (Local) node of the Component Services snap-in

and the Computer Management snap-in. Using the snap-in, an administrator can easily stop and restart AD DS the same way as

any other service that is running locally on the server.

Although stopping AD DS is similar to logging on in Directory Services Restore Mode, restartable AD DS provides a unique state,

known as AD DS Stopped, for a domain controller that is running Windows Server 2012.

Domain Controller States

The three possible states for a domain controller running Windows Server 2012 are:

• AD DS Started. In this state, AD DS is started. The domain controller is able to perform AD DS related tasks normally.

• AD DS Stopped. In this state, AD DS is stopped. Although this mode is unique, the server has some characteristics of both a

domain controller in DSRM and a domain-joined member server.



• DSRM. This mode (or state) allows standard AD DS administrative tasks.

With DSRM, the Active Directory database (Ntds.dit) on the local domain controller is offline. Another domain controller can be

contacted for logon, if one is available. If no other domain controller can be contacted, by default you can do one of the

following:

• Log on to the domain controller locally in DSRM by using the DSRM password.

• Restart the domain controller to log on with a domain account.

As with a member server, the server is joined to the domain. This means that Group Policy and other settings are still applied to

the computer. However, a domain controller should not remain in the AD DS Stopped state for an extended period of time

because in this state, it cannot service logon requests or replicate with other domain controllers.

Demonstration: Performing AD DS Database Maintenance

There are several tasks and related tools that you can use to perform AD DS database maintenance.


• Stop AD DS.

• Perform an offline defragmentation of the AD DS database.

• Check the integrity of the AD DS database.

• Start AD DS.

Demonstration Steps

Stop AD DS

1. On LON-DC1, open the Services console.

2. Stop the Active Directory Domain Services service.

Perform an offline defragmentation of the AD DS database

• Run the following commands from a Windows PowerShell prompt. Press Enter after each line:

ntdsutil activate instance NTDS files compact to C:\

Check the integrity of the offline database

1. Run the following commands from a Windows PowerShell prompt. Press Enter after each line:



Integrity quit Quit

2. Close the command prompt window.

Start AD DS

1. Open the Services console.

2. Start the Active Directory Domain Services service.

Creating AD DS Snapshots

NTDSUtil in Windows Server 2012 can create and mount snapshots of AD DS. A snapshot is a form of historical backup that

captures the exact state of the directory service at the time of the snapshot. You can use tools to explore the contents of a

snapshot to examine the state of the directory service at the time the snapshot was made, or connect to a mounted snapshot

with LDIFDE and export a reimport objects into AD DS.

Creating an AD DS Snapshot

To create a snapshot:

1. Open the command prompt.

2. Type ntdsutil, and then press Enter.

3. Type snapshot, and then press Enter.

4. Type activate instance ntds, and then press Enter.

5. Type create, and then press Enter.

6. The command returns a message that indicates that the snapshot set was generated successfully.

7. The GUID that is displayed is important for commands in later tasks. Make note of the GUID or, alternatively, copy it to the

Clipboard.

8. Type quit, and then press Enter.



Schedule snapshots of Active Directory regularly. You can use the Task Scheduler to execute a batch file by using the appropriate

NTDSUtil commands.

Mounting an AD DS Snapshot

To view the contents of a snapshot, you must mount the snapshot as a new instance of AD DS. This is also accomplished with

NTDSUtil.

To mount a snapshot:

1. Open an elevated command prompt.




5. Type list all, and then press Enter.

6. The command returns a list of all snapshots.

7. Type mount {GUID}, where GUID is the GUID returned by the create snapshot command, and then press Enter.



10. Type dsamain -dbpath c:\$snap_datetime_volumec$\windows\ntds\ntds.dit -ldapport 50000, and then press Enter.

11. The port number, 50000, can be any open and unique TCP port number.

12. A message indicates that Active Directory Domain Services startup is complete.

13. Do not close the command prompt window and leave the command you just ran, Dsamain.exe, running while you

continue to the next step.

Viewing an AD DS Snapshot

After the snapshot has been mounted, you can use tools to connect to and explore the snapshot. Even Active Directory Users and

Computers can connect to the instance.

To connect to a snapshot with Active Directory Users and Computers:

1. Open Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. Right-click the root node, and then click Change Domain Controller.

3. The Change Directory Server dialog box appears.

4. Click <Type a Directory Server name[:port] here>.

5. Type LON-DC1:50000, and then press Enter.

6. LON-DC1 is the name of the domain controller on which you mounted the snapshot, and 50000 is the TCP port number that

you configured for the instance. You now are connected to the snapshot.



7. Click OK.

Note that snapshots are read-only. You cannot modify the contents of a snapshot. Moreover, there are no direct methods with

which to move, copy, or restore objects or attributes from the snapshot to the production instance of Active Directory.

Unmounting an AD DS Snapshot

To unmount the snapshot:

1. Switch to the command prompt in which the snapshot is mounted.

2. Press Ctrl+C to stop DSAMain.exe.




6. Type unmount GUID, where GUID is the GUID of the snapshot, and then press Enter.



Understanding How to Restore Deleted Objects

When an object in AD DS is deleted, it is moved to the Deleted Objects container, and stripped of many important attributes. You

can extend the list of attributes that remain when an object is deleted, but you can never retain linked attribute values (such as

group membership).

As long as the object has not yet been scavenged by the garbage collection process after reaching the end of its tombstone

lifetime, you can restore or reanimate the deleted object.

To restore a deleted object:

1. Click Start, and in the Start Search box, type LDP.exe, and then press Ctrl+Shift+Enter, which executes the command as an

administrator.



2. The User Account Control dialog box appears.

3. Click Use another account.

4. In the User name box, type the user name of an administrator.

5. In the Password box, type the password for the administrative account, and then press Enter.

6. LDP opens.

7. Click the Connection menu, click Connect, and then click OK.

8. Click the Connection menu, click Bind, and then click OK.

9. Click the Options menu, and then click Controls.

10. In the Load Predefined list, click Return Deleted Objects, and then click OK.

11. Click the View menu, click Tree, and then click OK.

12. Expand the domain, and then double-click CN=Deleted Objects,DC=contoso,DC=com.

13. Right-click the deleted object, and then click Modify.

14. In the Attribute box, type isDeleted.

15. In the Operation section, click Delete.

16. Press Enter.

17. In the Attribute box, type distinguishedName.

18. In the Values box, type the distinguished name of the object in the parent container or the OU into which you want the

object’s restoration to occur. For example, type the distinguished name of the object before it was deleted.

19. In the Operation section, click Replace.

20. Press Enter.

21. Select the Extended check box.

22. Click Run, click Close, and then close LDP.

23. Use Active Directory Users and Computers to repopulate the object’s attributes, reset the password (for a user object), and

enable the object (if disabled).

Configuring the Active Directory Recycle Bin



In Windows 2012, the Active Directory Recycle Bin can be enabled to provide a simplified process for restoring deleted objects.

This feature overcomes problems with authoritative restore or tombstone reanimation. The Active Directory Recycle Bin enables

administrators to restore deleted objects with full functionality, without having to restore AD DS data from backups, and then

restart AD DS or reboot domain controllers. Active Directory Recycle Bin builds on the existing tombstone reanimation

infrastructure and enhances your ability to preserve and recover accidentally deleted Active Directory objects.

How Active Directory Recycle Bin Works

When you enable Active Directory Recycle Bin, all link-valued and nonlink-valued attributes of the deleted Active Directory

objects are preserved, and the objects are restored in their entirety to the same consistent logical state that they were in

immediately before deletion. For example, restored user accounts automatically regain all group memberships and

corresponding access rights that they had immediately before deletion, within and across domains. Active Directory Recycle Bin

works for both AD DS and Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) environments.

After you enable Active Directory Recycle Bin, when an Active Directory object is deleted, the system preserves all of the object's

link-valued and non-link-valued attributes, and the object becomes logically deleted. A deleted object is moved to the Deleted

Objects container, and its distinguished name is mangled. A deleted object remains in the Deleted Objects container in a logically

deleted state throughout the duration of the deleted object lifetime. Within the deleted object lifetime, you can recover a deleted

object with Active Directory Recycle Bin and make it a live Active Directory object again.

The deleted object lifetime is determined by the value of the msDS-deletedObjectLifetime attribute. For an item deleted after

the Active Directory Recycle Bin has been enabled (recycled object), the recycled object lifetime is determined by the value of the

legacy tombstoneLifetime attribute. By default, msDS-deletedObjectLifetime is set to null. When msDS-

deletedObjectLifetime is set to null, the deleted object lifetime is set to the value of the recycled object lifetime. By default, the

recycled object lifetime, which is stored in the tombstoneLifetime attribute, is also set to null. When tombstoneLifetime is set to

null, the recycled object lifetime defaults to 180 days. You can modify the values of the msDS-deletedObjectLifetime and

tombstoneLifetime attributes anytime. When msDS-deletedObjectLife is set to some value other than null, it no longer

assumes the value of tombstoneLifetime.

Enabling the Active Directory Recycle Bin

You can enable the Active Directory Recycle Bin only when the forest functional level is set to Windows Server 2008 R2 or higher.

To enable the Active Directory Recycle Bin in Windows 2012, you can perform one the following:

• From the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell prompt, use the Enable-ADOptionalFeature cmdlet.



• From Active Directory Administrative Center, select the domain, and then click Enable Active Directory Recycle Bin in the

Tasks pane.

Only items deleted after the Active Directory Recycle Bin is turned on can be restored from the Active Directory Recycle Bin.

Restoring Items from the Active Directory Recycle Bin

In Windows Server 2012, the Active Directory Administrative Center provides a graphical interface for restoring AD DS objects that

are deleted. When the Active Directory Recycle Bin has been enabled, the Deleted Objects container is visible in Active Directory

Administrative Center. Deleted objects will be visible in this container until their deleted object lifetime period has expired. You

can choose to restore the objects to their original location or to an alternate location within AD DS.


Scenario

A. Datum Corporation is a global engineering and manufacturing company with its head office in London, U.K.. An IT office and

data center in London supports the head office and other locations. A. Datum recently deployed a Windows Server 2012 server

and client infrastructure.

A. Datum is making several organizational changes that require modifications to the AD DS infrastructure.

A new location requires a secure method of providing onsite AD DS, and you have been asked to extend the capabilities of Active

Directory Recycle Bin to the entire organization.

Virtual Machine(s) 20411B-LON-DC1

20411B-LON-SVR1


Password Pa$$w0rd

Objectives


• Install and configure a RODC.

• Configure and view Active Directory snapshots.

• Configure the Active Directory recycle bin.

Lab Setup


steps:




2. In Hyper-V Manager, click 20411B-LON-DC1, and in the Actions pane, click Start.



a. User name: Administrator

b. Password: Pa$$w0rd

c. Domain: Adatum

5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-SVR1.

Exercise 1: Installing and Configuring a RODC

Scenario

A. Datum is adding a new branch office. You have been asked to configure a RODC to service logon requests at the branch office.

You also need to configure password policies that ensure caching only of passwords for local users in the branch office.


1. Verify requirements for installing a RODC.

2. Install an RODC.

3. Configure a password-replication policy.

Task 1: Verify requirements for installing a RODC

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, open Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In the properties of Adatum.com, verify that the forest functional level is at least Windows Server® 2003.

3. On LON-SVR1, open Server Manager, and verify whether the computer is a domain member.

4. Use System Properties to place LON-SVR1 in a workgroup named TEMPORARY.

5. Restart LON-SVR1.


7. Delete the LON-SVR1 computer account from the Computers container.

8. In the Domain Controllers OU, precreate a RODC account by using default settings, except for the following:

o Computer name: LON-SVR1

o Delegate to: ADATUM\IT

9. Close Active Directory Users and Computers.

Task 2: Install an RODC



1. Sign in to LON-SVR1 as Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. On LON-SVR1, add the Active Directory Domain Services Role.

3. Complete the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard by using default options except those listed below:

o Domain: Adatum.com

o Network credentials: Adatum\April (a member of the IT group)

o Password for April: Pa$$w0rd

o Directory Services restore mode password: Pa$$w0rd

o Replicate from: LON-DC1.Adatum.com

4. When installation is complete, restart LON-SVR1.

Task 3: Configure a password-replication policy

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, open Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In the Users container, view the membership of the Allowed RODC Password Replication Group, and verify that there are

no current members.

3. In the Domain Controllers OU, open the properties of LON-SVR1.

4. On the Password Replication Policy tab, verify that the Allowed RODC Password Replication Group and Denied RODC

Password Replication Group are listed.

5. On LON-DC1, in Active Directory Users and Computers, in the Research OU, create a new group named Remote Office

Users.

6. Add Aziz, Colin, Lukas, Louise, and LON-CL1 to the membership of Remote Office Users.

7. On LON-DC1, in Active Directory Users and Computers, click the Domain Controllers OU, and then open the properties of

LON-SVR1.

8. On the Password Replication Policy tab, allow the Remote Office Users group to replicate passwords to LON-SVR1.

9. On LON-DC1, in Active Directory Users and Computers, in the Domain Controllers OU, open the properties of LON-SVR1.

10. On the Password Replication Policy tab, open the Advanced configuration. On the Resultant Policy tab, add Aziz, and

then confirm that Aziz’s password can be cached.

11. Attempt to log on to LON-SVR1 as Aziz. This logon will fail because Aziz does not have permission to logon to the RODC,

but authentication is performed and the credentials are cached.

12. On LON-DC1, in Active Directory Users and Computers, in the Domain Controllers OU, open the properties of LON-SVR1.

13. On the Password Replication Policy tab, open the Advanced configuration.

14. On the Policy Usage tab, select the Accounts that have been authenticated to this Read-only Domain Controller option.

Notice that Aziz’s password has been cached.

15. On LON-DC1, in Active Directory Users and Computers, in the Domain Controllers OU, right-click LON-SVR1, and then



click Properties.

16. On the Password Replication Policy tab, open the Advanced configuration.

17. On the Policy Usage tab, prepopulate the password for Louise and LON-CL1.

18. Read the list of cached passwords, and then confirm that Louise and LON-CL1 have been added.

19. Close all open windows on LON-DC1.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have installed and configured a RODC.

Exercise 2: Configuring AD DS snapshots

Scenario

As part of the overall disaster recovery plan for A. Datum, you have been instructed to test the process for taking Active Directory

snapshots and viewing them. If the process is successful, you will schedule them to occur on a regular basis to assist in the

recovery of deleted or modified AD DS objects.


1. Create a snapshot of AD DS.

2. Make a change to AD DS.

3. Mount an Active Directory snapshot, and create a new instance.

4. Explore a snapshot with Active Directory Users and Computers.

5. Unmount an Active Directory snapshot.

Task 1: Create a snapshot of AD DS

1. On LON-DC1, open a command prompt window, and then type the following commands each followed by Enter:

ntdsutil snapshot activate instance ntds create quit Quit

2. The command returns a message indicating that the snapshot set was generated successfully. The globally unique identifier

(GUID) that displays is important for commands in later tasks. Make a note of the GUID or copy it to the Clipboard.

Task 2: Make a change to AD DS

1. On LON-DC1, open Server Manager.

2. From Server Manager, open Active Directory Users and Computers.



3. Delete Adam Barr's account from the Marketing OU.

Task 3: Mount an Active Directory snapshot, and create a new instance

1. Open an administrative command prompt, and then type the following commands each followed by Enter:

ntdsutil snapshot activate instance ntds list all

The command returns a list of all snapshots.

2. Type the following commands each followed by Enter:

mount guid quit Quit

Where guid is the GUID of the snapshot you created.

3. Use the snapshot to start an instance of Active Directory by typing the following command, all on one line, and then press

Enter:

dsamain /dbpath c:\$snap_datetime_volumec$\windows\ntds\ntds.dit /ldapport 50000

Note that datetime will be a unique value. There only should be one folder on your C:/ drive with a name that begins with

$snap.

A message indicates that AD DS startup is complete. Leave Dsamain.exe running, and do not close the command prompt.

Task 4: Explore a snapshot with Active Directory Users and Computers

1. Switch to Active Directory Users and Computers. Right-click the root node of the snap-in, and then click Change Domain

Controller. Type the directory server name and port LON-DC1:50000, and then press Enter. Click OK.

2. Locate the Adam Barr user account object in the Marketing OU. Note that Adam Barr's object is displayed because the

snapshot was taken prior to deleting it.

Task 5: Unmount an Active Directory snapshot

1. In the command prompt, press Ctrl+C to stop DSAMain.exe.

2. Type the following commands:

ntdsutil snapshot activate instance ntds list all unmount guid list all quit Quit

Where guid is the GUID of the snapshot.



Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured AD DS snapshots.

Exercise 3: Configuring the Active Directory Recycle Bin

Scenario

As part of the Disaster Recovery plan for AD DS, you need to configure and test the Active Directory Recycle Bin to allow for

object and container level recovery.


1. Enable the Active Directory Recycle Bin.

2. Create and delete test users.

3. Restore the deleted users.

4. To prepare for the next module.

Task 1: Enable the Active Directory Recycle Bin

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, open Active Directory Administrative Center.

2. Enable the Recycle Bin.

3. Press F5 to refresh Active Directory Administrative Center.

Task 2: Create and delete test users

1. In Active Directory Administrative Center, create the following users in the Research OU. Give each a password of

Pa$$w0rd:

o Test1

o Test2

2. Delete the Test1 and Test2 accounts.

Task 3: Restore the deleted users

1. In Active Directory Administrative Center, navigate to the Deleted Objects folder for the Adatum domain.

2. Restore Test1 to its original location.

3. Restore Test2 to the IT OU.

4. Confirm that Test1 is now located in the Research OU and that Test2 is in the IT OU.




• When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines to their initial state.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured the Active Directory Recycle Bin.


Best Practices for Administering AD DS

• Do not virtualize all domain controllers on the same hypervisor host or server.

• Virtual machine snapshots provide an excellent reference point or quick recovery method, but you should not use them as a

replacement for regular backups. They also will not allow you to recover objects by reverting to an older snapshot.

• Use RODCs when physical security makes a writable domain controller unfeasible.

• Use the best tool for the job. Active Directory Users and Computers is the most commonly used tool for managing AD DS, but

it is not always the best. You can use Active Directory Administrative Center for performing large-scale tasks or those tasks that

involve multiple objects. You also can use the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell to create reusable scripts for

frequently repeated administrative tasks.

• Enable Active Directory Recycle Bin if your forest functional level supports the functionality. It can be invaluable in saving time

when recovering accidentally deleted objects in AD DS.

Tools

Tool Used for Where to find it

Hyper-V Manager Managing virtualized hosts on Windows Server 2012 Server Manager - Tools

Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell Managing AD DS through scripts and from the command line Server Manager - Tools

Active Directory Users and Computers Managing objects in AD DS Server Manager – Tools

Active Directory Administrative Center Managing objects in AD DS, enabling and managing the

Active Directory Recycle Bin

Server Manager - Tools

Ntdsutil.exe Managing AD DS snapshots Command prompt

Dsamain.exe Mounting AD DS snapshots for browsing Command prompt

Lab Answer Key: Module 3: Maintaining Active Directory Domain Services


Exercise 1: Installing and Configuring a RODC

Task 1: Verify requirements for installing a RODC

1. On LON-DC1, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In Active Directory Users and Computers, in the navigation pane, right-click the Adatum.com domain, and then click Raise

domain functional level.

3. In the Raise domain functional level window, confirm that the Current domain functional level is set to Windows Server

2008 R2. The minimum level for RODC support is Windows Server 2003. Click Cancel.


5. On LON-SVR1, in Server Manager, click Local Server, and then click LON-SVR1 beside Computer name.

6. In the System Properties window, click Change.

7. In the Computer Name/Domain Changes window, click the Workgroup radio button, type TEMPORARY into the

Workgroup field, and then click OK.

8. In the Computer Name/Domain Changes window, click OK.

9. Click OK twice to confirm the name change and pending server restart.

10. In the System Properties window, click Close.

11. In the Microsoft Windows window, click Restart Now.


13. On LON-DC1, in Active Directory Users and Computers, in the navigation pane, expand Adatum.com, and then click

Computers.

14. Right-click LON-SVR1, and then click Delete.

15. Click Yes twice.

16. In Active Directory Users and Computers, right-click Domain Controllers, and then click Pre-create Read-only Domain

Controller account.

17. In the Active Directory Domain Services Installation Wizard window, click Next.

18. Click Next to accept the current credentials.

19. In the Computer name field, type LON-SVR1, and then click Next.

20. On the Select a site page, click Next.

21. On the Additional Domain Controller Options page, click Next.

22. On the Delegation of RODC Installation and Administration page, type Adatum\IT in the Group or user field, and then

click Next.


24. Click Finish to complete the wizard.


Task 2: Install an RODC

1. Log on to LON-SVR1 as Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. On LON-SVR1, in Server Manager, click Manage, and then click Add Roles and Features.


4. Ensure that Role-based or feature-based installation is selected, and then click Next.

5. Select LON-SVR1, and then click Next.

6. On the Select server roles page, select the check box to select Active Directory Domain Services, click Add Features, and

then click Next.


8. Click Next, and then click Install to continue the installation.

9. When the installation completes, click Close.

10. In Server Manager, click the Notifications icon, and then click Promote this server to a domain controller.

11. In the Deployment Configuration window, beside Domain, click Select.

12. In the Windows Security window, type Adatum\April for User name and Pa$$w0rd as a password, and then click OK.

13. In the Select a domain from the forest window, click Adatum.com, and then click OK.

14. In the Deployment Configuration window, click Next.

15. On the Domain Controller Options screen, under Type the Directory Services Restore Mode (DSRM) password, type

Pa$$w0rd in the Password and Confirm password fields, and then click Next.

16. On the Additional Options page, beside Replicate from, click the drop-down box, click LON-DC1.Adatum.com, and then

click Next.

17. On the Paths page, click Next.

18. On the Review Options page, click Next.

19. On the Prerequisites Check page, click Install.

20. After the Active Directory Domain Services Wizard has completed, LON-SVR1 will restart.

Task 3: Configure a password-replication policy

Configure password-replication groups

1. On LON-DC1, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In the Active Directory Users and Computers window, click the Users container, double-click Allowed RODC Password

Replication Group, click the Members tab, and then verify that there is nothing listed.

3. Click OK.

4. In Active Directory Users and Computers, click the Domain Controllers OU, right-click LON-SVR1, and then click

Properties.

5. Click the Password Replication Policy tab, and confirm that Allowed RODC Password Replication Group and Denied

RODC Password Replication Policy Group are both listed.

6. Click OK.

Create a group to manage password replication to the remote office RODC

1. On LON-DC1, in Active Directory Users and Computers, right-click the Research OU, click New, and then click Group.

2. In the New Object – Group window, type Remote Office Users in the Group name field, confirm that Global and Security

are selected, and then click OK.

3. In Active Directory Users and Computers, click the Research OU, and then double-click the Remote Office Users group.

4. In the Remote Office Users Properties window, click the Members tab.

5. Click Add, type Aziz; Colin; Lukas; Louise and then click Check Names.

6. Click Object Types, select Computers, and then click OK.

7. In the Enter the object names to select field, type LON-CL1, click Check names, and then click OK.

8. Click OK to the close the Remote Office Users Properties window.

Configure a password-replication policy for the remote office RODC

1. On LON-DC1, in Active Directory Users and Computers, click the Domain Controllers OU, right-click LON-SVR1, and then

click Properties.

2. In the LON-SVR1 Properties window, click the Password Replication Policy tab, and then click Add.

3. In the Add Groups, Users, and Computers window, click the radio button to select Allow passwords for the account to

replicate to this RODC, and then click OK.

4. In the search window, in the Enter the object names to select field, type Remote Office Users, click Check Names, and

then click OK.

5. In the LON-SVR1 Properties window, click Apply, and do not close the window.

Evaluate the resulting password-replication policy

1. On LON-DC1, in the LON-SVR1 Properties window, on the Password Replication Policy tab, click Advanced.

2. Click the Resultant Policy tab, click Add, type Aziz, click Check Names, and then click OK.

3. Confirm that the Resultant Setting for Aziz is Allow.

4. Click Close, and then click OK to close the LON-SVR1 Properties dialog box.

Monitor credential caching


2. Attempt to sign in as Adatum\Aziz with the password Pa$$w0rd. The sign in will fail, because Aziz does not have

permission to sign in to LON-SVR1. However, the credentials for Aziz’s account were processed and cached on LON-SVR1.


4. In Active Directory Users and Computers, click the Domain Controllers OU, double-click LON-SVR1, and then click the

Password Replication Policy tab.

5. On the Password Replication Policy tab, click Advanced. Notice that Aziz’s account’s password has been stored on LON-

SVR1.

6. Click Close, and then click OK.

Prepopulate credential caching

1. On LON-DC1, in Active Directory Users and Computers, click the Domain Controllers OU, double-click LON-SVR1, and

then click the Password Replication Policy tab.

2. On the Password Replication Policy tab, click Advanced, and then click Prepopulate Passwords.

3. Type Louise; LON-CL1, click Check names, click OK, and then click Yes.

4. Click OK, and confirm that Louise and LON-CL1 have both been added to the list of accounts with cached credentials.


Results: After completing this exercise, you will have installed and configured a RODC.

Exercise 2: Configuring AD DS snapshots

Task 1: Create a snapshot of AD DS

1. On LON-DC1, move your mouse to the bottom left corner, and then click the Start charm.

2. From the Start screen, type cmd, and then press Enter.

3. At the command prompt, type the following, and then press Enter:

ntdsutil


snapshot


activate instance ntds


create

Either make note of the GUID number that the command returns, or copy the GUID to the clipboard.

7. After the snapshot is created, at the command prompt, type the following, and then press Enter:

quit


quit

Task 2: Make a change to AD DS

1. On LON-DC1, open Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In Active Directory Users and Computers, double-click the Marketing OU, right-click Adam Barr, and then click Delete.

3. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.

Task 3: Mount an Active Directory snapshot, and create a new instance

1. On LON-DC1, move your mouse to the bottom left corner, and click the Start charm.

2. On the Start screen, type cmd, right-click the Command Prompt, and then click Run as Administrator.


ntdsutil


snapshot


activate instance ntds


list all


mount <GUID>

Where <GUID> is the GUID returned by the Create command in Task 1.


quit


quit


dsamain /dbpath C:\$SNAP_datetime_volumec$\windows\ntds\ntds.dit /ldapport 50000

Note that datetime will be a unique value. There only should be one folder on your C:\ drive with a name that begins with

$snap.

A message indicates that Active Directory Domain Services startup is complete. Leave Dsamain.exe running, and do not

close the command prompt.

Task 4: Explore a snapshot with Active Directory Users and Computers

1. Switch to Active Directory Users and Computers. Right-click the root node of the snap-in, and then click Change Domain

Controller.

2. Click <Type a Directory Server name[:port] here>, type LON-DC1:50000, and then press Enter. Click OK.

3. In the navigation pane, double-click Adatum.com.

4. In the navigation pane, double-click the Marketing OU.

5. Locate the Adam Barr user account object. Note that the Adam Barr object is displayed because the snapshot was taken

prior to deleting it.

Task 5: Unmount an Active Directory snapshot

1. In the command prompt, press Ctrl+C to stop DSAMain.exe.

2. Type the following commands:

ntdsutil snapshot activate instance ntds list all unmount guid list all quit Quit

Where guid is the GUID of the snapshot.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured AD DS snapshots.

Exercise 3: Configuring the Active Directory Recycle Bin

Task 1: Enable the Active Directory Recycle Bin

1. On LON-DC1, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Administrative Center.

2. Click Adatum (local).

3. In the Tasks pane, click Enable Recycle Bin, click OK on the warning message box, and then click OK to the refresh Active

Directory Administrative Center message.

4. Press F5 to refresh Active Directory Administrative Center.

Task 2: Create and delete test users

1. In Active Directory Administrative Center, double-click the Research OU.

2. In the Task pane, click New, and then click User.

3. Enter the following information under Account, and then click OK:

o Full name: Test1

o User UPN logon: Test1


o Confirm password: Pa$$w0rd

4. Repeat the previous steps to create a second user, Test2.

5. Select both Test1 and Test2. Right-click the selection, and then click Delete.

6. Click Yes at the confirmation prompt.

Task 3: Restore the deleted users

1. In Active Directory Administrative Center, click Adatum (Local), and then double-click Deleted Objects.

2. Right-click Test1, and then click Restore.

3. Right-click Test2, and then click Restore To.

4. In the Restore To window, click the IT OU, and then click OK.

5. Confirm that Test1 is now located in the Research OU and that Test2 is in the IT OU.


When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines to their initial state by completing the following steps:




4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 20411B-LON-SVR1.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured the Active Directory Recycle Bin.

5/21/13 Module 4: Managing User and Service Accounts


Module 4: Managing User and Service Accounts

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Automating User Account Management





Module Overview

Managing user accounts in an enterprise environment can be a challenging task. You must ensure that you configure the user

accounts in your environment properly, and that you protect them from unauthorized use and from users who abuse their

account privileges. Using dedicated service accounts for system services and background processes, as well as setting appropriate

account policies, will help to ensure that your Windows Server® 2012 environment gives users and applications the access they

need to function properly.

This module will help you to understand how to manage large groups of user accounts, explain the different options available for

providing adequate password security for accounts in your environment, and show you how to configure accounts to provide

authentication for system services and background processes.

Objectives


• Automate user account creation.

• Configure password-policy and account-lockout settings.

• Configure managed service accounts.

Lesson 1 : Automating User Account Management

Active Directory® Users and Computers and the Active Directory Administrative Center provide graphical user interfaces (GUIs)

for creating one or more user accounts. While the interface that these tools provide is easy to navigate, creating multiple users or

performing modifications for multiple users can be cumbersome. Windows Server 2012 contains a number of tools that enable

you to manage user accounts more efficiently in your Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) domain. This lesson introduces

tools that allow you to perform tasks such as changing user attributes for many users, searching for users, and importing and

exporting users to and from external data sources or directories.









Lesson Objectives


• Explain how to export users by using the Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool.

• Explain how to import users by using the Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool.

• Describe how to import user accounts by using the LDAP Data Interchange Format (LDIFDE) Internet standard.

• Explain how to import user accounts by using Windows PowerShell®.

Demonstration: Exporting Users Accounts with Comma-Separated Values Data

Exchange Tool

Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool is a command-line tool that exports or imports AD DS objects to or from a

comma-delimited text file, which also is known as a comma-separated value text file or .csv file. You can create, modify, and

open comma-delimited files by using familiar tools such as Notepad and Microsoft Office Excel®. Additionally, you can use

these files to export information from AD DS, for use in other areas of your organization, or you can use them to import

information from other sources for use in creating or modifying your domain’s AD DS objects.

The following is the basic syntax of the Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool command for export:

csvde -f filename

However, this command will export all objects in your Active Directory domain. You will want to limit the scope of the export,

which you can do with the following four parameters:

• -d RootDN. Specifies the distinguished name of the container from which the export will begin. The default is the domain

itself.

• -p SearchScope. Specifies the scope of the search relative to the container specified by -d. SearchScope can be either base (this

object only), onelevel (objects within this container), or subtree (this container and all subcontainers). The default is subtree.

• -r Filter. Filters the objects returned within the scope configured by -d and -p. Filter is specified in Lightweight Directory Access

Protocol (LDAP) query syntax. You will work with a filter in the lab for this lesson. The LDAP query syntax is beyond the scope

of this course. For more information, see http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=168752.

• -l ListOfAttributes. Specifies the attributes that will be exported. Use the LDAP name for each attribute, separated by a comma,

as in

-l DN,objectClass,sAMAccountName,sn,givenName,userPrincipalName

The output of a Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool export lists the LDAP attribute names on the first line. Each object

follows, one per line, and must contain exactly the attributes listed on the first line, as illustrated in the following examples:

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=168752



DN,objectClass,sn,givenName,sAMAccountName,userPrincipalName "CN=David

Jones,OU=Employees,OU=User

Accounts,DC=contoso,DC=com",user,Jones,David,david.jones,[email protected] "CN=Lisa

Andrews,OU=Employees,OU=User

Accounts,DC=contoso,DC=com",user,Andrews,Lisa,lisa.andrews,[email protected]

In this demonstration, you will see how to:

• Export user accounts with Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool.

Demonstration Steps

1. On LON-DC1, open a command prompt.

2. In the command prompt window, type the following command, and then press Enter:

csvde -f E:\Labfiles\Mod04\UsersNamedRex.csv -r "(name=Rex*)" -l

DN,objectClass,sAMAccountName,sn,givenName,userPrincipalName

3. Open E:\LABFILES\Mod04\UsersNamedRex.csv in Notepad.

4. Examine the file, and then close Notepad.


Demonstration: Importing User Accounts with the Comma-Separated Values Data

Exchange Tool

You also can use Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool to create user accounts by importing a .csv file. If you have user

information in existing Excel or Microsoft Office Access® databases, you will find that Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange

tool is a powerful way to take advantage of that information to automate user account creation.

The following is the basic syntax of the Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool command for import:

csvde -i -f filename -k

The ‑i parameter specifies import mode. Without this parameter, the default mode of the Comma-Separated Values Data

Exchange tool is export. The ‑f parameter identifies the file name to import from or export to. The ‑k parameter is useful during

import operations because it instructs the Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool to ignore errors, including Object

Already Exists.

The import file itself is a comma-delimited text file (.csv or .txt) in which the first line defines the imported attributes by their

LDAP attribute names. Each object follows, one per line, and must contain exactly the attributes listed on the first line, for

example, a sample file will be as follows:



DN,objectClass,sn,givenName,sAMAccountName,userPrincipalName "CN=David

Jones,OU=Employees,OU=User

Accounts,DC=contoso,DC=com",user,Jones,David,david.jones,[email protected] "CN=Lisa

Andrews,OU=Employees,OU=User

Accounts,DC=contoso,DC=com",user,Andrews,Lisa,lisa.andrews,[email protected]

This file, when imported by the Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool command, will create a user object for Lisa

Andrews in the Employees organizational unit (OU). The file configures the user logon names, last name and first name. You

cannot use the Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool to import passwords. Without a password, the user account will be

disabled initially. After you have reset the password, you can enable the object in AD DS.


• Import user accounts with the Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool.

Demonstration Steps

1. On LON-DC1, open E:\Labfiles\Mod04\NewUsers.csv with Notepad. Examine the information about the users listed in the

file.

2. Open a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

csvde -i -f E:\Labfiles\Mod04\NewUsers.csv -k

3. From Server Manager, open Active Directory Users and Computers, and confirm that the users were created successfully.

4. Examine the accounts to confirm that first name, last name, user principal name, and pre-Windows® 2000 logon name are

populated according to the instructions in NewUsers.csv.

5. Reset the passwords of the two accounts to Pa$$w0rd.

6. Enable the two accounts.


Demonstration: Importing User Accounts with LDIFDE

You can also use LDIFDE.exe to import or export Active Directory objects, including users. LDPA Interchange Format (LDIF) is a

standard file format that you can use to store information and perform batch operations against directories that conform to the

LDAP standards. LDIF supports both import and export operations, and batch operations that modify objects in the directory. The

LDIFDE command implements these batch operations by using LDIF files.

The LDIF file format consists of a block of lines, which together constitute a single operation. Multiple operations in a single file

are separated by a blank line. Each line, comprising an operation, consists of an attribute name followed by a colon and the value

of the attribute. For example, suppose you wanted to import user objects for two sales representatives named Bonnie Kearney

and Bobby Moore. The contents of the LDIF file would look similar to the following example:



dn: CN=Bonnie Kearney,OU=Employees,OU=User Accounts,DC=contoso,DC=com changetype: add

objectClass: top objectClass: person objectClass: organizationalPerson objectClass: user cn:

Bonnie Kearney sn: Kearney title: Operations description: Operations (London) givenName:

Bonnie displayName: Kearney, Bonnie company: Contoso, Ltd. sAMAccountName: bonnie.kearney

userPrincipalName: [email protected] mail: [email protected] dn: CN=Bobby

Moore,OU=Employees,OU=User Accounts,DC=contoso,DC=com changetype: add objectClass: top

objectClass: person objectClass: organizationalPerson objectClass: user cn: Bobby Moore sn:

Moore title: Legal description: Legal (New York) givenName: Bobby displayName: Moore, Bobby

company: Contoso, Ltd. sAMAccountName: bobby.moore userPrincipalName: [email protected]

mail: [email protected]

Each operation begins with the domain-name (DN)attribute of the object that is the operation’s target. The next line,

changeType, specifies the type of operation: add, modify, or delete.

As you can see, the LDIF file format is not as intuitive or familiar as the comma-separated text format. However, because the LDIF

format also is a standard, many directory services and databases can export LDIF files.

After creating or obtaining an LDIF file, you can perform the operations that the file specifies, by using the LDIFDE command.

From a command prompt, type ldifde /? for usage information. The two most important switches for the LDIFDE command are:

• ‑i. Turns on import mode. Without this parameter, LDIFDE exports information.

• ‑f filename. The file from which to import, or to which to export.


• Import user accounts with LDIFDE.

Demonstration Steps

1. Open E:\Labfiles\Mod04\NewUsers.ldf with Notepad. Examine the information about the users that is listed in the file.

2. Open a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

ldifde -i -f E:\Labfiles\Mod04\NewUsers.ldf -k

3. Open Active Directory Users and Computers, and then confirm that the users were created successfully.

4. Examine the accounts to confirm that user properties are populated according to the instructions in NewUsers.ldf.

5. Reset the passwords of the two accounts to Pa$$w0rd.

6. Enable the two accounts.


Question: What advantages does LDIFDE have over the Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool whenmanaging user accounts in an AD DS environment?



Demonstration: Importing User Accounts with Windows PowerShell

The Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell also can utilize the contents of a .csv file to import objects into AD DS.

Two cmdlets are used to perform this task:

• Import-CSV. This cmdlet creates objects from .csv files that can then be piped into other Windows PowerShell cmdlets.

• New-ADUser. This cmdlet is used to create the objects that have been imported from the Import-CSV cmdlet.


• Import user accounts with Windows PowerShell.

Demonstration Steps

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, open Active Directory Users and Computers, and under Adatum.com, create a new

OU named Import Users.

2. Open E:\Labfiles\Mod04\ImportUsers.ps1 with Notepad. Examine the contents of the file.

3. Next to $impfile, change path and filename to csv to E:\Labfiles\Mod04\ImportUsers.csv, and then save the file.

4. Open the Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell.

5. Type the following commands, and then press Enter after each command. When prompted to change the execution policy,

press enter to accept the default option of Y:

Set-ExecutionPolicy remotesigned E:\Labfiles\Mod04\importusers.ps1

6. At the password prompt, type Pa$$w0rd.

7. Open Active Directory Users and Computers, and verify that the user accounts have been imported into the Import Users

OU.



As an administrator, you must ensure that the user accounts in your environment conform to the security settings established by

your organization. Window Server 2012 uses account policies to configure security-related settings for user accounts. This

module will help you to identify the settings available for configuring account security and the methods available to configure

those settings.

Lesson Objectives



After this lesson, you will be able to:

• Explain user-account policies.

• Explain how to configure user-account policies.

• Describe password settings objects.

• Explain how to configure Password Settings Objects.

Understanding User-Account Policies

Account policies in AD DS define the default settings for security-related attributes assigned to user objects. In AD DS, account

policies are separated into two different groups of settings: password policy and account lockout. You can configure both groups

of settings in the local policy settings for an individual Windows Server 2012 server, or for the entire domain by using the Group

Policy Management Console (GPMC) in AD DS. When settings between local policy and group policy conflict, group policy

settings override local policy settings.

In Group Policy Management within AD DS, most policy settings can be applied at different levels within the AD DS structure:

domain, site, or OU. However, account policies can be applied only at one level in AD DS—to the entire domain. Therefore, only

one set of account policy settings can be applied to an AD DS domain.

Password Policy

You define the password policy by using the following settings:

• Enforce password history. This is the number of unique, new passwords that must be associated with a user account before an

old password can be reused. The default setting is 24 previous passwords. When you use this setting with the minimum

password-age setting, the enforce password history setting prevents constant reuse of the same password.

• Maximum password age. This is the number of days that a password can be used before the user must change it. Regularly

changing passwords helps to prevent the compromise of passwords. However, you must balance this security consideration

against the logistical considerations that result from requiring users to change passwords too often. The default setting of 42

days is probably appropriate for most organizations.

• Minimum password age. This is the number of days that a password must be used before the user can change it. The default

value is one day, which is appropriate if you also enforce password history. You can restrict the constant use of the same

password if you use this setting in conjunction with a short setting to enforce password history.



• Minimum password length. This is the minimum number of characters that a user’s password must contain. The default value

is seven. This default is a widely used minimum, but you should consider increasing the password length to at least 10 to

enhance security.

• Complexity requirements. Windows Server includes a default password filter that is enabled by default, and you should not

disable it. The filter requires that a password have the following characteristics:

o Does not contain your name or your user name

o Contains at least six characters

o Contains characters from three of the following four groups:

▪ Uppercase letters [A…Z]

▪ Lowercase letters [a…z]

▪ Numerals [0…9]

▪ Special, nonalphanumeric characters, such as !@#)(*&^%

Account Lockout Policy

You can define thresholds for account lockout, duration of the lockout, and a way to unlock accounts. Thresholds for account

lockout stipulate that accounts become inoperable after a certain number of failed logon attempts during a certain amount of

time. Account-lockout policies help detect and prevent brute force attacks on account passwords. The following settings are

available:

• Account lockout duration. Defines the number of minutes that a locked account remains locked. After the specified number of

minutes, the account is unlocked automatically. To specify that an administrator must unlock the account, set the value to 0.

Consider using fine-grained password policies to require administrators to unlock high security accounts, and then

configuring this setting to 30 minutes for normal users.

• Account lockout threshold. Determines the number of failed logon attempts that are allowed before a user account is locked

out. A value of 0 means that the account is never locked out. You should set this value high enough to allow for users who

mistype their password, but low enough to help ensure that brute force attempts to guess the password fail. Common values

for this setting range from three to five.

• Reset account lockout counter after. Determines how many minutes must elapse after a failed logon attempt before the bad

logon counter is reset to 0. This setting applies when a user has typed in their password incorrectly, but they have not exceeded

the account lockout threshold. Consider setting this value to 30 minutes.

Kerberos Policy

The Kerberos Policy configuration options contain settings for the Kerberos version 5 protocol Ticket Granting Ticket (TGT), and

the session-ticket lifetimes and time-stamp settings. For most organizations, the default settings are appropriate.

Configuring User Account Policies



There are several options available for configuring user-account policies when administering an AD DS environment.

Local Policy Settings with Secpol.msc

Each individual Windows Server 2012 computer has its own set of account policies, which apply to accounts created and

managed on the local computer. To configure these policy settings, open the Local Security Policy console by running

secpol.msc from the command prompt. The password-policy and account-policy settings can be located within the Local

Security Policy Console by expanding Security Settings, and then expanding Account Policies.

Group Policy with Group Policy Management

In the AD DS domain environment, domain-wide account policy settings are configured within the Group Policy Management

Console. The settings can be found in the Computer Configuration, by expanding the Policies node, expanding the under the

Windows Settings node, expanding the Security Settings node, and then expanding the Account Policies node.

The settings found within the Account Policies node are the same settings found in the Local Security Policy, with the addition of

the Kerberos Policy settings that apply to domain authentication.

The Group Policy Account Policy settings exist in the template of every Group Policy Object (GPO) created in the GPMC).

However, you can apply an account policy only once in a domain and in only one GPO. This is the Default Domain Policy, and it

links to the root of the AD DS domain. As such, the Account Policy settings in the Default Domain Policy apply to every computer

that is joined to the domain.

Note: If settings conflict between the account policy settings in the Local Security Policy and the account policysettings in the Default Domain Policy GPO, the Default Domain Policy settings take precedence.

Question: Why would you use secpol.msc to configure local account policy settings for a Windows Server 2012 computerinstead of using domain- based Group Policy account-policy settings?

What Are Password Settings Objects?



Starting with Windows Server 2008, administrators can define more than one password policy in a single domain by

implementing fine-grained password policies. These enable you to have more granular control over user password requirements,

and you can have different password requirements for different users or groups.

To support the fine-grained password policy feature, AD DS in Windows Server 2008 and newer versions includes two object

types:

• Password Setting Container. Windows Server creates this container by default, and you can view it in the domain’s System

container. The container stores the Password Settings Objects that you create and link to global security groups or to users.

• Password Settings Objects. Members of the Domain Admins group create Password Settings Objects, and then define the

specific password and account-lockout settings to be linked to a specific security group or user.

Fine-grained password policies apply only to user objects (or to inetOrgPerson objects, if you use those instead of user objects)

and to global security groups. By linking a Password Settings Objects to a user or a group, you’re modifying an attribute called

msDS-PSOApplied, which is empty by default. This approach now treats password and account-lockout settings not as domain-

wide requirements, but as attributes to a specific user or a group.

For example, to configure a strict password policy for administrative accounts, create a global security group, add the

administrative user accounts as members, and link a Password Settings Object to the group. Applying fine-grained password

policies to a group in this manner is more manageable than applying the policies to each individual user account. If you create a

new service account, you simply add it to the group, and the account becomes managed by the Password Settings Object.

By default, only members of the Domain Admins group can set fine-grained password policies. However, you also can delegate

the ability to set these policies to other users.

Applying Fine-Grained Password Policies

You cannot apply a fine-grained password policy to an OU directly. To apply a fine-grained password policy to users of an OU,

you can use a shadow group. A shadow group is a global security group that maps logically to an OU, and enforces a fine-

grained password policy. You can add an OU’s users as members of the newly created shadow group, and then apply the fine-

grained password policy to this shadow group. If you move a user from one OU to another, you must update the membership of

the corresponding shadow groups.

The settings managed by fine-grained password policy are identical to those in the Password Policy and Accounts Policy nodes

of a GPO. However, fine-grained password policies are neither implemented as part of Group Policy nor are they applied as part



of a GPO. Instead, there is a separate class of object in Active Directory that maintains the settings for fine-grained password

policy—the PSO.

You can create one or more PSOs in your domain. Each contains a complete set of password and lockout policy settings. A

Password Settings Object is applied by linking the Password Settings Object to one or more global security groups or users.

To use a fine-grained password policy, your domain functional level must be at least Windows Server 2008, which means that all

of your domain controllers in the domain are running at least Windows Server 2008, and the domain functional level has been

raised to at least Windows Server 2008.

To confirm and modify the domain functional level:

1. Open Active Directory Domains and Trusts.

2. In the console tree, expand Active Directory Domains and Trusts, and then expand the tree until you can see the domain.

3. Right-click the domain, and then click Raise domain functional level.

Configuring Password Settings Objects

You can create and apply Password Settings Objects in the Windows Server 2012 environment by using either of the following

tools:

• Active Directory Administrative Center

• Windows PowerShell

Configuring Password Settings Objects By Using Windows PowerShell

In Windows Server 2012, new Windows PowerShell cmdlets in the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell can be used

to create and manage Password Settings Objects in your domain.

• New-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy

This cmdlet is used to create a new Password Settings Object, and define the Password Settings Object parameters. For

example, the following command creates a new Password Settings Object named TestPwd, and then specifies its settings:



New-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicy TestPswd -ComplexityEnabled:$true -

LockoutDuration:"00:30:00" -LockoutObservationWindow:"00:30:00" -LockoutThreshold:"0" -

MaxPasswordAge:"42.00:00:00" -MinPasswordAge:"1.00:00:00" -MinPasswordLength:"7" -

PasswordHistoryCount:"24" -Precedence:"1" -ReversibleEncryptionEnabled:$false -

ProtectedFromAccidentalDeletion:$true

• Add-FineGrainedPasswordPolicySubject

This cmdlet enable you to link a user or group to an existing Password Settings Object. For example, the following command

links the TestPwd Password Settings Object to the AD DS group named group1:

Add-ADFineGrainedPasswordPolicySubject TestPswd -Subjects Marketing

Configuring Password Settings Objects By Using Active Directory Administrative Center

The Active Directory Administrative Center provides a GUI for creating and managing Password Settings Objects. To manage

Password Settings Objects in Active Directory Administrative Center, follow these steps:

1. Open Active Directory Administrative Center.

2. Click Manage, click Add Navigation Nodes, select the appropriate target domain in the Add Navigation Node dialog box,

and then click OK.

3. In the Active Directory Administrative Center navigation pane, open the System container, and then click Password

Settings Container.

4. In the Tasks pane, click New, and then click Password Settings.

5. Fill in or edit fields inside the property page to create a new Password Settings object.

6. Under Directly Applies To, click Add, type Marketing, and then click OK.

7. This associates the Password Policy object with the members of the global group that you created for the test environment.

8. Click OK to submit the creation of the Password Settings Object.

Note: The Active Directory Administrative Center interface for Password Settings Object management uses theWindows PowerShell cmdlets mentioned previously to carry out the creation and management of PasswordSettings Objects.

Considerations for Configuring Password Settings Objects

It is possible for you to link more than one Password Settings Object to a user or a security group. You might do this if a user is a

member of multiple security groups, which might each have an assigned Password Settings Object already, or if you assign

multiple Password Settings Objects directly to a user object. In either case, it is important to understand that you can apply only

one Password Settings Object as the effective password policy.



If you assign multiple Password Settings Objects to a user or a group, the msDS-PasswordSettingsPrecedence attribute helps to

determine the resultant Password Settings Object. A Password Settings Object with a lower value takes precedence over a

Password Settings Object with a higher value.

The following process describes how AD DS determines the resultant Password Settings Object if you link multiple Password

Settings Objects to a user or a group:

1. Any Password Settings Object that you link directly to a user object is the resultant Password Settings Object. If you link

multiple Password Settings Objects directly to the user object, the Password Settings Object with the lowest msDS-

PasswordSettingsPrecedence value is the resultant Password Settings Object. If two Password Settings Objects have the

same precedence, the Password Settings Object with the mathematically smallest objectGUID is the resultant PSO.

2. If you do not link any Password Settings Objects directly to the user object, AD DS compares the Password Settings Objects

for all global security groups that contain the user object. The Password Settings Object with the lowest msDS-

PasswordSettings

Precedence value is the resultant Password Settings Object. If you apply multiple Password Settings Objects to the same

user, and they have the same msDS-PasswordSettingsPrecedence value, AD DS applies the Password Settings Object with

the mathematically smallest globally unique identifier (GUID).

3. If you do not link any Password Settings Objects to the user object, either directly or indirectly (through group membership),

AD DS applies the Default Domain Policy.

All user objects contain a new attribute called msDS-ResultantPSO. You can use this attribute to help determine the

distinguished name of the Password Settings Object that AD DS applies to the user object. If you do not link a Password Settings

Object to the user object, this attribute does not contain any value and the Default Domain Policy GPO contains the effective

password policy.

To view the effect of a policy that AD DS is applying to a user, open Active Directory Users and Computers, and then, on the View

menu, ensure that Advanced Features is enabled. Then open the properties of a user account. You can view the msDS-

ResultantPSO attribute on the Attribute Editor tab, if the Show Constructed Attributes option has been configured under the

Filter options.


Creating user accounts to provide authentication for applications, system services, and background processes is a common

practice in the Windows environment. Historically, accounts were created, and often named, for use by a specific service.

Windows Server 2012 supports AD DS account-like objects called managed service accounts that make service accounts easier to

manage and less of a security risk to your environment.

This lesson will introduce you to managed service accounts, and new functionality related to managed service accounts in

Windows Server 2012.

Lesson Objectives


• Identify the challenges of using standard user accounts for services.



• Describe managed service accounts.

• Explain how to configure managed service accounts.

• Describe group-managed service accounts.

What Are The Challenges Of Using Standard User Accounts For Services?

Many applications such as Microsoft SQL Server® or Internet Information Services (IIS) contain services that are installed on the

server that hosts the application. These services typically run at server startup or are triggered by other events. Services often run

in the background and do not require any user interaction.

For a service to start up and authenticate, a service account is used. A service account may be an account that is local to the

computer, such as the built-in Local Service, Network Service, or Local System accounts. You also can configure a service

account to use a domain-based account located in AD DS.

To help centralize administration and to meet application requirements, many organizations choose to use a domain-based

account to run application services. This does provide some benefit over using a local account. However, there are a number of

associated challenges, such as the following:

• Extra administration effort may be necessary to manage the service account password securely. This includes tasks such as

changing the password and resolving situations that cause an account lockout. Service accounts also typically are configured

to have passwords that do not expire, which may go against your organization’s security policies.

• It can be difficult to determine where a domain-based account is being used as a service account. A standard user account

may be used for multiple services on various servers throughout the environment. A simple task, such as changing the

password, may cause authentication issues for some applications. It is important to know where and how a standard user

account is being used when it is associated with an application service.

• Extra administration effort may be necessary to manage the service principal name (SPN). Using a standard user account may

require manual administration of the SPN. If the logon account of the service changes, the computer name is changed. Or, if a

Domain Name System (DNS) host name property is modified, the SPN registrations may need to be manually modified to

reflect the change. A misconfigured SPN causes authentication problems with the application service.

Windows Server 2012 supports an AD DS object used to ease service-account management, called a managed service account.

The following topics provide information on the requirements and use of managed service accounts in Windows Server 2012.



What Is A Managed Service Account?

A Managed Service Account is an AD DS object class that enables simplified password and SPN management for service

accounts.

Many network-based applications use an account to run services or provide authentication. For example, an application on a

local computer might use the Local Service, Network Service, or Local System accounts. These service accounts may work fine.

However, these typically are shared among multiple applications and services, making it difficult to manage for a specific

application. Furthermore, you cannot manage these local service accounts at the domain level.

Alternatively, it is quite common that an application might use a standard domain account that is configured specifically for the

application. However, the main drawback is that you need to manage passwords manually, which increases administration effort.

A managed service account can provide an application with its own unique account, while eliminating the need for an

administrator to administer the account’s credentials manually.

How a Managed Service Account Works

Managed Service Accounts are stored in AD DS as msDS-ManagedServiceAccount objects. This class inherits structural aspects

from the Computer class (which inherits from the User class). This enables an Managed Service Account to fulfill User-like

functions such as providing authentication and security context for a running service. It also enables an Managed Service

Account to use the same password update mechanism used by Computer objects in AD DS, a process that requires no user

intervention.

Managed service accounts provide the following benefits to simplify administration:

• Automatic password management. A managed service account automatically maintains its own password, including

password changes.

• Simplified SPN management. SPN management can be managed automatically if your domain is configured at the Windows

Server 2008 R2 domain functional level or higher.

Managed Service Accounts are stored in the CN=Managed Service Accounts, DC=<domain>, DC=<com> container. You can

see this by enabling the Advanced Features option in the View menu within Active Directory Users and Computers. This container

is visible by default in the Active Directory Administrative Center.



Requirements for Using Managed Service Accounts

To use a managed service account, the server that runs the service or application must be running Windows Server 2008 R2 or

Windows Server 2012. You also must ensure that .NET Framework 3.5.x and the Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell

are both installed on the server.

Note: A standard managed service account cannot be shared between multiple computers or be used in server clusterswhere the service is replicated between nodes.

To simplify and provide full automatic password and SPN management, we strongly recommend that the AD DS domain be at

the Windows Server 2008 R2 functional level or higher. However, if you have a domain controller running Windows Server 2008 or

Windows Server 2003, you can update the Active Directory schema to Windows Server 2008 R2 to support this feature. The only

disadvantage is that the domain administrator must configure SPN data manually for the managed service accounts.

To update the schema in Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, or mixed-mode environments, you must perform the

following tasks:

1. Run adprep/forestprep at the forest level and run adprep/domainprep at the domain level.

2. Deploy a domain controller running Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 with the Active Directory Management

Gateway Service, or Windows Server 2003 with the Active Directory Management Gateway Service.

Note: The Active Directory Management Gateway Service allows administrators with domain controllers runningWindows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 to use Windows PowerShell cmdlets to manage managed serviceaccounts.

Considerations for Managed Service Accounts on Windows Server 2012 Domain Controllers

On Windows 2012, Managed Service Accounts are created as the new group Managed Service Account object type by default.

However, to accommodate this, you must fulfill the one of the requirements for group Managed Service Accounts before you

can create any Managed Service Account on a Windows 2012 domain controller.

On a Windows 2012 domain controller, a key distribution services root key must be created for the domain before any Managed

Service Accounts can be created. To create the root key, run the following cmdlet from the Active Directory PowerShell module

for Windows PowerShell:

Add-KDSRootKey –EffectiveTime ((Get-Date).AddHours(-10))

More information on group Managed Service Accounts, including further explanation of the cmdlet above, and creating a Key

Distribution Services (KDS) root key can be found later in this lesson.

Demonstration: Configuring Managed Service Accounts by Using Windows PowerShell

Creating and configuring a Managed Service Account requires the use of four cmdlets from the Active Directory Module for

Windows PowerShell:



• Add-KDSRootkey creates the KDS root key to support group Managed Service Accounts, a requirement on Windows Server

2012 DCs:

Add-KDSRootKey –EffectiveTime ((Get-Date).AddHours(-10))

• New-ADServiceAccount creates the Managed Service Account within AD DS:

New-ADServiceAccount –Name <MSA Name> -DNSHostname <DC DNS Name>

• Add-ADComputerServiceAccount associates the Managed Service Account with a computer account in the AD DS domain:

Add-ADComputerServiceAccount –identity <Host Computer Name> -ServiceAccount <MSA Name>

• Install-ADServiceAccount installs the Managed Service Account on a host computer in the domain, and makes the Managed

Service Account available for use by services on the host computer:

Install-ADServiceAccount –Identity <MSA Name>


• Create the KDS root key for the domain.

Create and associate a managed service account.

Demonstration Steps

Create the Key Distribution Services (KDS) root key for the domain

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, open the Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell console.

2. Use the Add-KDSRootKey cmdlet to create the domain KDS root key.

Create and associate a managed service account

1. On LON-DC1, open the Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell console.

2. Use the New-ADServiceAccount cmdlet to create a Managed Service Account.

3. Use the Add-ADComputerServiceAccount cmdlet to associate the Managed Service Account with LON-SVR1.

4. Use the Get-ADServiceAccount cmdlet to view the newly created Managed Service Account and confirm proper

configuration.



Install a managed service account

1. On LON-SVR1, open the Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell console.

2. Use the Install-ADServiceAccount cmdlet to install the Managed Service Account on LON-SVR1.

3. Open Server Manager, and start the Services console.

4. Open the Properties pages for the Application Identity service, and then select the Log On tab.

5. Configure the Application Identity service to use Adatum\SampleApp_SVR1$.

What Are Group Managed Service Accounts?

Group Managed Service Accounts enable you to extend the capabilities of Standard Managed Service Accounts to more than one

server in your domain. In server farm scenarios such as network load balancing (NLB) clusters or IIS servers, there often is a need

to run system or application services under the same service account. Standard Managed Service Accounts cannot provide

managed service account functionality to services that are running on more than one server. By using Group Managed Service

Accounts, you can configure multiple servers to use the same Managed Service Account, and still retain the benefits that

Managed Service Accounts provide, like automatic password maintenance and simplified SPN management.

Group Managed Service Account Requirements

In order to support group Managed Service Account functionality, your environment must meet the following requirements:

• At least one domain controller must be running Windows Server 2012 to store managed password information.

• A KDS root key must be created on a domain controller in the domain.

To create the KDS root key, run the following command from the Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell on a

Windows Server 2012 domain controller:

Add-KdsRootKey –EffectiveImmediately

Note: The –EffectiveImmediately switch uses the current time to establish the timestamp that marks the key asvalid. However, when using –EffectiveImmediately, the actual effective time is set to 10 hours later than the currenttime. This 10-hour difference is to allow for AD DS replication to replicate the changes to other domain controllers inthe domain. For testing purposes, it is possible to bypass this functionality by setting the –EffectiveTime parameterto 10 hours before the current time:



Add-KdsRootKey –EffectiveTime ((get-date).addhours(-10))

Understanding Group Managed Service Account Functionality

Group Managed Service Accounts enable Managed Service Account functionality across multiple servers by delegating the

management of Managed Service Account password information to Windows Server 2012 domain controllers. By doing this, the

management of passwords is no longer dependent on the relationship between a single server and AD DS, but rather controlled

entirely by AD DS.

The group Managed Service Account object contains a list of principals (computers or AD DS groups) that are allowed to retrieve

group Managed Service Account password information from AD DS, and then use the group Managed Service Account for

authentication for services.

Group Managed Service Accounts are created by using the same cmdlets from the Active Directory Module for Windows

PowerShell. In fact, the cmdlets used for Managed Service Account management will create group Managed Service Accounts,

by default.

On a Windows Server 2012 domain controller, create a new Managed Service Account by using the New-ADServiceAccount

cmdlet with the –PrinicipalsAllowedToRetrieveManagedPassword parameter. This parameter accepts one or more comma-

separated computer accounts or AD DS groups that are permitted to obtain password information for the group Managed Service

Account that is stored in AD DS on Windows Server 2012 domain controllers.

For example, the following cmdlet will create a new group Managed Service Account called SQLFarm, and enable the LON-SQL1,

LON-SQL2, and LON-SQL3 hosts to use the group Managed Service Account:

New_ADServiceAccount –Name LondonSQLFarm –PrincipalsAllowedToRetrieveManagedPassword LON-

SQL1, LON-SQL2, LON-SQL3

Once a computer has been added to using the –PrincipalsAllowedToRetrieveManagedPassword, the group Managed Service

Account service account is available to be assigned to services by using same assignment process as standard Managed Service

Accounts.

Using AD DS Groups to Manage Group Managed Service Account Server Farms

AD DS security groups can be used to identify group Managed Service Accounts. When you use an AD DS group for the

PrincipalsAllowedToRetriveManagedPassword parameter, any computers that are members of that group will be allowed to

retrieve the password and utilize group Managed Service Account functionality. When using an AD DS group as the principal

allowed to retrieve a managed password, any accounts that are members of the group will also have the same capability.


Scenario

A. Datum is a global engineering and manufacturing company with its head office in London, UK. An IT office and data center is



located in London to support the London office and other locations. A. Datum has recently deployed a Windows Server 2012

server and client infrastructure, and needs to implement changes to how user accounts are managed in the environment.

Objectives


• Configure password-policy and account-lockout settings.

• Create and associate a Managed Service Account.

Lab Setup

Estimated Time: Estimated time: 45 minutes

Virtual Machine 20411B-LON-DC1


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:





a. User name: Adatum\Administrator


Exercise 1: Configuring Password-Policy and Account-Lockout Settings

Scenario

A. Datum has recently completed a security review for passwords and account-lockout policies. You need to implement the

recommendations contained in the report to control password complexity and length. You also need to configure appropriate

account-lockout settings. Part of your password policy configuration will include a specific password policy to be assigned to the

Managers security group. This group requires a different password policy than what has been applied at the domain level.

The report has recommended that the following password settings should be applied to all accounts in the domain:

• Password history: 20 passwords

• Maximum password age: 45 days



• Minimum password age: 1 day

• Password length: 10 characters

• Complexity enabled: Yes

• Account Lockout duration: 30 minutes

• Account lockout threshold: 5 attempts

• Reset account lockout counter after: 15 minutes

The report has also recommended that a separate policy be applied to users in the Managers group, due to the elevated privileges

assigned to those user accounts. The policy applied to the Managers groups should contain the following settings:

• Password history: 20 passwords

• Maximum password age: 20 days

• Minimum password age: 1 day

• Password length: 15 characters

• Complexity enabled: Yes

• Account Lockout duration: 0 minutes (An administrator will have to unlock the account)

• Account lockout threshold: 3 attempts

• Reset account lockout counter after: 30 minutes


1. Configure a domain-based password policy.

2. Configure an account-lockout policy.

3. Configure and apply a fine-grained password policy.

Task 1: Configure a domain-based password policy

1. On LON-DC1, open the Group Policy Management console.

2. Edit the Default Domain Policy, and configure the following Account Password Policy settings:

o Password history: 20 passwords

o Maximum password age: 45 days

o Minimum password age: 1 day

o Password length: 10 characters

o Complexity enabled: Yes



Task 2: Configure an account-lockout policy

1. In the Group Policy Management Editor, configure the following Account Lockout Policy settings for the Default Domain

Policy:

o Account Lockout duration: 30 minutes

o Account lockout threshold: 5 attempts

o Reset account lockout counter after: 15 minutes

2. Close Group Policy Management Editor.

3. Close Group Policy Management.

Task 3: Configure and apply a fine-grained password policy

1. On LON-DC1, open the Active Directory Administrative Center console.

2. Change the group scope for the Managers group to Global.

Note: Ensure you open the Properties page for the Managers group, and not the Managers OU.

3. In Active Directory Administrative Center, configure a fine-grained password policy for the Adatum\Managers group with

the following settings:

o Name: ManagersPSO

o Precedence: 10

o Password length: 15 characters

o Password history: 20 passwords

o Complexity enabled: Yes

o Minimum password age: 1 day

o Maximum password age: 30 days

o Number of failed logon attempts allowed: 3 attempts

o Reset failed logon attempts count after: 30 minutes

o Until an administrator manually unlocks the account: selected

4. Close Active Directory Administrative Center.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured password-policy and account-lockout settings.



Exercise 2: Creating and Associating a Managed Service Account

Scenario

You need to configure a managed service account to support a new Web-based application that is being deployed to the

DefaultAppPool Web service on LON-DC1. Using a managed service account will help maintain the password security

requirements for the account.


1. Create and associate a Managed Service Account.

2. Install a managed service account on a LON-DC1.


Task 1: Create and associate a Managed Service Account

1. On LON-DC1, open the Active Directory Module for Windows PowerShell console.

2. Create the KDS root key by using the Add-KdsRootKey cmdlet. Make the effective time minus 10 hours, so the key will be

effective immediately.

3. Create the new service account named Webservice for the host LON-DC1.

4. Associate the Webservice managed account with LON-DC1.

5. Verify the group managed service account was created by using the Get-ADServiceAccount cmdlet.

Task 2: Install a managed service account on a LON-DC1

1. On LON-DC1, install the Webservice service account.

2. From the Tools menu in Server Manager, open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

3. Configure the DefaultAppPool to use the Webservice$ account as the identity.

4. Stop and start the application pool.


• When you are finished the lab, revert the virtual machines to their initial state.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have created and associated a Managed Service Account.




Common Issues and Troubleshooting Tips

Common Issue Troubleshooting Tip

User accounts contained in a .csv file fail to import when using the

Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool.

User password settings are not applying as expected.

The New-ADServiceAccount cmdlet fails with key-related messages.

Tools

Tool What it is used for Where to find it

Comma-Separated Values Data Exchange tool Importing and exporting users by using .csv files Command prompt: csvde.exe

LDIFDE Importing, exporting, and modifying users by using .ldf

files

Command prompt: ldifde.exe

Local Security Policy Configuring local account- policy settings Secpol.msc

Group Policy Management console Configuring domain Group Policy account-policy

settings

Server Manager – Tools

Active Directory Administrative Center Creating and managing Password Settings Objects Server Manager – Tools

Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell Creating and Managing Managed Service Accounts Server Manager - Tools

Lab Answer Key: Module 4: Managing User and Service Accounts


Exercise 1: Configuring Password-Policy and Account-Lockout Settings

Task 1: Configure a domain-based password policy

1. On LON-DC1, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.

2. In Group Policy Management, expand Forest: Adatum.com. expand Domains, expand Adatum.com, expand Group Policy

Objects, right-click Default Domain Policy, and then click Edit.

3. In the Group Policy Management Editor, in the navigation pane, under Computer Configuration, expand Policies, expand

Windows Settings, expand Security Settings, expand Account Policies, and then click Password Policy.

4. Double-click Enforce password history.

5. In the Enforce password history Properties window, type 20 in the Keep password history for field, and then click OK.

6. Double-click Maximum password age.

7. In the Maximum password age Properties window, type 45 in the Password will expire in field, and then click OK.

8. Double-click Minimum password age.

9. In the Minimum password age Properties window, ensure that the Password can be changed after field is 1, and then click

OK.

10. Double-click Minimum password length.

11. In the Minimum password length Properties window, type 10 in the Password must be at least field, and then click OK.

12. Double-click Password must meet complexity requirements.

13. In the Password must meet complexity requirements Properties window, click Enabled, and then click OK.

14. Do not close the Group Policy Management Editor.

Task 2: Configure an account-lockout policy

1. In the Group Policy Management Editor, in the navigation pane, click Account Lockout Policy.

2. Double-click Account lockout duration.

3. In the Account lockout duration Properties window, click Define this policy setting, type 30 in the minutes field, and then

click OK.

4. In the Suggested Value Changes window, note the suggested values, including the automatic configuration of Account

lockout threshold, and then click OK.

5. Double-click Reset account lockout counter after.

6. In the Reset account lockout counter after Properties window, type 15 in the Reset account lockout counter after field,

and then click OK.

7. Close Group Policy Management Editor.


Task 3: Configure and apply a fine-grained password policy

1. On LON-DC1, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Administrative Center.

2. In Active Directory Administrative Center, in the navigation pane, click Adatum (local).

3. In the details pane, double-click the Managers OU.

4. In the details pane, right-click the Managers group, and then click Properties.

Note: Ensure you open the Properties page for the Managers group, and not the Managers OU. In the Managerswindow, under Group scope, click Global, and then click OK.

5. In Active Directory Administrative Center, in the navigation pane, click Adatum (local).

6. In the details pane, double-click the System container.

7. In the details pane, right-click the Password Settings Container, click New, and then click Password Settings.

8. In the Create Password Settings window, complete the following steps:

a. Type ManagersPSO in the Name field.

b. Type 10 in the precedence field.

c. Type 15 in the Minimum password length field.

d. Type 20 in the Number of passwords remembered field.

e. Type 30 in the Enforce maximum password age field.

f. Click Enforce account lockout policy.

g. Type 3 in the Number of failed logon attempts field.

h. Type 30 in the Reset failed logon attempts count field.

i. Click the Until an administrator manually unlocks the account option.

9. In the Directly Applies to section, click Add.

10. In the Enter the object names to select field, type Adatum\Managers, click Check Names, and then click OK.

11. In the Create Password Settings window, click OK.

12. Close Active Directory Administrative Center.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured password-policy and account-lockout settings.

Exercise 2: Creating and Associating a Managed Service Account

Task 1: Create and associate a Managed Service Account

1. On LON-DC1, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Module for Windows Powershell.

2. Type the following In the Windows PowerShell® command window, and then press Enter:

Add-KdsRootKey –EffectiveTime ((get-date).addhours(-10))

3. Type the following In the Windows PowerShell command window, and then press Enter:

New-ADServiceAccount –Name Webservice –DNSHostName LON-DC1 –

PrincipalsAllowedToRetrieveManagedPassword LON-DC1$


Add-ADComputerServiceAccount –identity LON-DC1 –ServiceAccount Webservice


Get-ADServiceAccount -Filter *

6. Note the output of the command, ensuring the newly created account is listed.

7. Minimize the Windows PowerShell command window.

Task 2: Install a managed service account on a LON-DC1

1. On LON-DC1, type the following In the Windows PowerShell command window, and then press Enter:

Install-ADServiceAccount –Identity Webservice

2. In Server Manager click the Tools menu, and then click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

3. In the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager console, expand LON-DC1 (Adatum\Administrator), and then click

Application Pools. When the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager window appears, click No.

4. In the details pane, right-click the DefaultAppPool, and then click Advanced Settings.

5. In the Advanced Settings dialog box, click Identity and then click the ellipses.

6. In the Application Pool Identity dialog box, click Custom Account and then click Set.

7. In the Set Credentials dialog box, type Adatum\Webservice$ in the User name: field, and then click OK three times.

8. In the Actions pane, click Stop to stop the application pool.

9. Click Start to start the application pool.

10. Close the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.





Results: After completing this exercise, you will have created and associated a Managed Service Account.

5/21/13 Module 5: Implementing a Group Policy Infrastructure


Module 5: Implementing a Group Policy Infrastructure

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Introducing Group Policy






Module Overview

Group Policy provides an infrastructure within which you can define settings centrally and deploy them to users and computers

in your enterprise. In an environment managed by a well-implemented Group Policy infrastructure, very little configuration takes

place by an administrator directly touching a user’s computer. You can define, enforce, and update the entire configuration by

using the settings in Group Policy Objects (GPOs) or GPO filtering. By using GPO settings, you can affect an entire site or domain

within an enterprise, or narrow your focus to a single organizational unit (OU). This module will detail what Group Policy is, how

it works, and how best to implement it in your organization.

Objectives


• Describe the components and technologies that comprise the Group Policy framework.

• Configure and understand a variety of policy setting types.

• Scope GPOs by using links, security groups, Windows® Management Instrumentation (WMI) filters, loopback processing, and

preference targeting.

• Describe how GPOs are processed.

• Locate the event logs that contain Group Policy-related events and troubleshoot the Group Policy application.

Lesson 1 : Introducing Group Policy

A Group Policy infrastructure has several interacting components, and you need to understand what each component does, as

well as how they work together and how you can assemble them into different configurations. This lesson provides a

comprehensive overview of Group Policy components, procedures, and functions.










Lesson Objectives


• Identify the business requirements for configuration management.

• Describe the core components and terminology of Group Policy.

• Explain the benefits of implementing GPOs.

• Describe GPOs.

• Explain the function and behavior of the client-side GPO components.

• Explain GPO refresh.

• Create and configure GPOs.

What Is Configuration Management?

If you have only one computer in your environment—at home, for example—and you need to modify the desktop background,

you can achieve that in several different ways. Most people would probably open Appearance and Personalization from Control

Panel, and make the change by using the Windows interface. While that works well for one computer, it may be tedious if you

want to make the change across multiple computers. Implementing any change and maintaining a consistent environment is

more difficult with multiple computers.

Configuration management is a centralized approach to applying one or more changes to one or more users or computers. The

key elements of configuration management are:

• Setting. A setting is also known as a centralized definition of a change. The setting brings a user or a computer to a desired

state of configuration.

• Scope. The scope of the change is the ability to change users’ computers.

• Application. The application is a mechanism or process that ensures that the setting is applied to users and computers within

the scope.

Group Policy is a framework within Windows—with components that reside in Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS), on

domain controllers, and on each Windows server and client—that enables you to manage configuration in an AD DS domain.



Overview of Group Policies

The most granular component of Group Policy is an individual policy setting, also known as a policy that defines a specific

configuration change to apply, such as a policy setting that prevents a user from accessing registry-editing tools. If you define

that policy setting, and then apply it to the user, the user will be unable to run tools such as Regedit.exe.

It is important to know that some settings affect a user, known as user-configuration settings (or user policies), and some affect

the computer, known as computer-configuration settings (or computer policies).

Group Policy manages various policy settings, and the Group Policy framework is extensible. In the end, you can manage just

about any configurable setting with Group Policy.

Within the Group Policy Management Editor, you can define a policy setting by double-clicking it. The policy setting Properties

dialog box appears. A policy setting can have three states: Not Configured, Enabled, and Disabled.

In a new GPO, every policy setting defaults to Not Configured. This means that the GPO cannot modify the existing

configuration of that particular setting for a user or computer. If you enable or disable a policy setting, a change is made to the

configuration of users and computers to which the GPO is applied. When you return a setting to its Not Configured value, you

return it to its default value.

The effect of the change depends on the policy setting. For example, if you enable the Prevent Access To Registry Editing Tools

policy setting, users are unable to launch the Regedit.exe Registry Editor. If you disable the policy setting, you ensure that users

can launch the Registry Editor. Notice the double negative in this policy setting: You disable a policy that prevents an action, so

you allow the action.

Some policy settings bundle several configurations into one policy, and these might require additional parameters.

Note: Many policy settings are complex, and the effect of enabling or disabling them might not be obvious.Furthermore, some policy settings affect only certain versions of the Windows operating system. Be sure to review apolicy setting’s explanatory text in the Group Policy Management Editor detail pane or on the Explain tab in the policysetting’s Properties dialog box. Additionally, always test the effects of a policy setting and its interactions with otherpolicy settings before deploying a change in your production environment.

Benefits of Using Group Policy



Group Policies are very powerful administrative tools. You can use them to push various settings to a large number of users and

computers. Because you can apply them to various levels from local to domain, you also can focus these settings very precisely.

Primarily, you can use Group Policies to configure settings that you do not want users to configure. Additionally, you can use

Group Policies to standardize desktop environments on all computers in an OU or in an entire enterprise, to provide additional

security and some advanced system settings, and for other purposes that the following sections detail.

Apply Security Settings

In the Windows Server® 2012 operating system, GPOs include a large number of security-related settings that you can apply to

both users and computers. For example, you can enforce settings for Windows Firewall, and configure auditing and other security

settings. You also can configure full sets of user-rights assignments.

Manage Desktop and Application Settings

You can use a Group Policy to provide a consistent desktop and application environment to all users in your organization. By

using GPOs, you can configure each setting that affects the look and feel of user environment and also configure settings for

some applications that support GPOs.

Deploy Software

Group Policies enable you to deploy software to users and computers. You can use Group Policy to deploy all software that is in

the .msi format. Additionally, you can enforce automatic software installation or you can let your users decide whether they want

the software to deploy to their machines.

Note: Deploying large packages with GPOs may not be the most efficient way of distributing an application to yourorganization’s computers. In many circumstances, it may be more effective to distribute the applications as part of thedesktop computer image.

Manage Folder Redirection

With folder redirection, you can manage and back up data quickly and easily. By redirecting folders, you also ensure that users

have access to their data regardless of the computer on which they sign in. Additionally, you can centralize all users’ data to one

place on the network server, while still providing a user experience that is similar to storing these folders on their computers. For

example, you can configure folder redirection to redirect the users’ Documents folders to a shared folder on a network server.

Configure Network Settings



Using Group Policy enables you to configure various network settings on client computers. For example, you can enforce settings

for wireless networks to allow users to connect only to specific service set identifiers (SSIDs), and with predefined authentication

and encryption settings. You also can deploy policies that apply to wired network settings as well as configure the client side of

services, such as Network Access Protection (NAP).

Group Policy Objects

Policy settings are defined and exist within a GPO. A GPO is an object that contains one or more policy settings that apply to one

or more configuration settings for a user or a computer.

Note: GPOs can be managed in AD DS by using the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC).

GPOs are displayed in a container named Group Policy Objects.

To create a new GPO in a domain, right-click the Group Policy Objects container, and then click New.

To modify the configuration settings in a GPO, right-click the GPO, and then click Edit. This opens the Group Policy

Management Editor snap-in.

The Group Policy Management Editor displays the thousands of policy settings available in a GPO in an organized hierarchy that

begins with the division between computer settings and user settings: the Computer Configuration node and the User

Configuration node.

The next two levels of the hierarchy are nodes called Policies and Preferences. You will learn about the difference between these

two nodes later in this module. Progressing further down the hierarchy, you can see that the Group Policy Management Editor

displays folders, which also are called nodes or policy setting groups. Within the folders are the policy settings themselves.

Note: The GPO must be applied to a domain, site, or OU in the AD DS hierarchy for the settings within the object totake effect.

GPO Scope



Configuration is defined by policy settings in GPOs. However, the configuration changes in a GPO do not affect computers or

users in your organization until you specify the computers or users to which the GPO applies. This is called scoping a GPO. The

scope of a GPO is the collection of users and computers that will apply the settings in the GPO.

You can use several methods to manage the scope of GPOs. The first is the GPO link. You can link GPOs to sites, domains, and

OUs in AD DS. The site, domain, or OU then becomes the maximum scope of the GPO. All computers and users within the site,

domain, or OU, including those in child OUs, will be affected by the configurations that the policy settings in the GPO specify.

Note: You can link a GPO to more than one domain, OU, or site. Linking GPOs to multiple sites can introduceperformance issues when the policy is being applied, and you should avoid linking a GPO to multiple sites. This isbecause in a multisite network, the GPOs are stored in the domain controllers of the forest root domain. Theconsequence of this is that computers in other domains may need to traverse a slow wide area network (WAN) link toobtain the GPOs.

You can further narrow the scope of the GPO with one of two types of filters. Security filters specify security groups that fall

within the GPO’s scope, but to which the GPO explicitly should or should not apply. WMI filters specify a scope by using

characteristics of a system, such as operating-system version or free disk space. Use security filters and WMI filters to narrow or

specify the scope within the initial scope that the GPO link created.

Note: Windows Server 2008 introduced a new component of Group Policy: Group Policy Preferences. Settings that areconfigured by Group Policy Preferences within a GPO can be filtered or targeted based on several criteria. Targetedpreferences allow you to further refine the scope of preferences within a single GPO.

Group Policy Client and Client-Side Extensions



Group Policy Application

It is important to understand how Group Policies apply on client computers. The outline below details the process:

1. When Group Policy refresh begins, a service that is running on all Windows-based computers, known as the Group Policy

Client in Windows Vista®, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server

2012, determines which GPOs apply to the computer or user.

2. This service downloads any GPOs that are not cached already.

3. Client-side extensions (CSEs) interpret the settings in a GPO and make appropriate changes to the local computer or to the

currently logged-on user. There are CSEs for each major category of policy setting. For example, there is a security CSE that

applies security changes, a CSE that executes startup and logon scripts, a CSE that installs software, and a CSE that makes

changes to registry keys and values. Each Windows version has added CSEs to extend the functional reach of Group Policy,

and there are several dozen CSEs in Windows.

One of the more important concepts to remember about Group Policy is that it is very client-driven. The Group Policy client pulls

the GPOs from the domain, triggering the CSEs to apply settings locally. Group Policy is not a push technology.

In fact, you can configure the behavior of CSEs by using Group Policy. Most CSEs will apply settings in a GPO only if that GPO has

changed. This behavior improves overall policy processing by eliminating redundant applications of the same settings. Most

policies are applied in such a way that standard users cannot change the setting on their computer—they will always be subject

to the configuration enforced by Group Policy. However, standard users can change some settings, and many can be changed if

a user is an administrator on that system. If users in your environment are administrators on their computers, you should

consider configuring CSEs to reapply policy settings even if the GPO has not changed. That way, if an administrative user

changes a configuration so that it is no longer compliant with policy, the configuration will be reset to its compliant state at the

next Group Policy refresh.

Note: You can configure CSEs to reapply policy settings at the next background refresh, even if the GPO has notchanged. You can do this by configuring a GPO scoped to computers, and then defining the settings in the ComputerConfiguration\Policies\Administrative Templates \System\ Group Policy node. For each CSE that you want toconfigure, open its policy- processing policy setting, such as Registry Policy Processing for the Registry CSE. ClickEnabled, and select the Process even if the Group Policy objects have not changed check box.

The security CSE manages an important exception to the default policy-processing settings. Security settings are reapplied every

16 hours, even if a GPO has not changed.



Note: Enable the Always Wait For Network At Startup And Logon policy setting for all Windows clients. Without thissetting, by default, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 clients perform only backgroundrefreshes. This means that a client may start up, and then a user might sign in without receiving the latest policies fromthe domain. The setting is located in Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\System\Logon. Besure to read the policy setting’s explanatory text.

Group Policy Refresh

Policy settings in the Computer Configuration node are applied at system startup, and then every 90 to 120 minutes thereafter.

User Configuration policy settings are applied at logon, and then every 90 to 120 minutes thereafter. The application of policies is

called Group Policy refresh.

Note: You also can force a policy refresh by using the GPUpdate command.

Demonstration: How to Create a GPO and Configure GPO Settings

Group Policy settings, also known as policies, are contained in a GPO, and you can view and modify them by using the Group

Policy Management Editor. This demonstration delves more closely into the categories of settings available in a GPO.

Computer Configuration and User Configuration

There are two major divisions of policy settings: computer settings, which are contained in the Computer Configuration node,

and user settings, which are contained in the User Configuration node:

• The Computer Configuration node contains the settings that are applied to computers, regardless of who logs on to them.

Computer settings are applied when the operating system starts, during background refreshes, and every 90 to 120 minutes

thereafter.

• The User Configuration node contains settings that are applied when a user logs on to the computer, during background

refreshes, and every 90 to 120 minutes thereafter.

Within the Computer Configuration and User Configuration nodes are the Policies and Preferences nodes. Policies are settings

that are configured and behave similarly to the policy settings in older Windows operating systems. Preferences were introduced

in Windows Server 2008.

Within the Policies nodes of Computer Configuration and User Configuration are a hierarchy of folders that contain policy

settings. Because there are thousands of settings, it is beyond the scope of this course to examine individual settings. However, it

is worthwhile to define the broad categories of settings in the folders.

Software Settings Node

The Software Settings node is the first node. It contains only the Software Installation extension, which helps you specify how

applications are installed and maintained within your organization.

Windows Settings Node

In both Computer Configuration and User Configuration nodes, the Policies node contains a Windows Settings node, which

includes the Scripts, Security Settings, and Policy-Based QoS nodes.



Note: It also contains the Name Resolution Policy folder that contains settings for configuring Windows 8DirectAccess, which is discussed in a later module.

Scripts Node

The Scripts extension enables you to specify two types of scripts, startup/shutdown (in the Computer Configuration node), and

logon/logoff (in the User Configuration node). Startup/shutdown scripts run at computer startup or shutdown. Logon/logoff

scripts run when a user logs on or off. When you assign multiple logon/logoff or startup/shutdown scripts to a user or computer,

the Scripts CSE executes the scripts from top to bottom. You can determine the order of execution for multiple scripts in the

Properties dialog box. When a computer is shut down, the CSE first processes logoff scripts, followed by shutdown scripts. By

default, the timeout value for processing scripts is 10 minutes. If the logoff and shutdown scripts require more than 10 minutes to

process, you must adjust the timeout value with a policy setting. You can use any ActiveX® scripting language to write scripts.

Some possibilities include Microsoft® Visual Basic® Scripting Edition (VBScript), Microsoft JScript®, Perl, and Microsoft MS-

DOS®–style batch files (.bat and .cmd). Logon scripts on a shared network directory in another forest are supported for network

logon across forests. Windows 7 and Windows 8 both support Windows PowerShell® scripts, too.

Security Settings Node

The Security Settings node allows a security administrator to configure security by using GPOs. This can be done after, or

instead of, using a security template to set system security.

Policy-Based QoS Node

This quality of service (QoS) node, known as Policy-Based QoS node, defines policies that manage network traffic. For example,

you might want to ensure that users in the Finance department have priority for running a critical network application during the

end-of-year financial reporting period. The Policy-Based QoS node enables you to do that.

In the User Configuration node only, the Windows Settings folder contains the additional Remote Installation Services, Folder

Redirection, and Internet Explorer Maintenance nodes. Remote Installation Services (RIS) policies control the behavior of a

remote operating-system installation. Folder Redirection enables you to redirect user data and settings folders such as AppData,

Desktop, Documents, Pictures, Music, and Favorites from their default user profile location to an alternate location on the

network, where they can be centrally managed. Internet Explorer Maintenance enables you to administer and customize Windows

Internet Explorer®.

Administrative Templates Node

In the Computer Configuration and User Configuration nodes, the Administrative Templates node contains registry-based

Group Policy settings. There are thousands of such settings available for configuring the user and computer environment. As an

administrator, you might spend a significant amount of time manipulating these settings. To assist you with the settings, a

description of each policy setting is available in two locations:

• On the Explain tab in the Properties dialog box for the setting. Additionally, the Settings tab in the Properties dialog box for

each setting also lists the required operating system or software for the setting.

• On the Extended tab of the Group Policy Management Editor. The Extended tab appears on the lower right of the details

pane, and provides a description of each selected setting in a column between the console tree and the settings pane. The

required operating system or software for each setting is also listed.

Demonstration




1. Open the Group Policy Management Console.

2. Create a new GPO named Desktop in the Group Policy container.

3. In the computer configuration, prevent the last logon name from displaying, and then prevent Windows Installer from

running.

4. In the user configuration, remove the Search link from the Start menu, and then hide the display settings tab.

Demonstration Steps Use the GPMC to create a new GPO

1. Sign in to LON-DC1 as administrator.

2. Open the Group Policy Management console.

3. Create a new GPO called Desktop.

Configure Group Policy settings

1. Open the new Desktop policy for editing.

2. In the computer configuration, prevent the last logon name from displaying, and prevent Windows Installer from running.

3. In the user configuration, remove the Search link from the Start menu, and then hide the display settings tab.

4. Close all open windows.


In this lesson, you will examine GPOs in more detail, learning how to create, link, edit, manage, and administer GPOs and their

settings.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe domain-based GPOs.

• Explain how to create, link, and edit GPOs.

• Explain GPO storage.

• Describe starter GPOs.

• Perform common GPO management tasks.

• Explain how to delegate administration of GPOs.

• Describe how to use Windows PowerShell to manage GPOs.



Domain-Based GPOs

Domain-based GPOs are created in AD DS and stored on domain controllers. You can use them to manage configuration

centrally for the domain’s users and computers. The remainder of this course refers to domain-based GPOs rather than local

GPOs, unless otherwise specified.

When you install AD DS, two default GPOs are created: Default Domain Controllers Policy and Default Domain Policy.

Default Domain Policy

This GPO is linked to the domain, and has no security group or WMI filters. Therefore, it affects all users and computers in the

domain, including computers that are domain controllers. This GPO contains policy settings that specify password, account

lockout, and Kerberos version 5 protocol policies. You should not add unrelated policy settings to this GPO. If you need to

configure other settings to apply broadly in your domain, create additional GPOs that link to the domain.

Default Domain Controllers Policy

This GPO is linked to the OU of the domain controllers. Because computer accounts for domain controllers are kept exclusively in

the Domain Controllers OU, and other computer accounts should be kept in other OUs, this GPO affects only domain controllers.

You should modify the Default Domain Controllers GPO to implement your auditing policies and to assign user rights required

on domain controllers.

Note: Windows computers also have local GPOs, which are used when computers are not connected to domainenvironments. Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and WindowsServer 2012 support the notion of multiple local GPOs. The Local Computer GPO is the same as the GPO in the previousWindows versions. In the Computer Configuration node, you can configure all computer-related settings. In the UserConfiguration node, you can configure settings that you want to apply to all users on the computer. The user settingsin the Local Computer GPO can be modified by the user settings in two new local GPOs: Administrators and Non-Administrators. These two GPOs apply user settings to logged-on users according to whether they are members of thelocal Administrators group, in which case they would use the Administrators GPO, or not members of theAdministrators group, and therefore use the Non-Administrators GPO. You can further refine the user settings with alocal GPO that applies to a specific user account. User-specific local GPOs are associated with local, not domain, useraccounts.

It is important to understand that domain-based GPO setting combined with those applied using local GPOs, but as domain-

based GPOs apply last, they take precedence over local GPO settings.

GPO Storage



Group Policy settings are presented as GPOs in AD DS user interface tools, but a GPO is actually two components: a Group Policy

container and a Group Policy template.

The Group Policy container is an AD DS object stored in the Group Policy Objects container within the domain-naming context of

the directory. Like all AD DS objects, each Group Policy container includes a globally unique identifier (GUID) attribute that

uniquely identifies the object within AD DS. The Group Policy container defines basic attributes of the GPO, but it does not

contain any of the settings. The settings are contained in the Group Policy template, a collection of files stored in the System

Volume (SYSVOL) of each domain controller in the %SystemRoot%\SYSVOL\Domain\Policies\GPOGUID path, where GPOGUID

is the GUID of the Group Policy container. When you make changes to the settings of a GPO, the changes are saved to the Group

Policy template of the server from which the GPO was opened.

By default, when Group Policy refresh occurs, the CSEs apply settings in a GPO only if the GPO has been updated.

The Group Policy client can identify an updated GPO by its version number. Each GPO has a version number that is incremented

each time a change is made. The version number is stored as a Group Policy container attribute and in a text file, Group Policy

template.ini, in the Group Policy template folder. The Group Policy client knows the version number of each GPO it has

previously applied. If, during Group Policy refresh, the Group Policy client discovers that the version number of the Group Policy

container has been changed, the CSEs will be informed that the GPO is updated.

GPO Replication

Group Policy container and Group Policy template are both replicated between all domain controllers in AD DS. However,

different replication mechanisms are used for these two items.

The Group Policy container in AD DS is replicated by the Directory Replication Agent (DRA). The DRA uses a topology generated

by the Knowledge Consistency Checker (KCC), which you can define or refine manually. The result is that the Group Policy

container is replicated within seconds to all domain controllers in a site and is replicated between sites based on your intersite

replication configuration.

The Group Policy template in the SYSVOL is replicated by using one of the following two technologies. The File Replication

Service (FRS) is used to replicate SYSVOL in domains running Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server

2003, and Windows 2000. If all domain controllers are running Windows Server 2008 or newer, you can configure SYSVOL

replication by using Distributed File System (DFS) Replication, which is a much more efficient and robust mechanism.

Because the Group Policy container and Group Policy template are replicated separately, it is possible for them to become out of

sync for a short time.



Typically, when this happens, the Group Policy container will replicate to a domain controller first. Systems that obtained their

ordered list of GPOs from that domain controller will identify the new Group Policy container, will attempt to download the

Group Policy template, and will notice that the version numbers are not the same. A policy processing error will be recorded in

the event logs. If the reverse happens, and the GPO replicates to a domain controller before the Group Policy container, clients

obtaining their ordered list of GPOs from that domain controller will not be notified of the new GPO until the Group Policy

container has replicated.

Starter GPOs

A Starter GPO is used as a template from which to create other GPOs within GPMC. Starter GPOs only contain Administrative

Template settings. You may use a Starter GPO to provide a starting point for new GPOs created in your domain. The Starter GPO

already may contain specific settings that are recommended best practices for your environment. Starter GPOs can be exported

to, and imported from, cabinet (.cab) files to make distribution to other environments simple and efficient.

GPMC stores Starter GPOs in a folder named, StarterGPOs, which is located in SYSVOL.

Preconfigured Starter GPOs from Microsoft are available for Windows client operating systems. These Starter GPOs contain

Administrative Template settings that reflect Microsoft-recommended best practices for the configuration of the client

environment.

Common GPO Management Tasks

Like critical data and AD DS-related resources, you must back up GPOs to protect the integrity of AD DS and GPOs. GPMC not

only provides the basic backup and restore options, but also provides additional control over GPOs for administrative purposes.

Options for managing GPOs include the following:



Backing Up GPOs

You can back up GPOs individually or as a whole with GPMC. You must provide only a backup location, which can be any valid

local or shared folder. You must have Read permission on the GPO to back it up. Every time that you perform a backup, a new

backup version of the GPO is created, which provides a historical record.

Restoring Backed Up GPOs

You can restore any version of a GPO. If one becomes corrupt or you delete it, you can restore any of the historical versions of

that GPO. The restore interface provides the ability for you to view the settings stored in the backed-up version before restoring it.

Importing GPO Settings from a Backed Up GPO

You can import policy settings from one GPO into another. Importing a GPO allows you to transfer settings from a backed up

GPO to an existing GPO. Importing a GPO transfers only the GPO settings. The import process does not import GPO links.

Security principals defined in the source may need to be migrated to target.

Note: It is not possible to merge imported settings with the current target GPO settings. The imported settings willoverwrite all existing settings.

Copying GPOs

You can copy GPOs by using GPMC, both in the same domain and across domains. A copy operation copies an existing, live GPO

to the desired destination domain. A new GPO always gets created during this process. The new GPO is named “copy of

OldGPOName”. For example, if you copied a GPO named “Desktop”, the new version would be named “Copy of Desktop”. After

the file is copied and pasted into the Group Policy Objects container, you can rename the policy. The destination domain can be

any trusted domain in which you have the rights to create new GPOs. When copying between domains, security principals

defined in the source may need to be migrated to target.

Note: It is not possible to copy settings from multiple GPOs into a single GPO.

Migration Tables

When importing GPOs or copying them between domains, you can use migration tables to modify references in the GPO that

need to be adjusted for the new location. For example, you may need to replace the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path

for folder redirection with a UNC path that is appropriate for the new user group to which the GPO will be applied. You can create

migration tables prior to this process, or you can create them during the import or cross-domain copy operation.

Delegating Administration of Group Policies



Delegation of GPO-related tasks allows you to distribute the administrative workload across the enterprise. You can task one

group with creating and editing GPOs, while another group performs reporting and analysis duties. A third group might be in

charge of creating WMI filters.

You can delegate the following Group Policy tasks independently:

• Creating GPOs

• Editing GPOs

• Managing Group Policy links for a site, domain, or OU

• Performing Group Policy Modeling analyses on a given domain or OU

• Reading Group Policy Results data for objects in a given domain or OU

• Creating WMI filters in a domain

The Group Policy Creator Owners group lets its members create new GPOs, and edit or delete GPOs that they have created.

Group Policy Default Permissions

By default, the following user and groups have Full Control over GPO management:

• Domain Admins

• Enterprise Admins

• Creator Owner

• Local System

The Authenticated User group has Read and Apply Group Policy permissions.

Creating GPOs

By default, only Domain Admins, Enterprise Admins, and Group Policy Creator Owners can create new GPOs. You can use two

methods to grant a group or user this right:



• Add the user or group to the Group Policy Creator Owners group.

• Explicitly grant the group or user permission to create GPOs by using GPMC.

Editing GPOs

To edit a GPO, the user must have both Read and Write access to the GPO. You can grant this permission by using the GPMC.

Managing GPO Links

The ability to link GPOs to a container is a permission that is specific to that container. In GPMC, you can manage this permission

by using the Delegation tab on the container. You also can delegate it through the Delegation of Control Wizard in Active

Directory Users and Computers.

Group Policy Modeling and Group Policy Results

You can delegate the ability to use the reporting tools in the same fashion, through GPMC or the Delegation of Control Wizard in

Active Directory Users and Computers.

Create WMI Filters

You can delegate the ability to create and manage WMI filters in the same fashion, through GPMC or the Delegation of Control

Wizard in Active Directory Users and Computers.

Managing GPOs with Windows PowerShell

In addition to using the Group Policy Management console and the Group Policy Management Editor, you can also perform

common GPO administrative tasks by using Windows PowerShell.

The following table lists some of the more common administrative tasks possible with Windows PowerShell.

Cmdlet name Description

New-GPO Creates a new GPO

New-GPLink Creates a new GPO link for the specified GPO

Backup-GPO Backs up the specified GPOs



Restore-GPO Restores the specified GPOs

Copy-GPO Copies a GPO

Get-GPO Gets the specified GPOs

Import-GPO Imports the backed up settings into a specified GPO

Set-GPInheritance Grants specified permissions to a user or security group for the specified GPOs

For example, the following command creates a new GPO called Sales:

New-GPO -Name Sales -comment "This the sales GPO"

The following code imports the settings from the backed up Sales GPO stored in the C:\Backups folder into the NewSales GPO.

import-gpo -BackupGpoName Sales -TargetName NewSales -path c:\backups


A GPO is, by itself, a collection of configuration instructions that will be processed by the CSEs of computers. Until the GPO is

scoped, it does not apply to any users or computers. The GPO’s scope determines the CSEs of which computers will receive and

process the GPO, and only the computers or users within the scope of a GPO will apply the settings in that GPO. In this lesson,

you will learn to manage the scope of a GPO. The following mechanisms are used to scope a GPO:

• The GPO link to a site, domain, or OU, and whether that link is enabled

• The Enforce option of a GPO

• The Block Inheritance option on an OU

• Security group filtering

• WMI filtering

• Policy node enabling or disabling

• Preferences targeting

• Loopback policy processing

You must be able to define the users or computers to which you plan to deploy these configurations. Consequently, you must

master the art of scoping GPOs. In this lesson, you will learn each of the mechanisms with which you can scope a GPO and, in the

process, you will master the concepts of Group Policy application, inheritance, and precedence.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe GPO links.



• Explain GPO processing.

• Describe GPO inheritance and precedence.

• Use security filters to filter GPO scope.

• Explain how to use WMI filters to filter GPO scope.

• Describe how to enable and disable GPOs.

• Explain how and when to use loopback processing.

• Explain considerations for computers that are disconnected, or which are connected by slow links.

• Explain when Group Policy settings take effect.

GPO Links

You can link a GPO to one or more AD DS sites, domains, or OUs. After you have linked a GPO, the users or computers in that

container are within the scope of the GPO, including computers and users in child OUs.

Link a GPO

To link a GPO, either:

• Right-click the domain or OU in the GPMC console tree, and then click Link as existing GPO.

• If you have not yet created a GPO, click Create A GPO In This {Domain | OU | Site} And Link It Here.

You can choose the same commands to link a GPO to a site, but by default, your AD DS sites are not visible in the GPMC. To

show sites in the GPMC, right-click Sites in the GPMC console tree, and then click Show Sites.

Note: A GPO linked to a site affects all computers in the site, without regard to the domain to which the computersbelong, as long as all computers belong to the same Active Directory forest. Therefore, when you link a GPO to a site,that GPO can be applied to multiple domains within a forest. Site-linked GPOs are stored on domain controllers in thedomain in which you create the GPO. Therefore, domain controllers for that domain must be accessible for site-linkedGPOs to be applied correctly. If you implement site-linked policies, you must consider policy application whenplanning your network infrastructure. You can either place a domain controller from the GPO’s domain in the site towhich the policy is linked, or ensure that a WAN connectivity provides accessibility to a domain controller in the GPO’sdomain.



When you link a GPO to a container, you define the initial scope of the GPO. Select a GPO, and then click the Scope tab to

identify the containers to which the GPO is linked. In the details pane of the GPMC, the GPO links are displayed in the first section

of the Scope tab.

The impact of the GPO’s links is that the Group Policy Client downloads the GPO if either the computer or the user objects fall

within the scope of the link. The GPO will be downloaded only if it is new or updated. The Group Policy Client caches the GPO to

make policy refresh more efficient.

Link a GPO to Multiple OUs

You can link a GPO to more than one site or OU. It is common, for example, to apply configuration to computers in several OUs.

You can define the configuration in a single GPO, and then link that GPO to each OU. If you later change settings in the GPO,

your changes will apply to all OUs to which the GPO is linked.

Delete or Disable a GPO Link

After you have linked a GPO, the GPO link appears in the GPMC underneath the site, domain, or OU. The icon for the GPO link

has a small shortcut arrow. When you right-click the GPO link, a context menu appears:

• To delete a GPO link, right-click the GPO link in the GPMC console tree, and then click Delete.

Deleting a GPO link does not delete the GPO itself, which remains in that GPO container. However, deleting the link does change

the scope of the GPO, so that it no longer applies to computers and users within the previously linked container object.

You also can modify a GPO link by disabling it:

• To disable a GPO link, right-click the GPO link in the GPMC console tree and then clear the Link Enabled option.

Disabling the link also changes the GPO scope so that it no longer applies to computers and users within that container.

However, the link remains so that you can more easily re-enable it.

Demonstration: How to Link GPOs


• Open the Group Policy Management console.

• Create two new GPOs.

• Link the first GPO to the domain.

• Link the second GPO to the IT OU.

• Disable the first GPO’s link.

• Delete the second GPO.

• Re-enable the first GPO’s link.



Demonstration Steps Create and edit two GPOs


2. Create two new GPOs called Remove Run Command and Do Not Remove Run Command.

3. Edit the settings of the two GPOs.

Link the GPOs to different locations

1. Link the Remove Run Command GPO to the domain. The Remove Run Command GPO is now attached to the

Adatum.com domain.

2. Link the Do Not Remove Run Command GPO to the IT OU. The Do Not Remove Run Command GPO is now attached to

the IT OU.

3. View the GPO inheritance on the IT OU. The Group Policy Inheritance tab shows the order of precedence for the Group

Policy objects.

Disable a GPO link

1. Disable the Remove Run Command GPO on the Adatum.com domain.

2. Refresh the Group Policy Inheritance pane for the IT OU and then notice the results in the right pane. The Remove Run

Command GPO is no longer listed.

Delete a GPO link

1. Select the IT OU, and then delete the Do Not Remove Run Command GPO link. Verify the removal of the Do Not Remove

Run command and the absence of the Remove Run command GPOs.

2. Enable the Remove Run Command GPO on the Adatum.com domain. Refresh the Group Policy Inheritance window for the

IT OU, and then notice the results in the right pane.

Group Policy Processing Order



The GPOs that apply to a user, computer, or both do not all apply at once. GPOs are applied in a particular order. This order

means that settings that are processed first may be overwritten by conflicting settings that are processed later.

Group Policy follows the following hierarchical processing order:

1. Local group policies. Each computer running Windows 2000 or newer has at least one local group policy. The local policies

are applied first.

2. Site group policies. Policies linked to sites are processed second. If there are multiple site policies, they are processed

synchronously in the listed preference order.

3. Domain group policies. Policies linked to domains are processed third. If there are multiple domain policies, they are

processed synchronously in the listed preference order.

4. OU group policies. Policies linked to top-level OUs are processed fourth. If there are multiple top-level OU policies, they are

processed synchronously in the listed preference order.

5. Child OU group policies. Policies linked to child OUs are processed fifth. If there are multiple child OU policies, they are

processed synchronously in the listed preference order. When there are multiple levels of child OUs, policies for higher-level

OUs are applied first and policies for the lower-level OUs are applied next.

In Group Policy application, the general rule is that the last policy applied wins. For example, a policy that restricts access to

Control Panel applied at the domain level could be reversed by a policy applied at the OU level for the objects contained in that

particular OU.

If you link several GPOs to an OU, their processing occurs in the order that the administrator specifies on the OU’s Linked Group

Policy Objects tab in the GPMC.

By default, processing is enabled for all GPO links. You can disable a container’s GPO link to block the application of a GPO

completely for a given site, domain, or OU. Note that if the GPO is linked to other containers, they will continue to process the

GPO if their links are enabled.

You also can disable the user or computer configuration of a particular GPO independent of either the user or computer. If one

section of a policy is known to be empty, disabling the other side speeds up policy processing. For example, if you have a policy

that only delivers user desktop configuration, you could disable the computer side of the policy.

Configuring GPO Inheritance and Precedence



You can configure a policy setting in more than one GPO, which results in GPOs conflicting with each other. For example, you

may enable a policy setting in one GPO, disable it in another GPO, and then not configure it in a third GPO. In this case, the

precedence of the GPOs determines which policy setting the client applies. A GPO with higher precedence prevails over a GPO

with lower precedence. Precedence is shown as a number in the GPMC. The smaller the number—that is, the closer to 1—the

higher the precedence. Therefore, a GPO that has a precedence of 1 will prevail over other GPOs. Select the relevant AD DS

container, and then click the Group Policy Inheritance tab to view the precedence of each GPO.

When a policy setting is enabled or disabled in a GPO with higher precedence, the configured setting takes effect. However,

remember that policy settings are set to Not Configured, by default. If a policy setting is not configured in a GPO with higher

precedence, the policy setting (either enabled or disabled) in a GPO with lower precedence will take effect.

You can link more than one GPO to an AD DS container object. The link order of GPOs determines the precedence of GPOs in

such a scenario. GPOs with a higher-link order take precedence over GPOs with a lower-link order. When you select an OU in the

GPMC, the Linked Group Policy Objects tab shows the link order of GPOs linked to that OU.

The default behavior of Group Policy is that GPOs linked to a higher-level container are inherited by lower-level containers. When

a computer starts up or a user logs on, the Group Policy Client examines the location of the computer or user object in AD DS,

and evaluates the GPOs with scopes that include the computer or user. Then, the CSEs apply policy settings from these GPOs.

Policies are applied sequentially, beginning with the policies linked to the site, followed by those linked to the domain, followed

by those linked to OUs—from the top-level OU down to the OU in which the user or computer object exists. It is a layered

application of settings, so a GPO that is applied later in the process, because it has higher precedence, overrides settings applied

earlier in the process.

The sequential application of GPOs creates an effect called policy inheritance. Policies are inherited, so the resultant set of Group

Policies for a user or computer will be the cumulative effect of site, domain, and OU policies.

By default, inherited GPOs have lower precedence than GPOs linked directly to the container. For example, you might configure a

policy setting to disable the use of registry-editing tools for all users in the domain by configuring the policy setting in a GPO

linked to the domain. That GPO, and its policy setting, is inherited by all users within the domain. However, you probably want

administrators to be able to use registry-editing tools, so you will link a GPO to the OU that contains administrators’ accounts,

and then configure the policy setting to allow the use of registry-editing tools. Because the GPO linked to the administrators’ OU

takes higher precedence than the inherited GPO, administrators will be able to use registry-editing tools.

Precedence of Multiple Linked GPOs

If there are multiple GPOs linked to an AD DS container object, the objects’ link order determines their precedence.

To change the precedence of a GPO link:

1. Select the AD DS container object in the GPMC console tree.

2. Click the Linked Group Policy Objects tab in the details pane.

3. Select the GPO.

4. Use the Up, Down, Move To Top, and Move To Bottom arrows to change the link order of the selected GPO.

Block Inheritance



You can configure a domain or OU to prevent the inheritance of policy settings. This is known as blocking inheritance. To block

inheritance, right-click the domain or OU in the GPMC console tree, and then select Block Inheritance.

The Block Inheritance option is a property of a domain or OU, so it blocks all Group Policy settings from GPOs linked to parents in

the Group Policy hierarchy. For example, when you block inheritance on an OU, GPO application begins with any GPOs linked

directly to that OU. Therefore, GPOs linked to higher-level OUs, the domain, or the site will not apply.

You should use the Block Inheritance option sparingly because blocking inheritance makes it more difficult to evaluate Group

Policy precedence and inheritance. With security group filtering, you can carefully scope a GPO so that it applies to only the

correct users and computers in the first place, making it unnecessary to use the Block Inheritance option.

Enforce a GPO Link

Additionally, you can set a GPO link to be Enforced. To enforce a GPO link, right-click the GPO link in the console tree, and then

select Enforced from the context menu.

When you set a GPO link to Enforced, the GPO takes the highest level of precedence; policy settings in that GPO will prevail over

any conflicting policy settings in other GPOs. Furthermore, a link that is enforced will apply to child containers even when those

containers are set to Block Inheritance. The Enforced option causes the policy to apply to all objects within its scope. Enforced

will cause policies to override any conflicting policies and will apply regardless of whether a Block Inheritance option is set.

Enforcement is useful when you must configure a GPO that defines a configuration mandated by your corporate IT security and

usage policies. Therefore, you want to ensure that other GPOs do not override those settings. You can do this by enforcing the

GPO’s link.

Evaluating Precedence

To facilitate evaluation of GPO precedence, you can simply select an OU (or domain), and then click the Group Policy

Inheritance tab. This tab will display the resulting precedence of GPOs, accounting for GPO link, link order, inheritance blocking,

and link enforcement. This tab does not account for policies that are linked to a site, nor does it account for GPO security or WMI

filtering.

Using Security Filtering to Modify Group Scope

Although you can use Enforcement and Block Inheritance options to control the application of GPOs to container objects, you

might need to apply GPOs only to certain groups of users or computers rather than to all users or computers within the scope of

the GPO. Although you cannot directly link a GPO to a security group, there is a way to apply GPOs to specific security groups.



The policies in a GPO apply only to users who have Allow Read and Allow Apply Group Policy permissions to the GPO.

Each GPO has an ACL that defines permissions to the GPO. Two permissions, Allow Read and Allow Apply Group Policy, are

required for a GPO to apply to a user or computer. For example, if a GPO is scoped to a computer by its link to the computer’s

OU, but the computer does not have Read and Apply Group Policy permissions, it will not download and apply the GPO.

Therefore, by setting the appropriate permissions for security groups, you can filter a GPO so that its settings apply only to the

computers and users that you specify.

By default, Authenticated Users are given the Allow Apply Group Policy permission on each new GPO. This means that by default,

all users and computers are affected by the GPOs set for their domain, site, or OU, regardless of the other groups in which they

might be members. Therefore, there are two ways of filtering GPO scope:

• Remove the Apply Group Policy permission (currently set to Allow) for the Authenticated Users group, but do not set this

permission to Deny. Then, determine the groups to which the GPO should be applied and set the Read and Apply Group Policy

permissions for these groups to Allow.

• Determine the groups to which the GPO should not be applied and set the Apply Group Policy permission for these groups to

Deny. If you deny the Apply Group Policy permission to a GPO, the user or computer will not apply settings in the GPO, even if

the user or computer is a member of another group that is allowed the Apply Group Policy Permission.

Filtering a GPO to Apply to Specific Groups

To apply a GPO to a specific security group:

1. Select the GPO in the Group Policy Objects container in the console tree.

2. In the Security Filtering section, select the Authenticated Users group, and then click Remove.

Note: You cannot filter GPOs with domain local security groups.

3. Click OK to confirm the change.

4. Click Add.

5. Select the group to which you want the policy to apply, and then click OK.

Filtering a GPO to Exclude Specific Groups

The Scope tab of a GPO does not allow you to exclude specific groups. To exclude a group—that is, to deny the Apply Group

Policy permission—you must use the Delegation tab.

To deny a group the Apply Group Policy permission:

1. Select the GPO in the Group Policy Objects container in the console tree.

2. Click the Delegation tab.

3. Click the Advanced button. The Security Settings dialog box appears.



4. Click the Add button.

5. Select the group you want to exclude from the GPO. Remember, it must be a global group. GPO scope cannot be filtered by

domain local groups.

6. Click OK. The group you selected is given the Allow Read permission, by default.

7. Clear the Allow Read permission check box.

8. Select the Deny Apply Group Policy check box.

9. Click OK. You are warned that Deny permissions override other permissions. Because Deny permissions override Allow

permissions, we recommend that you use them sparingly. Microsoft Windows reminds you of this best practice with the

warning message. The process to exclude groups with the Deny Apply Group Policy permission is far more laborious than

the process to include groups in the Security Filtering section of the Scope tab.

10. Confirm that you want to continue.

Note: Deny permissions are not exposed on the Scope tab. Unfortunately, when you exclude a group, theexclusion is not shown in the Security Filtering section of the Scope tab. This is yet one more reason to use Denypermissions sparingly.

What Are WMI Filters?

WMI is a management-infrastructure technology that enables administrators to monitor and control managed objects in the

network. A WMI query is capable of filtering systems based on characteristics, including random access memory (RAM),

processor speed, disk capacity, IP address, operating-system version, and service-pack level, installed applications, and printer

properties. Because WMI exposes almost every property of every object within a computer, the list of attributes that you can use

in a WMI query is virtually unlimited. WMI queries are written by using WMI Query Language (WQL).

You can use a WMI query to create a WMI filter, with which you can filter a GPO. You can use Group Policy to deploy software

applications and service packs. You might create a GPO to deploy an application, and then use a WMI filter to specify that the

policy should apply only to computers with a certain operating system and service pack, such as Windows XP Service Pack 3

(SP3). The WMI query to identify such systems is:

Select * FROM Win32_OperatingSystem WHERE Caption="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" AND

CSDVersion="Service Pack 3"



When the Group Policy Client evaluates GPOs it has downloaded to determine which should be handed off to the CSEs for

processing, it performs the query against the local system. If the system meets the criteria of the query, the query result is a

logical True, and the CSEs process the GPO.

WMI exposes namespaces, within which are classes that can be queried. Many useful classes, including Win32_Operating System,

are found in a class called root\CIMv2.

To create a WMI filter:

1. Right-click the WMI Filters node in the GPMC console tree, and then click New. Type a name and description for the filter,

and then click the Add button.

2. In the Namespace box, type the namespace for your query.

3. In the Query box, enter the query.

4. Click OK.

To filter a GPO with a WMI filter:

1. Select the GPO or GPO link in the console tree.

2. Click the Scope tab.

3. Click the WMI drop-down list, and then select the WMI filter.

You can filter a GPO with only a single WMI filter, but you can create a WMI filter with a complex query that uses multiple criteria.

You can link a single WMI filter to one or more GPOs. The General tab of a WMI filter displays the GPOs that use the WMI filter.

There are three significant caveats regarding WMI filters:

• First, the WQL syntax of WMI queries can be challenging to master. You often can find examples on the Internet when you

search by using the keywords WMI filter and WMI query, along with a description of the query that you want to create.

• Second, WMI filters are expensive in terms of Group Policy processing performance. Because the Group Policy Client must

perform the WMI query at each policy processing interval, there is a slight impact on system performance every 90 to 120

minutes. With the performance of today’s computers, the impact might not be noticeable. However, you should test the

effects of a WMI filter prior to deploying it widely in your production environment.

Note: Note that the WMI query is processed only once, even if you use it to filter the scope of multiple GPOs.

• Third, WMI filters are not processed by computers running the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server operating system. If a GPO is

filtered with a WMI filter, a Windows 2000 Server system ignores the filter, and then processes the GPO as if the results of the

filter were true.



Demonstration: How to Filter Policies


• Create a GPO that removes the Help menu link from the Start menu, and then link it to the IT OU.

• Use security filtering to exempt a user from the GPO.

• Test Group Policy application.

Demonstration Steps Create a new GPO, and link it to the IT organizational unit

1. Open the Group Policy Management console on LON-DC1.

2. Create a new GPO called Remove Help menu, and then link it to the IT organizational unit.

3. Modify the settings of the GPO to remove Help from the Start menu.

Filter Group Policy application by using security group filtering

1. Remove the Authenticated Users entry from the Security Filtering list for the Remove Help menu GPO in the IT

organizational unit.

2. Add the user Ed Meadows to the Security Filtering list. Now, only Ed Meadows has the apply policy permission.

Filter Group Policy application by using WMI filtering

1. Create a WMI filter called XP filter.

2. Add the following query to the filter:

Select * from Win32_OperatingSystem where Caption = "Microsoft Windows XP Professional"

3. Save the query as XP filter.

4. Create a new GPO called Software Updates for XP, and link it to the IT organizational unit.

5. Modify the policy’s properties to use the XP filter.

6. Close the Group Policy Management console.

Enable of Disable GPOs and GPO Nodes



You can prevent the settings in the Computer Configuration or User Configuration nodes from processing during policy refresh

by changing the GPO Status.

To enable or disable a GPO's nodes, select the GPO or GPO link in the console tree, click the Details tab, shown in the figure, and

then select one of the following from the GPO Status drop-down list:

• Enabled. Both computer configuration settings and user configuration settings will be processed by CSEs during policy refresh.

• All Settings Disabled. CSEs will not process the GPO during policy refresh.

• Computer Configuration Settings Disabled. During computer policy refresh, computer configuration settings in the GPO will

not be applied.

• User Configuration Settings Disabled. During user policy refresh, user configuration settings in the GPO will not be applied.

You can configure GPO status to optimize policy processing. For example, if a GPO contains only user settings, then setting the

GPO Status option to disable computer settings prevents the Group Policy client from attempting to process the GPO during

computer policy refresh. Because the GPO contains no computer settings, there is no need to process the GPO, and you can save

a few processor cycles.

Note: You can define a configuration that should take effect in case of an emergency, security incident, or otherdisasters in a GPO, and then link the GPO so that it is scoped to appropriate users and computers. Then, disable theGPO. If you require the configuration to be deployed, enable the GPO.

Loopback Policy Processing



By default, a user’s settings come from GPOs scoped to the user object in AD DS. Regardless of which computer the user logs on

to, the resultant set of policies that determine the user’s environment is the same. There are situations, however, in which you

might want to configure a user differently, depending on the computer in use. For example, you might want to lock down and

standardize user desktops when users sign in to computers in closely managed environments, such as conference rooms,

reception areas, laboratories, classrooms, and kiosks. It also is important for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) scenarios,

including remote virtual machines and Remote Desktop Services (RDS).

Imagine a scenario in which you want to enforce a standard corporate appearance for the Windows desktop on all computers in

conference rooms and other public areas of your office. How will you centrally manage this configuration by using Group Policy?

Policy settings that configure desktop appearance are located in the User Configuration node of a GPO. Therefore, by default, the

settings apply to users, regardless of which computer they sign in to. The default policy processing does not give you a way to

scope user settings to apply to computers, regardless of which user logs on. That is how loopback policy processing can be

useful.

Loopback policy processing alters the default algorithm that the Group Policy client uses to obtain the ordered list of GPOs that

should be applied to a user’s configuration. Instead of user configuration being determined by the User Configuration node of

GPOs that are scoped to the user object, user configuration can be determined by the User Configuration node policies of GPOs

that are scoped to the computer object.

The Configure user Group Policy loopback processing mode policy, located in the Computer

Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\System\Group Policy folder in Group Policy Management Editor, can be,

like all policy settings, set to Not Configured, Enabled, or Disabled.

When enabled, the policy can specify the Replace or Merge mode:

• Replace. In this case, the GPO list for the user is replaced entirely by the GPO list already obtained for the computer at

computer startup. The settings in User Configuration policies of the computer’s GPOs are applied to the user. The Replace

mode is useful in a situation such as a classroom where users should receive a standard configuration rather than the

configuration applied to those users in a less managed environment.

• Merge. In this case, the GPO list obtained for the computer at computer startup is appended to the GPO list obtained for the

user when logging on. Because the GPO list obtained for the computer is applied later, settings in GPOs on the computer’s list

have precedence if they conflict with settings in the user’s list. This mode would be useful to apply additional settings to users’

typical configurations. For example, you might allow a user to receive the user’s typical configuration when logging on to a

computer in a conference room or reception area, but replace the wallpaper with a standard bitmap, and disable the use of

certain applications or devices.



Note: Note that when you combine loopback processing with security group filtering, the application of usersettings during policy refresh uses the computer’s credentials to determine which GPOs to apply as part of theloopback processing. However, the logged-on user also must have the Apply Group Policy permission for the GPOto be applied successfully. Also note that the loopback processing flag is configured on a per-session basis ratherthan per GPO.

Considerations for Slow Links and Disconnected Systems

Some settings that you can configure with Group Policy can be impacted by the speed of the link that the user’s computer has

with your domain network. For instance, deploying software by using GPOs would be inappropriate over slower links.

Furthermore, it is important to consider the effect of Group Policies on computers that are disconnected from the domain

network.

Slow Links

The Group Policy Client addresses the issue of slow links by detecting the connection speed to the domain, and by determining

whether the connection should be considered a slow link. That determination is then used by each CSE to decide whether to

apply settings. The software extension, for example, is configured to forgo policy processing, so that software is not installed if a

slow link is detected.

Note: By default, a link is considered to be slow if it is less than 500 kilobits per second (Kbps). However, you canconfigure this to a different speed.

If Group Policy detects a slow link, it sets a flag to indicate the slow link to the CSEs. The CSEs then can determine whether to

process the applicable Group Policy settings. The following table describes the default behavior of the client-side extensions.

Client-side extension Slow link processing Can it be changed?

Registry policy processing On No

Internet Explorer maintenance Off Yes

Software Installation policy Off Yes

Folder Redirection policy Off Yes

Scripts policy Off Yes



Security policy On No

Internet Protocol Security (IPsec) policy Off Yes

Wireless policy Off Yes

Encrypted File System (EFS) Recovery policy On Yes

Disk Quota policy Off Yes

Disconnected Computers

If a user is working while disconnected from the network, the settings previously applied by Group Policy continue to take effect.

That way, a user’s experience is identical, irrespective of whether he or she is on the network or away. There are exceptions to this

rule, most notably that startup, logon, logoff, and shutdown scripts will not run if the user is disconnected.

If a remote user connects to the network, the Group Policy client wakes up and determines whether a Group Policy refresh

window was missed. If so, it performs a Group Policy refresh to obtain the latest GPOs from the domain. Again, the CSEs

determine, based on their policy processing settings, whether settings in those GPOs are applied.

Note: This process does not apply to Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 systems. It applies only to Windows Vista,Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2012.

Identifying When Settings Become Effective

There are several processes that must be completed before Group Policy settings are actually applied to a user or a computer.

This topic discusses these processes.

GPO Replication Must Happen

Before a GPO can take effect, the Group Policy container in Active Directory must be replicated to the domain controller from

which the Group Policy Client obtains its ordered list of GPOs. Additionally, the Group Policy template in SYSVOL must replicate

to the same domain controller.

Group Changes Must Be Incorporated

Finally, if you have added a new group or changed the membership of a group that is used to filter the GPO, that change also

must be replicated. Furthermore, the change must be in the security token of the computer and the user, which requires a restart

(for the computer to update its group membership) or a logoff and logon (for the user to update its group membership).



User or Computer Group Policy Refresh Must Occur

Refresh happens at startup (for computer settings), at logon (for user settings), and every 90 to 120 minutes thereafter, by default.

Note: Remember that the practical impact of the Group Policy refresh interval is that when you make a change in yourenvironment, it will be, on average, one-half that time, or 45 to 60 minutes, before the change starts to take effect.

By default, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8 clients perform only background refreshes at startup and

logon, which means that a client might start up and a user might sign in without receiving the latest policies from the domain.

We highly recommend that you change this default behavior so that policy changes are implemented in a managed, predictable

way. Enable the policy setting Always Wait For Network At Startup And Logon for all Windows clients. The setting is located

in Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\System\Logon. Be sure to read the policy setting’s explanatory

text. Note that this does not affect the startup or logon time for computers that are not connected to a network. If the computer

detects that it is disconnected, it does not "wait" for a network.

Logon or Restart

Although most settings are applied during a background policy refresh, some CSEs do not apply the setting until the next startup

or logon event. For example, newly added startup and logon script policies do not run until the next computer startup or logon.

Software installation will occur at the next startup if the software is assigned in computer settings. Changes to folder-redirection

policies will not take effect until the next logon.

Manually Refresh Group Policy

When you experiment with Group Policy troubleshoot Group Policy processing, you might need to initiate a Group Policy refresh

manually so that you do not have to wait for the next background refresh. You can use the GPUpdate command to initiate a

Group Policy refresh. Used on its own, this command triggers processing identical to a background Group Policy refresh. Both

computer policy and user policy are refreshed. Use the /target:computer or /target:user parameter to limit the refresh to

computer or user settings, respectively. During background refresh, by default, settings are applied only if the GPO has been

updated. The /force switch causes the system to reapply all settings in all GPOs scoped to the user or computer. Some policy

settings require a logoff or reboot before they actually take effect. The /logoff and /boot switches of GPUpdate cause a logoff or

reboot, respectively. You can use these switches when you apply settings that require a logoff or reboot.

For example, the command that will cause a total refresh application, and, if necessary, reboot and logon to apply updated policy

settings is:

gpupdate /force /logoff /boot

Most CSEs Do Not Reapply Settings if the GPO Has Not Changed

Remember that most CSEs apply settings in a GPO only if the GPO version has changed. This means that if a user can change a

setting that was specified originally by Group Policy, the setting will not be brought back into compliance with the settings that

the GPO specifies until the GPO changes. Fortunately, most policy settings cannot be changed by a nonprivileged user. However,

if a user is an administrator of his or her computer, or if the policy setting affects a part of the registry or of the system that the

user has permissions to change, this could be a real problem.

You have the option of instructing each CSE to reapply the settings of GPOs, even if the GPOs have not been changed. Processing



behavior of each CSE can be configured in the policy settings found in Computer Configuration\Administrative

Templates\System\Group Policy.


With the interaction of multiple settings in multiple GPOs scoped by using a variety of methods, Group Policy application can be

complex to analyze and understand. Therefore, you must be equipped to evaluate and troubleshoot your Group Policy

implementation effectively, identify potential problems before they arise, and solve unforeseen challenges. Windows Server

provides tools that are indispensable for supporting Group Policy. In this lesson, you will explore the use of these tools in both

proactive and reactive troubleshooting and support scenarios.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe how to refresh GPOs on a client computer.

• Analyze the set of GPOs and policy settings that have been applied to a user or computer.

• Generate Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) reports to help in the analysis of GPO settings.

• Proactively model the impact of Group Policy or Active Directory changes on the RSOP.

• Locate the event logs containing Group Policy–related events.

Refreshing GPOs

Computer configuration settings are applied at startup, and then are refreshed at regular intervals. Any startup scripts are run at

computer startup. The default interval is every 90 minutes, but this is configurable. The exception to the set interval is domain

controllers, which have their settings refreshed every five minutes.

User settings are applied at logon and are refreshed at regular, configurable intervals; the default is also 90 minutes. Any logon

scripts are run at logon.

Note: A number of user settings require two logons before the user sees the effect of the GPO. This is because userslogging on to the same computer use cached credentials to speed up logons. This means that, although the policysettings are being delivered to the computer, the user is already logged on and the settings will therefore not takeeffect until the next logon. The folder redirection setting is an example of this.



You can change the refresh interval by configuring a Group Policy setting. For computer settings, the refresh interval setting is

found in the Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates \System\Group Policy node. For user settings, the

refresh interval is found at the corresponding settings under User Configuration. An exception to the refresh interval is security

settings. The security settings section of the Group Policy will be refreshed at least every 16 hours, regardless of the interval that

you set for the refresh interval.

You can also refresh Group Policy manually. The command line utility Gpupdate refreshes and delivers any new Group Policy

configurations. The Gpupdate /force command refreshes all the Group Policy settings. There is also a new Windows PowerShell

Invoke-Gpupdate cmdlet, which performs the same function.

A new feature in Windows Server 2012 is Remote Policy Refresh. This feature allows administrators to use the GPMC to target an

OU and force Group Policy refresh on all of its computers and their currently logged-on users. To do this, you right-click any OU,

and then click Group Policy Update. The update occurs within 10 minutes.

Note: Sometimes, the failure of a GPO to apply is as a result of problems with the underlying technology that isresponsible for replicating both AD DS and SYSVOL. In Windows Server 2012, you can view the replication status byusing Group Policy Management, selecting the Domain node, clicking the Status tab, and then click Detect Now.

Resultant Set of Policy

Group Policy inheritance, filters, and exceptions are complex, and it is often difficult to determine which policy settings will apply.

RSoP is the net effect of GPOs applied to a user or computer, taking into account GPO links, exceptions, such as Enforced and

Block Inheritance, and application of security and WMI filters.

RSoP is also a collection of tools that help you evaluate, model, and troubleshoot the application of Group Policy settings. RSoP

can query a local or remote computer, and then report back the exact settings that were applied to the computer and to any user

who has logged on to the computer. RSoP also can model the policy settings that are anticipated to be applied to a user or

computer under a variety of scenarios, including moving the object between OUs or sites, or changing the object’s group

membership. With these capabilities, RSoP can help you manage and troubleshoot conflicting policies.

Windows Server 2012 provides the following tools for performing RSoP analysis:

• The Group Policy Results Wizard



• The Group Policy Modeling Wizard

• GPResult.exe

Generate RSoP Reports

To help you analyze the cumulative effect of GPOs and policy settings on a user or computer in your organization, the GPMC

includes the Group Policy Results Wizard. If you want to understand exactly which policy settings have applied to a user or a

computer, and why, the Group Policy Results Wizard is the tool to use.

Generate RSoP Reports with the Group Policy Results Wizard

The Group Policy Results Wizard can reach into the WMI provider on a local or remote computer that is running Window Vista or

newer. The WMI provider can report everything there is to know about the way Group Policy was applied to the system. It knows

when processing occurred, which GPOs were applied, which GPOs were not applied and why, errors that were encountered, and

the exact policy settings that took precedence and their source GPO.

There are several requirements for running the Group Policy Results Wizard, as follows:

• The target computer must be online.

• You must have administrative credentials on the target computer.

• The target computer must be running Windows XP or newer. The Group Policy Results Wizard cannot access Windows 2000

systems.

• You must be able to access WMI on the target computer. This means the computer must be online, connected to the network,

and accessible through ports 135 and 445.

Note: Performing RSoP analysis by using Group Policy Results Wizard is just one example of remote administration.To perform remote administration, you may need to configure inbound rules for the firewall that your clients andservers use.

• The WMI service must be started on the target computer.

• If you want to analyze RSoP for a user, that user must have logged on at least once to the computer, although it is not

necessary for the user to be currently logged on.



After you have ensured that the requirements are met, you are ready to run an RSoP analysis.

To run an RSoP report, right-click Group Policy Results in the GPMC console tree, and then click Group Policy Results Wizard.

The wizard prompts you to select a computer. It then connects to the WMI provider on that computer, and provides a list of users

that have logged on to it. You then can select one of the users, or you can skip RSoP analysis for user configuration policies.

The wizard produces a detailed RSoP report in a dynamic HTML format. If Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Configuration is

set, you will be prompted to allow the console to display the dynamic content. You can expand or collapse each section of the

report by clicking the Show or Hide link, or by double-clicking the heading of the section.

The report is displayed on three tabs:

• Summary. The Summary tab displays the status of Group Policy processing at the last refresh. You can identify information

that was collected about the system, the GPOs that were applied and denied, security group membership that might have

affected GPOs filtered with security groups, WMI filters that were analyzed, and the status of CSEs.

• Settings. The Settings tab displays the resultant set of policy settings applied to the computer or user. This tab shows you

exactly what has happened to the user through the effects of your Group Policy implementation. You can learn a tremendous

amount of information from the Settings tab, although some data is not reported, including IPsec, wireless, and disk-quota

policy settings.

• Policy Events. The Policy Events tab displays Group Policy events from the event logs of the target computer.

After you generate an RSoP report with the Group Policy Results Wizard, you can right-click the report to rerun the query, print

the report, or save the report as either an XML file or an HTML file that maintains the dynamic expanding and collapsing sections.

You can open both file types with Internet Explorer, so the RSoP report is portable outside the GPMC.

If you right-click the node of the report itself, under the Group Policy Results folder in the console tree, you can switch to

Advanced View. In Advanced View, RSoP is displayed by using the RSoP snap-in, which exposes all applied settings, including

IPsec, wireless, and disk quota policies.

Generate RSoP Reports with GPResult.exe

The GPResult.exe command is the command-line version of the Group Policy Results Wizard. GPResult taps into the same WMI

provider as the wizard, produces the same information and, in fact, enables you to create the same graphical reports. GPResult

runs on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server

2012.

Note: Windows 2000 includes a GPResult.exe command, which produces a limited report of Group Policy processing.However, it is not as sophisticated as the command that newer Windows versions include.

When you run the GPResult command, you are likely to use the following options:

/scomputername



This option specifies the name or IP address of a remote system. If you use a dot (.) as the computer name, or do not include the

/s option, the RSoP analysis is performed on the local computer:

/scope [user | computer]

This displays RSoP analysis for user or computer settings. If you omit the /scope option, RSoP analysis includes both user and

computer settings:

/userusername

This specifies the name of the user for which you want to display RSoP data:

/r

This option displays a summary of RSoP data:

/v

This option displays verbose RSoP data, which presents the most meaningful information:

/z

This displays super verbose data, including the details of all policy settings applied to the system. Often, this is more information

than you will require for typical Group Policy troubleshooting:

/udomain\user/ppassword

This provides credentials that are in the Administrators group of a remote system. Without these credentials, GPResult runs by

using the credentials with which you are logged on:

[/x | /h] filename

This option saves the reports in the XML or HTML format. These options are available in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) and

newer, Windows Server 2008 and newer, Windows 7, and Windows 8.

Troubleshoot Group Policy with the Group Policy Results Wizard or GPResult.exe

As an administrator, you will likely encounter scenarios that require Group Policy troubleshooting. You might need to diagnose



and solve problems, including the following:

• GPOs are not being applied at all.

• The resultant set of policies for a computer or user is not what was expected.

The Group Policy Results Wizard and GPResult.exe often will provide the most valuable insight into Group Policy processing and

application problems. Remember that these tools examine the WMI RSoP provider to report exactly what happened on a system.

Examining the RSoP report will often point you to GPOs that are scoped incorrectly or policy processing errors that prevented the

application of GPO settings.

Demonstration: How to Perform What-If Analysis with the Group Policy Modeling Wizard

If you move a computer or user between sites, domains, or OUs, or change its security group membership, the GPOs scoped to

that user or computer will change. Therefore, the RSoP for the computer or user will be different. The RSoP will also change if

slow link or loopback processing occurs, or if there is a change to a system characteristic that a WMI filter targets.

Before you make any of these changes, you should evaluate the potential impact that a user or computer will have on the RSoP.

The Group Policy Results Wizard can perform RSoP analysis only on what has actually happened. To predict the future, and to

perform what-if analyses, you can use the Group Policy Modeling Wizard.

To perform Group Policy Modeling, right-click the Group Policy Modeling node in the GPMC console tree, click Group Policy

Modeling Wizard, and then perform the steps in the wizard.

Modeling is performed by conducting a simulation on a domain controller, so you are first asked to select a domain controller.

You do not need to be logged on locally to the domain controller, but the modeling request will be performed on the domain

controller. You then are asked to specify the settings for the simulation, including to:

• Select a user or computer object to evaluate, or specify the OU, site, or domain to evaluate.

• Choose whether slow link processing should be simulated.

• Specify to simulate loopback processing and, if so, choose Replace or Merge mode.

• Select a site to simulate.

• Select security groups for the user and for the computer.

• Choose which WMI filters to apply in the simulation of user and computer policy processing.

When you have specified the simulation’s settings, a report is produced that is very similar to the Group Policy Results report

discussed earlier. The Summary tab shows an overview of which GPOs will be processed, and the Settings tab details the policy

settings that will be applied to the user or computer. This report, too, can be saved by right-clicking it, and then choosing Save

Report.

Demonstration


• Run GPResult.exe from the command prompt.



• Run GPResult.exe from the command prompt, and then output the results to an HTML file.

• Open the GPMC.

• Run the Group Policy Reporting Wizard, and then view the results.

• Run the Group Policy Modeling Wizard, and then view the results.

Demonstration Steps Use GPResult.exe to create a report

1. On LON-DC1, open a command prompt.

2. Run the following commands:

Gpresult /t Gpresult /h results.html

3. Open the results.html report in Internet Explorer, and then review the report.

Use the Group Policy Reporting Wizard to create a report

1. Close the command prompt, and then open the Group Policy Management Console.

2. From the Group Policy Results node, launch the Group Policy Results Wizard.

3. Complete the wizard by using the defaults.

4. Review the report, and then save the report to the Desktop.

Use the Group Policy Modeling Wizard to create a report

1. From the Group Policy Modeling node, launch the Group Policy Modeling Wizard.

2. Specify the user for the report as Ed Meadows and the computer container as the IT organizational unit.

3. Complete the wizard using the defaults, and then review the report.

4. Close the Group Policy Management Console.

Examine Policy Event Logs



Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2012 improve your ability to troubleshoot

Group Policy not only with RSoP tools, but also with improved logging of Group Policy events, including the:

• System log, in which you will find high-level information about Group Policy, including errors created by the Group Policy

client when it cannot connect to a domain controller or locate GPOs.

• Application log, which captures events recorded by CSEs.

• Group Policy Operational Log, which provides detailed information about Group Policy processing.

To find Group Policy logs, open the Event Viewer snap-in or console. The System and Application logs are in the Windows Logs

node. The Group Policy Operational Log is found in:

Applications And Services Logs\Microsoft \Windows\GroupPolicy\Operational


Scenario

A. Datum is a global engineering and manufacturing company with its head office in London, UK. An IT office and a data center

are located in London to support the London office and other locations. A. Datum recently has deployed a Windows Server 2012


You have been asked to use Group Policy to implement standardized security settings to lock computer screens when users leave

computers unattended for 10 minutes or more. You also have to configure a policy setting that will prevent access to certain

programs on local workstations.

After some time, you have been made aware that a critical application fails when the screens saver starts, and an engineer has

asked you to prevent the setting from applying to the team of Research engineers that uses the application every day. You have

also been asked to configure conference room computers to use a 45 minute timeout.

After creating the policies you need to evaluate the resultant set of policies for users in your environment to ensure that the

Group Policy infrastructure is optimized, and that all policies are applied as they were intended.

Objectives




• Create and configure a GPO.

• Manage Group Policy scope.

• Troubleshoot Group Policy application.

• Manage GPOs.

Lab Setup


Virtual machine(s) 20411B-LON-DC1

20411B-LON-CL1


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:





a. User name: Administrator


c. Domain: Adatum

5. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 20411B-LON-CL1. Do not sign in to LON-CL1 until directed to do so.

Exercise 1: Creating and Configuring GPOs

Scenario

You have been asked to use Group Policy to implement standardized security settings to lock computer screens when users leave

computers unattended for 10 minutes or more. You also have to configure a policy setting that will prevent users from running

the Notepad application on local workstations.


1. Create and edit a Group Policy Object (GPO).



2. Link the GPO.

3. View the effects of the GPO’s settings.

Task 1: Create and edit a Group Policy Object (GPO)

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, open the Group Policy Management console.

2. Create a GPO named ADATUM Standards in the Group Policy Objects container.

3. Edit the ADATUM Standards policy, and navigate to User Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, System.

4. Prevent users from running notepad.exe by configuring the Don’t run specified Windows applications policy setting.

5. Navigate to the User Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, Control Panel, Personalization folder, and then

configure the Screen saver timeout policy to 600 seconds.

6. Enable the Password protect the screen saver policy setting, and then close the Group Policy Management Editor window.

Task 2: Link the GPO

• Link the ADATUM Standards GPO to the Adatum.com domain.

Task 3: View the effects of the GPO’s settings

1. Sign in to LON-CL1 as Adatum\Pat with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Attempt to change the screen saver wait time and resume settings. You are prevented from doing this by Group Policy.

3. Attempt to run Notepad. You are prevented from doing this by Group Policy.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully created, edited, and linked the required GPOs.

Exercise 2: Managing GPO Scope

Scenario

After some time, you have been made aware that a critical application that the Research engineering team uses is failing when

the screen saver starts. You have been asked to prevent the GPO setting from applying to any member of the Engineering security

group. You also have been asked to configure conference room computers to be exempt from corporate policy. However, they

always must have a 45-minute screensaver timeout applied.


1. Create and link the required GPOs.



2. Verify the order of precedence.

3. Configure the scope of a GPO with security filtering.

4. Configure loopback processing.

Task 1: Create and link the required GPOs

1. On LON-DC1, open Active Directory Users and Computers and in the Research OU, create a sub-OU called Engineers,

and then close Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In the Group Policy Management Console, create a new GPO linked to the Engineers OU called Engineering Application

Override.

3. Configure the Screen saver timeout policy setting to be disabled, and then close the Group Policy Management Editor.

Task 2: Verify the order of precedence

• In the Group Policy Management console tree, select the Engineers OU, and then click the Group Policy Inheritance tab.

Notice that the Engineering Application Override GPO has precedence over the ADATUM Standards GPO. The screen saver

timeout policy setting you just configured in the Engineering Application Override GPO will be applied after the setting in the

ADATUM Standards GPO. Therefore, the new setting will overwrite the standards setting, and will win. Screen saver timeout

will be disabled for users within the scope of the Engineering Application Override GPO.

Task 3: Configure the scope of a GPO with security filtering

1. On LON-DC1, open Active Directory Users and Computers. In the Research\Engineers OU, create a global security group

named GPO_Engineering Application Override_Apply.

2. In the Group Policy Management console, select the Engineering Application Override GPO. Notice that in the Security

Filtering section, the GPO applies by default to all authenticated users. Configure the GPO to apply only to the

GPO_Engineering Application Override_Apply group.

3. In the Users folder, create a global security group named GPO_ADATUM Standards_Exempt.

4. In the Group Policy Management console, select the ADATUM Standards GPO. Notice that in the Security Filtering

section, the GPO applies by default to all authenticated users.

5. Configure the GPO delegation to deny Apply Group Policy permission to the GPO_ADATUM Standards_Exempt group.

Task 4: Configure loopback processing

1. On LON-DC1, switch to Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. Create a new OU called Kiosks.

3. Under Kiosks, create a sub-OU called Conference Rooms.



4. Switch to the Group Policy Management console.

5. Create a new GPO named Conference Room Policies and link it to the Kiosks\Conference Rooms OU.

6. Confirm that the Conference Room Policies GPO is scoped to Authenticated Users.

7. Edit the Conference Room Policies GPO and modify the Screen Saver timeout policy to launch the screen saver after 45

minutes.

8. Modify the Configure user Group Policy loopback processing mode policy setting to use Merge mode.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully configured the required scope of the GPOs.

Exercise 3: Verifying GPO Application

Scenario

After creating the policies that you need to evaluate the resultant set of policies for your environment’s users to ensure that the

Group Policy infrastructure is healthy, and that all policies are applied as they were intended.


1. Perform Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) analysis.

2. Analyze RSoP with GPResults.

3. Evaluate GPO results by using the Group Policy Modeling Wizard.

4. Review policy events and determine GPO infrastructure status.

Task 1: Perform Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) analysis

1. On LON-CL1, verify that you are still logged on as Adatum\Pat. If necessary, provide the password of Pa$$w0rd.

2. Run the command prompt as an administrator, with the user name Adatum\Administrator and the password Pa$$w0rd.

3. Run the gpupdate /force command. After the command has completed, make a note of the current system time, which

you will need to know for a task later in this lab:

Time: ____________________________________

4. Restart LON-CL1, and then wait for it to restart before proceeding with the next task.

5. On LON-DC1, switch to the Group Policy Management console.

6. Use the Group Policy Results Wizard to run an RSoP report for Pat on LON-CL1.

7. Review Group Policy Summary results. For both user and computer configuration, identify the time of the last policy refresh

and the list of allowed and denied GPOs. Identify the components that were used to process policy settings.

8. Click the Details tab. Review the settings that were applied during user and computer policy application, and then identify

the GPO from which the settings were obtained.



9. Click the Policy Events tab, and then locate the event that logs the policy refresh you triggered with the GPUpdate

command in Task 1.

10. Click the Summary tab, right-click the page, and then choose Save Report. Save the report as an HTML file your desktop.

Then open the RSoP report from the desktop.

Task 2: Analyze RSoP with GPResults

1. Sign in to LON-CL1 as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Open a command prompt and run the gpresult /r command. RSoP summary results are displayed. The information is very

similar to the Summary tab of the RSoP report produced by the Group Policy Results Wizard.

3. Type gpresult /v, and then press Enter. A more detailed RSoP report is produced. Notice that many of the Group Policy

settings applied by the client are listed in this report.

4. Type gpresult /z, and then press Enter. The most detailed RSoP report is produced.

5. Type gpresult /h:"%userprofile%\Desktop\RSOP.html", and then press Enter. An RSoP report is saved as an HTML file to

your desktop.

6. Open the saved RSoP report from your desktop. Compare the report, its information, and its formatting with the RSoP report

you saved in the previous task.

Task 3: Evaluate GPO results by using the Group Policy Modeling Wizard


2. Start the Group Policy Modeling Wizard.

3. Select Adatum\Mike as the user, and LON-CL1 as the computer for modeling.

4. When prompted, select the Loopback Processing check box, and then click Merge. Even though the Conference Room

Polices GPO specifies loopback processing, you must instruct the Group Policy Modeling Wizard to consider loopback

processing in its simulation.

5. When prompted, on the Alternate Active Directory Paths page, choose the Kiosks\Conference Rooms location. You are

simulating the effect of LON-CL1 as a conference room computer.

6. Accept all other options as defaults.

7. On the Summary tab, scroll to and expand, if necessary, User Details, Group Policy Objects, and Applied GPOs.

8. Check whether the Conference Room Policies GPO applies to Mike as a User policy when he logs on to LON-CL1 if LON-CL1

is in the Conference Rooms OU.

9. Scroll to, and expand if necessary, User Details, Policies, Administrative Templates and Control Panel/Personalization.

10. Confirm that the screen saver timeout is 2,700 seconds (45 minutes), the setting configured by the Conference Room

Policies GPO that overrides the 10-minute standard configured by the ADATUM Standards GPO.

Task 4: Review policy events and determine GPO infrastructure status



1. On LON-CL1, you are logged on as Adatum\Administrator.

2. Open the Control Panel and then browse to the Event Viewer.

3. Locate and review Group Policy events in the System log.

4. Locate and review Group Policy events in the Application log. Review the events and identify the Group Policy events that

have been entered in this log. Which events are related to Group Policy application and which are related to the activities

you have been performing to manage Group Policy? Note that depending on how long the virtual machine has been

running, you may not have any Group Policy Events in the application log.

5. Browse to the Group Policy Operational log and locate the first event related in the Group Policy refresh you initiated in

Exercise 1, with the GPUpdate command. Review that event and the events that followed it.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully used RSoP tools to verify the correct application of your GPOs.

Exercise 4: Managing GPOs

Scenario

You must back up all critical GPOs. You use the Group Policy Management backup feature to back up the ADATUM Standard

GPO.


1. Perform a backup of GPOs.

2. Perform a restore of GPOs.


Task 1: Perform a backup of GPOs

1. Switch to LON-DC1, and in the Group Policy Management console, in the navigation pane, click on the Group Policy

Objects folder.

2. Back up the ADATUM Standards GPO to C:\.

Task 2: Perform a restore of GPOs

• In the Group Policy Management console, restore the previous back up of ADATUM Standards.




• When you have finished the lab, revert all virtual machines back to their initial state.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully performed common management tasks on your GPOs.




Group Policy settings are not applied to all users or computers in OU

where GPO is applied

Group Policy settings sometimes need two restarts to apply

Tools


Group policy reporting RSoP Reporting information about the current policies being

delivered to clients.

Group Policy Management Console

GPResult A command-line utility that displays RSoP information. Command-line utility

GPUpdate Refreshing local and Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)-

based Group Policy settings.

Command-line utility

Dcgpofix Restoring the default Group Policy objects to their original state

after initial installation.


GPOLogView Exporting Group Policy-related events from the system and

operational logs into text, HTML, or XML files. For use with

Windows Vista, Windows 7, and newer versions.


Group Policy Management scripts Sample scripts that perform a number of different

troubleshooting and maintenance tasks.

Lab Answer Key: Module 5: Implementing a Group Policy Infrastructure


Exercise 1: Creating and Configuring GPOs

Task 1: Create and edit a Group Policy Object (GPO)

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.

2. In the console tree, expand Forest: Adatum.com, Domains, and Adatum.com, and then click the Group Policy Objects

container.

3. In the console tree, right-click the Group Policy Objects container, and then click New.

4. In the Name box, type ADATUM Standards, and then click OK.

5. In the details pane of the Group Policy Management console, right-click the ADATUM Standards GPO, and then click Edit.

6. In the console tree, expand User Configuration, Policies, and Administrative Templates, and then click System.

7. Double-click the Don’t run specified Windows applications policy setting.

8. In the Don’t run specified Windows applications window, click Enabled.

9. Click Show.

10. In the Show Contents dialog box, in the Value list, type notepad.exe, and then click OK.

11. In the Don’t run specified Windows applications dialog box, click OK.

12. In the console tree, expand User Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, and Control Panel, and then click

Personalization.

13. In the details pane, click the Screen saver timeout policy setting.

14. Double-click the Screen Saver timeout policy setting.

15. Click Enabled.

16. In the Seconds box, type 600, and then click OK.

17. Double-click the Password protect the screen saver policy setting.

18. Click Enabled, and click OK.

19. Close the Group Policy Management Editor.

Task 2: Link the GPO

1. In the Group Policy Management console tree, right-click the Adatum.com domain, and then click Link an Existing GPO.

2. In the Select GPO dialog box, click ADATUM Standards, and then click OK.

Task 3: View the effects of the GPO’s settings

1. Switch to LON-CL1, and sign in as Adatum\Pat with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. On the Start screen, click the Desktop tile.

3. Right-click the desktop, and then click Personalize.

4. Click Screen Saver. Notice that the Wait control is disabled—you cannot change the timeout. Notice that the On resume,

display logon screen option is selected and disabled, and that you cannot disable password protection.

5. Click OK to close the Screen Saver Settings dialog box.

6. Pause the mouse pointer in the lower-right corner of the display, and then click Start.

7. Right-click the Start screen, and then click All apps.

8. In the Apps list, click Notepad. Notepad does not open.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully created, edited, and linked the required GPOs.

Exercise 2: Managing GPO Scope

Task 1: Create and link the required GPOs

1. On LON-DC1, switch to Server Manager, click Tools and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In the console tree, expand the Adatum.com domain and click the Research organizational unit (OU).

3. Right-click the Research OU, point to New, and then click Organizational Unit.

4. Type Engineers, and then click OK.

5. Close Active Directory® Users and Computers.


7. In the console tree, expand Forest: Adatum.com, Domains, Adatum.com, Research, and then click the Engineers OU.

8. Right-click the Engineers OU, and then click Create a GPO in this domain and Link it here.

9. Type Engineering Application Override, and then click OK.

10. Right-click the Engineering Application Override GPO, and then click Edit.

11. In the console tree, expand User Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, and Control Panel, and then click

Personalization.

12. Double-click the Screen saver timeout policy setting.

13. Click Disabled, and click OK.


Task 2: Verify the order of precedence

1. In the Group Policy Management console tree, click the Engineers OU.

2. Click the Group Policy Inheritance tab. Notice that the Engineering Application Override GPO has higher precedence than

the ADATUM Standards GPO. The screen saver timeout policy setting you just configured in the Engineering Application

Override GPO is applied after the setting in the ADATUM Standards GPO. Therefore, the new setting will overwrite the

standards setting, and will win. Screen saver timeout will be disabled for users within the scope of the Engineering

Application Override GPO.

Task 3: Configure the scope of a GPO with security filtering

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In the console tree, if necessary, expand the Adatum.com domain and the Research OU, and then click the Engineers OU.

3. Right-click the Engineers OU, point to New, and then click Group.

4. Type GPO_Engineering Application Override_Apply, and then press Enter.


6. In the console tree, if required, expand the Engineers OU, and then double-click the link of the Engineering Application

Override GPO under the Engineers OU. A message appears.

7. Read the message, select the Do not show this message again check box, and then click OK. In the Security Filtering

section, you will see that the GPO applies by default to all authenticated users.

8. In the Security Filtering section, click Authenticated Users.

9. Click the Remove button. A confirmation prompt appears.

10. Click OK.

11. In the details pane, click the Add button.

12. In the Select User, Computer, or Group dialog box, in the Enter the object name to select (examples): box, type

GPO_Engineering Application Override_Apply, and then press Enter.

13. Switch to Active Directory Users and Computers.

14. In the console tree, expand the Adatum.com domain, and then click the Users folder.

15. Right-click Users, point to New, and then click Group.

16. Type GPO_ADATUM Standards_Exempt, and then press Enter.


18. In the console tree, click the Adatum.com domain object, and then double-click the Adatum Standards GPO. In the

Security Filtering section, notice that the GPO applies by default to all authenticated users.

19. Click the Delegation tab.

20. Click the Advanced button. The ADATUM Standards Security Settings dialog box appears.

21. Click the Add button. The Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups dialog box appears.

22. In the Enter the object names to select (examples): box, type GPO_ADATUM Standards_Exempt, and press Enter.

23. Select the Deny check box next to Apply group policy.

24. Click OK. A warning message appears to remind you that deny permissions override allow permissions. Click Yes. Notice

that the permission appears on the Delegation tab as Custom.

Task 4: Configure loopback processing

1. On LON-DC1, switch to Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In the console, click Adatum.com.

3. Right-click Adatum.com, point to New, and the click Organizational Unit.

4. In the New Object – Organizational Unit dialog box, type Kiosks, and then click OK.

5. Right-click Kiosks, point to New, and then click Organizational Unit.

6. In the New Object – Organizational Unit dialog box, type Conference Rooms, and then click OK.

7. Switch to the Group Policy Management console. Refresh the console if necessary.

8. In the tree, expand the Kiosks OU, and then click the Conference Rooms OU.

9. Right-click the Conference Rooms OU, and then click Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here.

10. In the New GPO box, in the Name box, type Conference Room Policies, and then press Enter.

11. In the console tree, expand Conference Rooms, and then click the Conference Room Policies GPO.

12. Click the Scope tab. Confirm that the GPO is scoped to apply to Authenticated Users.

13. Right-click the Conference Room Policies GPO in the console tree, and then click Edit.

14. In the Group Policy Management Editor console tree, expand User Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, and

Control Panel, and then click Personalization.

15. Double-click the Screen saver timeout policy setting.

16. Click Enabled.

17. In the Seconds box, type 2700, and then click OK.

18. In the console tree, expand Computer Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates, and System, and then click

Group Policy.

19. Double-click the Configure user Group Policy loopback processing mode policy setting.

20. Click Enabled.

21. In the Mode drop-down list, select Merge, and then click OK.


Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully configured the required scope of the GPOs.

Exercise 3: Verifying GPO Application

Task 1: Perform Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) analysis


2. Verify that you are logged on as Adatum\Pat. If necessary, provide the password of Pa$$w0rd.

3. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower-right corner of the display, and then click Start.


5. In the Apps list, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

6. In the User Account Control dialog box, in the User name box, type Administrator. In the Password box, type Pa$$w0rd.

Click Yes.


gpupdate.exe /force

8. Wait for the command to complete. Make a note of the current system time, which you will need to know for a task later in

this lab. To record the system time, type the following command, and then press Enter twice:

Time

9. Restart LON-CL1.

10. Wait for LON-CL1 to restart before proceeding with the next task. Do not sign in to LON-CL1.



13. In the console tree, if required, expand Forest: Adatum.com, and then click Group Policy Results.

14. Right-click Group Policy Results, and click Group Policy Results Wizard.

15. On the Welcome to the Group Policy Results Wizard page, click Next.

16. On the Computer Selection page, click Another computer, type LON-CL1, and then click Next.

17. On the User Selection page, click Display policy settings for, click Select a specific user, select ADATUM\Pat, and then

click Next.

18. On the Summary Of Selections page, review your settings, and then click Next.

19. Click Finish. The RSoP report appears in the details pane of the console.

20. Review the Group Policy Results. For both user and computer configuration, identify the time of the last policy refresh and

the list of allowed and denied GPOs. Identify the components that were used to process policy settings.

21. Click the Details tab. Review the settings that were applied during user and computer policy application and identify the

GPO from which the settings were obtained.

22. Click the Policy Events tab, and then locate the event that logs the policy refresh you triggered with the GPUpdate

command in Task 1.

23. Click the Summary tab, right-click the page, and then click Save Report.

24. In the navigation pane, click Desktop, and then click Save.

25. Open the saved RSoP report from the Desktop. Examine the RSoP report, and then close it.

Task 2: Analyze RSoP with GPResults



3. In the Apps list, click Command Prompt.


gpresult /r

RSoP summary results are displayed. The information is very similar to the Summary tab of the RSoP report produced by the

Group Policy Results Wizard.


gpresult /v

Notice that many of the Group Policy settings applied by the client are listed in this report.


gpresult /z

The most detailed RSoP report is produced.


gpresult /h:"%userprofile%\Desktop\RSOP.html"

An RSoP report is saved as an HTML file to your desktop.

8. Open the saved RSoP report from your desktop.

9. Compare the report, its information, and its formatting with the RSoP report you saved in the previous task.

Task 3: Evaluate GPO results by using the Group Policy Modeling Wizard


2. In the Group Policy Management console tree, expand Forest:Adatum.com, and then click Group Policy Modeling.

3. Right-click Group Policy Modeling, and then click Group Policy Modeling Wizard. The Group Policy Modeling Wizard

appears.

4. Click Next.

5. On the Domain Controller Selection page, click Next.

6. On the User And Computer Selection page, in the User information section, click the User button, and then click Browse.

The Select User dialog box appears.

7. Type Mike, and then press Enter.

8. In the Computer information section, click the Computer button, and then click Browse. The Select Computer dialog box

appears.

9. Type LON-CL1, and then press Enter.

10. Click Next.

11. On the Advanced Simulation Options page, select the Loopback Processing check box, and then click Merge. Even though

the Conference Room Polices GPO specifies the loopback processing, you must instruct the Group Policy Modeling Wizard

to consider loopback processing in its simulation.

12. Click Next.

13. On the Alternate Active Directory Paths page, click the Browse button next to Computer location. The Choose Computer

Container dialog box appears.

14. Expand Adatum and Kiosks, and then click Conference Rooms. You are simulating the effect of LON-CL1 as a conference

room computer.

15. Click OK.

16. Click Next.

17. On the User Security Groups page, click Next.

18. On the Computer Security Groups page, click Next.

19. On the WMI Filters for Users page, click Next.

20. On the WMI Filters for Computers page, click Next.

21. Review your settings on the Summary of Selections page, and then click Next.

22. Click Finish.

23. On the Details tab, scroll to and expand, if necessary, User Details, Group Policy Objects, and Applied GPOs.

24. Verify if the Conference Room Policies GPO apply to Mike as a User policy when he logs on to LON-CL1, if LON-CL1 is in the

Conference Rooms OU.

25. Scroll to, and expand if necessary, User Details, Policies, Administrative Templates and Control Panel/Personalization.

26. Confirm that the screen saver timeout is 2,700 seconds (45 minutes), the setting configured by the Conference Room

Policies GPO that overrides the 10-minute standard configured by the ADATUM Standards GPO.

Task 4: Review policy events and determine GPO infrastructure status


2. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower-right corner of the display and then click Settings. Click Control Panel.

3. Click System and Security.

4. Click Administrative Tools.

5. Double-click Event Viewer.

6. In the console tree, expand Windows Logs, and then click the System log.

7. Sort the System log by Source.

8. Locate events with Group Policy as the Source. You can even click the Filter Current Log link in the Actions pane and then

select Group Policy in the Event Sources drop-down list.

9. Review the information associated with Group Policy events.

10. In the console tree, click the Application log.

11. Sort the Application log by the Source column.

12. Review the events and identify the Group Policy events that have been entered in this log. Which events are related to Group

Policy application and which are related to the activities you have been performing to manage Group Policy? Note that

depending on how long the virtual machine has been running, you may not have any Group Policy Events in the application

log.

13. In the console tree, expand Applications and Services Logs, Microsoft, Windows, and Group Policy, and then click

Operational.

14. Locate the first event related in the Group Policy refresh you initiated in Exercise 1, with the GPUpdate command. Review

that event and the events that followed it.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully used RSoP tools to verify the correct application of your GPOs.

Exercise 4: Managing GPOs

Task 1: Perform a backup of GPOs


2. Switch to the Group Policy Management console and then click the Group Policy Objects node.

3. In the details pane, right-click ADATUM Standards, and then click Back Up.

4. In the Back Up Group Policy Object dialog box, in the Location box, type C:\.

5. Click Back Up.

6. In the Backup dialog box, click OK.

Task 2: Perform a restore of GPOs

1. In the Group Policy Management console, right-click ADATUM Standards, and then click Restore from Backup.

2. In the Restore Group Policy Object Wizard dialog box, click Next.

3. On the Backup Location page, click Next.

4. On the Source GPO page, click Next.

5. On the Completing the Restore Group Policy Object Wizard page, click Finish.

6. In the Restore dialog box, click OK.



When you have finished the lab, revert all virtual machines back to their initial state.

1. On the host computer, start Hyper-V® Manager.


3. In the Revert Virtual Machines dialog box, click Revert.

4. Repeat steps 2 to 3 for 20411B-LON-CL1.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully performed common management tasks on your GPOs.

5/21/13 Module 6: Managing User Desktops with Group Policy


Module 6: Managing User Desktops with Group Policy

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Implementing Administrative Templates






Module Overview

Using Group Policy Objects (GPOs), you can implement desktop environments across your organization by using Administrative

Templates, Folder Redirection, Group Policy preferences, and where applicable, use software deployment to install and update

application programs. It is important to know how to use these various GPO features so that you can configure your users’

computer settings properly.

Objectives


• Describe and implement Administrative Templates.

• Configure folder redirection and scripts by using GPOs.

• Configure GPO preferences.

• Deploy software by using GPOs.

Lesson 1 : Implementing Administrative Templates

The Administrative Template files provide the majority of available GPO settings, which modify specific registry keys. Using

Administrative Templates sometimes is referred to as registry-based policy. For many applications, the use of registry-based

policy that the Administrative Template files deliver is the most simple and best way to support centralized management of

policy settings. In this lesson, you will learn how to configure Administrative Templates.

Lesson Objectives











• Describe Group Policy administrative templates.

• Describe ADM and ADMX, or administrative template, files.

• Describe the central store.

• Describe example scenarios for using Administrative Templates.

• Explain how to configure settings with Administrative Templates.

What Are Administrative Templates?

You can use Administrative Templates to control the environment of an operating system and the user experience. There are two

sets of Administrative Templates: one for users and one for computers.

Using the Administrative Template sections of the GPO, you can deploy hundreds of modifications to the registry. Administrative

Templates have the following characteristics:

• They are organized into subfolders that deal with specific areas of the environment, such as network, system, and Windows®

components.

• The settings in the computer section edit the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE hive in the registry, and the settings in the user section

edit the HKEY_CURRENT_USER hive in the registry.

• Some settings exist for both user and computer. For example, there is a setting to prevent Windows Messenger from running in

both the user and the computer templates. In case of conflicting settings, the computer setting prevails.

• Some settings are available only to certain versions of Windows operating systems. For example, you can apply a number of

new settings only to Windows 7 and newer versions of the Windows operating system. Double-clicking the settings displays

the supported versions for that setting.

What Are ADM and ADMX Files?



ADM Files

Traditionally, ADM files have been used to define the settings that an administrator can configure through Group Policy. Each

successive Windows operating system and service pack has included a newer version of these files. ADM files use their own

markup language. Therefore, it is difficult to customize ADM files. The ADM templates are located in the %SystemRoot%\Inf

folder.

A major drawback of ADM files is that they are copied into every GPO that is created, and consume about 3 megabytes (MB) of

space. This can cause the System Volume (SYSVOL) folder to become very large and increase replication traffic.

ADMX Files

Windows Vista® and Windows Server® 2008 introduced a new format for displaying registry-based policy settings. These

settings are defined by using a standards-based XML file format known as ADMX files. These new files replace ADM files.

Group Policy tools on Windows Vista and newer operating systems, and Windows Server 2008, continue to recognize the custom

ADM files that you have in your existing environment, but ignore any ADM file that ADMX files have superseded. Unlike ADM

files, ADMX files are not stored in individual GPOs. The GPO Editor automatically reads and displays settings from the local ADMX

file store. By default, ADMX files are stored in the Windows\PolicyDefinitions folder, but they can be stored in a central location.

ADMX files are language neutral. The plain language descriptions of the settings are not part of the ADMX files. They are stored in

language-specific ADML files. This means that administrators who speak different languages, such as English and Spanish, can

look at the same GPO and see the policy descriptions in their own language, because they can each use their own language-

specific ADML files. ADML files are stored in a subfolder of the PolicyDefinitions folder. By default, only the ADML language files

for the language of the installed operating system are added.

Migrate Classic Administrative Templates to .ADMX

ADMX Migrator is a snap-in for the Microsoft® Management Console (MMC) that simplifies the process of converting your

existing Group Policy ADM templates to the new ADMX format and provides a graphical user interface for creating and editing

Administrative Templates. You can download the ADMX Migrator from the Microsoft Download website at

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkID=270013.

The Central Store




For domain-based enterprises, you can create a central store location of ADMX files, which anyone with permission to create or

edit GPOs can access. The GPO Editor on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (or newer) automatically reads and displays

Administrative Template policy settings from ADMX files that the central store caches, and then ignores the ones stored locally. If

the domain controller is not available, the local store is used.

You must create the central store, and then update it manually on a domain controller. The use of ADMX files is dependent on

the computer’s operating system where you are creating or editing the GPO. Therefore, the domain controller can be a server

with Windows 2000 or newer. The File Replication Service (FRS) will not replicate the domain controller to that domain’s other

controllers. Depending on your server operating system and configuration, you can use either FRS or Distributed File System

Replication (DFS-R) to replicate the data.

To create a central store for .admx and .adml files, create a folder that is named PolicyDefinitions in the following location:

\\FQDN\SYSVOL\FQDN\policies.

For example, to create a central store for the Test.Microsoft.com domain, create a PolicyDefinitions folder in the following

location: \\Test.Microsoft.Com\SYSVOL\Test.Microsoft.Com\Policies.

A user must copy all files and subfolders of the PolicyDefinitions folder. The PolicyDefinitions folder on a Windows 7–based

computer resides in the Windows folder. The PolicyDefinitions folder stores all .admx files and .adml files for all languages that

are enabled on the client computer.

Note: You must update the PolicyDefintions for each service pack and for other additional software, such as MicrosoftOffice 2010 ADMX files.

Discussion: Practical Uses of Administrative Templates



Spend a few minutes examining the Administrative Templates, and consider how you could employ some of them in your

organization.

Be prepared to share information about your organization’s current use of GPOs and logon scripts, such as:

• How do you provide desktop security currently?

• How much administrative access do users have to their systems?

• Which Group Policy settings will you find useful in your organization?

Demonstration: Configuring Settings with Administrative Templates

Group Policy editing tools in Windows Server 2012 provide several functionalities that ease configuration and management of

GPOs. In this demonstration, you will review these options.

Filter Policy Settings for Administrative Templates

A disadvantage in the Group Policy editing tools in previous Windows versions is the inability to search for a specific policy

setting. With thousands of policies to choose from, it can be difficult to locate exactly the setting you want to configure. The

Group Policy Management Editor in Windows Server 2012 solves this problem for Administrative Template settings. You now can

create filters to locate specific policy settings.

To create a filter:

1. Right-click Administrative Templates, and then click Filter Options.

2. To locate a specific policy, select the Enable keyword filters check box, enter the words with which to filter, and then select

the fields within which to search.

You also can filter for Group Policy settings that apply to specific versions of Windows, Windows Internet Explorer®, and other

Windows components.

Unfortunately, the filter only applies to settings in the Administrative Templates nodes.

Filter Based on Comments



You also can search and filter based on policy-setting comments. Windows Server 2012 enables you to add comments to policy

settings in the Administrative Templates node. To do so, double-click a policy setting, and then click the Comment tab.

It is a best practice to add comments to configured policy settings. You should document the justification for a setting and its

intended effect. You also should add comments to the GPO itself. Windows Server 2012 enables you to attach comments to a

GPO. In the Group Policy Management Editor, in the console tree, right-click the root node, click Properties, and then click the

Comment tab.

How to Copy GPO Settings

Starter GPOs can contain only Administrative Templates policy settings. But in addition to using Starter GPOs, there are two other

ways to copy settings from one GPO into a new GPO:

• You can copy and paste entire GPOs in the Group Policy Objects container of the GPMC, so that you have a new GPO with all

settings of the source GPO.

• To transfer settings between GPOs in different domains or forests, right-click a GPO, and then click Back Up. In the target

domain, create a new GPO, right-click the GPO, and then click Import Settings. You will be able to import the settings of the

backed up GPO.

Additional Reading: Group Policy Search http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkID=270014


• Filter Administrative Template policy settings.

• Apply comments to Administrative Templates policy settings.

• Add comments to Administrative Templates policy settings.

• Create a new GPO by copying an existing GPO.

• Create a new GPO by importing settings that were exported from another GPO.

Demonstration Steps Filter Administrative Template policy settings

1. On LON-DC1, open the Group Policy Management console.

2. Create a new Group Policy Object (GPO) named GPO1.

3. Open GPO1 for editing.

4. Locate the User Configuration, Policies, Administrative Templates node.

5. Filter the settings to display only those that contain the keywords screen saver.

6. Filter the settings to display only configured values.

Add comments to a policy setting




1. Locate the Personalization value from User Configuration\Policies\ Administrative Templates \Control Panel.

2. Add a comment to both the Password Protect the screen saver and Enable screen saver values.

Add comments to a GPO

• Open the GPO1 policy root node, and then add a comment to the Comment tab.

Create a new GPO by copying an existing GPO

• Copy GPO1, and then paste it to the Group Policy Objects folder.

Create a new GPO by importing settings that were exported from another GPO

1. Back up GPO1.

2. Create a new GPO called ADATUM Import.

3. Import the settings from the GPO1 backup into the ADATUM Import GPO.


In Windows Server 2012, you can use GPOs to deploy scripts to users and computers. You also can redirect folders that are

included in the user’s profile to a central server. These features enable you to configure the users’ desktop settings more easily

and, where desirable, create a standardized desktop environment that meets your organizational needs.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe folder redirection.

• Explain the settings available for configuring folder redirection.

• Describe security settings for redirected folders.

• Explain how to configure folder redirection.

• Describe Group Policy settings for applying scripts.

• Explain how to configure scripts by using Group Policy.

What Is Folder Redirection?



You can use the Folder Redirection feature to manage data effectively, and optionally, back up data. By redirecting folders, you

can ensure user access to data regardless of the computers to which the users sign in. Folder redirection has the following

characteristics:

• When you redirect folders, you change the folder’s storage location from the user computer’s local hard disk to a shared folder

on a network file server.

• After you redirect a folder to a file server, it still appears to the user as if it is stored on the local hard disk.

• You can use the Offline Files technology in conjunction with redirection to synchronize data in the redirected folder to the

user’s local hard drive. This ensures that users have access to their data if a network outage occurs or if the user is working

offline.

Advantages of Folder Redirection

There are many advantages of folder redirection, including:

• Users that sign in to multiple computers can access their data as long as they can access the network share.

• Offline folders allow users to access their data even if they disconnect from the local area network (LAN).

• Data that is stored on servers in network shares is backed up.

• Roaming profile size can be reduced greatly by redirecting data from the profile.

Settings for Configuring Folder Redirection



In a GPO, the following settings are available for folder redirection:

• None. None is the default setting. Folder redirection is not enabled.

• Basic. Basic folder redirection is for:

o Users who must redirect their folders to a common area.

o Users who need their data to be private.

• Advanced. You can use Advanced redirection to specify different network locations for different Active Directory® security

groups.

• Follow the Documents folder. Follow the Documents folder redirection is available only for the Pictures, Music, and Videos

folders. This setting makes the affected folder a subfolder of the Documents folder.

Target Folder Locations for Basic and Advanced Settings

If you choose Basic or Advanced, you can choose from the following target folder locations:

• Create a folder for each user under the root path. This option creates a folder in the form \\server\share\User Account

Name\Folder Name. For example, if you want to store your users’ desktop settings in a shared folder called Documents, on a

server called LON-DC1, you could define the root path as \\lon-dc1\Documents.

Each user has a unique path for the redirected folder to ensure that data remains private. By default, that user is granted

exclusive rights to the folder. In the case of the Documents folder, the current contents of the folder are moved to the new

location.

• Redirect to the following location. This option uses an explicit path for the redirection location. It causes multiple users to share

the same path for the redirected folder. By default, that user is granted exclusive rights to the folder. In the case of the

Documents folder, the current contents of the folder are moved to the new location.

• Redirect to the local user profile location. This option moves the location of the folder to the local user profile under the Users

folder.

• Redirect to the user’s home directory. This option is available only for the Documents folder.

Note: After the initial creation and application of a GPO that delivers folder redirection settings, users require twologons before redirection takes effect. This is because users will sign in with cached credentials.

Question: Users in the same department often sign in to different computers. They need access to their Documentsfolder. They also need data to be private. What folder redirection setting would you choose?

Security Settings for Redirected Folders



You must create and configure the permissions manually on a shared network folder to store the redirected folders. However,

folder redirection also can create the user’s redirected folders.

Folder permissions are handled as follows:

• When you use this option, the correct subfolder permissions are set automatically.

• If you manually create folders, you must know the correct permissions. The slide illustrates these permissions.

Demonstration: Configuring Folder Redirection


• Create a shared folder.

• Create a GPO to redirect the Documents folder.

• Test folder redirection.

Demonstration Steps Create a shared folder

1. On LON-DC1, create a folder named C:\Redirect.

2. Share the folder to Everyone with Read/Write permission.

Create a GPO to redirect the Documents folder

1. Open the Group Policy Management console. Create a GPO named Folder Redirection, and then link it to the Adatum

domain.

2. Edit the Folder Redirection GPO.

3. Configure the Documents folder properties to use the Basic-Redirect everyone’s folder to the same location setting.

4. Ensure that the Target folder location is set to Create a folder for each user under the root path.

5. Specify the root path as \\LON-DC1\Redirect.




Test folder redirection


2. Check the properties of the Documents folder. The path will be \\LON-DC1\Redirect.

3. Sign out of LON-CL1.

Group Policy Settings for Applying Scripts

You can use Group Policy scripts to perform a number of tasks. There may be actions that you need to perform every time a

computer starts up or shuts down, or when users sign in or sign off. For example, you can use scripts to:

• Clean up desktops when users sign out, and shut down computers.

• Delete the contents of temporary directories.

• Map drives or printers.

• Set environment variables.

Scripts that are assigned to the computer run in the security context of the Local System account. Scripts that are assigned to the

user who is logging on run in that user’s security context.

Other Group Policy settings control aspects of how scripts run. For example, if multiple scripts are assigned, you can control

whether they run synchronously or asynchronously.

You can write scripts in any scripting language that the Windows client can interpret, such as VBScript, Jscript, or simple

command or batch files.

Note: In Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012, the user interface (UI) in Group Policy Editor for Logon,Logoff, Startup, and Shutdown scripts provides an additional tab for Windows PowerShell® scripts. You can deployyour Windows PowerShell script by adding it to this tab. Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows 7, orWindows 8 can run Windows PowerShell scripts through Group Policy.



Scripts are stored in shared folders on the network. You need to ensure that the client has access to that network location. If

clients cannot access the network location, the scripts fail to run. Although any network location stores scripts, as a best practice,

use the Netlogon share because all users and computers that are authenticated to Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) have

access to this location.

For many of these settings, using Group Policy preferences is a better alternative to configuring them in Windows images or

using logon scripts. Group Policy preferences are covered in more detail later in this module.

Demonstration: Configuring Scripts with GPOs


• Create a logon script to map a network drive.

• Create and link a GPO to use the script, and store the script in the Netlogon share.

• Sign in to the client to test the results.

Demonstration Steps Create a logon script to map a network drive

1. On LON-DC1, launch Notepad, and then type the following command:

Net use t: \\LON-dc1\Redirect

2. Save the file as Map.bat.

3. Copy the file to the clipboard.

Create and link a GPO to use the script, and store the script in the Netlogon share

1. Use the Group Policy Management console to create a new GPO named Drivemap, and then link it to the Adatum.com

domain.

2. Edit the GPO to configure a user logon script.

3. Paste the Map.bat script into the Netlogon share.

4. Add the Map.bat script to the logon scripts.

Sign in to the client to test the results

1. On LON-CL1, sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$word.

2. Verify that drive is mapped.





In previous Windows Server versions, you could not use Group Policy to control common settings that affect the user and

computer environment, such as mapped drives. Typically, these settings were delivered through logon scripts or imaging

solutions.

However, Windows Server 2012 includes the Group Policy preferences built-in to the GPMC, which enable settings such as

mapped drives to be delivered through Group Policy. Additionally, you can configure preferences by installing the Remote Server

Administration Tools (RSAT) on a computer that is running Windows 7 or Windows 8. This allows you to deliver many common

settings by using Group Policy.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe Group Policy preferences.

• Identify the differences between Group Policy settings and preferences.

• Describe Group Policy preference features.

• Explain how to configure settings by using preferences.

What Are Group Policy Preferences?

Group Policy preference extensions include more than 20 Group Policy extensions that expand the range of configurable settings

within a GPO. You now can use preferences to apply a number of settings that had to be applied by scripts in the past, such as

drive mappings.

Group Policy preferences are supported natively on Windows Server 2008 and newer versions, and on Windows Vista Service Pack

2 (SP2) and newer versions. You can download and install client-side extensions (CSEs) of Group Policy preferences for Windows

Server 2003, Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), and Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) to provide support for preferences on

those systems.

Examples of the new Group Policy preference extensions include:

• Folder Options

• Drive Maps



• Printers

• Scheduled Tasks

• Services

• Start Menu

Configuring Group Policy preferences does not require any special tools or software installation, but they are natively part of the

GPMC in Windows Server 2008 (and newer), and are applied in the same manner as Group Policy settings, by default. Preferences

have two distinct sections: Windows Settings and Control Panel Settings.

When you configure a new preference, you can perform the following four basic actions:

• Create. Create a new preference setting for the user or computer.

• Delete. Remove an existing preference setting for the user or computer.

• Replace. Delete and recreate a preference setting for the user or computer. The result is that Group Policy preferences replace

all existing settings and files associated with the preference item.

• Update. Modify an existing preference setting for the user or computer.

Comparing Group Policy Preferences and GPO Settings

Preferences are similar to policies in that they apply configurations to the user or computer. However, there are several

differences in the way that you can configure and apply them. One of these differences is that preferences are not enforced.

However, you can configure preferences to be reapplied automatically.

The following is a list of other differences between Group Policy settings and preferences:

• Preference settings are not enforced.

• Group Policy settings disable the user interface for settings that the policy manages. Preferences do not do this.

• Group Policy settings are applied at regular intervals. You can apply preferences once only or at intervals.

• The end user can change any preference setting that is applied through Group Policy, but policy settings prevent users from

changing them.



• In some cases, you can configure the same settings through a policy setting as well as a preference item. If conflicting

preference and Group Policy settings are configured and applied to the same object, the value of the policy setting always

applies.

Features of Group Policy Preferences

After you create a Group Policy preference, you must configure its properties. Different preferences will require different input

information. For example, shortcut preferences require target paths, whereas environment variables require variable types and

values. Preferences also provide a number of features in the common properties to assist in the deployment.

General Properties Tab

The General Properties tab is where basic information is provided. The first step is to specify the action for the preference: Create,

Delete, Replace, or Update. Different settings will be available, depending on the initial action selected. For example, when

creating a drive mapping, you must provide a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path and an option for the drive letter, which

you want to assign.

Common Properties Tab

The common properties are consistent for all preferences. You can use the Common Property tab to control the behavior of the

preference as follows:

• Stop processing items in this extension if an error occurs. If an error occurs while processing a preference, no other preferences

in this GPO will process.

• Run in logged-on user’s security context. Preferences can run as the System account or the logged-on user. This setting forces

the logged-on user context.

• Remove this item when it is no longer applied. Unlike policy settings, preferences are not removed when the GPO that delivered

it is removed. This setting will change that behavior.

• Apply once and do not reapply. Normally, preferences are refreshed at the same interval as Group Policy settings. This setting

changes that behavior to apply the setting only once on logon or startup.

• Use Item-level targeting. One of the most powerful features of preferences is item-level targeting. You can use this feature to

specify criteria easily, so that you can determine exactly which users or computers will receive a preference. Criteria includes,

but is not limited to:

o Computer name



o IP address range

o Operating system

o Security group

o User

o Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) queries

Demonstration: Configuring Group Policy Preferences


• Configure a desktop shortcut with Group Policy preferences.

• Target the preference.

• Configure a new folder with Group Policy preferences.

• Target the preference.

• Test the preference.

Demonstration Steps Configure a desktop shortcut with Group Policy preferences

1. On LON-DC1, in the Group Policy Management console, open the Default Domain Policy for editing.

2. Navigate to Computer Configuration\Preferences\ Windows Settings\Shortcuts.

3. Create a new shortcut to the Notepad.exe program.

Target the preference

• Target the preference for the computer, LON-CL1.

Configure a new folder with Group Policy preferences

1. Navigate to User Configuration\Preferences\Windows Settings\Folders.

2. Create a new folder for the C:\Reports folder.

Target the preference

• Target this preference for computers that are running the Windows 8 operating system.

Test the preferences

1. Switch to LON-CL1, and refresh the group policies by using the following command at the command prompt:



gpupdate /force

2. Sign in and verify the presence of both the C:\Reports folder and the Notepad shortcut on the Desktop.


Windows Server 2012 includes a feature called Software Installation and Maintenance that AD DS, Group Policy, and the Windows

Installer service use to install, maintain, and remove software from your organization’s computers. In this lesson, you will learn

how to manage software with Group Policy.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe how Group Policy software distribution addresses the software lifecycle.

• Describe how Windows Installer enhances software distribution.

• Describe the difference between assigning and publishing software.

• Explain how to manage software upgrades by using Group Policy.

How Group Policy Software Distribution Helps to Address the Software Lifecycle

The software lifecycle consists of four phases: preparation, deployment, maintenance, and removal. You can use Group Policy to

manage all phases except the preparation. You can apply Group Policy settings to users or computers in a site, domain, or

organization unit (OU) to install, upgrade, or remove software automatically.

By applying Group Policy settings to software, you can manage the phases of software deployment without deploying software

on each computer individually.

How Windows Installer Enhances Software Distribution



To enable Group Policy to deploy and manage software, Windows Server 2012 uses the Windows Installer service. This

component automates the installation and removal of applications by applying a set of centrally defined setup rules during the

installation process. The Windows Installer service installs the Microsoft Installer (MSI) package files. MSI files contain a database

that stores all the instructions required to install the application. Small applications may be entirely stored as MSI files, whereas

other larger applications will have many associated source files that the MSI references. Many software vendors provide MSI files

for their applications.

The Windows Installer service has the following characteristics:

• This service runs with elevated privileges, so that software can be installed by the Windows Installer service, no matter which

user is logged onto the system. Users only require read access to the software distribution point.

• Applications are resilient. If an application becomes corrupted, the installer will detect and reinstall or repair the application.

• Windows Installer cannot install .exe files. To distribute a software package that installs with an .exe file, the .exe file must be

converted to an .msi file by using a third-party utility.

Question: Do users need administrative rights to install applications manually that have MSI files?

Question: What are some disadvantages of deploying software through Group Policy?

Assigning and Publishing Software



There are two deployment types available for delivering software to clients. Administrators can either install software for users or

computers in advance by assigning the software, or give users the option to install the software when they require it by

publishing the software in AD DS. Both user and computer configuration sections of a GPO have a Software Settings section. You

can add software to a GPO by adding a new package to the Software Installation node, and then specifying whether to assign or

publish it.

You also can choose advanced deployment of a package. Use this option to apply a customization file to a package for custom

deployment. For example, if you use the Office Customization tool to create a setup customization file to deploy Microsoft Office

2010.

Assigning Software

Assigning software has the following characteristics:

• When you assign software to a user, the user’s Start menu advertises the software when the user logs on. Installation does not

begin until the user double-clicks the application's icon or a file that is associated with the application.

• Users do not share deployed applications. When you assign software to a user, an application that you install for one user

through Group Policy will not be available to other users.

• When you assign an application to a computer, the application is installed the next time that the computer starts. The

application will be available to all users of the computer.

Publishing Software

Publishing software has the following characteristics:

• The Programs shortcut in Control Panel advertises a published program to the user. Users can install the application by using

the Programs applet, or you can set it up so that document activation installs the application.

• Applications that users do not have permission to install are not advertised to them.

• Applications cannot be published to computers.

Note: When configuring Group Policy to deploy applications, they must be mapped to UNC paths. If you use localpaths, the deployment will fail.

Managing Software Upgrades by Using Group Policy



Software vendors occasionally release software updates. These usually address minor issues, such as an update or feature

enhancements, which do not warrant a complete application reinstallation. Microsoft releases some software patches as .MSP

files.

Major upgrades that provide new functionality require an upgrading of a software package to a newer version. You can use the

Upgrades tab to upgrade a package by using the GPO. When you perform upgrades by using Group Policy, you’ll notice the

following characteristics:

• You may redeploy a package if the original Windows Installer file has been modified.

• Upgrades will often remove the old version of an application and install a newer version, usually maintaining application

settings.

• You can remove software packages if they were delivered originally by using Group Policy. This is useful if a line-of-business

(LOB) application is being replaced with a different application. Removal can be mandatory or optional.


Scenario

A. Datum Corporation is a global engineering and manufacturing company with its head office in London, U.K. An IT office and a

data center are located in London to support the London head office and other locations. A. Datum has recently deployed a

Windows Server 2012 server and client infrastructure.

A. Datum has just opened up a new branch office. Users in this office require an automated method for mapping drives to shared

server resources and you decide to use Group Policy preferences. Furthermore, you have been asked to create a shortcut to the

Notepad application for all users that belong to the IT security group. To help minimize profile sizes, you have been asked to

configure folder redirection to redirect several profile folders to each user’s home drive.

Objectives


• Implement settings by using Group Policy preferences.

• Configure folder redirection.



Lab Setup



20411B-LON-CL1


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:







o Domain: Adatum

5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-CL1.

Exercise 1: Implementing Settings by Using Group Policy Preferences

Scenario

A. Datum has been using logon scripts to provide users with drive mappings to file shares. The maintenance of these scripts is an

ongoing problem because they are large and complex. Your manager has asked you to implement the drive mappings by using

Group Policy preferences so that logon scripts can be removed. You also have been asked to place a shortcut to the Notepad

application for all users that belong to the IT security group.


1. Create the required logon script.

2. Create a new GPO, and link it to the Branch Office 1 organization unit (OU).

3. Edit the Default Domain Policy with the required Group Policy preferences.

4. Test the preferences.

Task 1: Create the required logon script



1. Sign in to LON-DC1 as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Open File Explorer and create a folder, and then share it with Specific people by using the following properties:

o Path: C:\Branch1

o Share name: Branch1

o Permissions: Everyone, Read/Write.

3. Launch Notepad, and then type the following command:

Net use S: \\LON-dc1\Branch1

4. Save the file to the desktop as BranchScript.bat.

5. On the desktop, copy the file to the Clipboard. You will paste the file into the appropriate folder later in the lab.

Task 2: Create a new GPO, and link it to the Branch Office 1 organization unit (OU)

1. On LON-DC1, open Active Directory Users and Computers, and then create an organizational unit (OU) in the

Adatum.com domain called Branch Office 1.

2. Move user Holly Dickson from the IT OU to the Branch Office 1 OU.

3. Move the LON-CL1 computer to the Branch Office 1 OU.


5. Create and link a new GPO named Branch1 to the Branch Office 1 organizational unit.

6. Open the Branch1 GPO for editing.

7. Edit the GPO to configure a user logon script.

8. Paste the BranchScript.bat script into the Netlogon share.

9. Add the BranchScript.bat script to the logon scripts GPO setting.

Task 3: Edit the Default Domain Policy with the required Group Policy preferences

1. On LON-DC1, open the Default Domain Policy for editing.

2. Navigate to User Configuration\Preferences\Windows Settings\Shortcuts.

3. Create a new shortcut to the Notepad.exe program:

o Name: Notepad

o Action: Create

o Location: Desktop

o Target path: C:\Windows\notepad.exe



4. Target the preference for members of the IT security group.


Task 4: Test the preferences

1. Switch to LON-CL1 and restart the computer.

2. Sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

3. Open the Command Prompt window, and then use the gpupdate /force command to refresh the Group Policy.


5. Sign in as Adatum\Holly with the password Pa$$w0rd.

6. Verify that a drive is mapped to \\LON-DC1\Branch1.

7. Verify that the shortcut to Notepad is on Holly’s desktop.

8. If the shortcut does not appear, repeat steps 2 through 5.


Results: After this exercise, you should have created the required scripts and preference settings successfully, and thenassigned them by using GPOs.

Exercise 2: Configuring Folder Redirection

Scenario

In order to help minimize profile sizes, you have been asked to configure folder redirection for the branch office users to redirect

several profile folders to each user’s home drive.


1. Create a shared folder to store the redirected folders.

2. Create a new GPO and link it to the branch office OU.

3. Edit the folder redirection settings in the policy.

4. Test the folder redirection settings.

Task 1: Create a shared folder to store the redirected folders

• On LON-DC1, open File Explorer and then create a folder and share it with Specific people by using the following properties:

o Path: C:\Branch1\Redirect



o Share name: Branch1Redirect

o Permissions: Everyone, Read/Write

Task 2: Create a new GPO and link it to the branch office OU

• On LON-DC1, open Group Policy Management and then create and link a new GPO named Folder Redirection to the Branch

Office 1 OU.

Task 3: Edit the folder redirection settings in the policy

1. Open the Folder Redirection GPO for editing.

2. Under User Configuration, browse to Folder Redirection and then configure the Documents folder properties to use the

Basic-Redirect everyone’s folder to the same location setting.

3. Ensure that the Target folder location is set to Create a folder for each user under the root path.

4. Specify the root path as \\LON-DC1\Branch1Redirect.


Task 4: Test the folder redirection settings



3. Open the Command Prompt window, and use the gpupdate /force command to refresh the Group Policy.

4. Sign out and then sign in as Adatum\Holly with the password Pa$$word.

5. Browse to the desktop.

6. Right-click the desktop and use the Personalize menu to enable User’s Files on the desktop.

7. From the Desktop, open the Holly Dickson folder.

8. Right-click My Documents, and then click Properties.

9. In the My Document Properties dialog box, note that the location of the folder is now the network share in a subfolder

named for the user.

10. If the folder redirection is not evident, sign out, and then sign in as Adatum\Holly with the password Pa$$word. Repeat

steps 7 to 9.


Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully configured folder redirection to a shared folder on the LON-DC1server.








4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 20411B-LON-CL1.


Best Practices Related to Group Policy Management

• Include comments on GPO settings

• Use a central store for Administrative Templates when having clients with Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows 8

• Use Group Policy preferences to configure settings that are not available in the Group Policy set of settings

• Use Group Policy software installation to deploy packages in .msi format to a large number of users or computers



You have configured folder redirection for an OU, but none of the user’s

folders are being redirected to the network location. When you look in the

root folder, you observe that a subdirectory named for each user has been

created, but they are empty.

You have assigned an application to an OU. After multiple logons, users

report that no one has installed the application.

You have a mixture of Windows XP and Windows 8 computers. After

configuring several settings in the Administrative Templates of a GPO,

users with Windows XP operating system report that some settings are

being applied and others are not.

Group Policy preferences are not being applied.



Review Questions

Question: Why do some Group Policy settings take two logons before going into effect?

Question: How can you support Group Policy preferences on Windows XP?

Question: What is the benefit of having a central store?

Question: What is the main difference between Group Policy settings and Group Policy preferences?

Question: What is the difference between publishing and assigning software through Group Policy?

Question: Can you use Windows PowerShell scripts as startup scripts?

Lab Answer Key: Module 6: Managing User Desktops with Group Policy


Exercise 1: Implementing Settings by Using Group Policy Preferences

Task 1: Create the required logon script

1. Sign in to LON-DC1 as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. On the taskbar, click File Explorer.

3. In the navigation pane, click Computer.

4. In the details pane, double-click Local Disk (C:) , and then on the Home tab, click New folder.

5. Name the new folder Branch1.

6. Right-click the Branch1 folder, click Share with, and then click Specific people.

7. In the File Sharing dialog box, click the drop-down arrow and select Everyone, and then click Add.

8. For the Everyone group, click the Permission Level drop-down arrow, and then select Read/Write.

9. Click Share and then click Done.

10. Close the Local Disk (C:) window.

11. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower right of the display, and then click Start.

12. Type Notepad and then press Enter.

13. In Notepad, type Net use S: \\LON-DC1\Branch1.

14. Click the File menu, and then click Save.

15. In the Save As dialog box, in the File name box, type BranchScript.bat.

16. In the Save as type list, select All Files (*.*).

17. In the navigation pane, click Desktop, and then click Save.

18. Close Notepad.

19. On the desktop, right-click the BranchScript.bat file, and then click Copy. You will paste the file into the appropriate folder

later in the lab.

Task 2: Create a new GPO, and link it to the Branch Office 1 organization unit (OU)

1. On LON-DC1, pause your mouse pointer in the lower right of the display, and then click Start.

2. Click Administrative Tools.

3. In Administrative Tools, double-click Active Directory Users and Computers.

4. In Active Directory Users and Computers, click Adatum.com.

5. Right-click Adatum.com, point to New, and then click Organizational Unit.

6. In the New Object – Organizational Unit dialog box, in the Name box, type Branch Office 1, and then click OK.

7. In the navigation pane, click IT.

8. In the details pane, right-click Holly Dickson, and then click Move.

9. In the Move dialog box, click Branch Office 1, and then click OK.

10. In the navigation pane, click Computers.

11. In the details pane, right-click LON-CL1, and then click Move.

12. In the Move dialog box, click Branch Office 1, and then click OK.

13. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower right of the display, and then click Start.

14. Click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Group Policy Management.

15. Expand Forest: Adatum.com, expand Domains, and then expand Adatum.com.

16. Right-click Branch Office 1 and then click Create a GPO in this domain and link it here.

17. In the New GPO dialog box, in the Name box, type Branch1, and then click OK.

18. In the navigation pane, click Group Policy Objects.

19. Right-click the Branch1 GPO and then click Edit.

20. In the Group Policy Management Editor, under User Configuration expand Policies, expand Windows Settings, and then

click Scripts (Logon/Logoff).

21. In the details pane, double-click Logon.

22. In the Logon Properties dialog box, click Show Files.

23. In the details pane, right-click a blank area, and then click Paste.

24. Close the Logon window.

25. In the Logon Properties dialog box, click Add.

26. In the Add a Script dialog box, click Browse.

27. Click the BranchScript.bat script, and then click Open.

28. Click OK twice to close all dialog boxes.


Task 3: Edit the Default Domain Policy with the required Group Policy preferences

1. In Group Policy Management, click the Group Policy Objects folder, in the details pane, right-click the Default Domain

Policy, and then click Edit.

2. Expand User Configuration, expand Preferences, expand Windows Settings, right-click Shortcuts, point to New, and

then click Shortcut.

3. In the New Shortcut Properties dialog box, in the Action list, click Create.

4. In the Name box, type Notepad.

5. In the Location box, click the arrow, and then select Desktop.

6. In the Target path box, type C:\Windows\Notepad.exe.

7. On the Common tab, select the Item-level targeting check box, and then click Targeting.

8. In the Targeting Editor dialog box, click New Item, and then click Security Group.

9. In the lower part of the dialog box, click the ellipsis button.

10. In the Select Group dialog box, in the Enter the object name to select (examples) box, type IT, and then click OK.

11. Click OK twice.


Task 4: Test the preferences


2. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower right of the display, and then click Settings.

3. Click Power, and then click Restart.

4. When the computer has restarted, sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.



gpupdate /force


8. Sign in as Adatum\Holly with the password Pa$$word.

9. Click Desktop, and on the taskbar, click File Explorer.

10. Examine the navigation pane, and verify that you have a drive mapped to \\lon-dc1\Branch1.

11. Verify that the notepad shortcut is on Holly’s desktop.

12. If the shortcut does not appear, repeat steps 4 through 8.

13. Sign out LON-CL1.

Results: After this exercise, you should have created the required scripts and preference settings successfully, and thenassigned them by using GPOs.

Exercise 2: Configuring Folder Redirection

Task 1: Create a shared folder to store the redirected folders

1. On LON-DC1, on the taskbar, click File Explorer.

2. In the navigation pane, click Computer.

3. In the details pane, double-click Local Disk (C:) , and then on the Home tab, click New folder.

4. Name the new folder Branch1Redirect.

5. Right-click the Branch1Redirect folder, click Share with, and then click Specific people.

6. In the File Sharing dialog box, click the drop-down arrow, select Everyone, and then click Add.

7. For the Everyone group, click the Permission Level drop-down arrow, and then click Read/Write.

8. Click Share, and then click Done.

9. Close the Local Disk (C:) window.

Task 2: Create a new GPO and link it to the branch office OU

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, click Tools and then click Group Policy Management.

2. In Group Policy Management, expand Forest: Adatum.com, expand Domains, and then expand Adatum.com.

3. Right-click Branch Office 1, and then click Create a GPO in this domain and Link it here.

4. In the New GPO dialog box, in the Name box, type Folder Redirection, and then click OK.

Task 3: Edit the folder redirection settings in the policy

1. Expand Branch Office 1, right-click Folder Redirection, and then click Edit.

2. In the Group Policy Management Editor, under User Configuration, expand Policies, expand Windows Settings, and then

expand Folder Redirection.

3. Right-click Documents, and then click Properties.

4. In the Document Properties dialog box, on the Target tab, next to Setting, click the drop-down arrow, and then select

Basic – Redirect everyone’s folder to the same location.

5. Ensure the Target folder location box is set to Create a folder for each user under the root path.

6. In the Root Path box, type \\LON-DC1\Branch1Redirect, and then click OK.

7. In the Warning dialog box, click Yes.


Task 4: Test the folder redirection settings





gpupdate /force

5. Sign out and then sign in as Adatum\Holly with the password Pa$$word.

6. From Start, click Desktop.

7. Right-click the desktop, and then click Personalize.

8. In the navigation pane, click Change desktop icons.

9. In Desktop Icon Settings, select the User’s Files check box, and then click OK.

10. On the desktop, double-click Holly Dickson.

11. Right-click My Documents, and then click Properties.

12. In the My Document Properties dialog box, note that the location of the folder is now the network share in a subfolder

named for the user.

13. If the folder redirection is not evident, sign out, and then sign in as Adatum\Holly with the password Pa$$word. Repeat

steps 10 through 12.


Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully configured folder redirection to a shared folder on the LON-DC1server.






4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 20411B-LON-CL1.

5/21/13 Module 7: Configuring and Troubleshooting Remote Access


Module 7: Configuring and Troubleshooting Remote Access

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Configuring Network Access








Module Overview

Most organizations have users that work remotely, perhaps from home or maybe from customer sites. To facilitate and support

these remote connections, you must implement remote access technologies to support this distributed workforce. You must

become familiar with the technologies that enable remote users to connect to your organization’s network infrastructure. These

technologies include virtual private networks (VPNs), and DirectAccess, a feature of the Windows® 7 and Windows 8 operating

systems. It is important that you understand how to configure and secure your remote access clients by using network policies.

This module explores these remote access technologies.

Objectives


• Configure network access.

• Create and configure a VPN solution.

• Describe the role of network policies.

• Troubleshoot routing and remote access.

• Configure DirectAccess.

Lesson 1 : Configuring Network Access

Network Access in the Windows Server® 2012 operating system provides the required services that enable remote users to

connect to your network. To support the needs of both your organization and your remote users, it is important that you are able

to install and configure these Windows Server 2012 network access components successfully.












Lesson Objectives


• Describe the components of a Network Access Services infrastructure.

• Describe the Network Policy and Access Services role.

• Describe Routing and Remote access.

• Explain network access authentication and authorization.

• Explain the types of authentication methods that are used for network access.

• Describe a public key infrastructure (PKI).

• Explain how Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) servers are used with the Routing and Remote Access Service.

Components of a Network Access Services Infrastructure

The underlying infrastructure in a complete Network Access Services infrastructure in Windows Server 2012 typically includes the

following components:

• Virtual Private Network (VPN) Server. Provides remote access connectivity based on various VPN tunneling protocols over a

public network, such as the Internet.

• Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS). Services authentication requests from remote access client connection attempts.

• Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS). You can use digital certificates to provide for authentication in remote access

scenarios. By deploying AD CS, you can create a PKI in your organization to support the issue, management, and revocation of

certificates.

• DHCP Server. Supplies accepted inbound remote access connections with an IP configuration for network connectivity to the

corporate local area network (LAN).

• Network Policy Server (NPS). Provides authentication services for other network access components.

• Network Access Protection (NAP) components:

o NAP Health Policy Server. Evaluates system health against configured health policies that describe health requirements and

enforcement behaviors, such as requiring that connecting clients must be compliant before they gain access to the

network.



o Health Registration Authority (HRA). Obtains health certificates for clients that pass the health policy verification.

o Remediation Servers. Provide remediation services to those clients that do not meet the health requirements for the

corporate network. Remediation Servers are special servers on a limited network.

What Is the Network Policy and Access Services Role?

The Network Policy and Access Services role in Windows Server 2012 provides the following network connectivity solutions:

• Enforces health policies. Establishes and enforces health policies automatically, which can include software requirements,

security update requirements, and required computer configurations.

• Helps to secure wireless and wired access. When you deploy 802.1X wireless access points, secure wireless access provides

wireless users with a secure certificate or password-based authentication method that is simple to deploy. When you deploy

802.1X authenticating switches, they allow you to secure your wired network by ensuring that intranet users are authenticated

before they can connect to the network or obtain an IP address using DHCP.

• Centralizes network policy management with Remote Authentication Dial-in User Service (RADIUS) server and proxy. Rather

than configuring network access policy at each network access server (such as wireless access points, 802.1X authenticating

switches, VPN servers, and dial-up servers), you can create policies in a single location that specify all aspects of network

connection requests. These policies can include who is allowed to connect, when they can connect, and the level of security

that they must use to connect to your network.

Note: The Remote Access components are a separate server role in Windows Server 2012.

What Is the Remote Access Role?



The Remote Access role enables you to provide users with remote access to your organization’s network using one of the

following technologies:

• VPN Access. A VPN provides a point-to-point connection between components of a private network through a public

network, such as the Internet. Tunneling protocols enable a VPN client to establish and maintain a connection to a VPN

server’s listening virtual port. You also can connect branch offices to your network with VPN solutions, deploy full-featured

software routers on your network, and share Internet connections across the intranet.

• DirectAccess. DirectAccess enables seamless remote access to intranet resources without the user first establishing a VPN

connection. DirectAccess ensures seamless connectivity to the application infrastructure for both internal users and remote

users.

You can deploy the following technologies during the installation of the Remote Access role:

• DirectAccess and VPN Remote Access Service (RAS). Using DirectAccess and VPN RAS, you can enable and configure:

o DirectAccess solutions for your organization.

o VPN connections to provide end users with remote access to your organization’s network.

• Routing. This provides a full-featured software router and an open platform for routing and Internet working. It offers routing

services to businesses in LAN and wide area network (WAN) environments.

When you choose routing, Network Address Translation (NAT) is also installed. When you deploy NAT, the server that is

running Remote Access is configured to share an Internet connection with computers on a private network, and to translate

traffic between its public address and the private network. By using NAT, the computers on the private network gain some

measure of protection because the router on which you configure NAT does not forward traffic from the Internet into the

private network unless a private network client requests it or traffic is explicitly allowed.

When you deploy VPN and NAT, you configure the server that is running Remote Access to provide NAT for the private

network, and to accept VPN connections. Computers on the Internet will not be able to determine the IP addresses of

computers on the private network. However, VPN clients will be able to connect to computers on the private network as if they

were physically attached to the same network.

Network Authentication and Authorization



The distinction between authentication and authorization is important in understanding why connection attempts are accepted

or denied:

• Authentication is the verification of the connection attempt’s credentials. This process consists of sending the credentials from

the remote access client to the Remote Access server in either plaintext or encrypted form by using an authentication protocol.

• Authorization is the verification that the connection attempt is allowed. Authorization occurs after successful authentication.

For a connection attempt to be accepted, the connection attempt must be authenticated and authorized. It is possible for the

connection attempt to be authenticated by using valid credentials, but not authorized; in this case, the connection attempt is

denied.

If you configure a Remote Access server for Windows Authentication, the security features of Windows Server 2012 verify the

authentication credentials, while the user account’s dial-in properties and locally stored remote access policies authorize the

connection. If the connection attempt is both authenticated and authorized, then the connection attempt is accepted.

If you configure the Remote Access server for RADIUS authentication, the connection attempt’s credentials are passed to the

RADIUS server for authentication and authorization. If the connection attempt is both authenticated and authorized, the RADIUS

server sends an accept message back to the Remote Access server and the connection attempt is accepted. If the connection

attempt is either not authenticated or not authorized, the RADIUS server sends a reject message back to the Remote Access server

and the connection attempt is rejected.

Authentication Methods



The authentication of access clients is an important security concern. Authentication methods typically use an authentication

protocol that is negotiated during the connection establishment process. The following methods are supported by the Remote

Access role.

PAP

Password Authentication Protocol (PAP) uses plaintext passwords and is the least secure authentication protocol. It typically is

negotiated if the remote access client and Remote Access server cannot negotiate a more secure form of validation. PAP is

included in Microsoft Windows Server 2012 to support older client operating systems than support no other authentication

method.

CHAP

The Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP) is a challenge-response authentication protocol that uses the

industry-standard MD5 hashing scheme to encrypt the response. Various vendors of network access servers and clients use

CHAP. Because CHAP requires the use of a reversibly encrypted password, you should consider using another authentication

protocol, such as Microsoft® Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (MS-CHAP) version 2.

MS-CHAP V2

MS-CHAP v2 is a one-way, encrypted password, mutual-authentication process that works as follows:

1. The authenticator (the Remote Access server or the computer that is running NPS) sends a challenge to the remote access

client. The challenge consists of a session identifier and an arbitrary challenge string.

2. The remote access client sends a response that contains a one-way encryption of the received challenge string, the peer

challenge string, the session identifier, and the user password.

3. The authenticator checks the response from the client and sends back a response containing an indication of the success or

failure of the connection attempt and an authenticated response based on the sent challenge string, the peer challenge

string, the client’s encrypted response, and the user password.

4. The remote access client verifies the authentication response and, if correct, uses the connection. If the authentication

response is not correct, the remote access client terminates the connection.

EAP

With the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP), an arbitrary authentication mechanism authenticates a remote access

connection. The remote access client and the authenticator (either the Remote Access server or the RADIUS server) negotiate the

exact authentication scheme to be used. Routing and Remote Access includes support for EAP-Transport Level Security (EAP-

TLS) by default. You can plug in other EAP modules to the server that is running Routing and Remote Access to provide other

EAP methods.

Other Options

In addition to the previously mentioned authentication methods, there are two other options that you can enable when selecting

an authentication method:

• Unauthenticated Access. Strictly speaking, this is not an authentication method, but rather the lack of one. Unauthenticated

access allows remote systems to connect without authentication. This option should never be enabled in a production

environment, however, as it leaves your network at risk. Nonetheless, this option can sometimes be useful for troubleshooting



authentication issues in a test environment.

• Machine Certificate for Internet Key Exchange version 2 (IKEv2). Select this option if you wish to use VPN Reconnect.

What Is a PKI?

A PKI consists of several components that help you secure corporate communications and transactions, including those used in

remote access scenarios. There are many components that are required to work together to provide a complete PKI solution. The

PKI components in Windows Server 2012 are:

• Certification Authority (CA). CA issues and manages digital certificates for users, services, and computers. By deploying CA,

you establish the PKI in your organization.

• Digital certificates. Digital certificates are similar in function to an electronic passport. A digital certificate is used to prove the

identity of the user (or other entity). Digital certificates contain the electronic credentials that are associated with a public key

and a private key, which are used to authenticate users and other devices such as Web servers and mail servers. Digital

certificates also ensure that software or code is run from a trusted source. Digital certificates contain various fields, such as

Subject, Issuer, and Common Name. These fields are used to determine the specific use of the certificate. For example, a Web

server certificate might contain the Common Name field of web01.contoso.com, which would make that certificate valid only

for that web server. If an attempt were made to use that certificate on a web server named web02.contoso.com, the user of

that server would receive a warning.

• Certificate templates. This component describes the content and purpose of a digital certificate. When requesting a certificate

from an AD CS enterprise CA, the certificate requestor will, depending on his or her access rights, be able to select from a

variety of certificate types based on certificate templates, such as User and Code Signing. The certificate template saves users

from low-level, technical decisions about the type of certificate they need. In addition, they allow administrators to distinguish

who might request which certificates.

• CRLs and Online Responders.

o Certificate revocation lists (CRLs) are complete, digitally signed lists of certificates that have been revoked. These lists are

published periodically and can be retrieved and cached by clients, based on the configured lifetime of the CRL. The lists are

used to verify a certificate’s revocation status.

o Online Responders are part of the Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) role service in Windows Server 2008 and

Windows Server 2012. An Online Responder can receive a request to check for revocation of a certificate without requiring

the client to download the entire CRL. This speeds up certificate revocation checking, and reduces the network bandwidth.

It also increases scalability and fault tolerance by allowing for array configuration of Online Responders.



• Public key–based applications and services. This relates to applications or services that support public key encryption. In other

words, the application or services must be able to support public key implementations to gain the benefits from it.

• Certificate and CA management tools. Management tools provide command-line and GUI-based tools to:

o Configure CAs.

o Recover archived private keys.

o Import and export keys and certificates.

o Publish CA certificates and CRLs.

o Manage issued certificates.

• Authority information access (AIA) and CRL distribution points (CDPs). AIA points determine the location where CA certificates

can be found and validated, and CDP locations determine the points where certificate revocation lists can be found during

certificate validation process. Because CRLs can become large, (depending on the number of certificates issued and revoked

by a CA), you can also publish smaller, interim CRLs called delta CRLs. Delta CRLs contain only the certificates revoked since

the last regular CRL was published. This allows clients to retrieve the smaller delta CRLs and more quickly build a complete list

of revoked certificates. The use of delta CRLs also allows revocation data to be published more frequently, because the size of a

delta CRL means that it usually does not require as much time to transfer as a full CRL.

• Hardware security module (HSM). A hardware security module is an optional secure cryptographic hardware device that

accelerates cryptographic processing for managing digital keys. It is a high security, specialized storage that is connected to

the CA for managing the certificates. An HSM is typically attached to a computer physically. This is an optional add-on in your

PKI, and is most widely used in high security environments where there would be a significant impact if a key were

compromised.

Integrating DHCP with Routing and Remote Access

You can deploy the DHCP role with the Remote Access role, which provides remote access clients with a dynamically assigned IP

address during connection. When you use these services together on the same server, the information that is provided during

dynamic configuration is provided in a way that is different from typical DHCP configuration for LAN–based clients.

In LAN environments, DHCP clients negotiate and receive the following configuration information, based entirely on settings that

you configure in the DHCP console for the DHCP server:

• A leased IP address that is provided from an available address pool of an active scope on the DHCP server. The DHCP server



directly manages and distributes the address to the LAN-based DHCP client.

• Additional parameters and other configuration information that assigned DHCP options in the address lease provided. The

values and list of options correspond to option types that you configure and assign on the DHCP server.

When a Remote Access server provides dynamic configuration for remote access clients, it first performs the following steps:

1. When the server that is running Remote Access starts with the Use DHCP to assign remote TCP/IP addresses option, it

instructs the DHCP client to obtain 10 IP addresses from a DHCP server.

2. The Remote Access server uses the first of these 10 IP addresses that are obtained from the DHCP server for the Remote

Access server interface.

3. The remaining nine addresses are allocated to TCP/IP-based clients as they dial in to establish a session with the Remote

Access server.

IP addresses that are freed when remote access clients disconnect are reused. When all 10 IP addresses are used, the Remote

Access server obtains 10 more from a DHCP server. When the Routing and Remote Access service stops, all IP addresses that were

obtained through DHCP are released.

When the Remote Access server uses this type of proactive caching of DHCP address leases for dial-up clients, it records the

following information for each lease response that it obtains from the DHCP server:

• The IP address of the DHCP server.

• The client-leased IP address (for later distribution to the Routing and Remote Access client).

• The time at which the lease was obtained.

• The time at which the lease expires.

• The lease duration.

All other DHCP option information that the DHCP server returns—such as server, scope, or reservation options—is discarded.

When the client dials in to the server and requests an IP address (that is, when Server Assigned IP Address is selected), it uses a

cached DHCP lease to provide the dial-up client with dynamic IP address configuration.

When the IP address is provided to the dial-up client, the client is unaware that the IP address has been obtained through this

intermediate process between the DHCP server and the Remote Access server. The Remote Access server maintains the lease on

the client’s behalf. Therefore, the only information that the client receives from the DHCP server is the IP address.

In dial-up environments, DHCP clients negotiate and receive dynamic configuration using the following modified behavior:

• A leased IP address from the Routing and Remote Access server cache of DHCP scope addresses. The Routing and Remote

Access server obtains and renews its cached address pool with the DHCP server.

• If the DHCP server typically provides the additional parameters and other configuration information that currently is provided

through assigned DHCP options in the address lease, this information is returned to the Remote Access client based on TCP/IP

properties that are configured on the Remote Access server.



Note: DHCP servers that are running Windows Server 2012 provide a predefined user class—the Default Routing andRemote Access Class—for assigning options that are provided only to Routing and Remote Access clients. To assignthese options, you must create a DHCP policy with a condition of the User Class Equals Default Routing andRemote Access Class. Then, configure the required options.


To properly implement and support a VPN environment within your organization, it is important that you understand how to

select a suitable tunneling protocol, how to configure VPN authentication, and how to configure the Network Policy and Access

Services server role to support your chosen configuration.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe what a VPN connection is, and how it is used to connect remote network clients.

• Describe the tunneling protocols used for a VPN connection.

• Describe VPN Reconnect.

• Describe configuration requirements for a VPN connection.

• Explain how to configure VPN access.

• Describe additional tasks that you can be completed after configuring a VPN server.

• Describe the features in and benefits of the Connection Manager Administration Kit.

• Explain how to create a connection profile using the Connection Manager Administration Kit.

What Is a VPN Connection?

To emulate a point-to-point link, data is encapsulated (or wrapped) and prefixed with a header; this header provides routing

information that enables the data to traverse the shared or public network to reach its endpoint.



To emulate a private link, data is encrypted to ensure confidentiality. Packets that are intercepted on the shared or public network

are indecipherable without encryption keys. The link in which the private data is encapsulated and encrypted is known as a VPN

connection.

There are two types of VPN connections:

• Remote access

• Site-to-site

Remote Access VPN

Remote access VPN connections enable your users who are working offsite (for example, at home, at a customer site, or from a

public wireless access point) to access a server on your organization’s private network using the infrastructure that a public

network provides, such as the Internet. From the user’s perspective, the VPN is a point-to-point connection between the

computer, the VPN client, and your organization’s server. The exact infrastructure of the shared or public network is irrelevant

because it appears logically as if the data is sent over a dedicated private link.

Site-to-Site VPN

Site-to-site VPN connections, which are also known as router-to-router VPN connections, enable your organization to have

routed connections between separate offices (or with other organizations) over a public network while helping to maintain secure

communications. A routed VPN connection across the Internet logically operates as a dedicated WAN link. When networks

connect over the Internet, a router forwards packets to another router across a VPN connection. To the routers, the VPN

connection operates as a data-link layer link.

A site-to-site VPN connection connects two portions of a private network. The VPN server provides a routed connection to the

network to which the VPN server is attached. The calling router (the VPN client) authenticates itself to the answering router (the

VPN server), and for mutual authentication, the answering router authenticates itself to the calling router. In a site-to site VPN

connection, the packets sent from either router across the VPN connection typically do not originate at the routers.

Properties of VPN Connections

VPN connections that use the Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol with Internet Protocol

Security (L2TP/IPsec), and Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol (SSTP), have the following properties:

• Encapsulation. With VPN technology, private data is encapsulated with a header containing routing information that allows

the data to traverse the transit network.

• Authentication. Authentication for VPN connections takes the following three different forms:

o User-level authentication by using Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) authentication. To establish the VPN connection, the VPN

server authenticates the VPN client that is attempting the connection by using a PPP user-level authentication method, and

verifies that the VPN client has the appropriate authorization. If you use mutual authentication, the VPN client also

authenticates the VPN server, which provides protection against computers that are masquerading as VPN servers.

o Computer-level authentication by using Internet Key Exchange (IKE). To establish an IPsec security association, the VPN

client and the VPN server use the IKE protocol to exchange either computer certificates or a pre-shared key. In either case,

the VPN client and server authenticate each other at the computer level. We recommend computer-certificate

authentication because it is a much stronger authentication method. Computer-level authentication is only performed for



L2TP/IPsec connections.

o Data origin authentication and data integrity. To verify that the data sent on the VPN connection originated at the other end

of the connection and was not modified in transit, the data contains a cryptographic checksum based on an encryption key

known only to the sender and the receiver. Data origin authentication and data integrity are only available for L2TP/IPsec

connections.

• Data encryption. To ensure the confidentiality of data as it traverses the shared or public transit network, the sender encrypts

the data, and the receiver decrypts it. The encryption and decryption processes depend on the sender and the receiver both

using a common encryption key.

Packets that are intercepted in the transit network are unintelligible to anyone who does not have the common encryption key.

The encryption key’s length is an important security parameter. You can use computational techniques to determine the

encryption key. However, such techniques require more computing power and computational time as the encryption keys get

larger. Therefore, it is important to use the largest possible key size to ensure data confidentiality.

Tunneling Protocols for VPN Connections

PPTP, L2TP, and SSTP depend heavily on the features originally specified for PPP. PPP was designed to send data across dial-up

or dedicated point-to-point connections. For IP, PPP encapsulates IP packets within PPP frames, and then transmits the

encapsulated PPP packets across a point-to-point link. PPP was defined originally as the protocol to use between a dial-up client

and a network access server.

PPTP

PPTP enables you to encrypt and encapsulate in an IP header multi-protocol traffic that then is sent across an IP network or a

public IP network, such as the Internet. You can use PPTP for remote access and site-to-site VPN connections. When using the

Internet as the VPN public network, the PPTP server is a PPTP—enabled VPN server with one interface on the Internet, and a

second interface on the intranet.

• Encapsulation. PPTP encapsulates PPP frames in IP datagrams for network transmission. PPTP uses a Transmission Control

Protocol (TCP) connection for tunnel management, and a modified version of Generic Route Encapsulation (GRE) to

encapsulate PPP frames for tunneled data. Payloads of the encapsulated PPP frames can be encrypted, compressed, or both.

• Encryption. The PPP frame is encrypted with Microsoft Point-to-Point Encryption (MPPE) by using encryption keys that are

generated from the MS-CHAPv2 or EAP-TLS authentication process. VPN clients must use the MS-CHAPv2 or EAP-TLS

authentication protocol so that the payloads of PPP frames are encrypted. PPTP uses the underlying PPP encryption and

encapsulating a previously encrypted PPP frame.



L2TP

L2TP enables you to encrypt multi-protocol traffic to send over any medium that supports point-to-point datagram delivery,

such as IP or asynchronous transfer mode (ATM). L2TP is a combination of PPTP and Layer 2 Forwarding (L2F). L2TP represents

the best features of PPTP and L2F.

Unlike PPTP, the Microsoft implementation of L2TP does not use MPPE to encrypt PPP datagrams. L2TP relies on IPsec in

Transport Mode for encryption services. The combination of L2TP and IPsec is known as L2TP/IPsec.

To utilize L2TP/IPsec, both the VPN client and server must support L2TP and IPsec. Client support for L2TP is built in to the

Windows XP, Windows Vista®, Windows 7, and Windows 8 remote access clients. VPN server support for L2TP is built in to

members of the Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003 families.

• Encapsulation: Encapsulation for L2TP/IPsec packets consists of two layers, L2TP encapsulation, and IPsec encapsulation. L2TP

encapsulates and encrypts data in the following way:

o First layer. The first layer is the L2TP encapsulation. A PPP frame (an IP datagram) is wrapped with an L2TP header and a

User Datagram Protocol (UDP) header.

o Second layer. The second layer is the IPsec encapsulation. The resulting L2TP message is wrapped with an IPsec

encapsulating security payload (ESP) header and trailer, an IPsec Authentication trailer that provides message integrity and

authentication, and a final IP header. The IP header contains the source and destination IP address that corresponds to the

VPN client and server.

• Encryption: The L2TP message is encrypted with either Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or Triple Data Encryption

Standard (3DES) by using encryption keys that the IKE negotiation process generates.

SSTP

SSTP is a tunneling protocol that uses the HTTP/Secure (HTTPS) protocol over TCP port 443 to pass traffic through firewalls and

web proxies, which otherwise might block PPTP and L2TP/IPsec traffic. SSTP provides a mechanism to encapsulate PPP traffic

over the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) channel of the HTTPS protocol. The use of PPP allows support for strong authentication

methods, such as EAP-TLS. SSL provides transport-level security with enhanced key negotiation, encryption, and integrity

checking.

When a client tries to establish a SSTP-based VPN connection, SSTP first establishes a bidirectional HTTPS layer with the SSTP

server. Over this HTTPS layer, the protocol packets flow as the data payload using the following encapsulation and encryption

methods:

• Encapsulation. SSTP encapsulates PPP frames in IP datagrams for transmission over the network. SSTP uses a TCP connection

(over port 443) for tunnel management and as PPP data frames.

• Encryption. The SSTP message is encrypted with the SSL channel of the HTTPS protocol.

IKEv2

IKEv2 uses the IPsec Tunnel Mode protocol over UDP port 500. IKEv2 supports mobility making it a good protocol choice for a

mobile workforce. IKEv2-based VPNs enable users to move easily between wireless hotspots, or between wireless and wired

connections.



The use of IKEv2 and IPsec enables support for strong authentication and encryption methods.

• Encapsulation. IKEv2 encapsulates datagrams by using IPsec ESP or Authentication Header (AH) for transmission over the

network.

• Encryption. The message is encrypted with one of the following protocols by using encryption keys that are generated from

the IKEv2 negotiation process: AES 256, AES 192, AES 128, and 3DES encryption algorithms.

IKEv2 is supported only on computers that are running Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server

2012. IKEv2 is the default VPN tunneling protocol in Windows 7 and Windows 8.

What Is VPN Reconnect?

In dynamic business scenarios, users must be able to securely access data anytime, from anywhere, and access it continuously,

without interruption. For example, users might want to securely access data that is on the company’s server, from a branch office

or while on the road.

To meet this requirement, you can configure the VPN Reconnect feature that is available in Windows Server 2012, Windows

Server 2008 R2, Windows 8, and Windows 7. With this feature, users can access the company’s data by using a VPN connection,

which will reconnect automatically if connectivity is interrupted. VPN Reconnect also enables roaming between different

networks.

VPN Reconnect uses the IKEv2 technology to provide seamless and consistent VPN connectivity. Users who connect via a wireless

mobile broadband will benefit most from this capability. Consider a user with a laptop that is running Windows 8. When the user

travels to work in a train, he or she connects to the Internet with a wireless mobile broadband card, and then establishes a VPN

connection to the company’s network. When the train passes through a tunnel, the Internet connection is lost. After the train

emerges from the tunnel, the wireless mobile broadband card reconnects automatically to the Internet. With older versions of

Windows client and server operating systems, VPN did not reconnect automatically. Therefore, the user would have to repeat the

multistep process of connecting to the VPN manually. This was time-consuming and frustrating for mobile users with

intermittent connectivity.

With VPN Reconnect, Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8 re-establish active VPN connections automatically when Internet

connectivity is re-established. Even though the reconnection might take several seconds, users need not reinstate the connection

manually, or authenticate again to access internal network resources.

The system requirements for using the VPN Reconnect feature are as follows:



• Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012 as a VPN server.

• Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012 client.

• Public Key Infrastructure PKI, because a computer certificate is required for a remote connection with VPN Reconnect. You can

use certificates issued by either an internal or public CA.

Configuration Requirements

Before deploying your organization’s VPN solution, consider the following configuration requirements:

• Your VPN server requires two network interfaces. You must determine which network interface will connect to the Internet,

and which network interface will connect to your private network. During configuration, you will be asked to choose which

network interface connects to the Internet. If you specify the incorrect interface, your remote access VPN server will not

operate correctly.

• Determine whether remote clients receive IP addresses from a DHCP server on your private network or from the remote access

VPN server that you are configuring. If you have a DHCP server on your private network, the remote access VPN server can

lease 10 addresses at a time from the DHCP server, and then assign those addresses to remote clients. If you do not have a

DHCP server on your private network, the remote access VPN server can automatically generate and assign IP addresses to

remote clients. If you want the remote access VPN server to assign IP addresses from a range that you specify, you must

determine what that range should be.

• Determine whether you want connection requests from VPN clients to be authenticated by a RADIUS server or by the remote

access VPN server that you are configuring. Adding a RADIUS server is useful if you plan to install multiple remote access VPN

servers, wireless access points, or other RADIUS clients to your private network.

Note: To enable a RADIUS infrastructure, install the Network Policy and Access Services server role. The NPS can actas either a RADIUS proxy or a RADIUS server.

• Determine whether VPN clients can send DHCPINFORM messages to the DHCP server on your private network. If a DHCP

server is on the same subnet as your remote access VPN server, DHCPINFORM messages from VPN clients will be able to reach

the DHCP server after the VPN connection is established. If a DHCP server is on a different subnet from your remote access

VPN server, make sure that the router between subnets can relay DHCP messages between clients and the server. If your router

is running Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2012, you can configure the DHCP Relay Agent service on the router to

forward DHCPINFORM messages between subnets.



• Ensure that the person who is responsible for the deployment of your VPN solution has the necessary administrative group

memberships to install the server roles and configure the necessary services; membership of the local Administrators group is

required to perform these tasks.

Demonstration: How to Configure VPN Access


• Configure Remote Access as a VPN server.

• Configure a VPN client.

Demonstration Steps Configure Remote Access as a VPN server

1. Sign in to LON-RTR as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. On LON-RTR, open Server Manager, and add the Network Policy and Access Services role.


4. Open the Network Policy Server console.

5. Register the server in AD DS.

6. Leave the Network Policy Server window open.

7. Open Routing and Remote Access.

8. Disable the existing configuration.

9. Reconfigure LON-RTR as a VPN Server using the following settings:

o Local Area Connection 2 is the public interface.

o The VPN server allocates addresses from the pool: 172.16.0.100 - 172.16.0.111.

o The server is configured with the option No, use Routing and Remote Access to authenticate connection requests.

10. Start the VPN service.

Configure a VPN Client

1. Switch to LON-CL2, and sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password of Pa$$w0rd.

2. Create a new VPN connection with the following properties:

o Internet address to connect to: 10.10.0.1

o Destination name: Adatum VPN

o Allow other people to use this connection: true

3. Once you have created the VPN, modify its settings by viewing the properties of the connection, and then select the

Security tab to reconfigure the VPN using the following settings:



o Type of VPN: Point to Point Protocol (PPTP)

o Authentication: Allow these protocols =Microsoft CHAP Version 2 (MS-CHAP v2)

4. Test the VPN connection using the following credentials:

o User name: Adatum\administrator


5. Wait for the VPN connection to be made. Your connection is unsuccessful. You receive an error relating to authentication

issues.

Completing Additional Configuration Tasks

After you complete the steps to deploy and initially configure your Remote Access solution, your server is ready for use as a

remote access VPN server. However, the following are the additional tasks that you can also perform on your remote access/VPN

server:

• Configure static packet filters. Add static packet filters to better protect your network.

• Configure services and ports. Choose which services on the private network you want to make available for remote access

users.

• Adjust logging levels. Configure the level of event details that you want to log. You can decide which information you want to

track in log files.

• Configure the number of VPN ports. Add or remove VPN ports.

• Create a Connection Manager profile for users. Manage the client connection experience for users, and simplify configuration

and troubleshooting of client connections.

• Add (AD CS. Configure and manage a CA on a server for use in a PKI.

• Increase remote access security. Protect remote users and the private network by enforcing use of secure authentication

methods, requiring higher levels of data encryption, and more.

• Increase VPN security. Protect remote users and the private network by requiring use of secure tunneling protocols,

configuring account lockout, and more.

• Consider implementing VPN Reconnect. Consider adding VPN Reconnect to re-establish VPN connections automatically for

users who temporarily lose their Internet connections.



What Is the Connection Manager Administration Kit?

The Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK) allows you to customize users’ remote connection options by creating

predefined connections to remote servers and networks. The CMAK wizard creates an executable file, which you can then

distribute in many ways, or include during deployment activities as part of the operating system image.

Connection Manager is a client network connection tool that allows a user to connect to a remote network, such as an Internet

Service Provider (ISP) or a corporate network protected by a VPN server.

CMAK is a tool that you can use to customize the remote connection experience for users on your network by creating

predefined connections to remote servers and networks. You use the CMAK wizard to create and customize a connection for your

users.

CMAK is an optional component that is not installed by default. You must install CMAK to create connection profiles that your

users can install to access remote networks.

Distributing the Connection Profile

The CMAK wizard compiles the connection profile into a single executable file with an .exe file name extension. You can deliver

this file to users through any method that is available to you. Some methods to consider are:

• Include the connection profile as part of the image that is included with new computers.

You can install your connection profile as part of the client computer images that are installed on your organization’s new

computers.

• Deliver the connection profile on removable media for the user to install manually.

You can deliver the connection profile installation program on a CD/DVD, USB flash drive, or any other removable media that

you permit your users to access. Some removable media support autorun capabilities, which allow you to start the installation

automatically, when the user inserts the media into the client computer.

• Deliver the connection profile with automated software distribution tools.

Many organizations use a desktop management and software deployment tool such as Microsoft System Center Configuration

Manager (previously called Systems Management Server). Configuration Manager provides the ability to package and deploy

software that is intended for your client computers. The installation can be invisible to your users, and you can configure it to

report back to the management console whether the installation was successful or not.



Demonstration: How to Create a Connection Profile


• Install CMAK.

• Create a connection profile.

• Examine the profile.

Demonstration Steps Install CMAK

1. If necessary, on LON-CL2, sign in as Adatum\administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Open Control Panel, and turn on a new windows feature called RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK)

feature.

Create a connection profile

1. In Administrative Tools, open the Connection Manager Administration Kit.

2. Complete the Connection Manager Administration Kit Wizard to create the connection profile.

Examine the created profile

• Use Windows Explorer to examine the contents of the folder that you created with the Connection Manager Administration Kit

Wizard to create the connection profile. Normally, you would now distribute this profile to your users.


Network policies determine whether a connection attempt is successful. If the connection attempt is successful, then the network

policy also defines connection characteristics, such as day and time restrictions, session idle-disconnect times, and other settings.

Understanding how to configure network policies is essential if you are to successfully implement VPNs based on the Network

Policy and Access Services server role within your organization.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe what a network policy is.

• Describe network policy processing.

• Describe the process for creating a new network policy.

• Explain how to create a network policy for VPN connections.



What Is a Network Policy?

A network policy is a set of conditions, constraints, and settings that enable you to designate who is authorized to connect to the

network, and the circumstances under which they can or cannot connect. Additionally, when you deploy NAP, health policy is

added to the network policy configuration so that NPS performs client health checks during the authorization process.

You can view network policies as rules: each rule has a set of conditions and settings. NPS compares the rule’s conditions to the

properties of connection requests. If a match occurs between the rule and the connection request, then the settings that you

define in the rule are applied to the connection.

When you configure multiple network policies in NPS, they are an ordered set of rules. NPS checks each connection request

against the list’s first rule, then the second, and so on, until a match is found.

Note: Once a matching rule is determined, further rules are disregarded. Therefore, it is important that you order yournetwork policies appropriately, in order of importance.

Each network policy has a Policy State setting that allows you to enable or disable the policy. When you disable a network policy,

NPS does not evaluate the policy when authorizing connection requests.

Network Policy Properties

Each network policy has four categories of properties:

• Overview. Overview properties allow you to specify whether the policy is enabled, whether the policy grants or denies access,

and whether a specific network connection method or type of network access server is required for connection requests.

Overview properties also enable you to specify whether to ignore the dial-in properties of user accounts in AD DS. If you select

this option, NPS uses only the network policy’s settings to determine whether to authorize the connection.

• Conditions. These properties allow you to specify the conditions that the connection request must have to match the network

policy. If the conditions that are configured in the policy match the connection request, NPS applies the network policy

settings to the connection. For example, if you specify the network access server IPv4 address (NAS IPv4 Address) as a

condition of the network policy, and NPS receives a connection request from a NAS that has the specified IP address, the

condition in the policy matches the connection request.

• Constraints. Constraints are additional parameters of the network policy that are required to match the connection request. If

the connection request does not match a constraint, NPS rejects the request automatically. Unlike the NPS response to

unmatched conditions in the network policy, if a constraint is not matched, NPS does not evaluate additional network policies,



and the connection request is denied.

• Settings. The Settings properties allow you to specify the settings that NPS applies to the connection request, provided that all

of the policy’s network policy conditions are matched and the request is accepted.

When you add a new network policy using the NPS Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in, you must use the New

Network Policy Wizard. After you have created a network policy using the New Network Policy Wizard, you can customize the

policy by double-clicking it in NPS to obtain the policy properties.

Note: The default policies on the NPS block network access. After creating your own policies, you should change thepriority, disable, or remove these default policies.

Network Policy Processing

When NPS performs authorization of a connection request, it compares the request with each network policy in the ordered list

of policies, starting with the first policy and moving down the list. If NPS finds a policy in which the conditions match the

connection request, NPS uses the matching policy and the dial-in properties of the user account to perform authorization. If you

configure the dial-in properties of the user account to grant or control access through network policy, and the connection

request is authorized, NPS applies the settings that you configure in the network policy to the connection:

• If NPS does not find a network policy that matches the connection request, NPS rejects the connection unless the dial-in

properties on the user account are set to grant access.

• If the dial-in properties of the user account are set to deny access, NPS rejects the connection request.

Process for Creating and Configuring a Network Policy



NPS uses network policies and the dial-in properties of user accounts to determine whether to authorize a connection request to

your network. You can configure a new network policy in either the NPS MMC snap-in, or the Routing and Remote Access

Service MMC snap-in.

Creating Your Policy

When you use the New Network Policy Wizard to create a network policy, the value that you specify as the network connection

method is used automatically to configure the Policy Type condition. If you keep the default value of Unspecified, NPS evaluates

the network policy that you create for all network connection types through any type of network access server. If you specify a

network connection method, NPS evaluates the network policy only if the connection request originates from the type of

network access server that you specify.

For example, if you specify Remote Desktop Gateway, NPS evaluates the network policy only for connection requests that

originate from Remote Desktop Gateway servers.

On the Specify Access Permission page, you must select Access granted if you want the policy to allow users to connect to your

network. If you want the policy to prevent users from connecting to your network, select Access denied. If you want user

account dial-in properties in AD DS to determine access permission, you can select the Access is determined by User Dial-in

properties check box. This setting overrides the NPS policy.

Configuring Your Policy

Once you have created your network policy, you can use the network policy’s Properties dialog box to view or modify its

settings.

Network Policy Properties - Overview Tab

From the Overview tab of the network policy’s Properties dialog box, or while running the New Network Policy Wizard, you can

configure the following settings:

• Policy name. Type a friendly and meaningful name for the network policy.

• Policy State. Designate whether to enable the policy.

• Access Permission. Designate whether the policy grants or denies access. Also, specify whether NPS should ignore the dial-in

properties of user accounts in AD DS when using the policy to perform the connection attempt’s authorization.

• The network connection method to use for the connection request:



o Unspecified. If you select Unspecified, NPS evaluates the network policy for all connection requests that originate from any

type of network access server, and for any connection method.

o Remote Desktop Gateway. If you specify Remote Desktop Gateway, NPS evaluates the network policy for connection

requests that originate from servers that are running Remote Desktop Gateway.

o Remote Access Server (VPN-Dial-up). If you specify Remote Access Server (VPN-Dial-up), NPS evaluates the network

policy for connection requests that originate from a computer that is running Routing and Remote Access service

configured as a dial-up or VPN server. If another dial-up or VPN server is used, the server must support both the RADIUS

protocol and the authentication protocols that NPS provides for dial-up and VPN connections.

o DHCP Server. If you specify DHCP Server, NPS evaluates the network policy for connection requests that originate from

servers that are running DHCP.

o Health Registration Authority. If you specify Health Registration Authority, NPS evaluates the network policy for

connection requests that originate from servers that are running Health Registration Authority.

o HCAP server. If you specify HCAP server, NPS evaluates the network policy for connection requests that originate from

servers that are running HCAP.

Network Policy Properties - Conditions Tab

You must configure at least one condition for every network policy. You do this on the network policy’s Properties dialog box

Conditions tab. From this tab, NPS provides many condition groups, which allow you to define clearly the properties that the

connection request must have to match the policy.

The available condition groups from which you can select are:

• Groups. These specify user or computer groups that you configure in AD DS and to which you want the other rules of the

network policy to apply, when group members attempt to connect to the network.

• Host Credential Authorization Protocol (HCAP). These conditions are used only when you want to integrate your NPS NAP

solution with Cisco Network Admission Control. To use these conditions, you must deploy Cisco Network Admission Control

and NAP. You also must deploy a HCAP server that is running Internet Information Services (IIS) and NPS.

• Day and Time Restrictions. The Day and Time Restrictions condition allows you to specify, at a weekly interval, whether to

allow connections on a specific set of days and times.

• NAP. Settings include Identity Type, MS-Service Class, NAP-Capable Computers, Operating System, and Policy Expiration.

• Connection Properties. Settings include Access Client IPv4 Address, Access Client IPv6 Address, Authentication Type, Allowed

EAP Types, Framed Protocol, Service Type, and Tunnel Type.

• RADIUS Client Properties. Settings include Calling Station ID, Client Friendly Name, Client IPv4 Address, Client IPv6 Address,

Client Vendor, and MS RAS Vendor.

• Gateway. Settings include Called Station ID, NAS Identifier, NAS IPv4 Address, NAS IPv6 Address, and NAS Port Type.

Network Policy Properties - Constraints Tab

Constraints are optional additional network policy parameters that differ from network policy conditions in one substantial way:

when a condition does not match a connection request, NPS continues to evaluate other configured network policies to find a

match for the connection request. When a constraint does not match a connection request, NPS does not evaluate additional



network policies, but rejects the connection request and the user or computer is denied network access.

The following list describes the constraints that you can configure on the network policy’s Properties dialog box Constraints tab:

• Authentication Methods. Allows you to specify the authentication methods that are required for the connection request to

match the network policy.

• Idle Timeout. Allows you to specify the maximum time, in minutes, that the network access server can remain idle before the

connection disconnects.

• Session Timeout. Allows you to specify the maximum amount of time, in minutes, that a user can be connected to the network.

• Called Station ID. Allows you to specify the telephone number of the dial-up server that clients use to access the network.

• Day and time restrictions. Allows you to specify when users can connect to the network.

• NAS Port Type. Allows you to specify the access media types that are allowed for users to connect to the network.

Network Policy Properties - Settings Tab

If all of the conditions and constraints that you configure in the policy match the connection request’s properties, then NPS

applies to the connection the settings that you configure on the network policy’s Properties dialog box Settings tab. These

settings include:

• RADIUS Attributes. This setting allows you to define additional RADIUS attributes to send to the RADIUS server.

• NAP. This setting enables you to configure NAP–related settings, including whether connecting clients are granted full

network access, limited access, or are enabled for auto-remediation.

• Routing and Remote Access. This setting allows you to configure multilink and bandwidth allocation protocol settings, IP

filters, encryption settings, and other IP settings for the connections.

Demonstration: How to Create a Network Policy


• Create a VPN policy based on Windows Group condition.

• Test the VPN.

Demonstration Steps Create a VPN policy based on Windows Groups condition

1. On LON-RTR, switch to the Network Policy Server console.

2. Disable the two existing network policies. These would interfere with the processing of the policy you are about to create.

3. Create a new Network Policy using the following properties:

o Policy name: Adatum VPN Policy

o Type of network access server: Remote Access Server(VPN-Dial up)

o Condition: Windows Groups = Domain Admins



o Permission: Access granted

o Authentication methods: default

o Constraints: default

o Settings: default

Test the VPN


2. Test the Adatum VPN connection. Use the following credentials:

o User name: Adatum\administrator



Troubleshooting the Routing and Remote Access Service can be a time-consuming task. The issues might be varied and not

easily identifiable. Given that you might be using dial-up, dedicated, leased, or public-based networks to satisfy your remote

connectivity solution, you must perform troubleshooting in a methodical, systematic process.

In some cases, you can identify and resolve the problem quickly, while other cases might test your understanding of all the

available tools to help you determine the issue’s source and resolve it in a timely fashion.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe how to configure remote access logging.

• Describe how to configure remote access tracing.

• Explain how to resolve general VPN connectivity problems.

• Explain how to troubleshoot other common remote access issues.

Configuring Remote Access Logging



To configure remote-access logging, open the Routing and Remote Access console, right-click servername, and then click

Properties. Click the Logging tab to view the available options for, and the location of the tracing log.

Initially, it might be best to specify more logging options than you might necessarily need, rather than specifying too few

options. Once you determine the logging level that is most useful for troubleshooting your infrastructure, you can change the

options and/or level of logging at your discretion.

Four logging levels are available on the Logging tab, as described in the following table.

Dialogue box option Description

Log Errors Only Specifies that only errors are logged in the system log in Event Viewer.

Log Errors and Warnings Specifies that errors and warnings are both logged in the system log in Event Viewer.

Log all events Specifies that the maximum amount of information is logged in the system log in Event Viewer.

Do not log any events Specifies that no events are logged in the system log in Event Viewer.

The Log additional Routing and Remote Access information (used for debugging) check box enables you to specify whether

the events in the PPP connection-establishment process are written to the PPP.LOG file. This log file is stored in the

systemroot\Tracing folder (the default location).

Configuring Remote Access Tracing

The Remote Access service in Windows Server 2012 has an extensive tracing capability that you can use to troubleshoot complex

network problems. You can enable the components in Windows Server 2012 to log tracing information to files using the Netsh



command, or through the registry.

Enabling Tracing with the Netsh Command

You can use the Netsh command to enable and disable tracing for specified components or for all components. To enable and

disable tracing for a specific component, use the following syntax:

netsh ras set tracing component enabled|disabled

Where component is a component in the list of Routing and Remote Access service components found in the registry under

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing. For example, to enable tracing for the RASAUTH component, the

command is as follows:

netsh ras set tracing rasauth enabled

To enable tracing for all components, use the following command:

netsh ras set tracing * enabled

Enabling Tracing through the Registry

You also can configure tracing by changing settings in the registry under the following path:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Tracing

You can enable tracing for each Remote Access service component by setting the appropriate registry values. You can enable and

disable tracing for components while the Routing and Remote Access service is running. Each component is capable of tracing,

and appears as a subkey under the preceding Registry key.

To enable tracing for each component, you can configure the following registry entries for each protocol key:

EnableFileTracing REG_DWORD Flag

You can enable logging tracing information to a file by setting EnableFileTracing to 1. The default value is 0.

You can change the default location of the tracing files by setting FileDirectory to the path that you want. The log file’s file name

is the component name for which tracing is enabled. By default, log files are placed in the SystemRoot\Tracing folder.

FileDirectory REG_EXPAND_SZ Path



FileTracingMask determines how much tracing information is logged to the file. The default value is 0xFFFF0000.

FileTracingMask REG_DWORD LevelOfTracingInformationLogged

You can change the log file size by setting different values for MaxFileSize. The default value is 0x10000 (64K).

MaxFileSize REG_DWORD SizeOfLogFile

Note: Tracing consumes system resources, and you should use it sparingly to help identify network problems. Afteryou capture the trace or identify the problem, you should disable tracing immediately. Do not leave tracing enabled onmultiprocessor computers.

Tracing information can be complex and detailed. Therefore, typically only Microsoft support professionals or network

administrators who are experienced with the Routing and Remote Access service find this information useful.

You can save tracing information as files, and send it to Microsoft support for analysis.

Resolving General VPN Problems

To resolve general problems with establishing a remote access VPN connection, perform the following tasks:

• Use the ping command to verify that the host name is being resolved to its correct IP address. The ping itself might not be

successful due to packet filtering that is preventing the delivery of Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP) messages to and

from the VPN server.

• Verify that the credentials of the VPN client— which consist of user name, password, and domain name—are correct and that

the VPN server can validate them.

• Verify that the user account of the VPN client is not locked out, expired, disabled, or that the time that the connection is being

made does not correspond to the configured logon hours. If the password on the account has expired, verify that the remote

access VPN client is using MS-CHAP v2. MS-CHAP v2 is the only authentication protocol that Windows Server 2012 provides

that allows you to change an expired password during the connection process.

• Reset expired administrator-level account passwords by using another administrator-level account.



• Verify that the user account has not been locked out due to remote access account lockout.

• Verify that the Routing and Remote Access service is running on the VPN server.

• Verify that the VPN server is enabled for remote access from the VPN server Properties dialog box General tab.

• Verify that the WAN Miniport (PPTP) and WAN Miniport (L2TP) devices are enabled for inbound remote access from the

properties of the Ports object in the Routing and Remote Access snap-in.

• Verify that the VPN client, the VPN server, and the network policy that correspond to VPN connections are configured to use at

least one common authentication method.

• Verify that the VPN client and the network policy that correspond to VPN connections are configured to use at least one

common encryption strength.

• Verify that the connection’s parameters have permission through network policies.

Troubleshooting Other Issues

This topic lists other common issues that you might encounter when using Remote Access in Windows Server 2012.

Error 800: VPN Server is Unreachable

• Cause: PPTP/L2TP/SSTP packets from the VPN client cannot reach the VPN server.

• Solution: Ensure that the appropriate ports are open on the firewall.

o PPTP. For PPTP traffic, configure the network firewall to open TCP port 1723, and to forward IP protocol 47 for GRE traffic to

the VPN server.

o L2TP. For L2TP traffic, configure the network firewall to open UDP port 1701, and to allow IPsec ESP–formatted packets (IP

protocol 50).

o SSTP. For SSTP, enable TCP port 443.

Error 721: Remote Computer is Not Responding

• Cause: This issue can occur if the network firewall does not permit GRE traffic (IP protocol 47). PPTP uses GRE for tunneled

data.



• Solution: Configure the network firewall between the VPN client and the server to permit GRE. Additionally, make sure that the

network firewall permits TCP traffic on port 1723. Both of these conditions must be met to establish VPN connectivity by using

PPTP.

Note: The firewall might be on or in front of the VPN client, or in front of the VPN server.

Error 741/742: Encryption Mismatch Error

• Cause: These errors occur if the VPN client requests an invalid encryption level or if the VPN server does not support an

encryption type that the client requests.

• Solution: Check the properties on the Security tab of the VPN connection on the VPN client. If Require data encryption

(disconnect if none) is selected, clear the selection and retry the connection. If you are using NPS, check the encryption level

in the network policy in the NPS console, or check the policies on other RADIUS servers. Ensure that the encryption level that

the VPN client requested is selected on the VPN server.

L2TP/IPsec Authentication Issues

The following list describes the most common reasons that L2TP/IPsec connections fail:

• No certificate. By default, L2TP/IPsec connections require that, for IPsec peer authentication, an exchange of computer

certificates occur between the Remote Access server and Remote Access client. Check the Local Computer certificate stores of

both the Remote Access client and the Remote Access server that are using the Certificates snap-in to ensure that a suitable

certificate exists.

• Incorrect certificate. The VPN client must have a valid computer certificate installed, that was issued by a CA that follows a

valid certificate chain from the issuing CA to a root CA, and that the VPN server trusts. Additionally, the VPN server must have

a valid computer certificate installed that was issued by a CA that follows a valid certificate chain from the issuing CA to a root

CA, and that the VPN client trusts.

• A NAT device exists between the remote access client and Remote Access server. If there is a NAT between a Windows 2000

Server, Windows Server 2003, or Windows XP-based L2TP/IPsec client and a Windows Server 2008 L2TP/IPsec server, you

cannot establish an L2TP/IPsec connection unless the client and server support IPsec NAT traversal (NAT-T).

• A firewall exists between the Remote Access client and the Remote Access server. If there is a firewall between a Windows

L2TP/IPsec client and a Windows Server 2012 L2TP/IPsec server, and if you cannot establish an L2TP/IPsec connection, verify

that the firewall allows forwarding of L2TP/IPsec traffic.

EAP-TLS Authentication Issues

When you use EAP-TLS for authentication, the VPN client submits a user certificate and the authenticating server (the VPN server

or the RADIUS server) submits a computer certificate. To enable the authenticating server to validate the VPN client’s certificate,

the following must be true for each certificate in the certificate chain that the VPN client sends:

• The current date must be within the certificate’s validity dates. When certificates are issued, they are issued with a range of

valid dates, before which they cannot be used, and after which they are considered expired.



• The certificate has not been revoked. Issued certificates can be revoked at any time. Each issuing CA maintains a list of

certificates that are not considered valid, and publishes an up-to-date certificate revocation list CRL. By default, the

authenticating server checks all certificates in the VPN clients’ certificate chain (the series of certificates from the VPN client

certificate to the root CA) for revocation. If any of the chain’s certificates have been revoked, certificate validation fails.

• The certificate has a valid digital signature. CAs digitally sign certificates that they issue. The authenticating server verifies the

digital signature of each certificate in the chain (with the exception of the root CA certificate), by obtaining the public key from

the certificates’ issuing CA and mathematically validating the digital signature.

For the VPN client to validate the authenticating server’s certificate for either EAP-TLS authentication, the following must be

true for each certificate in the certificate chain that the authenticating server sends:

o The current date must be within the certificate’s validity dates.

o The certificate must have a valid digital signature.


Scenario

A. Datum Corporation is a global engineering and manufacturing company with a head office based in London, United Kingdom.

An IT office and a data center are located in London to support the London location and other locations. A. Datum has recently

deployed a Windows Server 2012 server and client infrastructure.

The management at A. Datum wants to implement a remote access solution for their employees so that the users can connect to

the corporate network while away from the office. You decide to deploy a pilot project that will enable users in the IT department

to connect using a VPN to the corporate intranet.

Objectives


1. Configure a VPN server.

2. Configure VPN clients.

Lab Setup

Virtual machines 20411B-LON-DC1

20411B-LON-RTR

20411B-LON-CL2


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:









5. Perform steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-RTR and 20411B-LON-CL2.

Exercise 1: Configuring a Virtual Private Network Server

Scenario

A. Datum Corporation wants to implement a Remote Access solution for its employees so they can connect to the corporate

network while away from the office. You are required to enable and configure the necessary server services to facilitate this

remote access. To support the VPN solution, you need to configure a Network Policy that reflects corporate remote connection

policy. For the pilot, only the IT security group should be able to use VPN. Required conditions include the need for a client

certificate, and connection hours are only allowed between Monday and Friday, at any time.


1. Configure server and client certificates.

2. Configure the Remote Access role.

3. Create a network policy for virtual private network (VPN) clients.

Task 1: Configure server and client certificates



3. Open Certification Authority.

4. From the Certificate Templates console, open the properties of the Computer certificate template.

5. On the Security tab, grant the Authenticated Users group the Allow Enroll permission.

6. Restart the Certification Authority.

7. Close Certification Authority.


9. Navigate to Forest: Adatum.com\Domains\Adatum.com.

10. Edit the Default Domain Policy.

11. Navigate to Computer Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Security Settings \Public Key Policies.



12. Create a new Automatic Certificate Request Settings for the Computer certificate template.

13. Close the Group Policy Management Editor and the Group Policy Management Console.

14. Switch to the LON-RTR computer.

15. Create a management console by running mmc.exe.

16. Add the Certificates snap-in with the focus on the local computer account.

17. Navigate to the Personal certificate store, and Request New Certificate.

18. On the Select Certificate Enrollment Policy page, click Active Directory Enrollment Policy, and then click Next.

19. Enroll the Computer certificate that is listed.

20. Close the console, and do not save the console settings.

21. Switch to the LON-CL2 computer, and sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

22. Open a command prompt, and run the gpupdate /force command to refresh the group policy settings.



25. Navigate to the Personal certificate store.

26. Verify that a certificate exists for LON-CL2 that has been issued by Adatum-LON-DC1-CA.


Task 2: Configure the Remote Access role

1. On LON-RTR, open Server Manager, and add the Network Policy and Access Services role.







8. Reconfigure LON-RTR as a VPN Server with the following settings:

a. Local Area Connection 2 is the public interface

b. The VPN server allocates addresses from the pool: 172.16.0.100 - 172.16.0.111

c. The server is configured with the option No, use Routing and Remote Access to authenticate connection requests.


Task 3: Create a network policy for virtual private network (VPN) clients



1. On LON-RTR, switch to the Network Policy Server console.

2. Disable the two existing network policies. These would interfere with the processing of the policy you are about to create.

3. Create a new Network Policy using the following properties:

a. Policy name: IT Pilot VPN Policy

b. Type of network access server: Remote Access Server (VPN-Dial up)

c. Condition: Windows Groups = IT

d. Permission: Access granted

e. Authentication methods: Microsoft Encrypted Authentication version 2 (MS-CHAP-v2)

f. Constraints: Day and time restrictions = All day Monday to Friday allowed.

g. Settings: default

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully deployed a VPN server, and configured access for members of the ITglobal security group.

Exercise 2: Configuring VPN Clients

Scenario

You must now provide a simple client solution so that users can install a preconfigured L2TP-based VPN connection, which

enables them to connect to the corporate network.


1. Configure and distribute a Connection Manager Administration Kit profile.

2. Verify client access.

3. To prepare for the next lab.

Task 1: Configure and distribute a Connection Manager Administration Kit profile


2. From Control Panel, install the RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK) feature.

3. From Administrative Tools, open the Connection Manager Administration Kit.

4. Complete the Connection Manager Administration Kit Wizard using defaults except where stated below:

a. Select the Target Operating System page: Windows Vista or above

b. Create or Modify a Connection Manager profile page: New profile



c. Specify the Service Name and the File Name page:

▪ Service name: Adatum Pilot VPN

▪ File name: Adatum

d. Specify a Realm Name page: Do not add a realm name to the user name

e. Add Support for VPN Connections page:

▪ Phone book from this profile: enabled

▪ VPN server name or IP address: 10.10.0.1

f. Create or Modify a VPN Entry page: Edit the listed VPN entry. On the Security tab:

▪ VPN strategy: Only use Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP).

g. Add a Custom Phone Book page: Automatically download phone book updates deselected.

5. Open Windows Explorer and navigate to C:\Program Files\CMAK\Profiles \Windows Vista and above\Adatum.

6. Double-click Adatum.exe, and complete the Adatum Pilot VPN Wizard:

o Make this connection available for: All users

7. In the connection window, click Cancel.

Task 2: Verify client access


2. Sign in as Adatum\April with the password of Pa$$w0rd.

3. Open Network Connections.

4. Test the Adatum Pilot VPN connection. Use the following credentials:

o User name: Adatum\April


To prepare for the next lab

• When you are finished the lab, revert all virtual machines back to their initial state.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully distributed a CMAK profile, and tested VPN access.


Organizations often rely on VPN connections to provide remote users with secure access to data and resources on the corporate



network. VPN connections are easy to configure and are supported by different clients. However, VPN connections must first be

initiated by the user, and could require additional configuration on the corporate firewall. In addition, VPN connections usually

enable remote access to the entire corporate network. Moreover, organizations cannot effectively manage remote computers

unless they are connected. To overcome such limitations in VPN connections, organizations can implement DirectAccess to

provide a seamless connection between the internal network and the remote computer on the Internet. With DirectAccess,

organizations can manage remote computers more effectively, because they are effectively considered part of the corporate

network.

Lesson Objectives


• Discuss complexities of typical VPN connections.

• Describe DirectAccess.

• Describe the components required to implement DirectAccess.

• Explain how to use the Name Resolution Policy Table.

• Explain how DirectAccess works for internally connected clients.

• Explain how DirectAccess works for externally connected clients.

• List the DirectAccess prerequisites.

• Explain how to configure DirectAccess.

Complexities of Managing VPNs

Many organizations rely on VPN connections to provide their users with secure remote access to resources on the internal

corporate network. These VPN connections must often be configured manually, which can present interoperability issues in

situations when the users are using multiple different VPN clients. Additionally, VPN connections can pose the following

problems:

• Users must initiate the VPN connections.

• The connections may require multiple steps to initiate, and the connection process can take several seconds or more.

• Firewalls can pose additional considerations. If not properly configured on the firewall, VPN connections may fail, or worse,

may inadvertently enable remote access to the entire corporate network.



• Troubleshooting failed VPN connections can often be a significant portion of Help Desk calls for many organizations.

• VPN connected computers are not easily managed. VPN–based remote client computers present a challenge to IT

professionals, because these computers might not connect to the internal network for weeks at a time, preventing them from

downloading Group Policy Objects (GPOs) and software updates.

Extending the Network to the Remotely-Connected Computers and Users

To overcome these limitations in traditional VPN connections, organizations can implement DirectAccess to provide a seamless

connection between the internal network and the remote computer on the Internet. With DirectAccess, organizations can more

easily manage remote computers, because they are always connected.

What Is DirectAccess?

The DirectAccess feature in Windows Server 2012 enables seamless remote access to intranet resources without first establishing a

user-initiated VPN connection. The DirectAccess feature also ensures seamless connectivity to the application infrastructure for

internal users and remote users.

Unlike traditional VPNs that require user intervention to initiate a connection to an intranet, DirectAccess enables any IPv6-

capable application on the client computer to have complete access to intranet resources. DirectAccess also enables you to

specify resources and client-side applications that are restricted for remote access.

Organizations can benefit from DirectAccess by providing a way in which IT staff can manage remote computers as they would

manage local computers. Using the same management and update servers, you can ensure that remote computers are always

up-to-date and in compliance with your security and system health policies. You can also define more detailed access control

policies for remote access when compared with defining access control policies in VPN solutions.

DirectAccess offers the following features:

• Connects automatically to the corporate intranet when connected to the Internet.

• Uses various protocols, including HTTPS, to establish IPv6 connectivity—HTTPS is typically allowed through firewalls and

proxy servers.

• Supports selected server access and end-to-end IPsec authentication with intranet network servers.

• Supports end-to-end authentication and encryption with intranet network servers.



• Supports management of remote client computers.

• Allows remote users to connect directly to intranet servers.

DirectAccess also provides the following benefits:

• Always-on connectivity. Whenever the user connects the client computer to the Internet, the client computer is also

connected to the intranet. This connectivity enables remote client computers to access and update applications more easily. It

also makes intranet resources always available, and enables users to connect to the corporate intranet from anywhere and

anytime, thereby improving their productivity and performance.

• Seamless connectivity. DirectAccess provides a consistent connectivity experience, regardless of whether the client computer is

local or remote. This allows users to focus more on productivity and less on connectivity options and process. This consistency

can reduce training costs for users, with fewer support incidents.

• Bidirectional access. You can configure DirectAccess in a way that the DirectAccess clients have access to intranet resources

and you can also have access from the intranet to those DirectAccess clients. Therefore, DirectAccess can be bidirectional. This

ensures that the client computers are always updated with recent security updates, the domain Group Policy is enforced, and

there is no difference whether the users are on the corporate intranet or on the public network. This bidirectional access also

results in:

o Decreased update time

o Increased security

o Decreased update miss rate

o Improved compliance monitoring

• Manage-out Support. The Manage-out Support feature is new in Windows Server 2012, and it provides the ability to enable

only remote management functionality in the DirectAccess client. This new sub-option of the DirectAccess client

configuration wizard automates the deployment of policies that are used for managing the client computer. Manage-out

support does not implement any policy options that allow users to connect to the network for file or application access.

Manage-out support is unidirectional, and provides incoming-only access for administration purposes only.

• Improved security. Unlike traditional VPNs, DirectAccess offers many levels of access control to network resources. This tighter

control allows security architects to precisely control remote users who access specified resources. You can use a granular

policy to specifically define which user can use DirectAccess, and the location from which the user can access it. IPsec

encryption is used for protecting DirectAccess traffic so that users can ensure that their communication is safe.

• Integrated solution. DirectAccess fully integrates with Server and Domain Isolation and NAP solutions, resulting in the seamless

integration of security, access, and health requirement policies between the intranet and remote computers.

Components of DirectAccess



To deploy and configure DirectAccess, your organization must support the following infrastructure components:

• DirectAccess server

• DirectAccess clients

• Network location server

• Internal resources

• AD DS domain

• Group Policy

• PKI (Optional for the internal network)

• Domain Name System (DNS) server

• NAP server

DirectAccess Server

The DirectAccess server can be any Windows Server 2012 server that you join to a domain, and which accepts connections from

DirectAccess clients and establishes communication with intranet resources. This server provides authentication services for

DirectAccess clients, and acts as an IPsec tunnel mode endpoint for external traffic. The new Remote Access server role allows

centralized administration, configuration, and monitoring for both DirectAccess and VPN connectivity.

Compared with previous implementation in Windows Server 2008 R2, the new DirectAccess Wizard-based setup simplifies

DirectAccess management for small and medium organizations. The wizard does this by removing the need for full PKI

deployment and removing the requirement for two consecutive public IPv4 addresses for the physical adapter that is connected

to the Internet. In Windows Server 2012, the DirectAccess setup wizard detects the actual implementation state of the

DirectAccess server, and selects the best deployment automatically. This hides the complexity of manually configuring IPv6

transition technologies from the administrator.

DirectAccess Clients

DirectAccess clients can be any domain-joined computer that is running Windows 8 Enterprise, Windows 7 Enterprise, or

Windows 7 Ultimate.

Note: With off-premise provisioning, you can join a Windows 8 Enterprise client computer in a domain without



connecting the client computer in your internal premises.

The DirectAccess client computer connects to the DirectAccess server by using IPv6 and IPsec. If a native IPv6 network is not

available, then the client establishes an IPv6-over-IPv4 tunnel by using 6to4 or Teredo. Note that the user does not have to be

logged on to the computer for this step to complete.

If a firewall or proxy server prevents the client computer that is using 6to4 or Teredo from connecting to the DirectAccess server,

the client computer automatically attempts to connect by using the IP-HTTPS protocol, which uses a SSL connection to ensure

connectivity. The client has access to the Name Resolution Policy Table (NRPT) rules and Connection Security tunnel rules.

Network Location Server

DirectAccess clients use the network location server (NLS) to determine their location. If the client computer can connect with

HTTPS, then the client computer assumes it is on the intranet and disables DirectAccess components. If the NLS is not

contactable, the client assumes it is on the Internet. The NLS server is installed with the web server role.

Note: The URL for the NLS is distributed by using GPO.

Internal Resources

You can configure any IPv6–capable application that is running on internal servers or client computers to be available for

DirectAccess clients. For older applications and servers, including those that are not based on Windows operating systems and

have no IPv6 support, Windows Server 2012 now includes native support for protocol translation (NAT64) and name resolution

(DNS64) gateway to convert IPv6 communication from DirectAccess client to IPv4 for the internal servers.

Note: As in the past, this functionality can also be achieved with Microsoft Forefront® Unified Access Gateway.Likewise, as in past versions, these translation services do not support sessions initiated by internal devices, onlyrequests originating from IPv6 DirectAccess clients.

Active Directory Domain

You must deploy at least one Active Directory domain, running at a minimum Windows Server 2003 domain functional level.

Windows Server 2012 DirectAccess provides integrated multiple domain support, which allows client computers from different

domains to access resources that may be located in different trusted domains.

Group Policy

Group Policy is required for the centralized administration and deployment of DirectAccess settings. The DirectAccess Setup

Wizard creates a set of GPOs, and settings for DirectAccess clients, the DirectAccess server, and selected servers.

PKI

PKI deployment is optional for simplified configuration and management. DirectAccess in Windows Server 2012 enables client

authentication requests to be sent over a HTTPS–based Kerberos proxy service that is running on the DirectAccess server. This

eliminates the need for establishing a second IPsec tunnel between clients and domain controllers. The Kerberos proxy will send

Kerberos requests to domain controllers on behalf of the client.



However, for a full DirectAccess configuration that allows NAP integration, two-factor authentication, and force tunneling, you

still need to implement certificates for authentication for every client that will participate in DirectAccess communication.

DNS Server

When using ISATAP, you must use at least Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2) or newer, or a non-

Microsoft DNS server that supports DNS message exchanges over ISATAP.

NAP Servers

NAP is an optional component of the DirectAccess solution that allows you to provide compliance checking and enforce security

policy for DirectAccess clients over the Internet. DirectAccess in Windows Server 2012 provides the ability to configure NAP health

check directly from the setup user interface, instead of manually editing the GPO as is required with DirectAccess in Windows

Server 2008 R2.

What Is the Name Resolution Policy Table?

To separate Internet traffic from intranet traffic in DirectAccess, both Windows Server 2012 and Windows 8 include the NRPT.

NRPT is a feature that allows DNS servers to be defined per DNS namespace, rather than per interface.

The NRPT stores a list of rules. Each rule defines a DNS namespace and configuration settings that describe the DNS client’s

behavior for that namespace.

When a DirectAccess client is on the Internet, each name query request is compared against the namespace rules stored in the

NRPT.

• If a match is found, the request is processed according to the settings in the NRPT rule.

• If a name query request does not match a namespace listed in the NRPT, the request is sent to the DNS servers that are

configured in the TCP/IP settings for the specified network interface.

DNS settings are configured depending on the client location:

• For a remote client computer, the DNS servers are typically the Internet DNS servers that are configured through the ISP.

• For a DirectAccess client on the intranet, the DNS servers are typically the intranet DNS servers that are configured through

DHCP.



Single-label names, for example, http://internal, typically have configured DNS search suffixes appended to the name before they

are checked against the NRPT.

If no DNS search suffixes are configured, and if the single-label name does not match any other single-label name entry in the

NRPT, the request is sent to the DNS servers that are specified in the client’s TCP/IP settings.

Namespaces—for example, internal.adatum.com—are entered into the NRPT, followed by the DNS servers to which requests

matching that namespace should be directed. If an IP address is entered for the DNS server, all DNS requests are sent directly to

the DNS server over the DirectAccess connection; you need not specify any additional security for such configurations. However,

if a name is specified for the DNS server (such as dns.adatum.com) in the NRPT, the name must be publicly resolvable when the

client queries the DNS servers specified in its TCP/IP settings.

The NRPT allows DirectAccess clients to use intranet DNS servers for name resolution of internal resources, and Internet DNS for

name resolution of other resources. Dedicated DNS servers are not required for name resolution. DirectAccess is designed to

prevent the exposure of your intranet namespace to the Internet.

Some names need to be treated differently with regards to name resolution; these names should not be resolved by using

intranet DNS servers. To ensure that these names are resolved with the DNS servers specified in the client’s TCP/IP settings, you

must add them as NRPT exemptions.

NRPT is controlled through Group Policy. When the computer is configured to use NRPT, the name resolution mechanism uses

the following in order:

• The local name cache

• The hosts file

• NRPT

Then the name resolution mechanism finally sends the query to the DNS servers that are specified in the TCP/IP settings.

How DirectAccess Works for Internal Clients

An NLS is an internal network server that hosts an HTTPS-based URL. DirectAccess clients try to access a NLS URL to determine if

they are located on the intranet or on a public network. The DirectAccess server can also be the NLS. In some organizations where

DirectAccess is a business-critical service, the NLS should be highly available. Generally, the web server on the NLS does not have



to be dedicated to just supporting DirectAccess clients.

It is critical that the NLS be available from each company location, because the behavior of the DirectAccess client depends on

the response from the NLS. Branch locations may require a separate NLS at each branch location to ensure that the NLS remains

accessible even when there is a link failure between branches.

How DirectAccess Works for Internal Clients

The DirectAccess connection process happens automatically, without requiring user intervention. DirectAccess clients use the

following process to connect to intranet resources:

1. The DirectAccess client tries to resolve the Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN) of the NLS URL. Because the FQDN of the

NLS URL corresponds to an exemption rule in the NRPT, the DirectAccess client instead sends the DNS query to a locally

configured (intranet-based) DNS server. The intranet-based DNS server resolves the name.

2. The DirectAccess client accesses the HTTPS-based URL of the NLS, during which process it obtains the certificate of the NLS.

3. Based on the CRL distribution points field of the NLS certificate, the DirectAccess client checks the CRL revocation files in

the CRL distribution point to determine if the NLS certificate has been revoked.

4. Based on an HTTP response code 200 in the response DirectAccess client determines the success of the NLS URL (successful

access and certificate authentication and revocation check). The DirectAccess client switches to domain firewall profile and

ignores the DirectAccess policies and assumes it is in internal network until next network change happens.

5. The DirectAccess client computer attempts to locate and sign in to the AD DS domain by using its computer account.

Because the client no longer references any DirectAccess rules in the NRPT for the rest of the connected session, all DNS

queries are sent through interface-configured (intranet-based) DNS servers. With the combination of network location

detection and computer domain logon, the DirectAccess client configures itself for normal intranet access.

6. Based on the computer’s successful logon to the domain, the DirectAccess client assigns the domain (firewall network)

profile to the attached network.

By design, the DirectAccess Connection Security tunnel rules are scoped for the public and private firewall profiles, and they are

disabled from the list of active connection security rules.

The DirectAccess client has successfully determined that it is connected to its intranet, and does not use DirectAccess settings

(NRPT rules or Connection Security tunnel rules). The DirectAccess client can now access intranet resources normally. It can also

access Internet resources through normal means, such as a proxy server.

How DirectAccess Works for External Clients



When a DirectAccess client starts, the DirectAccess client tries to reach the URL address specified for NLS, and assumes that it is

not connected to the intranet because it cannot communicate with NLS. Instead, the DirectAccess client starts to use NRPT and

connection security rules. The NRPT has DirectAccess–based rules for name resolution, and connection security rules define

DirectAccess IPsec tunnels for communication with intranet resources. Internet-connected DirectAccess clients use the following

high-level steps to connect to intranet resources:

• The DirectAccess client first attempts to access the NLS.

• Then, the client attempts to locate a domain controller.

• Finally, the client attempts to access intranet resources, and then Internet resources.

DirectAccess Client Attempts to Access the Network Location Server

The DirectAccess client attempts to access the NLS as follows:

1. The client tries to resolve the FQDN of the NLS URL. Because the FQDN of the NLS URL corresponds to an exemption rule in

the NRPT, the DirectAccess client does not send the DNS query to a locally configured (Internet-based) DNS server. An

external Internet-based DNS server would not be able to resolve the name.

2. The DirectAccess client processes the name resolution request as defined in the DirectAccess exemption rules in the NRPT.

3. Because the NLS is not found on the same network on which the DirectAccess client is currently located, the DirectAccess

client applies a public or private firewall network profile to the attached network.

4. The Connection Security tunnel rules for DirectAccess, scoped for the public and private profiles, provide the public or

private firewall network profile.

The DirectAccess client uses a combination of NRPT rules and connection security rules to locate and access intranet resources

across the Internet through the DirectAccess server.

DirectAccess Client Attempts to Locate a Domain Controller

After determining its network location, the DirectAccess client attempts to locate and sign in to a domain controller. This process

creates an IPsec tunnel or infrastructure tunnel by using the IPsec tunnel mode and ESP to the DirectAccess server. The process is

as follows:

1. The DNS name for the domain controller matches the intranet namespace rule in the NRPT, which specifies the IPv6 address



of the intranet DNS server. The DNS client service constructs the DNS name query that is addressed to the IPv6 address of

the intranet DNS server, and then forwards it to the DirectAccess client’s TCP/IP stack for sending.

2. Before sending the packet, the TCP/IP stack checks to determine if there are Windows Firewall outgoing rules or connection

security rules for the packet.

3. Because the destination IPv6 address in the DNS name query matches a connection security rule that corresponds with the

infrastructure tunnel, the DirectAccess client uses Authenticated IP (AuthIP) and IPsec to negotiate and authenticate an

encrypted IPsec tunnel to the DirectAccess server. The DirectAccess client (both the computer and the user) authenticates

itself with its installed computer certificate and its Microsoft Windows NT® LAN Manager (NTLM) credentials, respectively.

Note: AuthIP enhances authentication in IPsec by adding support for user-based authentication with Kerberos v5or SSL certificates. AuthIP also supports efficient protocol negotiation and usage of multiple sets of credentials forauthentication.

4. The DirectAccess client sends the DNS name query through the IPsec infrastructure tunnel to the DirectAccess server.

5. The DirectAccess server forwards the DNS name query to the intranet DNS server. The DNS name query response is sent

back to the DirectAccess server, and then back through the IPsec infrastructure tunnel to the DirectAccess client.

Subsequent domain logon traffic goes through the IPsec infrastructure tunnel. When the user on the DirectAccess client logs on,

the domain logon traffic goes through the IPsec infrastructure tunnel.

DirectAccess Client Attempts to Access Intranet Resources

The first time that the DirectAccess client sends traffic to an intranet location that is not on the list of destinations for the

infrastructure tunnel (such as an internal website), the following process occurs:

1. The application or process that attempts to communicate constructs a message or payload, and then hands it off to the

TCP/IP stack for sending.



3. Because the destination IPv6 address matches the connection security rule that corresponds with the intranet tunnel (which

specifies the IPv6 address space of the entire intranet), the DirectAccess client uses AuthIP and IPsec to negotiate and

authenticate an additional IPsec tunnel to the DirectAccess server. The DirectAccess client authenticates itself with its

installed computer certificate and the user account’s Kerberos credentials.

4. The DirectAccess client sends the packet through the intranet tunnel to the DirectAccess server.

5. The DirectAccess server forwards the packet to the intranet resources. The response is sent back to the DirectAccess server

and back through the intranet tunnel to the DirectAccess client.

Any subsequent intranet access traffic that does not match an intranet destination in the infrastructure tunnel connection

security rule goes through the intranet tunnel.

DirectAccess Client Attempts To Access Internet Resources

When the user or a process on the DirectAccess client attempts to access an Internet resource (such as an Internet web server),



the following process occurs:

1. The DNS client service passes the DNS name for the Internet resource through the NRPT. There are no matches. The DNS

client service constructs the DNS name query that is addressed to the IP address of an interface-configured Internet DNS

server, and hands it off to the TCP/IP stack for sending.



3. Because the destination IP address in the DNS name query does not match the connection security rules for the tunnels to

the DirectAccess server, the DirectAccess client sends the DNS name query normally.

4. The Internet DNS server responds with the IP address of the Internet resource.

5. The user application or process constructs the first packet to send to the Internet resource. Before sending the packet, the

TCP/IP stack checks to determine if there are Windows Firewall outgoing rules or connection security rules for the packet.

6. Because the destination IP address in the DNS name query does not match the connection security rules for the tunnels to

the DirectAccess server, the DirectAccess client sends the packet normally.

Any subsequent Internet resource traffic that does not match a destination in either the infrastructure Internet tunnel or

connection security rules is sent and received normally.

Like the connection process, accessing the domain controller and intranet resources is also a very similar process, because both

of these processes are using NRPT tables to locate appropriate DNS server to resolve the name queries. The difference is the IPsec

tunnel that is established between the client and DirectAccess server. When accessing the domain controller, all the DNS queries

are sent through the IPsec infrastructure tunnel, and when accessing intranet resources, a second IPsec (intranet) tunnel is

established.

Prerequisites for Implementing DirectAccess

Requirements for DirectAccess Server

To deploy DirectAccess, you need to ensure that your server meets the following hardware and network requirements:

• The server must be joined to an AD DS domain.

• The server must have Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system installed.

• The Windows Server 2012 that will be installed as the DirectAccess server can have a single network adapter installed, which is



connected to the intranet and published over Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) 2010 or Microsoft

Forefront Unified Access Gateway (UAG) 2010 for Internet connection. In the deployment scenario where DirectAccess is

installed on an Edge server, it needs to have two network adapters: one that is connected to the internal network, and one that

is connected to the external network. An edge server is any server that resides on the edge between two or more networks,

typically a private network and Internet.

• Implementation of DirectAccess in Windows Server 2012 does not require two consecutive static, public IPv4 addresses be

assigned to the network adapter.

• You can circumnavigate the need for an additional public address by deploying Windows Server 2012 DirectAccess behind a

NAT device, with support for a single or multiple interfaces. In this configuration, only IP over HTTPS (IP-HTTPS) is deployed,

which allows a secure IP tunnel to be established using a secure HTTP connection.

• On the DirectAccess server, you can install the Remote Access role to configure DirectAccess settings for the DirectAccess

server and clients, and to monitor the status of the DirectAccess server. The Remote Access Wizard provides you with the

option to configure only DirectAccess, only VPN, or both scenarios on the same server that is running Windows Server 2012.

This was not possible in Windows Server 2008 R2 deployment of DirectAccess.

• For Load Balancing Support, Windows Server 2012 has the ability to use NLB (up to 8 nodes) to achieve high availability and

scalability for both DirectAccess and RAS.

Requirements for DirectAccess Client

To deploy DirectAccess, you also need to ensure that the client computer meets certain requirements:

• The client computer should be joined to an Active Directory domain.

• With the new 2012 DirectAccess scenario you can offline provision Windows 8 client computers for domain membership

without requiring the computer to be on premises.

• The client computer can be loaded with Windows 8 Enterprise, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows Server

2012, or Windows Server 2008 R2. You cannot deploy DirectAccess on clients running Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, or

other older versions of the Windows operating systems.

Infrastructure Requirements

The following are the infrastructure requirements to deploy DirectAccess:

• AD DS. You must deploy at least one Active Directory domain. Workgroups are not supported.

• Group Policy. You need Group Policy for centralized administration and deployment of DirectAccess client settings. The

DirectAccess Setup Wizard creates a set of GPOs and settings for DirectAccess clients, DirectAccess servers, and management

servers.

• DNS and domain controller. You must have at least one domain controller and at least one DNS server running Windows

Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 SP2, or Windows Server 2008 R2.

• PKI. If you have only Windows 8 client computers, you do not need a PKI. Windows 7 client computers require a more complex

setup and therefore require a PKI.

• IPsec policies. DirectAccess utilizes IPsec policies that are configured and administered as part of Windows Firewall with

Advanced Security.



• ICMPv6 Echo Request traffic. You must create separate inbound and outbound rules that allow ICMPv6 Echo Request

messages. The inbound rule is required to allow ICMPv6 Echo Request messages, and must be scoped to all profiles. The

outbound rule to allow ICMPv6 Echo Request messages must be scoped to all profiles, and is only required if the Outbound

block is turned on. DirectAccess clients that use Teredo for IPv6 connectivity to the intranet use the ICMPv6 message when

establishing communication.

• IPv6 and transition technologies. IPv6 and the transition technologies must be available for use on the DirectAccess server. For

each DNS server that is running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2, you need to remove the ISATAP name from

the global query block list.

Configuring DirectAccess

To configure DirectAccess, perform the following steps:

1. Configure AD DS and DNS requirements:

o Create a security group in AD DS, and add all client computer accounts that will be accessing the intranet through

DirectAccess.

o Configure both internal and external DNS servers with appropriate host names and IP addresses.

2. Configure the PKI environment:

o Add and configure the Certificate Authority server role, create the certificate template and CRL distribution point,

publish the CRL list, and distribute the computer certificates. This is not needed if you launch the setup from the

Getting Started Wizard.

3. Configure the DirectAccess server:

o Install Windows Server 2012 on a server computer with one or two physical network adapters (depending on the

DirectAccess design scenario).

o Join the DirectAccess server to an Active Directory domain.

o Install the Remote Access role, and configure the DirectAccess server so that it is one of the following:

▪ The DirectAccess server is on the perimeter network with one network adapter that is connected to the perimeter

network, and at least one other network adapter that is connected to the intranet. In this deployment scenario, the

DirectAccess server is placed between a front-end firewall and back-end firewall.

▪ The DirectAccess server is published by using TMG, UAG, or other third-party firewalls. In this deployment



scenario, DirectAccess is placed behind a front-end firewall and it has one network adapter connected to internal

network.

▪ The DirectAccess server is installed on an edge server (typically front end firewall) with one network adapter that is

connected to the Internet, and at least one other network adapter that is connected to the intranet.

An alternative design is that the DirectAccess server has only one network interface, not two. For this design, perform the

following steps:

o Verify that the ports and protocols that are needed for DirectAccess and ICMP Echo Request are enabled in the firewall

exceptions and opened on the perimeter and Internet-facing firewalls.

o The DirectAccess server in simplified implementation can use a single public IP address in combination with Kerberos

Proxy services for client authentication against domain controllers. For two-factor authentication and integration with

NAP, you need to configure at least two consecutive public, static IPv4 addresses that are externally resolvable through

DNS. Ensure that you have an IPv4 address available, and that you have the ability to publish that address in your

externally-facing DNS server.

o If you have disabled IPv6 on clients and servers, you must re-enable IPv6, because it is required for DirectAccess.

o Install a web server on the DirectAccess server to enable DirectAccess clients to determine if they are inside or outside

the intranet. You can install this web server on a separate internal server for determining the network location.

o Based on the deployment scenario, you need to designate one of the server network adapters as the Internet-facing

interface (in deployment with two network adapters), or publish the DirectAccess server that is deployed behind NAT,

for Internet access.

o On the DirectAccess server, ensure that the Internet-facing interface is configured to be either a Public or a Private

interface, depending on your network design. Configure the intranet interfaces as domain interfaces. If you have more

than two interfaces, ensure that no more than two classification types are selected.

4. Configure the DirectAccess clients, and test intranet and Internet access:

o Verify that DirectAccess group policy has been applied, and certificates have been distributed to client computers.

o Test whether you can connect to the DirectAccess server from an intranet.

o Test whether you can connect to the DirectAccess server from the Internet.


Scenario

Because A. Datum Corporation has expanded, many of the employees are now frequently out of the office, either working from

home or traveling. A. Datum wants to implement a remote access solution for its employees so they can connect to the

corporate network while they are away from the office. Although the VPN solution that you implemented provides a high level of

security, business management is concerned about the complexity of the environment for end users. In addition, IT management

is concerned that they are not able to manage the remote clients effectively. To address these issues, A. Datum has decided to

implement DirectAccess on client computers that are running Windows 8.

As a senior network administrator, you are required to deploy and validate the DirectAccess deployment. You will configure the

DirectAccess environment, and validate that the client computers can connect to the internal network when operating remotely.



Objectives


• Configure the server infrastructure to deploy DirectAccess.

• Configure the DirectAccess clients.

• Validate the DirectAccess implementation.

Lab Setup


20411B-LON-SVR1

20411B-LON-RTR

20411B-LON-CL1


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:







5. Perform steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-SVR1 and 20411B-LON-RTR.

6. Do not start 20411B-LON-CL1 until directed to do so.

Exercise 1: Configuring the DirectAccess Infrastructure

Scenario

You decided to implement DirectAccess as a solution for remote client computers that are not able to connect through VPN. In

addition, you want to address management problems, such as GPO application for remote client computers. For this purpose,

you will configure the prerequisite components of DirectAccess, and configure the DirectAccess server.


1. Configure Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and Domain Name System (DNS).



2. Configure certificates.

3. Configure internal resources.

4. Configure the DirectAccess server.

Task 1: Configure Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and Domain Name System (DNS)

1. Create a security group for DirectAccess client computers by performing the following steps:

a. Switch to LON-DC1.

b. Open the Active Directory Users and Computers console, and create an Organizational Unit (OU) named DA_Clients

OU.

c. Within that OU, create a Global Security group named DA_Clients.

d. Modify the membership of the DA_Clients group to include LON-CL1.

e. Close Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. Configure firewall rules for ICMPv6 traffic by performing the following steps:

a. Open the Group Policy Management Console, and then open Default Domain Policy.

b. In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration \Policies\Windows Settings\Security

Settings\Windows Firewall with Advanced Security \Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.

c. Create a new inbound rule with the following settings:

▪ Rule Type: Custom

▪ Protocol type: ICMPv6

▪ Specific ICMP types: Echo Request

▪ Name: Inbound ICMPv6 Echo Requests

d. Create a new outbound rule with the following settings:

▪ Rule Type: Custom

▪ Protocol type: ICMPv6

▪ Specific ICMP types: Echo Request

▪ Action: Allow the connection

▪ Name: Outbound ICMPv6 Echo Requests

e. Close both the Group Policy Management Editor and the Group Policy Management Console.

3. Create required DNS records by performing the following steps:

a. Open the DNS Manager console, and then create new host records with the following settings:

▪ Name: nls

▪ IP Address: 172.16.0.21



▪ Name: crl

▪ IP Address: 172.16.0.1

b. Close the DNS Manager console.

4. Remove ISATAP from the DNS global query block list by performing the following steps:

a. Open a command prompt window, type the following command, and then press Enter:

dnscmd /config /globalqueryblocklist wpad

b. Ensure that the Command completed successfully message displays.

c. Close the command prompt window.

5. Switch to LON-RTR and configure the DNS suffix by performing the following steps:

a. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, in the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) dialog box, add

the Adatum.com DNS suffix.

b. Close the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box.

6. Configure the Local Area Connection 2 properties as follows:

a. Change the Local Area Connection 2\ Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) configuration using the following

configuration settings:

▪ IP address: 131.107.0.2

▪ Subnet mask: 255.255.0.0

Task 2: Configure certificates

1. Configure the CRL distribution settings by performing the following steps:

a. Switch to LON-DC1, and open the Certification Authority console.

b. Configure Adatum-LON-DC1-CA certification authority with the following extension settings:

▪ Add Location: http://crl.adatum.com/crld/

▪ Variable: CAName, CRLNameSuffix, DeltaCRLAllowed

▪ Location: .crl

▪ Select the following:

▪ Include in CRLs. Clients use this to find Delta CRL locations

▪ Include in the CDP extension of issued certificates

▪ Do not restart Certificate Services.

▪ Add Location: \\LON-RTR\crldist$\

▪ Variable: CaName, CRLNameSuffix, DeltaCRLAllowed



▪ Location: .crl

▪ Select the following:

▪ Include in CRLs. Clients use this to find Delta CRL locations

▪ Include in the CDP extension of issued certificates

c. Restart Certificate Services.

d. Close the Certificate Authority console.

2. To duplicate the web certificate template and configure appropriate permission by performing the following steps:

a. In the Certificate Templates console, in the contents pane, duplicate the Web Server template by using the following

options:

▪ Template display name: Adatum Web Server Certificate

▪ Request Handling: Allow private key to be exported

▪ Authenticated Users permissions: under Allow, click Enroll

b. Close the Certificate Templates console.

c. In the Certification Authority console, choose to issue a New Certificate Template and select the Adatum Web Server

Certificate template.

d. Restart the Certification Authority.

e. Close the Certification Authority console.

3. Configure computer certificate auto-enrollment by performing the following steps:

a. On LON-DC1, open the Group Policy Management Console.

b. In the Group Policy Management Console, navigate to Forest: Adatum.com \Domains\Adatum.com.

c. Edit the Default Domain Policy.

d. In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration \Policies\Windows Settings\Security

Settings\Public Key Policies.

e. Under Automatic Certificate Request Settings, configure Automatic Certificate Request to issue the Computer

certificate.

f. Close both the Group Policy Management Editor and the Group Policy Management Console.

Task 3: Configure internal resources

1. Request a certificate for LON-SVR1 by performing the following steps:

a. On LON-SVR1, open a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

gpupdate /force



b. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

mmc

2. Add the Certificates snap-in for Local computer.

3. In the console tree of the Certificates snap-in, navigate to Certificates (Local Computer) \Personal\Certificates, and

request a new certificate.

4. Under Request Certificates, select Adatum Web Server Certificate with the following setting:

o Subject name: Under Common name, type nls.adatum.com

5. In the details pane of the Certificates snap-in, verify that a new certificate with the name nls.adatum.com was enrolled with

Intended Purposes of Server Authentication.

6. Close the console window. When you are prompted to save settings, click No.

7. To change the HTTPS bindings, perform the following steps:

a. Open Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

b. In the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager console, navigate to and click Default Web site.

c. Configure Site Bindings by selecting nls.adatum.com for SSL Certificate.

d. Close the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager console.

Task 4: Configure the DirectAccess server

1. Obtain required certificates for LON-RTR by performing the following steps:

a. Switch to LON-RTR.

b. Open a command prompt, and refresh group policy by typing the following command:

gpupdate /force

c. Open the Microsoft Management Console by typing mmc at a command prompt.

d. Add the Certificates snap-in for Local computer.

e. In the Certificates snap-in, in the Microsoft Management Console , request a new certificate with the following

settings:

▪ Certificate template: Adatum Web Server Certificate

▪ Common name: 131.107.0.2

▪ Friendly name: IP-HTTPS Certificate

f. Close the Microsoft Management Console.

2. Create CRL distribution point on LON-RTR by performing the following steps:



a. Switch to Server Manager.

b. In Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager, create new virtual directory named CRLD, and assign c:\crldist as a

home directory.

c. Enable directory browsing and the allow double escaping feature.

3. Share and secure the CRL distribution point by performing the following step:

Note: You perform this step to assign permissions to the CRL distribution point.

o In the details pane of Windows Explorer, right-click the CRLDist folder, click Properties, and then grant Full Control

Share and NTFS permissions.

4. Publish the CRL to LON-RTR by performing the following steps:

Note: This step makes the CRL available on the edge server for Internet-based DirectAccess clients.


b. Start the Certification Authority console.

c. In the console tree, open Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, right-click Revoked Certificates, point to All Tasks, and then click

Publish.

5. Complete the DirectAccess Setup Wizard on LON-RTR by performing the following steps:

a. On LON-RTR, open Server Manager.

b. In Server Manager, in Tools, select Routing and Remote Access.

c. In Routing and Remote Access, disable the existing configuration, and close the console.

d. In Server Manager console, start the Remote Management console, click Configuration, and start the Enable

DirectAccess Wizard.

Note: If you get an error at this point, restart LON-RTR, sign in as Adatum\administrator,

and then restart from c).

e. Complete the wizard with following settings:

▪ Network Topology: Edge is selected

▪ 131.107.0.2 is used by clients to connect to the Remote Access server.



f. In the Remote Access Management console, under Step 1, click Edit.

g. Add the DA_Clients group.

h. Clear the Enable DirectAccess for mobile computers only check box.

i. Remove the Domain Computers group.

j. In the Remote Access Management console details pane, under Step 2, click Edit.

k. On the Network Topology page, verify that Edge is selected, and type 131.107.0.2.

l. On the Network Adapters page, verify that CN=131.107.0.2 is used as a certificate to authenticate IP-HTTPS connection.

m. On the Authentication page, click Use computer certificates, click Browse, and then click Adatum Lon-Dc1 CA.

n. On the VPN Configuration page, click Finish.

o In details pane of the Remote Access Management console, under Step 3, click Edit.

p. On the Network Location Server page, click The network location server is deployed on a remote web server

(recommended), and in the URL of the NLS, type https://nls.adatum.com, and then click Validate.

q. Ensure that URL is validated.

r. On the DNS page, examine the values, and then click Next.

s. In the DNS Suffix Search List, click Next.

t. On the Management page, click Finish.

u. In the Remote Access Management console details pane, review the setting for Step 4.

v. In Remote Access Review, click Apply.

w. Under Applying Remote Access Setup Wizard Settings, click Close.

6. Update Group Policy settings on LON-RTR by performing the following step:

o Open the command prompt, and type the following commands, pressing Enter after each line:

gpupdate /force Ipconfig

Note: Verify that LON-RTR has an IPv6 address for Tunnel adapter IPHTTPSInterface

starting with 2002.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured the DirectAccess infrastructure.



Exercise 2: Configuring the DirectAccess Clients

Scenario

After you configured the DirectAccess server and the required infrastructure, you must configure DirectAccess clients. You decide

to use Group Policy to apply DirectAccess settings to the clients and for certificate distribution.


1. Configure DirectAccess Group Policy settings.

2. Verify client computer certificate distribution.

3. Verify internal connectivity to resources.

Task 1: Configure DirectAccess Group Policy settings

1. Start LON-CL1, and then sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password of Pa$$w0rd. Open a command prompt

window, and then type the following commands, pressing Enter at the end of each line:

gpupdate /force gpresult /R

2. Verify that DirectAccess Client Settings GPO is displayed in the list of the Applied Policy objects for the Computer Settings.

Task 2: Verify client computer certificate distribution

1. On LON-CL1, open the Certificates MMC.

2. Verify that a certificate with the name LON-CL1.adatum.com displays with Intended Purposes of Client Authentication

and Server Authentication.

3. Close the console window without saving it.

Task 3: Verify internal connectivity to resources

1. On LON-CL1, open Windows Internet Explorer® from the Desktop, and in the address bar, type http://lon-

svr1.adatum.com/. The default IIS 8 web page for LON-SVR1 displays.

2. In Internet Explorer, go to https://nls.adatum.com/. The default IIS 8 web page for LON-SVR1 displays.

3. Open a Windows Explorer window, in the address bar, type \\Lon-SVR1\Files, and then press Enter. A window with the

contents of the Files shared folder will display.




Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured the DirectAccess clients.

Exercise 3: Verifying the DirectAccess Configuration

Scenario

When client configuration is completed, it is important to verify that DirectAccess works. You do this by moving the DirectAccess

client to the Internet, and trying to access internal resources.


1. Move the client computer to the Internet virtual network.

2. Verify connectivity to the DirectAccess server.

3. Verify connectivity to the internal network resources.


Task 1: Move the client computer to the Internet virtual network


2. Change the network adapter configuration to the following settings:

o IP address: 131.107.0.10

o Subnet mask: 255.255.0.0

o Default gateway: 131.107.0.2

3. Disable and then re-enable the Local Area Network network adapter.

4. Close the Network Connections window.

5. On your host, in Hyper-V Manager, right-click 20411B-LON-CL1, and then click Settings. Change the Legacy Network

Adapter to be on the Private Network 2 network, and then click OK.

Task 2: Verify connectivity to the DirectAccess server

1. On LON-CL1, open a command prompt, and type the following command:

ipconfig

2. Notice that the returned IP address starts with 2002. This is IP-HTTPS address.


Netsh name show effectivepolicy




powershell

5. At the Windows PowerShell® command-line interface, type the following command, and then press Enter:

Get-DAClientExperienceConfiguration

Note: Notice the DirectAccess client settings.

Task 3: Verify connectivity to the internal network resources

1. Switch to Internet Explorer, and go to http://lon-svr1.adatum.com/. You should see the default IIS 8 web page for LON-

SVR1.

2. Open Windows Explorer, in the address bar, type \\LON-SVR1\Files, and then press Enter.

3. A folder window with the contents of the Files shared folder should display.

4. At a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

ping lon-dc1.adatum.com

5. Verify that you are receiving replies from lon-dc1.adatum.com.


gpupdate /force


8. Switch to LON-RTR.

9. Start the Remote Access Management console, and review the information on Remote Client Status.

Note: Notice that LON-CL1 is connected via IP-HTTPS. In the Connection Details pane, in the bottom-right of thescreen, note the use of Kerberos for the Machine and the User.





• When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines to their initial state.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have verified the DirectAccess configuration.


Tools


Services.msc Managing Windows services Administrative Tools

Launch from Run

Gpedit.msc Editing the local Group Policy Launch from Run

Mmc.exe Creating and managing the Microsoft Management Console Launch from Run

Gpupdate.exe Managing Group Policy application Run from a command-line

Lab Answer Key: Module 7: Configuring and Troubleshooting Remote Access


Exercise 1: Configuring a Virtual Private Network Server

Task 1: Configure server and client certificates



3. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Certification Authority.

4. In the certsrv management console, expand Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, right-click Certificate Templates, and then click

Manage.

5. In the Certificate Templates Console details pane, right-click Computer, and then click Properties.

6. In the Computer Properties dialog box, click the Security tab, and then click Authenticated Users.

7. In Permissions for Authenticated Users, select the Allow check box for the Enroll permission, and then click OK.

8. Close the Certificate Templates Console.

9. In certsrv – [Certification Authority (Local)], right-click Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, point to All Tasks and then click Stop

Service.

10. Right-click Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, point to All Tasks and then click Start Service.

11. Close the certsrv management console.

12. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.

13. In the Group Policy Management list pane, expand Forest: Adatum.com, expand Domains, and then expand Adatum.com.

14. In the list pane, under Adatum.com, right-click Default Domain Policy, and then click Edit.

15. In Group Policy Management Editor, under Computer Configuration, expand Policies, expand Windows Settings, expand

Security Settings, and then expand Public Key Policies.

16. In the navigation pane, right-click Automatic Certificate Request Settings, point to New, and then click Automatic

Certificate Request.

17. In the Welcome to the Automatic Certificate Request Setup Wizard, click Next.

18. On the Certificate Template page, accept the default setting of Computer, and then click Next.

19. On the Completing the Automatic Certificate Request Setup Wizard page, click Finish.



22. Switch to the LON-RTR computer, and sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

23. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower left of the taskbar and then click Start.

24. Type mmc.exe, and then press Enter.

25. On the File menu, click Add/Remove Snap-in.

26. In the Add or Remove Snap-ins dialog box, click Certificates, click Add, click Computer account, click Next, and then

click Finish.

27. In the Add or Remove Snap-ins dialog box, click OK.

28. In the console tree, expand Certificates, right-click Personal, point to All Tasks, and then click Request New Certificate.

29. In the Certificate Enrollment dialog box, click Next.


31. Select the Computer check box, and then click Enroll.

32. Verify the status of certificate installation as Succeeded, and then click Finish.

33. Close the Console1 window.

34. When prompted to save console settings, click No.

35. Switch to LON-CL2, and sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

36. In Start, type cmd.exe, and then press Enter.

37. At the command prompt, type gpupdate /force, and then press Enter.

38. Close the command prompt.

39. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower left of the taskbar, and then click Start.

40. In Start, type mmc, and then press Enter.


42. In the Add or Remove Snap-ins dialog box, click Certificates, click Add, click Computer account, click Next, and then

click Finish.


44. In the console tree, expand Certificates, and then expand Personal.

45. Verify that a certificate exists for LON-CL2 that has been issued by Adatum-LON-DC1-CA.


47. When prompted to save console settings, click No.

Task 2: Configure the Remote Access role



3. In the Details pane, click Add roles and features.


5. On the Select installation type page, click Role-based or feature based installation, and then click Next.


7. On the Select server roles page, select the Network Policy and Access Services check box.

8. Click Add Features, and then click Next twice.

9. On the Network Policy and Access Services page, click Next.

10. On the Select role services page, verify that the Network Policy Server check box is selected, and then click Next.


12. Verify that the installation was successful, and then click Close.

13. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Network Policy Server.

14. In Network Policy Manager, in the navigation pane, right-click NPS (Local), and then click Register server in Active

Directory.

15. In the Network Policy Server message box, click OK.

16. In the subsequent Network Policy Server dialog box, click OK.

17. Leave the Network Policy Server console window open.

18. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Routing and Remote Access. At the Enable DirectAccess Wizard click

Cancel and then click OK.

19. In the Routing and Remote Access console, right-click LON-RTR (local), and then click Disable Routing and Remote

Access.

20. In the dialog box, click Yes.

21. In the Routing and Remote Access console, right-click LON-RTR (local) and then click Configure and Enable Routing and

Remote Access.

22. Click Next, select Remote access (dial-up or VPN), and then click Next.

23. Select the VPN check box, and then click Next.

24. Click the Local Area Connection 2 network interface. Clear the Enable security on the selected interface by setting up

static packet filters check box, and then click Next.

25. On the IP Address Assignment page, click From a specified range of addresses, and then click Next.

26. On the Address Range Assignment page, click New. In the Start IP address text box, type 172.16.0.100, in the End IP

address text box, type 172.16.0.110, and then click OK.

27. Verify that 11 IP addresses were assigned for remote clients, and then click Next.

28. On the Managing Multiple Remote Access Servers page, click Next.

29. Click Finish.

30. In the Routing and Remote Access dialog box, click OK.

31. If prompted, click OK again.

Task 3: Create a network policy for virtual private network (VPN) clients

1. On LON-RTR, switch to Network Policy Server.

2. In Network Policy Server, expand Policies, and then click Network Policies.

3. In the details pane, right-click the policy at the top of the list, and then click Disable.

4. In the details pane, right-click the policy at the bottom of the list, and then click Disable.

5. In the navigation pane, right-click Network Policies, and then click New.

6. In the New Network Policy Wizard, in the Policy name text box, type IT Pilot VPN Policy.

7. In the Type of network access server list, click Remote Access Server(VPN-Dial up), and then click Next.

8. On the Specify Conditions page, click Add.

9. In the Select condition dialog box, click Windows Groups, and then click Add.

10. In the Windows Groups dialog box, click Add Groups.

11. In the Select Group dialog box, in the Enter the object name to select (examples) text box, type IT, and then click OK.

12. Click OK again, click Next, and on the Specify Access Permission page, click Access granted, and then click Next.

13. On the Configure Authentication Methods page, clear the Microsoft Encrypted Authentication (MS-CHAP) check box,

and then click Next.

14. On the Configure Constraints page, click Day and time restrictions.

15. Select the Allow access only on these days and at these times check box, and then click Edit.

16. In the Day and time restrictions dialog box, click Sunday, and then click Denied.

17. Click Saturday, click Denied, and then click OK.

18. Click Next.

19. On the Configure Settings page, click Next.

20. On the Completing New Network Policy page, click Finish.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully deployed a VPN server, and configured access for members of the ITglobal security group.

Exercise 2: Configuring VPN Clients

Task 1: Configure and distribute a Connection Manager Administration Kit profile



3. On the Start screen, type Control, and then in the Apps list, click Control Panel.

4. Click Programs, and in Programs, click Turn Windows features on or off.

5. In Windows Features, select the RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK) check box, and then click OK.

6. Click Close.

7. In Control Panel, click Control Panel Home.

8. In the View by list, click Large icons.

9. Click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Connection Manager Administration Kit.

10. In the Connection Manager Administration Kit Wizard, click Next.

11. On the Select the Target Operating System page, click Windows Vista or above, and then click Next.

12. On the Create or Modify a Connection Manager profile page, click New profile, and then click Next.

13. On the Specify the Service Name and the File Name page, in the Service name text box, type Adatum Pilot VPN, in the

File name text box, type Adatum, and then click Next.

14. On the Specify a Realm Name page, click Do not add a realm name to the user name, and then click Next.

15. On the Merge Information from Other Profiles page, click Next.

16. On the Add Support for VPN Connections page, select the Phone book from this profile check box.

17. In the VPN server name or IP address text box, type 10.10.0.1, and then click Next.

18. On the Create or Modify a VPN Entry page, click Edit.

19. In the Edit VPN Entry dialog box, click the Security tab.

20. In the VPN strategy list, click Only use Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP), and then click OK.

21. Click Next.

22. On the Add a Custom Phone Book page, clear the Automatically download phone book updates check box, and then click

Next.

23. On the Configure Dial-up Networking Entries page, click Next.

24. On the Specify Routing Table Updates page, click Next.

25. On the Configure Proxy Settings for Internet Explorer page, click Next.

26. On the Add Custom Actions page, click Next.

27. On the Display a Custom Logon Bitmap page, click Next.

28. On the Display a Custom Phone Book Bitmap page, click Next.

29. On the Display Custom Icons page, click Next.

30. On the Include a Custom Help File page, click Next.

31. On the Display Custom Support Information page, click Next.

32. On the Display a Custom License Agreement page, click Next.

33. On the Install Additional Files with the Connection Manager profile page, click Next.

34. On the Build the Connection Manager Profile and Its Installation Program page, click Next.

35. On the Your Connection Manager Profile is Complete and Ready to Distribute page, click Finish.

36. On the taskbar, click the File Explorer icon.

37. In the Windows Explorer address box, type C:\Program Files\CMAK\Profiles\Windows Vista and above\Adatum, and then

press Enter.

38. Double-click Adatum.exe.

39. In the Adatum Pilot VPN dialog box, click Yes.

40. In the second Adatum Pilot VPN dialog box, click All users, and then click OK.

41. In the Adatum Pilot VPN dialog box, click Cancel.

Task 2: Verify client access


2. Sign in as Adatum\April with the password of Pa$$w0rd.



5. In the Network and Internet window, click Network and Sharing Center.

6. In the Network and Sharing Center, click Change adapter settings.

7. In the Network Connections window, right-click the Adatum Pilot VPN connection, and then click Connect/Disconnect.

8. In the Networks list on the right, click Adatum Pilot VPN, and then click Connect.

9. In Adatum Pilot VPN, in the User name text box, type Adatum\April.

10. In the Password text box, type Pa$$w0rd.

11. Select the Save password check box, and then click Connect.

12. Wait for the VPN connection to be made.



1. On the host computer, start Hyper-V® Manager.

2. In the Virtual Machines list, right-click 20411B-LON-CL2, and then click Revert.


4. Repeat steps 2 to 3 for 20411B-LON-RTR and 20411B-LON-DC1.

Results: After this exercise, you should have successfully distributed a CMAK profile, and tested VPN access.


Exercise 1: Configuring the DirectAccess Infrastructure

Task 1: Configure Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS) and Domain Name System (DNS)

1. Create a security group for Windows® DirectAccess client computers by performing the following steps:


b. Sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

c. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

d. In the Active Directory Users and Computers console, right-click Adatum.com, click New, and then click

Organizational Unit

e. In the New Object – Organizational Unit window, in the Name text box, type DA_Clients OU, and then click OK.

f. In the Active Directory Users and Computers console, expand Adatum.com, right-click DA_Clients OU, click New, and

then click Group.

g. In the New Object - Group dialog box, under Group name, type DA_Clients.

h. Under Group scope, click Global, under Group type, click Security, and then click OK.

i. In the details pane, double-click DA_Clients.

j. In the DA_Clients Properties dialog box, click the Members tab, and then click Add.

k. In the Select Users, Contacts, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups dialog box, click Object Types, select the

Computers check box, and then click OK.

l. Under Enter the object names to select (examples), type LON-CL1, and then click OK.

m. Verify that LON-CL1 displays below Members, and then click OK.

n. Close the Active Directory Users and Computers console.

2. Configure firewall rules for ICMPv6 traffic by performing the following steps:

Note: It is important to configure firewall rules for ICMPv6 traffic to enable subsequent testing of DirectAccess inthe lab environment.

a. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.

b. In the Group Policy Management Console, expand Forest: Adatum.com, expand Domains, and then expand Adatum.com.

c. Under Adatum.com, right-click Default Domain Policy, and then click Edit.

d. In the Group Policy Management Editor, navigate to Computer Configuration, expand Policies, expand Windows Settings,

expand Security Settings, expand Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, and then click Windows Firewall with

Advanced Security.

e. In Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, click Inbound Rules, right-click Inbound Rules, and then click New Rule.

f. On the Rule Type page, click Custom, and then click Next.

g. On the Program page, click Next.

h. On the Protocols and Ports page, under Protocol type, click ICMPv6, and then click Customize.

i. In the Customize ICMP Settings dialog box, click Specific ICMP types, click Echo Request, and then click OK.

j. Click Next.

k. On the Scope page, click Next.

l. On the Action page, click Next.

m. On the Profile page, click Next.

n. On the Name page, in the Name text box, type Inbound ICMPv6 Echo Requests, and then click Finish.

o. In the console tree, click Outbound Rules, right-click Outbound Rules, and then click New Rule.

p. On the Rule Type page, click Custom, and then click Next.

q. On the Program page, click Next.

r. On the Protocols and Ports page, under Protocol type, click ICMPv6, and then click Customize.

s. In the Customize ICMP Settings dialog box, click Specific ICMP types, click Echo Request, and then click OK.

t. Click Next.

u. On the Scope page, click Next.

v. On the Action page, click Allow the connection, and then click Next.

w. On the Profile page, click Next.

x. On the Name page, in the Name text box, type Outbound ICMPv6 Echo Requests, and then click Finish.

y. Close the Group Policy Management Editor and the Group Policy Management Console.

3. Create required DNS records by performing the following steps:

a. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click DNS.

b. In the DNS Manager console, expand LON-DC1, expand Forward Lookup Zones, and then click Adatum.com.

c. Right-click Adatum.com, and then click New Host (A or AAAA).

d. In the Name text box, type nls. In the IP address text box, type 172.16.0.21, click Add Host, and then click OK.

e. In the New Host dialog box, in the Name text box, type CRL. In the IP address text box, type 172.16.0.1, and then click

Add Host.

f. In the DNS dialog box informing you that the record was created, click OK.

g. In the New Host dialog box, click Done.

h. Close the DNS Manager console.

4. Remove ISATAP from the DNS global query block list by performing the following steps:

a. Move the mouse pointer to the lower-right corner, select search on the right menu, and then type cmd.exe. Press

Enter.

b. In the command prompt window, type the following command, and then press Enter:

dnscmd /config /globalqueryblocklist wpad

c. Ensure that the Command completed successfully message displays.

d. Close the Command Prompt window.

5. Configure the DNS suffix on LON-RTR by performing the following steps:


b. Move the mouse to the lower right corner of the screen, click Settings, click Control Panel, and then click View

network status and tasks.

c. In the Network and Sharing Center window, click Change adapter settings.

d. In the Network Connection window, right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.

e. In the Local Area Network Properties window, double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

f. In the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) dialog box, click Advanced.

g. On the DNS tab, in the DNS suffix for this connection text box, type Adatum.com, and then click OK.

h. In the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) dialog box, click OK.

i. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click OK.

6. Configure the Local Area Connection 2 properties on LON-RTR:

a. In the Network Connection window, right-click Local Area Connection 2, and then click Properties.

b. In the Local Area Network 2 Properties window, double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

c. In the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) dialog box, in the IP address text box, type 131.107.0.2 and in the

Subnet mask text box, type 255.255.0.0.

d. Click OK, and then click OK again.

e. Close Network Connections.

Task 2: Configure certificates

1. To configure the certificate revocation list (CRL) distribution settings, perform the following steps:

a. On LON-DC1, in Server Manager, on the Tools menu, click Certification Authority.

b. In the details pane, right-click Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, and then click Properties.

c. In the Adatum-LON-DC1-CA Properties dialog box, click the Extensions tab.

d. On the Extensions tab, click Add. In the Location text box, type http://crl.adatum.com/crld/.

e. Under Variable, click <CaName>, and then click Insert.

f. Under Variable, click <CRLNameSuffix>, and then click Insert.

g. Under Variable, click <DeltaCRLAllowed>, and then click Insert.

h. In the Location text box, at the end of the Location string, type .crl, and then click OK.

i. Select the Include in CRLs. Clients use this to find Delta CRL locations and Include in the CDP extension of issued

certificates check boxes, and then click Apply. in the dialog box asking you to restart Active Directory Certificate

Services, click No.

j. Click Add.

k. In the Location text box, type \\LON-RTR\crldist$\.

l. Under Variable, click <CaName>, and then click Insert.

m. Under Variable, click <CRLNameSuffix>, and then click Insert.

n. Under Variable, click <DeltaCRLAllowed>, and then click Insert.

o. In the Location text box, at the end of the string, type .crl, and then click OK.

p. Select both the Publish CRLs to this location and Publish Delta CRLs to this location check boxes, and then click OK.

q. Click Yes to restart Active Directory Certificate Services.

2. Duplicate the web certificate template and configure appropriate permission by performing the following steps:

a. In the Certification Authority console, expand Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, right-click Certificate Templates, and then click

Manage.

Note: Users require the Enroll permission on the certificate.

b. In the Certificate Templates console, in the content pane, right-click the Web Server template, and then click

Duplicate Template.

c. Click the General tab, and in the Template display name text box, type Adatum Web Server Certificate.

d. Click the Request Handling tab, and then click Allow private key to be exported.

e. Click the Security tab, and then click Authenticated Users.

f. In the Permissions for Authenticated Users window, under Allow, click Enroll, and then click OK.

g. Close the Certificate Templates console.

h. In the Certification Authority console, right-click Certificate Templates, and navigate to New/Certificate Template

to Issue.

i. Click Adatum Web Server Certificate, and then click OK.

j. In certsrv – [Certification Authority (Local)], right-click Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, point to All Tasks and then click Stop

Service.

k. Right-click Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, point to All Tasks and then click Start Service.

l. Close the Certification Authority console.

3. Configure computer certificate auto-enrollment by performing the following steps:

a. On LON-DC1, switch to Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.

b. In the Group Policy Management Console, expand Forest: Adatum.com, expand Domains, and then expand

Adatum.com.

c. In the Adatum.com console, right-click Default Domain Policy, and then click Edit.

d. In the Group Policy Management Editor, expand Computer Configuration, expand Policies, expand Windows

Settings, expand Security Settings, and then expand Public Key Policies.

e. In the Public Key Policies details pane, right-click Automatic Certificate Request Settings, point to New, and then

click Automatic Certificate Request.

f. In the Automatic Certificate Request Setup Wizard, click Next.

g. On the Certificate Template page, click Computer, click Next, and then click Finish.

h. Close both the Group Policy Management Editor and the Group Policy Management Console.

Task 3: Configure internal resources

1. Request a certificate for LON-SVR1 by performing the following steps:

a. On LON-SVR1, move the mouse to the lower-right corner of the screen, click Search, type cmd, and then press Enter.

b. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

gpupdate /force

c. At the command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

mmc

d. Click File, and then click Add/Remove Snap-in.

e. Click Certificates, click Add, click Computer account, click Next, click Local computer, click Finish, and then click

OK.

f. In the Certificates snap-in console, expand Certificates (Local Computer), expand Personal, and then click

Certificates.

g. Right-click Certificates, point to All Tasks, and then click Request New Certificate.

h. Click Next twice.

i. On the Request Certificates page, click Adatum Web Server Certificate, and then click More information is

required to enroll for this certificate.

j. In the Certificate Properties dialog box, on the Subject tab, under Subject name, under Type, click Common name.

k. In the Value text box, type nls.adatum.com, and then click Add.

l. Click OK, click Enroll, and then click Finish.

m. In the Certificates snap-in details pane, verify that a new certificate with the name nls.adatum.com was enrolled with


n. Close the console window. When you are prompted to save settings, click No.

2. To change the HTTPS bindings, perform the following steps:

a. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager. At the Internet

Information Services (IIS) Manager message box, click No.

b. In the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager console, navigate to LON-SVR1/Sites, and then click Default Web

Site.

c. In the Actions pane, click Bindings, and then click Add.

d. In the Add Site Binding dialog box, click https, in the SSL Certificate dialog box, click the certificate with the name

nls.adatum.com, click OK, and then click Close.

e. Close the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager console.

Task 4: Configure the DirectAccess server

1. Obtain required certificates for LON-RTR by performing the following steps:


b. Open a command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

gpupdate /force

c. In the command prompt, type mmc.exe, and then press Enter.

d. Click File and then click Add/Remove Snap-in.

e. Click Certificates, click Add, click Computer account, click Next, select Local computer, click Finish, and then click

OK.

f. In the Certificates snap-in console, expand Certificates (Local Computer), expand Personal, and then click

Certificates.

g. Right-click Certificates, point to All Tasks, and then click Request New Certificate.

h. Click Next twice.

i. On the Request Certificates page, click Adatum Web Server Certificate, and then click More information is

required to enroll for this certificate.

j. In the Certificate Properties dialog box, on the Subject tab, under Subject name, under Type, click Common name.

k. In the Value text box, type 131.107.0.2, and then click Add.

l. Click OK, click Enroll, and then click Finish.

m. In the Certificates snap-in details pane, verify that a new certificate with the name 131.107.0.2 was issued with


n. Right-click the certificate, and then click Properties.

o. In the Friendly Name text box, type IP-HTTPS Certificate, and then click OK.

p. Close the console window. If you are prompted to save settings, click No.

2. Create CRL distribution point on LON-RTR by performing the following steps:

a. Switch to Server Manager.

b. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

c. If the Internet Information Service Manager message box displays, click No.

d. In the console tree, expand to LON-RTR, expand Sites, click Default Web Site, right-click Default Web Site, and then

click Add Virtual Directory.

e. In the Add Virtual Directory dialog box, in the Alias text box, type CRLD. Next to Physical path, click the ellipsis (…)

button.

f. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, click Local Disk (C:), and then click Make New Folder.

g. Type CRLDist, and then press Enter.

h. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, click OK.

i. In the Add Virtual Directory dialog box, click OK.

j. In the middle pane of the console, double-click Directory Browsing, and in the Actions pane, click Enable.

k. In the console, click the CRLD folder.

l. In the middle pane of the console, double-click the Configuration Editor icon.

m. Click the down-arrow of the Section drop-down list, expand system.webServer, expand security, and then click

requestFiltering.

n. In the middle pane of the requestFiltering console, double-click allowDoubleEscaping to change the value from False

to True.

o. In the actions pane, click Apply.

p. Close Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.

Question: Why do you make the CRL available on the edge server?

Answer: You make the CRL available on the edge server so that the Internet DirectAccess clients can access the CRL.

3. Share and secure the CRL distribution point by performing the following steps:

Note: You perform these steps to assign permissions to the CRL distribution point.

a. On the taskbar, click the Windows Explorer icon.

b. In Windows Explorer, double-click Local Disk (C:).

c. In the Windows Explorer details pane, right-click the CRLDist folder, and then click Properties.

d. In the CRLDist Properties dialog box, click the Sharing tab, and then click Advanced Sharing.

e. In the Advanced Sharing dialog box, click Share this folder.

f. In the Share name text box, add a dollar sign ($) to the end of the name so that the share name is CRLDist$.

g. In the Advanced Sharing dialog box, click Permissions.

h. In the Permissions for CRLDist$ dialog box, click Add.

i. In the Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups dialog box, click Object Types.

j. In the Object Types dialog box, select Computers, and then click OK.

k. In the Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups dialog box, in the Enter the object names to select

text box, type LON-DC1, click Check Names, and then click OK.

l. In the Permissions for CRLDist$ dialog box, in the Group or user names list, click LON-DC1 (ADATUM\LON-DC1$).

In the Permissions for LON-DC1 area, under Full control, click Allow, and then click OK.

m. In the Advanced Sharing dialog box, click OK.

n. In the CRLDist Properties dialog box, click the Security tab.

o. On the Security tab, click Edit.

p. In the Permissions for CRLDist dialog box, click Add.

q. In the Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups dialog box, click Object Types.

r. In the Object Types dialog box, click Computers, and then click OK.

s. In the Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts, or Groups dialog box, in the Enter the object names to select

text box, type LON-DC1, click Check Names, and then click OK.

t. In the Permissions for CRLDist dialog box, in the Group or user names list, click LON-DC1 (ADATUM\LON-DC1$). In

the Permissions for LON-DC1 area, under Full control, click Allow, and then click OK.

u. In the CRLDist Properties dialog box, click Close.

v. Close the Windows Explorer window.

4. Publish the CRL to LON-RTR by performing the following steps:

Note: These steps make the CRL available on the edge server for Internet-based DirectAccess clients.


b. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Certification Authority.

c. In the Certification Authority console, expand Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, right-click Revoked Certificates, point to All Tasks,

and then click Publish.

d. In the Publish CRL dialog box, click New CRL, and then click OK.

e. On the taskbar, click the Windows Explorer icon.

f. In the Windows Explorer address bar, type \\LON-RTR\CRLDist$, and then press Enter.

g. In the Windows Explorer window, notice the Adatum-LON-DC1-CA files.

h. Close the Windows Explorer window.

5. Complete the DirectAccess Setup Wizard on LON-RTR by performing the following steps:

Note: These steps configure LON-RTR as a DirectAccess server. and then restart from c).

a. On LON-RTR, open Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Routing and Remote Access. If prompted, click No to

launching the DirectAccess wizard.

b. In Routing and Remote Access, disable the existing configuration, and close the console.

c. In Server Manager, on the Tools menu, click Remote Access Management.

d. In the Remote Access Management console, click Configuration.

e. In the results pane, click Run the Getting Started Wizard.

Note: If you get an error at this point, restart LON-RTR, sign in as Adatum\administrator,

f. In the Configure Remote Access Wizard, click Deploy DirectAccess only.

g. In the Network Topology pane, verify that Edge is selected, and verify that 131.107.0.2 is the public name used by

clients to connect to the Remote Access server.

h. Click Next.

i. On the Configure Remote Access page, click Finish.

j. When the configuration completes, click Close.

k. In the Remote Access Management console, under Step 1, click Edit, and then click Next.

l. Under Select Groups, in the details pane, click Add.

m. In the Select Group dialog box, type DA_Clients, click OK.

n. Clear the Enable DirectAccess for mobile computers only check box.

o. Remove the Domain Computers group, and then click Next. Click Finish.

p. In the Remote Access Management console, under Step 2, click Edit.

q. On the Network Topology page, verify that Edge is selected, type 131.107.0.2, and then click Next.

r. On the Network Adapters page, verify that CN=131.107.0.2 is used as a certificate to authenticate IP-HTTPS

connections, and then click Next.

s. On the Authentication page, click Use computer certificates, click Browse, click Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, click OK,

and then click Finish.

t. In the Remote Access Setup pane, under Step 3, click Edit.

u. On the Network Location Server page, click the The network location server is deployed on a remote web server

(recommended). In the URL field of the network location server (NLS), type https://nls.adatum.com, and then click

Validate.

v. Ensure that URL is validated.

w. Click Next, on the DNS page, examine the values, and then click Next.

x. In the DNS Suffix Search List, click Next.

y. On the Management page, click Finish.

z. Under Step 4, click Edit.

aa. On the DirectAccess Application Server Setup page, click Finish.

bb. Click Finish to apply the changes.

cc. In Remote Access Review, click Apply.

dd. Under Applying Remote Access Setup Wizard Settings, click Close.

6. Update Group Policy settings on LON-RTR by performing the following steps:

a. Move the mouse pointer on the lower-right corner, on the menu bar, click Search, type cmd, and then press Enter.

b. At the command prompt, type the following commands, pressing Enter at the end of each line:

gpupdate /force Ipconfig

Note: Verify that LON-RTR has an IPv6 address for Tunnel adapter IPHTTPSInterface

starting with 2002.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured the DirectAccess infrastructure.

Exercise 2: Configuring the DirectAccess Clients

Task 1: Configure DirectAccess Group Policy settings

1. Start LON-CL1 and sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password of Pa$$w0rd. This is to ensure that the LON-CL1

computer connects to the domain as a member of the DA_Clients security group.

2. At Start, type cmd to open a command prompt window.


gpupdate /force


gpresult /R

5. Verify that DirectAccess Client Settings GPO displays in the list of the Applied Policy objects for the Computer Settings.

Note: If the policy is not being applied, run the gpupdate /force command again. If the policy is still not beingapplied, restart the computer. After the computer restarts, sign in as Adatum\Administrator and run the Gpresult–R command again.

Task 2: Verify client computer certificate distribution

1. In the command prompt, type mmc.exe, and then press Enter.

2. In the MMC console, click File and then click Add/Remove Snap-in.

3. Click Certificates, click Add, select Computer account, click Next, select Local computer, click Finish, and then click OK.

4. In the Certificates snap-in console, click to Certificates (Local Computer), expand Personal, and then click Certificates.

5. In the Certificates details pane, verify that a certificate with the name LON-CL1.adatum.com displays with Intended

Purposes of Client Authentication and Server Authentication.

6. Close the console window. When you are prompted to save settings, click No.

Task 3: Verify internal connectivity to resources

1. On LON-CL1, on the desktop, in the task bar, click Internet Explorer.

2. In the Windows Internet Explorer® address bar, type http://lon-svr1.adatum.com/, and then press Enter. The default IIS 8

web page for LON-SVR1 displays.

3. In the Internet Explorer address bar, type https://nls.adatum.com/, and then press Enter. The default IIS 8 web page for

LON-SVR1 displays.

4. Leave the Internet Explorer window open.

5. On the taskbar, click the Windows Explorer icon.

6. In the Windows Explorer address bar, type \\Lon-SVR1\Files, and then press Enter. A window with the Files shared folder

contents displays.


Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured the DirectAccess clients.

Exercise 3: Verifying the DirectAccess Configuration

Task 1: Move the client computer to the Internet virtual network


2. On LON-CL1, move the mouse pointer to the lower-right end of the screen, click Settings, select Control Panel, and then

click Network and Internet.

3. Click Network and Sharing Center.

4. Click Change Adapter Settings.

5. Right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Properties.

6. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, double-click Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4).

7. In the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties dialog box, click Use the following IP address.

8. Complete the following settings, and then click OK:

o IP address: 131.107.0.10

o Subnet mask: 255.255.0.0

o Default gateway: 131.107.0.2

9. In the Local Area Connection Properties dialog box, click OK.

10. In the Network Connections window, right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Disable.

11. In the Network Connections window, right-click Local Area Connection, and then click Enable.

12. On your host, in Hyper-V Manager, right-click 20411B-LON-CL1, and then click Settings.

13. Change the Legacy Network Adapter to be on the Private Network 2 network, and then click OK.

Task 2: Verify connectivity to the DirectAccess server

1. On LON-CL1, move the mouse pointer to the lower-right corner, on the right menu, click Search, type cmd, and then press

Enter.


ipconfig

3. Notice the returned IP address starts with 2002. This is an IP-HTTPS address.


Netsh name show effectivepolicy


powershell

6. At the Windows PowerShell® command-line interface, type the following command, and then press Enter:

Get-DAClientExperienceConfiguration

Note: Notice the DirectAccess client settings.

Task 3: Verify connectivity to the internal network resources

1. Switch to Internet Explorer, and in the address bar, type http://lon-svr1.adatum.com, and then press Enter. The default IIS

8 web page for LON-SVR1 displays.

2. Leave the Internet Explorer window open.

3. On the taskbar, click the Windows Explorer icon.

4. In the Windows Explorer address bar, type \\LON-SVR1\Files, and then press Enter. A folder window with the contents of

the Files shared folder displays.

5. Switch to the command prompt window.


ping lon-dc1.adatum.com

7. Verify that you are receiving replies from lon-dc1.adatum.com.


gpupdate /force



11. Switch to Remote Access Management.

12. In the console, click REMOTE CLIENT STATUS.

Note: Notice that LON-CL1 is connected via IP over HTTPS (IP-HTTPS). In the Connection Details pane, in thebottom-right of the screen, note the use of Kerberos for the Machine and the User.






4. Repeat steps 2 to 3 for 20411B-LON-SVR1, 20411B-LON-RTR, and 20411B-LON-DC1.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have verified the DirectAccess configuration.

5/21/13 Module 8: Installing, Configuring, and Troubleshooting the Network Policy Server Role


Module 8: Installing, Configuring, and Troubleshooting the Network Policy

Server Role

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Installing and Configuring a Network Policy Server






Module Overview

The Network Policy Server (NPS) role in Windows Server® 2012 provides support for the Remote Authentication Dial-In User

Service (RADIUS) protocol, and can be configured as a RADIUS server or proxy. Additionally, NPS provides functionality that is

essential for the implementation of Network Access Protection (NAP). To support remote clients and to implement NAP, it is

important that you know how to install, configure, and troubleshoot NPS.

Objectives


• Install and configure NPS.

• Configure RADIUS clients and servers.

• Explain NPS authentication methods.

• Monitor and troubleshoot NPS.

Lesson 1 : Installing and Configuring a Network Policy Server

NPS is implemented as a server role in Windows Server 2012. While installing the NPS role, you must decide whether to use NPS

as a RADIUS server, RADIUS proxy, or a NAP policy server. After the installation, you can configure the NPS role by using various

tools. You must understand how to install and configure the NPS role in order to support your RADIUS infrastructure.

Lesson Objectives











• Describe the NPS role service.

• Explain how to install NPS.

• Describe the tools used to configure an NPS.

• Explain how to configure general NPS settings.

What Is a Network Policy Server?

NPS enables you to create and enforce organization-wide network access policies for client health, connection request

authentication, and connection request authorization. You also can use NPS as a RADIUS proxy to forward connection requests to

NPS or other RADIUS servers that you configure in remote RADIUS server groups.

You can use NPS to centrally configure and manage network-access authentication, authorization, and client health policies with

any combination of the following three functions:

• RADIUS server

• RADIUS proxy

• NAP policy server

RADIUS Server

NPS performs centralized connection authentication, authorization, and accounting for wireless, authenticating switch, and dial-

up and virtual private network (VPN) connections. When using NPS as a RADIUS server, you configure network access servers,

such as wireless access points and VPN servers, as RADIUS clients in NPS. You also configure network policies that NPS uses to

authorize connection requests, and you can configure RADIUS accounting so that NPS logs accounting information to log files

on the local hard disk or in a Microsoft® SQL Server® database.

NPS is the Microsoft implementation of a RADIUS server. NPS enables the use of a heterogeneous set of wireless, switch, remote

access, or VPN equipment. You can use NPS with the Routing and Remote Access service, which is available in Windows® 2000

and more recent versions of Windows Server.

When an NPS server is a member of an Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS) domain, NPS uses AD DS as its user-account

database and provides single sign-on (SSO), which means that users utilize the same set of credentials for network-access control

(authenticating and authorizing access to a network) as they do to access resources within the AD DS domain.



Organizations that maintain network access, such as Internet service providers (ISPs), have the challenge of managing a variety of

network-access methods from a single administration point, regardless of the type of network-access equipment they use. The

RADIUS standard supports this requirement. RADIUS is a client-server protocol that enables network-access equipment, used as

RADIUS clients, to submit authentication and accounting requests to a RADIUS server.

A RADIUS server has access to user-account information, and can verify network-access authentication credentials. If the user’s

credentials are authentic, and RADIUS authorizes the connection attempt, the RADIUS server then authorizes the user’s access

based on configured conditions, and logs the network-access connection in an accounting log. Using RADIUS allows you to

collect and maintain the network-access user authentication, authorization, and accounting data in a central location, rather than

on each access server.

RADIUS Proxy

When using NPS as a RADIUS proxy, you configure connection request policies that indicate which connection requests that the

NPS server will forward to other RADIUS servers and to which RADIUS servers you want to forward connection requests. You also

can configure NPS to forward accounting data for logging by one or more computers in a remote RADIUS server group.

With NPS, your organization also can outsource remote-access infrastructure to a service provider, while retaining control over

user authentication, authorization, and accounting. You can create different NPS configurations for the following solutions:

• Wireless access

• Organization dial-up or VPN remote access

• Outsourced dial-up or wireless access

• Internet access

• Authenticated access to extranet resources for business partners

NAP Policy Server

When you configure NPS as a NAP policy server, NPS evaluates statements of health (SoHs) sent by NAP-capable client

computers that attempt to connect to the network. NPS also acts as a RADIUS server when it is configured with NAP, performing

authentication and authorization for connection requests. You can configure NAP policies and settings in NPS, including system

health validators (SHVs), health policy, and remediation server groups that allow client computers to update their configuration

to become compliant with your organization’s network policy.

Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 include NAP, which helps protect access to private networks by ensuring that client

computers are configured in accordance with the organization’s network health policies before they can connect to network

resources. Additionally, NAP monitors client computer compliance with administrator-defined health policy while the computer

is connected to the network. NAP autoremediation allows you to ensure that noncompliant computers are updated

automatically, bringing them into compliance with health policy so that they can connect successfully to the network. System

administrators define network health policies, and then create these policies by using NAP components that either NPS provides,

depending on your NAP deployment, or that third-party companies provide. Health policies can include software requirements,

security-update requirements, and required-configuration settings. NAP enforces health policies by inspecting and assessing the

health of client computers, restricting network access when client computers are deemed unhealthy, and remediating unhealthy

client computers for full network access.

Demonstration: Installing the Network Policy Server Role




• Install the NPS role.

• Register NPS in AD DS.

Demonstration Steps Install the NPS Role


2. Open Server Manager, and add the Network Policy and Access Services role.


Register NPS in AD DS




Tools for Configuring a Network Policy Server

After you install the Network Policy Server role, you can open the NPS Administrative tool on the Administrative Tools menu, or

you can add the snap-in to create a custom Microsoft Management Console (MMC) tool. You also can use netsh commands to

manage and configure the NPS role.

The following tools enable you to manage the Network Policy and Access Services server role:

• NPS MMC snap-in. Use the NPS MMC to configure a RADIUS server, a RADIUS proxy, or a NAP technology.

• Netsh commands for NPS. The netsh commands for NPS provide a command set that is fully equivalent to all configuration

settings that are available through the NPS MMC snap-in. You can run netsh commands manually at the netsh prompt or in

administrator scripts.

One example of using netsh is that after you install and configure NPS, you can save the configuration by using the netsh nps



show config > path\file.txt command. You then save the NPS configuration with this command each time that you make a

change.

• Windows PowerShell®. You also can use Windows PowerShell Cmdlets to configure and manage a Network Policy Server.

For example, to export the NPS configuration, you can use the Export-NpsConfiguration -Path <filename> cmdlet.

Demonstration: Configuring General NPS Settings


• Configure a RADIUS server for VPN connections.

• Save the configuration.

Demonstration Steps Configure a RADIUS server for VPN connections

1. In the Network Policy Server console, launch the Configure VPN or Dial-Up Wizard.

2. Add LON-RTR as a RADIUS client.

3. Use a shared secret of Pa$$word for authentication between the RADIUS client and the NPS server.

4. Select Microsoft Encrypted Authentication version 2 (MS-CHAPv2) for authentication.

Save the configuration

1. Open Windows PowerShell.

2. Use the Export-NpsConfiguration -Path lon-dc1.xml command to save the configuration.

3. Examine this configuration with notepad.


RADIUS is an industry-standard authentication protocol that many vendors use to support the exchange of authentication

information between elements of a remote-access solution. To centralize your organization’s remote-authentication needs, you

can configure NPS as a RADIUS server or a RADIUS proxy. While configuring RADIUS clients and servers, you must consider

several factors, such as the RADIUS servers that will authenticate connection requests from RADIUS clients and the ports that

RADIUS traffic will use.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe a RADIUS client.

• Describe a RADIUS Proxy.

• Explain how to configure a RADIUS client.



• Describe the use of a connection request policy.

• Describe and configure connection-request processing for a RADIUS proxy environment.

• Explain how to create a new connection request policy.

What Is a RADIUS Client?

A network access server (NAS) is a device that provides some level of access to a larger network. An NAS using a RADIUS

infrastructure also is a RADIUS client, originating connection requests and accounting messages to a RADIUS server for

authentication, authorization, and accounting. Client computers, such as wireless laptop computers and other computers that

are running client-operating systems, are not RADIUS clients. RADIUS clients are network access servers—including wireless

access points, 802.1X authenticating switches, VPN servers, and dial-up servers—because they use the RADIUS protocol to

communicate with RADIUS servers such as NPS servers.

To deploy NPS as a RADIUS server, a RADIUS proxy, or a NAP policy server, you must configure RADIUS clients in NPS.

RADIUS Client Examples

Examples of network access servers include the following:

• Network access servers that provide remote access connectivity to an organization network or the Internet, such as a computer

that is running the Windows Server 2012 operating system, and the Routing and Remote Access service that provides either

traditional dial-up or VPN remote access services to an organization’s intranet.

• Wireless access points that provide physical-layer access to an organization’s network by using wireless-based transmission

and reception technologies.

• Switches that provide physical-layer access to an organization’s network, using traditional local area network (LAN)

technologies, such as the Ethernet.

• NPS-based RADIUS proxies that forward connection requests to RADIUS servers that are members of a remote RADIUS server

group that you configure on the RADIUS proxy, or other RADIUS proxies.

What Is a RADIUS Proxy?



You can use NPS as a RADIUS proxy to route RADIUS messages between RADIUS clients (network access servers) and RADIUS

servers that perform user authentication, authorization, and accounting for the connection attempt.

When you use NPS as a RADIUS proxy, NPS is a central switching or routing point through which RADIUS access and accounting

messages flow. NPS records information in an accounting log about forwarded messages.

You can use NPS as a RADIUS proxy when:

• You are a service provider who offers outsourced dial, VPN, or wireless network-access services to multiple customers.

Your NAS sends connection requests to the NPS RADIUS proxy. Based on the user name’s realm portion in the connection

request, the NPS RADIUS proxy forwards the connection request to a RADIUS server that the customer maintains, and can

authenticate and authorize the connection attempt.

• You want to provide authentication and authorization for user accounts that are not members of the domain in which the NPS

server is a member, or of a domain that has a two-way trust with the NPS server’s member domain.

This includes accounts in untrusted domains, one-way trusted domains, and other forests. Instead of configuring your access

servers to send their connection requests to an NPS RADIUS server, you can configure them to send their connection requests

to an NPS RADIUS proxy. The NPS RADIUS proxy uses the realm-name portion of the user name, and then forwards the request

to an NPS server in the correct domain or forest. Connection attempts for user accounts in one domain or forest can be

authenticated for NAS in another domain or forest.

• You want to perform authentication and authorization by using a database that is not a Windows account database.

In this case, NPS forwards connection requests that match a specified realm name to a RADIUS server, which has access to a

different database of user accounts and authorization data. An example of another user database is SQL databases.

• You want to process a large number of connection requests. In this case, instead of configuring your RADIUS clients to attempt

to balance their connection and accounting requests across multiple RADIUS servers, you can configure them to send their

connection and accounting requests to an NPS RADIUS proxy.

The NPS RADIUS proxy dynamically balances the load of connection and accounting requests across multiple RADIUS servers,

and it increases processing of large numbers of RADIUS clients and authentications each second.

• You want to provide RADIUS authentication and authorization for outsourced service providers and minimize intranet firewall

configuration.

An intranet firewall is between your intranet and your perimeter network (the network between your intranet and the Internet).

By placing an NPS server on your perimeter network, the firewall between your perimeter network and intranet must allow



traffic to flow between the NPS server and multiple domain controllers.

When replacing the NPS server with an NPS proxy, the firewall must allow only RADIUS traffic to flow between the NPS proxy

and one or multiple NPS servers within your intranet.

Demonstration: Configuring a RADIUS Client

This demonstration shows how to configure a RADIUS client.

Demonstration Steps



3. Reconfigure LON-RTR as a VPN Server with the following information:

o Public interface: Local Area Connection 2

o The VPN server allocates addresses from the pool: 172.16.0.100 to 172.16.0.110

o Option to configure the server with: Yes, setup this server to work with a RADIUS server.

o Primary RADIUS server: LON-DC1

o Secret: Pa$$w0rd


What Is a Connection Request Policy?

Connection request policies are sets of conditions and settings that allow network administrators to designate which RADIUS

servers perform authentication and authorization of connection requests that the NPS server receives from RADIUS clients. You

can configure connection-request policies to designate which RADIUS servers to use for RADIUS accounting.

Note: When you deploy NAP by using the VPN or 802.1X enforcement methods with Protected ExtensibleAuthentication Protocol (PEAP) authentication, you must configure PEAP authentication in the connection requestpolicy even when connection requests are processed locally.



You can create a series of connection request policies so that some RADIUS request messages sent from RADIUS clients are

processed locally (NPS is a RADIUS server) and other types of messages are forwarded to another RADIUS server (NPS is a RADIUS

proxy).

With connection request policies, you can use NPS as a RADIUS server or as a RADIUS proxy, based on a variety of factors,

including:

• The time of day and day of the week.

• The realm name in the connection request.

• The connection type that you are requesting.

• The RADIUS client’s IP address.

Conditions

Connection request policy conditions are one or more RADIUS attributes that are compared to the attributes of the incoming

RADIUS access-request message. If multiple conditions exist, NPS enforces the policy only if all of the conditions in the

connection-request message and in the connection request policy match.

Settings

Connection request policy settings are a set of properties that are applied to an incoming RADIUS message. Settings consist of

the following groups of properties:

• Authentication

• Accounting

• Attribute manipulation

• Advanced

Default Connection Request Policy

When you install NPS, a default connection request policy is created with the following conditions:

• Authentication is not configured.

• Accounting is not configured to forward accounting information to a remote RADIUS server group.

• Attribute manipulation is not configured with rules that change attributes in forwarded connection requests.

• Forwarding Request is turned on, which means that the local NPS server authenticates and authorizes connection requests.

• Advanced attributes are not configured.

The default connection request policy uses NPS as a RADIUS server. To configure an NPS server to act as a RADIUS proxy, you also

must configure a remote RADIUS server group. You can create a new remote RADIUS server group while you are creating a new

connection request policy with the New Connection Request Policy Wizard. You either can delete the default connection request

policy or verify that the default connection request policy is the last policy processed.



Note: If NPS and the Routing and Remote Access service are installed on the same computer, and you configure theRouting and Remote Access service for Windows authentication and accounting, it is possible for Routing and RemoteAccess service authentication and accounting requests to be forwarded to a RADIUS server. This can occur whenRouting and Remote Access service authentication and accounting requests match a connection request policy that isconfigured to forward them to a remote RADIUS server group.

Configuring Connection-Request Processing

The default connection request policy uses NPS as a RADIUS server, and processes all authentication requests locally.

Considerations for Configuring Connection-Request Processing

When configuring connection-request processing, consider the following:

• To configure an NPS server to act as a RADIUS proxy and forward connection requests to other NPS or RADIUS servers, you

must configure a remote RADIUS server group, and then add a new connection request policy that specifies conditions and

settings that the connection requests must match.

• You can use the New Connection Request Policy Wizard to create a new remote RADIUS server group when you create a new

connection-request.

• If you do not want the NPS server to act as a RADIUS server and process connection requests locally, you can delete the default

connection request policy.

• If you want the NPS server to act as both a RADIUS server (processes connection requests locally) and as a RADIUS proxy

(forwards some connection requests to a remote RADIUS server group), then you should add a new policy, and verify that the

default connection request policy is the last policy processed.

Ports for RADIUS and Logging

By default, NPS listens for RADIUS traffic on ports 1812, 1813, 1645, and 1646 for Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) and IPv4 for all

installed network adapters.

Note: If you disable either IPv4 or IPv6 on a network adapter, NPS does not monitor RADIUS traffic for the uninstalledprotocol.

The values of 1812 for authentication and 1813 for accounting are RADIUS standard ports defined in RFCs 2865 and 2866.



However, by default, many access servers use ports 1645 for authentication requests and 1646 for accounting requests. When you

are deciding on what port numbers to use, make sure that you configure NPS and the access server to use the same port

numbers. If you do not use the RADIUS default port numbers, you must configure exceptions on the firewall for the local

computer to enable RADIUS traffic on the new ports.

Configuring NPS UDP Port Information

You can use the following procedure to configure the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports that NPS uses for RADIUS

authentication and accounting traffic.

Note: To complete this procedure, you must be a member of the Domain Admins group, the Enterprise Admins group,or the Administrators group on the local computer.

To configure NPS UDP port information by using the Windows interface:

1. Open the NPS console.

2. Right-click Network Policy Server, and then click Properties.

3. Click the Ports tab, and then examine the settings for ports. If your RADIUS authentication and RADIUS accounting UDP

ports vary from the provided default values (1812 and 1645 for authentication, and 1813 and 1646 for accounting), type your

port settings in Authentication and Accounting.

Note: To use multiple port settings for authentication or accounting requests, separate the port numbers withcommas.

Demonstration: Creating a Connection Request Policy

This demonstration shows how to create a VPN connection request policy.

Demonstration Steps

1. On LON-DC1, switch to the Network Policy Server console.

2. View the existing Connection Request Policies. The wizard created these automatically when you specified the NPS role of

this server.

3. Create a new Connection Request Policy with the following settings:

o Type of network access server: Remote Access Server (VPN-Dial up)

o Condition: NAS Port Type as Virtual (VPN)

o Other settings: default values

4. Assign the new policy the highest priority.




NPS authenticates and authorizes a connection request before allowing or denying access when users attempt to connect to your

network through network access servers, also known as RADIUS clients, such as wireless access points, 802.1X authenticating

switches, dial-up servers, and VPN servers..

Because authentication is the process of verifying the user’s or computer’s identity that is attempting to connect to the network,

NPS must receive proof of identity from the user or computer in the form of credentials.

Some authentication methods implement the use of password-based credentials. The network access server then passes these

credentials to the NPS server, which verifies the credentials against the user accounts database.

Other authentication methods implement the use of certificate-based credentials for the user, the client computer, the NPS

server, or some combination. Certificate-based authentication methods provide strong security and are recommended over

password-based authentication methods.

When you deploy NPS, you can specify the required type of authentication method for access to your network.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe the password-based authentication methods for an NPS server.

• Describe how certificates are used to provide authentication for network clients.

• Describe the types of certificates that are needed for various authentication methods.

• Describe how to deploy certificates for PEAP and EAP.

Password-Based Authentication Methods

Each authentication method has advantages and disadvantages in terms of security, usability, and breadth of support. However,

password-based authentication methods do not provide strong security, and we do not recommend them. We recommend that

you use a certificate-based authentication method for all network access methods that support certificate use. This is especially

true for wireless connections, for which we recommend the use of PEAP-MS-CHAP v2 or PEAP-TLS.

The authentication method you require is determined by the configuration of the network access server, the client computer, and

network policy on the NPS server. Consult your access server documentation to determine which authentication methods are



supported.

You can configure NPS to accept multiple authentication methods. You also can configure your network access servers, also

called RADIUS clients, to attempt to negotiate a connection with client computers by requesting the use of the most secure

protocol first, then the next most secure, and so on, down to the least secure. For example, the Routing and Remote Access

service tries to negotiate a connection by using the following protocols in the order shown:

1. Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP)

2. MS-CHAP v2

3. MS-CHAP

4. Challenge Handshake Authentication Protocol (CHAP)

5. Shiva Password Authentication Protocol (SPAP)

6. Password Authentication Protocol (PAP)

When EAP is chosen as the authentication method, the negotiation of the EAP type occurs between the access client and the NPS

server.

MS-CHAP Version 2

MS-CHAP v2 provides stronger security for network access connections than MS-CHAP, its predecessor. MS-CHAP v2 is a one-

way encrypted password, mutual-authentication process that works as follows:

1. The authenticator (the network access server or the NPS server) sends a challenge to the access client that consists of a

session identifier and an arbitrary challenge string.

2. The access client sends a response that contains:

o The user name.

o An arbitrary peer-challenge string.

o A one-way encryption of the received challenge string, the peer-challenge string, the session identifier, and the user’s

password.

3. The authenticator checks the client’s response, and then sends back a response that contains:

o An indication of the connection attempt’s success or failure.

o An authenticated response based on the sent challenge string, the peer-challenge string, the client’s encrypted

response, and the user’s password.

4. The access client verifies the authentication response and, if correct, uses the connection. If the authentication response is

not correct, the access client terminates the connection.

MS-CHAP

MS-CHAP, also known as MS-CHAP version 1, is a nonreversible, encrypted password-authentication protocol.

The challenge handshake process works as follows:



1. The authenticator (the network access server or the NPS server) sends a challenge to the access client that consists of a

session identifier and an arbitrary challenge string.

2. The access client sends a response that contains the user name and a nonreversible encryption of the challenge string, the

session identifier, and the password.

3. The authenticator checks the response and, if valid, authenticates the user’s credentials.

Note: If you use MS-CHAP, MS-CHAP v2, or EAP-TLS as the authentication protocol, then you can use MicrosoftPoint-to-Point Encryption (MPPE) to encrypt the data that was sent on the Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) orPoint-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) connection.

MS-CHAP v2 provides stronger security for network access connections than MS-CHAP. You should consider using MS-CHAP v2

instead of MS-CHAP.

CHAP

The CHAP is a challenge-response authentication protocol that uses the industry-standard Message Digest 5 (MD5) hashing

scheme to encrypt the response.

Various vendors of network access servers and clients use CHAP. A server that is running Routing and Remote Access supports

CHAP, so access clients that require CHAP are authenticated. Because CHAP requires the use of a reversibly-encrypted password,

you should consider using another authentication protocol, such as MS-CHAP v2.

Additional Considerations

When implementing CHAP, consider the following:

• When users’ passwords expire, CHAP does not provide the ability for them to change passwords during the authentication

process.

• Verify that your network access server supports CHAP before you enable it on an NPS server’s network policy. For more

information, refer to your NAS documentation.

• You cannot use MPPE with CHAP.

PAP

PAP uses plaintext passwords and is the least secure authentication protocol. It typically is negotiated if the access client and

network access server cannot negotiate a more secure authentication method. When you enable PAP as an authentication

protocol, user passwords are sent in plaintext form. Anyone capturing the packets of the authentication process can read the

password easily, and then use it to gain unauthorized access to your intranet. We highly discourage the use of PAP, especially for

VPN connections.

Unauthenticated Access

With unauthenticated access, user credentials (a user name and password) are not required. Although there are some situations

in which unauthenticated access is useful, in most cases, we do not recommend that you deploy unauthenticated access to your

organization’s network.



When you enable unauthenticated access, users can access your network without sending user credentials. Additionally,

unauthenticated access clients do not negotiate the use of a common authentication protocol during the connection

establishment process, and they do not send NPS a user name or password.

If you permit unauthenticated access, clients can connect without being authenticated if the authentication protocols that are

configured on the access client do not match the authentication protocols that are configured on the network access server. In

this case, the use of a common authentication protocol is not negotiated, and the access client does not send a user name and

password. This circumstance creates a serious security problem. Therefore, unauthenticated access should not be allowed on

most networks.

Using Certificates for Authentication

Certificates are digital documents that certification authorities (CAs) issue, such as Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) or

the VeriSign public CA. You can use certificates for many purposes, such as code signing and securing email communication.

However, with NPS, you use certificates for network access authentication because they provide strong security for

authenticating users and computers, and eliminate the need for less secure, password-based authentication methods.

NPS servers use EAP-TLS and PEAP to perform certificate-based authentication for many types of network access, including VPN

and wireless connections.

Authentication Methods

Two authentication methods, when you configure them with certificate-based authentication types, use certificates: EAP and

PEAP. With EAP, you can configure the authentication type TLS (EAP-TLS), and with PEAP, you can configure the authentication

types TLS (PEAP-TLS) and MS-CHAP v2 (PEAP-MS-CHAP v2). These authentication methods always use certificates for server

authentication. Depending on the authentication type that you configure with the authentication method, you also might use

certificates for user authentication and client computer authentication.

Note: Using certificates for VPN connection authentication is the strongest form of authentication available inWindows Server 2008 R2. You must use certificates for IPsec authentication on VPN connections that are based onLayer Two Tunneling protocol over Internet protocol security (L2TP/IPsec). PPTP connections do not requirecertificates, although you can configure PPTP connections to use certificates for computer authentication when youuse EAP-TLS as the authentication method. For wireless clients (computing devices with wireless network adapters,such as your portable computer or personal digital assistant), use PEAP with EAP-TLS and smart cards or certificates forauthentication.

Note: You can deploy certificates for use with NPS by installing and configuring the AD CS server role.



Mutual Authentication

When you use EAP with a strong EAP type (such as TLS with smart cards or certificates), the client and the server use certificates

to verify their identities to each other, which is known as mutual authentication. Certificates must meet specific requirements to

allow the server and the client to use them for mutual authentication.

One such requirement is that the certificate is configured with one or more purposes in Extend Key Usage (EKU) extensions that

correlate to the certificate use. For example, you must configure a certificate that you use for a client’s authentication with the

Client Authentication purpose. Similarly, you must configure a certificate that you use for a server’s authentication with the

Server Authentication purpose. When you use certificates for authentication, the authenticator examines the client certificate,

seeking the correct purpose object identifier in EKU extensions. For example, the object identifier for the Client Authentication

purpose is 1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.2. When you use a certificate for client computer authentication, this object identifier must be present in

the EKU extensions of the certificate or authentication will fail.

Certificate Templates

Certificate Templates is an MMC snap-in that enables customization of certificates that AD CS issues. Customization possibilities

include how certificates are issued and what the certificates contain, including their purposes. In Certificate Templates, you can

use a default template, such as the Computer template, to define the template that the CA uses to assign certificates to

computers. You also can create a certificate template and assign purposes to it in EKU extensions. By default, the Computer

template includes the Client Authentication purpose and the Server Authentication purpose in EKU extensions.

The certificate template that you create can include any purpose for which you will use the certificate. For example, if you use

smart cards for authentication, you can include the Smart Card Logon purpose as well as the Client Authentication purpose.

When using NPS, you can configure NPS to check certificate purposes before granting network authorization. NPS can check

additional EKUs and Issuance Policy purposes, also known as Certificate Policies.

Note: Some non-Microsoft CA software might contain a purpose named All, which represents all possible purposes.This is indicated by a blank (or null) EKU extension. Although All is intended to mean all possible purposes, you cannotsubstitute the All-purpose for the Client Authentication purpose, the Server Authentication purpose, or any otherpurpose that is related to network access authentication.

Required Certificates for Authentication

The following table details the certificates that are required to deploy each of the listed certificate-based authentication methods



successfully.

Certificate Required for EAP-TLS and

PEAP-TLS?

Required for PEAP-MS-

CHAP v2?

Details

CA certificate in the Trusted Root

Certification Authorities

certificate store for the Local

Computer and Current User

Yes. The CA certificate is enrolled automatically

for domain member computers. For nondomain

member computers, you must import the

certificate manually into the certificate store.

Yes. This certificate is enrolled

automatically for domain member

computers. For nondomain member

computers, you must import the

certificate manually into the certificate

store.

For PEAP-MS-CHAP v2, this certificate is

required for mutual authentication

between client and server.

Client computer certificate in the

certificate store of the client

Yes. Client computer certificates are required

unless user certificates are distributed on smart

cards. Client certificates are enrolled

automatically for domain member computers.

For nondomain member computers, you must

import the certificate manually or obtain it with

the Web-enrollment tool.

No. User authentication is performed

with password-based credentials, not

certificates.

If you deploy user certificates on smart

cards, client computers do not need

client certificates.

Server certificate in the certificate

store of the NPS server

Yes. You can configure AD CS to autoenroll

server certificates to members of the RAS and

IAS servers group in AD DS.

Yes. In addition to using AD CS for server

certificates, you can purchase server

certificates from other CAs that client

computers already trust.

The NPS server sends the server

certificate to the client computer. The

client computer uses the certificate to

authenticate the NPS server.

User certificate on a smart card AD CS to auto-enroll server certificates to

members of the RAS and IAS servers group in

AD DS.

No. User authentication is performed

with password-based credentials, not

certificates.

For EAP-TLS and PEAP-TLS, if you do not

auto-enroll client computer certificates,

user certificates on smart cards are

required.

The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE) 802.1X authentication provides authenticated access to 802.11

wireless networks and wired Ethernet networks. 802.1X provides support for secure EAP types, such as TLS with smart cards or

certificates. You can configure 802.1X with EAP-TLS in a variety of ways.

If you configure the Validate server certificate option on the client, the client authenticates the server by using its certificate.

Client computer and user authentication is accomplished by using certificates from the client certificate store or a smart card,

providing mutual authentication.

With wireless clients, you can use PEAP-MS-CHAP v2 as the authentication method. PEAP-MS-CHAP v2 is a password-based user

authentication method that uses TLS with server certificates. During PEAP-MS-CHAP v2 authentication, the NPS server supplies a

certificate to validate its identity to the client (if the Validate server certificate option is configured on the Windows 8 client).

Client computer and user authentication is accomplished with passwords, which eliminates some of the difficulty of deploying

certificates to wireless client computers.

Deploying Certificates for PEAP and EAP



All certificates that you use for network access authentication with EAP-TLS and PEAP must meet the requirements for X.509

certificates and work for connections that use Secure Sockets Layer-Transport Layer Security (SSL/TLS). After this minimum

requirement is met, both client and server certificates have additional requirements.

Minimum Server Certificate Requirements

You can configure clients to validate server certificates by using the Validate server certificate option within the authentication

protocol’s properties. With PEAP-MS-CHAP v2, PEAP-TLS, or EAP-TLS as the authentication method, the client accepts the server

authentication attempt when the certificate meets the following requirements:

• The Subject name contains a value. If you issue a certificate to your NPS server that has a blank Subject, the certificate is not

available to authenticate your NPS server. To configure the certificate template with a Subject name:

a. Open Certificate Templates.

b. In the details pane, right-click the certificate template that you want to change, and then click Properties.

c. Click the Subject Name tab, and then click Build from this Active Directory information.

d. In Subject name format, select a value other than None.

• The computer certificate on the server chains to a trusted root CA, and does not fail any of the checks that CryptoAPI performs

and that the remote access or network policies specify.

• The NPS or VPN server computer certificate is configured with the Server Authentication purpose in EKU extensions (the object

identifier for Server Authentication is 1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.1).

• The server certificate is configured with a required algorithm value of RSA. To configure the required cryptography setting:



c. Click the Cryptography tab. In Algorithm name, click RSA. Ensure that Minimum key size is set to 2048.

• The Subject Alternative Name (SubjectAltName) extension, if you use it, must contain the server’s fully qualified domain name

(FQDN). To configure the certificate template with the Domain Name System (DNS) name of the enrolling server:






d. In Include this information in alternate subject name, select DNS name.

With PEAP and EAP-TLS, NPS servers display a list of all installed certificates in the computer certificate store, except the

following:

• Certificates that do not contain the Server Authentication purpose in EKU extensions.

• Certificates that do not contain a subject name.

• Registry-based and smart card-logon certificates.

Minimum Client Certificate Requirements

With EAP-TLS or PEAP-TLS, the server accepts the client authentication attempt when the certificate meets the following

requirements:

• An enterprise CA issued the client certificate or it is mapped to an Active Directory user or computer account.

• The user or computer certificate on the client chains to a trusted-root CA; the certificate includes the Client Authentication

purpose in EKU extensions (the object identifier for Client Authentication is 1.3.6.1.5.5.7.3.2); and fails neither the checks that

CryptoAPI performs, which the remote access or network policies specify, nor the Certificate object identifier checks that the

NPS network policies specify.

• The 802.1X client does not use registry-based certificates that are either smart card-logon or password-protected certificates.

• For user certificates, the Subject Alternative Name (SubjectAltName) extension in the certificate contains the user principal

name (UPN). To configure the UPN in a certificate template:




d. In Include this information in alternate subject name, select User principal name (UPN).

• For computer certificates, the Subject Alternative Name (SubjectAltName) extension in the certificate must contain the client’s

FQDN, also known as the DNS name. To configure this name in the certificate template:




d. In Include this information in alternate subject name, select DNS name.

With PEAP-TLS and EAP-TLS, clients display a list of all installed certificates in the Certificates snap-in, with the following

exceptions:

• Wireless clients do not display registry-based and smart card-logon certificates.

• Wireless clients and VPN clients do not display password-protected certificates.



• Certificates that do not contain the Client Authentication purpose in EKU extensions.


You can monitor NPS by configuring and using logging for events, and user authentication and accounting requests. Event

logging enables you to record NPS events in the system and security event logs. You can use request logging for connection

analysis and billing purposes. The information that the log files collect is useful for troubleshooting connection attempts and for

security investigation.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe the methods for monitoring NPS.

• Describe how to configure log file properties.

• Describe how to configure SQL Server logging in NPS.

• Describe how to configure NPS events to be recorded in Event Viewer.

Methods Used to Monitor NPS

The two types of accounting, or logging, that you can use to monitor NPS are:

• Event logging for NPS. You can use event logging to record NPS events in the system and security event logs. You use this

primarily for auditing and troubleshooting connection attempts.

• Logging user authentication and accounting requests. You can log user authentication and accounting requests to log files in

text format or database format, or you can log to a stored procedure in a SQL Server database. Use request logging primarily

for connection analysis and billing purposes, and as a security investigation tool, because it enables you to identify an

attacker’s activity.

To make the most effective use of NPS logging:

• Turn on logging (initially) for authentication and accounting records. Modify these selections after you determine what is



appropriate for your environment.

• Ensure that you configure event logging with sufficient capacity to maintain your logs.

• Back up all log files on a regular basis, because they cannot be recreated when damaged or deleted.

• Use the RADIUS Class attribute to track usage and simplify identification of which department or user to charge for usage.

Although the Class attribute, which is generated automatically, is unique for each request, duplicate records might exist in

cases where the reply to the access server is lost and the request is re-sent. You might need to delete duplicate requests from

your logs to track usage accurately.

• To provide failover and redundancy with SQL Server logging, place two computers that are running SQL Server on different

subnets. Use the SQL Server Create Publication Wizard to set up database replication between the two servers. For more

information, refer to the SQL Server documentation.

Note: To interpret logged data, view the information on the Microsoft TechNet website: Interpret NPS DatabaseFormat Log Files http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=214832&clcid=0x409

Logging NPS Accounting

You can configure NPS to perform RADIUS accounting for user authentication requests, Access-Accept messages, Access-Reject

messages, accounting requests and responses, and periodic status updates. You can use this procedure to configure the log files

where you want to store the accounting data.

Considerations for Configuring Accounting for NPS

The following list provides more information about configuring NPS accounting:

• To send the log file data for collection by another process, you can configure NPS to write to a named pipe. To use named

pipes, set the log file folder to \\.\pipe or \\ComputerName\pipe. The named pipe server program creates a named pipe called

\\.\pipe\iaslog.log to accept the data. In the Local File Properties dialog box, in Create a new log file, select Never

(unlimited file size) when you use named pipes.

• To create the log file directory, use system environment variables (instead of user variables), such as %systemdrive%,

%systemroot%, and %windir%. For example, the following path, using the environment variable %windir%, locates the log file

at the system directory in the subfolder \System32\Logs (that is, %windir%\System32\Logs\).

• Switching log-file formats does not cause a new log to be created. If you change log file formats, the file that is active when

http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=214832&clcid=0x409



the change occurs will contain a mixture of the two formats. Records at the log’s start will have the previous format, and

records at the log’s end will have the new format.

• If you are administering an NPS server remotely, you cannot browse the directory structure. If you need to log accounting

information to a remote server, specify the log file name by typing a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) name, such as

\\MyLogServer\LogShare.

• If RADIUS accounting fails due to a full hard-disk drive or other causes, NPS stops processing connection requests, which

prevents users from accessing network resources.

• NPS enables you to log to a SQL Server database in addition to, or instead of, logging to a local file.

Note: If you do not supply a full path statement in Log File Directory, the default path is used. For example, if youtype NPSLogFile in Log File Directory, the file is located at %systemroot%\System32\NPSLogFile.

Configuring Log File Properties

To configure log file properties by using the Windows interface, perform the following tasks:

1. Open the Network Policy Server MMC snap-in.

2. In the console tree, click Accounting.

3. In the details pane, click Change Log File Properties.

4. In Log File Properties, on the Log File tab, in Directory, type the location where you want to store NPS log files. The default

location is the systemroot\System32\LogFiles folder.

5. In Format, select from DTS Compliant, ODBC (Legacy), and IAS (Legacy).

6. To configure NPS to start new log files at specified intervals, click the interval that you want to use:

o For heavy transaction volume and logging activity, click Daily.

o For lesser transaction volumes and logging activity, click Weekly or Monthly.

o To store all transactions in one log file, click Never (unlimited file size).

o To limit the size of each log file, click When log file reaches this size, and then type a file size, after which a new log is

created. The default size is 10 megabytes (MB).

7. To configure NPS to delete log files automatically when the disk is full, click When disk is full delete older log files. If the

oldest log file is the current log file, it is not deleted.

Note: To complete this procedure, you must be a member of the Domain Admins group, the Enterprise Adminsgroup, or the Administrators group on the local computer.

Configuring SQL Server Logging



You can configure NPS to perform RADIUS accounting to a SQL Server database. You can use this procedure to configure logging

properties and the connection to the running SQL Server that stores your accounting data. The SQL Server database can be on the

local computer or on a remote server.

Note: NPS formats accounting data as an XML document that it sends to the report_event stored procedure in the SQLServer database that you designate in NPS. For SQL Server logging to function properly, you must have a storedprocedure named report_event in the SQL Server database that can receive and parse the XML documents from NPS.

Configuring SQL Server Logging in NPS

To configure SQL Server logging in NPS using the Windows interface, perform the following tasks:

1. Open the Network Policy Server MMC snap-in.

2. In the console tree, click Accounting.

3. In the details pane, click Change SQL Server Logging Properties. The SQL Server Logging Properties dialog box opens.

4. In Log the following information, select the information that you want to log:

o To log all accounting requests, select Accounting requests.

o To log authentication requests, select Authentication requests.

o To log periodic status, such as interim accounting requests, select Periodic accounting status.

o To log periodic status, such as interim authentication requests, select Periodic authentication status.

5. To configure the number of concurrent sessions that you want to allow between the NPS server and the SQL Server

database, type a number in Maximum number of concurrent sessions.

6. To configure the SQL Server data source, click Configure. The Data Link Properties dialog box opens. On the Connection

tab, specify the following:

o To specify the server’s name on which the database is stored, type or select a name in Select or enter a server name.

o To specify the authentication method with which to sign in to the server, click Use Windows NT integrated security,

or click Use a specific user name and password, and then type your credentials in User name and Password.

o To allow a blank password, select Blank password.

o To store the password, select Allow saving password.



o To specify to which database to connect on the computer that is running SQL Server, click Select the database on the

server, and then select a database name from the list.

7. To test the connection between the NPS server and the computer that is running SQL Server, click Test Connection.

Note: To complete this procedure, you must be a member of the Domain Admins group, the Enterprise Adminsgroup, or the Administrators group on the local computer.

Configuring NPS Events to Record in the Event Viewer

You can configure NPS event logging to record connection-request failure and success events in the Event Viewer system log.

Configuring NPS Event Logging

To configure NPS event logging by using the Windows interface, perform the following tasks:

1. Open the Network Policy Server (NPS) snap-in.

2. Right-click NPS (Local), and then click Properties.

3. On the General tab, select each of the following options, as required, and then click OK:

o Rejected authentication requests

o Successful authentication requests

Note: To complete this procedure, you must be a member of the Domain Admins group or

the Enterprise Admins group.

Using the event logs in Event Viewer, you can monitor NPS errors and other events that you configure NPS to record.

NPS records connection-request failure events in the System and Security event logs by default. Connection-request failure

events consist of requests that NPS rejects or discards. Other NPS authentication events are recorded in the Event Viewer system



sign in the basis of settings that you specify in the NPS snap-in. Therefore, the Event Viewer security log might record some

events containing sensitive data.

Connection-Request Failure Events

Although NPS records connection-request failure events by default, you can change the configuration according to your logging

needs. NPS rejects or ignores connection requests for a variety of reasons, including the following:

• The RADIUS message is not formatted according to RFCs 2865 or 2866.

• The RADIUS client is unknown.

• The RADIUS client has multiple IP addresses and has sent the request on an address other than the one that you define in NPS.

• The message authenticator (also known as a digital signature) that the client sent is invalid because the shared secret is invalid.

• NPS was unable to locate the user name’s domain.

• NPS was unable to connect to the user name’s domain.

• NPS was unable to access the user account in the domain.

When NPS rejects a connection request, the information in the event text includes the user name, access server identifiers, the

authentication type, the name of the matching network policy, the reason for the rejection, and other information.

Connection Request Success Events

Although NPS records connection request success events by default, you can change the configuration according to your

logging needs.

When NPS accepts a connection request, the information in the event text includes the user name, access server identifiers, the

authentication type, and the name of the first matching network policy.

Logging Schannel Events

Secure channel (Schannel) is a security support provider (SSP) that supports a set of Internet security protocols, such as SSL and

TLS. These protocols provide identity authentication and secure, private communication through encryption.

Logging of client-certificate validation failures is a secure channel event and is not enabled on the NPS server, by default. You can

enable additional secure channel events by changing the following registry key value from 1 (REG_DWORD type, data 0x00000001)

to 3 (REG_DWORD type, data 0x00000003):

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\SecurityProviders\SCHANNEL\EventLoggi ng


Scenario

A. Datum is a global engineering and manufacturing company with its head office in London, UK. An IT office and data center is

located in London, to support the London office and other locations. A. Datum has recently deployed a Windows Server 2012




A. Datum is expanding its remote-access solution to the entire organization. This will require multiple VPN servers that are

located at different points to provide connectivity for its employees. You are responsible for performing the tasks necessary to

support these VPN connections.

Objectives


• Install and configure NPS to support RADIUS.

• Configure and test a RADIUS client.

Lab Setup



20411B-LON-RTR

20411B-LON-CL2


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:





• User name: Adatum\Administrator

• Password: Pa$$w0rd

5. Perform steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-RTR and 20411B-LON-CL2.

Exercise 1: Installing and Configuring NPS to Support RADIUS

Scenario

You have been tasked with installing an NPS into the existing infrastructure to be used for RADIUS services. In this exercise, you

will configure the RADIUS server with appropriate templates to help manage any future implementations. You also need to

configure Accounting to log authentication information to a local text file on the server.




1. Install and configure the Network Policy Server.

2. Configure NPS Templates.

3. Configure RADIUS accounting.

Task 1: Install and configure the Network Policy Server



3. Using Server Manager, install the Network Policy and Access Services role by using default values to complete the

installation wizard.

4. Open the Network Policy Server console, and then register the server in Active Directory.

5. Leave the Network Policy Server console open.

Task 2: Configure NPS Templates

1. Create a new Shared Secrets template with the following properties:

o Name: Adatum Secret

o Shared secret: Pa$$w0rd

2. Create a new RADIUS Clients template with the following properties:

o Friendly name: LON-RTR

o Address (IP or DNS): LON-RTR

o Shared Secret: Use Adatum Secret template.


Task 3: Configure RADIUS accounting

1. In the Network Policy Server console, launch the Accounting Configuration Wizard.

2. Choose the Log to a text file on the local computer option, and then use the default values to complete the wizard.


Results: After this exercise, you should have enabled and configured NPS to support the required environment.



Exercise 2: Configuring and Testing a RADIUS Client

Scenario

You need to configure a server as a VPN server and a RADIUS client, including the client configuration, and then you need to

modify the Network Policy settings.


1. Configure a RADIUS client.

2. Configure a network policy for RADIUS.

3. Test the RADIUS configuration.

Task 1: Configure a RADIUS client

1. Create a RADIUS Client by using the following properties:

o Template: LON-RTR

2. Leave the console open, and then switch to LON-RTR.

3. Logon as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

4. Open Routing and Remote Access, and Disable Routing and Remote Access.

5. Select Configure and Enable Routing and Remote Access.

6. Reconfigure LON-RTR as a VPN Server:

o Local Area Connection 2 is the public interface

o The VPN server allocates addresses from the pool: 172.16.0.100 > 172.16.0.110

o The server is configured with the option Yes, setup this server to work with a RADIUS server.

o Primary RADIUS server: LON-DC1

o Secret: Pa$$w0rd

The VPN service starts.

Task 2: Configure a network policy for RADIUS


2. Switch to the Network Policy Server console.

3. Disable the two existing network policies. These would interfere with the processing of the policy that you are about to

create.

4. Create a new Network Policy by using the following properties:



o Policy name: Adatum VPN Policy

o Type of network access server: Remote Access Server(VPN-Dial up)

o Condition: NAS Port Type = Virtual (VPN)

o Permission: Access granted

o Authentication methods: default

o Constraints: default

o Settings: default

Task 3: Test the RADIUS configuration

1. Switch to LON-CL2 and sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Create a new VPN connection with the following properties:



o Allow other people to use this connection: true

3. After you have created the VPN, modify its settings by viewing the properties of the connection, and then selecting the

Security tab. Use the following settings to reconfigure the VPN:

o Type of VPN: Point to Point Protocol (PPTP)

o Authentication: Allow these protocols =Microsoft CHAP Version 2 (MS-CHAP v2)

4. Test the VPN connection. Use the following credentials:



Results: After this exercise, you should have deployed a VPN server, and then configured it as a RADIUS client.


When you are finished the lab, revert all virtual machines to their initial state. To do this, perform the following steps:




4. Repeat steps 2 and 3 for 20411B-LON-RTR and 20411B-LON-DC1.




Review Questions

Question: How can you make the most effective use of the NPS logging features?

Question: What consideration must you follow if you choose to use a nonstandard port assignment for RADIUS traffic?

Question: Why must you register the NPS server in Active Directory?

Tools


Network Policy Server Managing and creating Network Policy Network Policy Server on the Administrative Tools menu

Netsh command-

line tool

Creating administrative scripts for configuring and managing the

Network Policy Server role

In a Command Prompt window, type netsh –c nps to administer

from a command prompt

Event Viewer Viewing logged information from application, system, and security

events

Event Viewer on the Administrative Tools menu

Lab Answer Key: Module 8: Installing, Configuring, and Troubleshooting the

Network Policy Server Role


Exercise 1: Installing and Configuring NPS to Support RADIUS

Task 1: Install and configure the Network Policy Server




4. In the details pane, click Add roles and features.


6. On the Select installation type page, click Role-based or feature based installation, and then click Next.





11. On the Select role services page, verify that the Network Policy Server check box is selected, and then click Next.



14. Close the Server Manager window.

15. Pause your mouse pointer in the lower-left of the taskbar, and then click Start.

16. Click Network Policy Server.

17. In Network Policy Manager, in the navigation pane, right-click NPS (Local), and then click Register server in Active

Directory.

18. In the Network Policy Server message box, click OK.

19. In the subsequent Network Policy Server dialog box, click OK.

20. Leave the Network Policy Server console window open.

Task 2: Configure NPS Templates

1. In the Network Policy Server console, in the navigation pane, expand Templates Management.

2. In the navigation pane, right-click Shared Secrets, and then click New.

3. In the New RADIUS Shared Secret Template dialog box, in the Template name box, type Adatum Secret.

4. In the Shared secret and Confirm shared secret boxes, type Pa$$w0rd, and then click OK.

5. In the navigation pane, right-click RADIUS Clients, and then click New.

6. In the New RADIUS Client dialog box, in the Friendly name box, type LON-RTR.

7. Click Verify, and in the Verify Address dialog box, in the Address box, type LON-RTR, and then click Resolve.

8. Click OK.

9. In the New RADIUS Client dialog box, under Shared Secret, in the Select an existing Shared Secrets template, click

Adatum Secret, and then click OK.

10. Leave the console open.

Task 3: Configure RADIUS accounting

1. In Network Policy Server, in the navigation pane, click Accounting.

2. In the details pane, click Configure Accounting.

3. In the Accounting Configuration Wizard, click Next.

4. On the Select Accounting Options page, click Log to a text file on the local computer, and then click Next.

5. On the Configure Local File Logging page, click Next.


7. On the Conclusion page, click Close.

8. Leave the console open.

Results: After this exercise, you should have enabled and configured NPS to support the required environment.

Exercise 2: Configuring and Testing a RADIUS Client

Task 1: Configure a RADIUS client

1. In the Network Policy Server console, expand RADIUS Clients and Servers.

2. Right-click RADIUS Clients, and then click New.

3. In the New RADIUS Client dialog box, clear the Enable this RADIUS client check box.

4. Select the Select an existing template check box.

5. Click OK.





10. In Start, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Routing and Remote Access.

11. If required, at the Enable DirectAccess Wizard dialog box, click Cancel. Click OK.


Access.


14. In the Routing and Remote Access console, right-click LON-RTR (local), and then click Configure and Enable Routing and

Remote Access.



17. Click the network interface called Local Area Connection 2. Clear the Enable security on the selected interface by setting

up static packet filters check box, and then click Next.

18. On the IP Address Assignment page, select From a specified range of addresses, and then click Next.

19. On the Address Range Assignment page, click New. Type 172.16.0.100 next to Start IP address and 172.16.0.110 next to

End IP address, and then click OK. Verify that 11 IP addresses were assigned for remote clients, and then click Next.

20. On the Managing Multiple Remote Access Servers page, click Yes, setup this server to work with a RADIUS server, and

then click Next.

21. On the RADIUS Server Selection page, in the Primary RADIUS server box, type LON-DC1.

22. In the Shared secret box, type Pa$$w0rd, and then click Next.

23. Click Finish.

24. In the Routing and Remote Access dialog box, click OK.

25. If prompted again, click OK.

Task 2: Configure a network policy for RADIUS

1. Switch to the LON-DC1 computer.

2. Switch to Network Policy Server.

3. In Network Policy Server, expand Policies, and then click Network Policies.

4. In the details pane, right-click the policy at the top of the list, and then click Disable.

5. In the details pane, right-click the policy at the bottom of the list, and then click Disable.

6. In the navigation pane, right-click Network Policies, and then click New.

7. In the New Network Policy Wizard, in the Policy name box, type Adatum VPN Policy.

8. In the Type of network access server list, click Remote Access Server(VPN-Dial up), and then click Next.


10. In the Select condition dialog box, click NAS Port Type, and then click Add.

11. In the NAS Port Type dialog box, select the Virtual (VPN) check box, and then click OK.

12. Click Next, and on the Specify Access Permission page, click Access granted, and then click Next.

13. On the Configure Authentication Methods page, click Next.

14. On the Configure Constraints page, click Next.



Task 3: Test the RADIUS configuration


2. Sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password of Pa$$w0rd.




6. Click Set up a new connection or network.

7. On the Choose a connection option page, click Connect to a workplace, and then click Next.

8. On the How do you want to connect page, click Use my Internet connection (VPN).

9. Click I’ll set up an Internet connection later.

10. On the Type the Internet address to connect to page, in the Internet address box, type 10.10.0.1.

11. In the Destination name box, type Adatum VPN.

12. Select the Allow other people to use this connection check box, and then click Create.

13. In the Network And Sharing Center window, click Change adapter settings.

14. Right-click the Adatum VPN connection, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.

15. In the Type of VPN list, click Point to Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP).

16. Under Authentication, click Allow these protocols, and then click OK.

17. In the Network Connections window, right-click the Adatum VPN connection, and then click Connect/Disconnect.

18. In the Networks list on the right, click Adatum VPN, and then click Connect.

19. In Network Authentication, in the User name box, type Adatum\Administrator.

20. In the Password box, type Pa$$w0rd, and then click OK.

21. Wait for the VPN connection to be made. Your connection is successful.

Results: After this exercise, you should have deployed a VPN server, and then configured it as a RADIUS client.







5/21/13 Module 9: Implementing Network Access Protection


Module 9: Implementing Network Access Protection

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Overview of Network Access Protection






Module Overview

Your network is only as secure as the least-secure computer attached to it. Many programs and tools exist to help you to secure

your network-attached computers, such as antivirus or malware detection software. However, if the software on some of your

computers is not up to date, or not enabled or configured correctly, then these computers continue to pose a security risk.

Computers that remain within the office environment and always connect to the same network are relatively easy to keep

configured and updated. Computers that connect to different networks, especially unmanaged networks, are less easy to control.

For example, it is difficult to control laptop computers that users use to connect to customer networks or public Wi-Fi hotspots.

Furthermore, unmanaged computers that are seeking to connect remotely to your network, such as users connecting from their

home computers, also pose a challenge.

Network Access Protection (NAP) enables you to create customized health-requirement policies to validate computer health

before allowing access or communication. Additionally, NAP updates compliant computers automatically to ensure their

ongoing compliance, and can limit the access of noncompliant computers to a restricted network until they become compliant.

Objectives


• Describe how NAP can help protect your network.

• Describe the various NAP enforcement processes.

• Configure NAP.

• Monitor and troubleshoot NAP.

Lesson 1 : Overview of Network Access Protection










NAP is a policy-enforcement platform that is built into the Windows® 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista®, Windows XP with Service

Pack 3 (SP3), Windows Server® 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2012 operating systems. You can use NAP to

protect network assets more strongly by enforcing compliance with system-health requirements. NAP provides the necessary

software components to help ensure that computers connected or connecting to your network remain manageable so they do

not become a security risk to your enterprise’s network and other attached computers.

Understanding the functionality and limitations of NAP will help you protect your network from the security risks posed by

noncompliant computers.

Lesson Objectives


• Explain how you can use NAP to enforce computer health requirements.

• Describe the scenarios in which you would use NAP.

• Describe the NAP enforcement methods.

• Describe the architecture of a NAP–enabled network infrastructure.

What Is Network Access Protection?

NAP provides components and an application programming interface (API) that can help enforce compliance with your

organization’s health-requirement policies for network access or communication.

NAP enables you to create solutions for validating computers that connect to your networks, and provide needed updates or

access to requisite health-update resources. Additionally, NAP enables you to limit the access or communication of

noncompliant computers.

You can integrate NAP’s enforcement features with software from other vendors or with custom programs.

It is important to remember that NAP does not protect a network from malicious users. Rather, it helps you maintain the health

of your organization’s networked computers automatically, which in turn helps maintain your network’s overall integrity. For

example, if a computer has all of the software and configuration settings that the health policy requires, the computer is

compliant and will have unlimited network access. However, NAP does not prevent an authorized user with a compliant

computer from uploading a malicious program to the network or engaging in other inappropriate behavior.



How to Use NAP

You can use NAP in three distinct ways:

• To validate the health state. When a computer attempts to connect to the network, NAP validates the computer’s health state

against the health-requirement policies that the administrator defines. You also can define what to do if a computer is not

compliant. In a monitoring-only environment, all computers have their health state evaluated, and NAP logs the compliance

state of each computer for analysis. In a limited access environment, computers that comply with the health-requirement

policies have unlimited network access. Computers that do not comply with health-requirement policies could find their

access limited to a restricted network.

• To enforce health-policy compliance. You can help ensure compliance with health-requirement policies by choosing to

update noncompliant computers automatically with missing software updates or configuration changes through

management software, such as Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager. In a monitoring-only environment, NAP

will ensure that computers update their network access before they receive required updates or configuration changes. In a

limited access environment, noncompliant computers have limited access until the updates and configuration changes are

complete. In both environments, computers that are compatible with NAP can become compliant automatically and you can

define exceptions for computers that are not NAP compatible.

• To limit network access. You can protect your networks by limiting the access of noncompliant computers. You can base

limited network access on a specific amount of time, or on what resources that the noncompliant computer can access. In the

latter case, you define a restricted network that contains health update resources, and the limited access will last until the

noncompliant computer comes into compliance. You also can configure exceptions so that computers that are not

compatible with NAP do not have limited network access.

NAP Scenarios

NAP provides a solution for the common scenarios, such as roaming laptops, desktop computers, visiting laptops, and

unmanaged computers. Depending on your needs, you can configure a solution to address any or all of these scenarios for your

network.

Roaming Laptops

Portability and flexibility are two primary advantages of a laptop, but these features also present a system health threat. Users

frequently connect their laptops to other networks. While users are away from your organization, their laptops might not receive

the most recent software updates or configuration changes. Additionally, exposure to unprotected networks, such as the Internet,

could introduce security-related threats to the laptops. NAP allows you to check any laptop’s health state when it reconnects to

the organization’s network, whether through a virtual private network (VPN), a Windows 8 DirectAccess connection, or the



workplace network connection.

Desktop Computers

Although users typically do not take their desktop computers out of your company’s buildings, they still can present a threat to

your network. To minimize this threat, you must maintain these computers with the most recent updates and required software.

Otherwise, these computers are at risk of infection from websites, email, files from shared folders, and other publicly accessible

resources. You can use NAP to automate health state checks to verify each desktop computer’s compliance with health-

requirement policies. You can check log files to determine which computers do not comply. Additionally, by using management

software, you can generate automatic reports and automatically update noncompliant computers. When you change health-

requirement policies, you can configure NAP to provision computers automatically with the most recent updates.

Visiting Laptops

Organizations frequently need to allow consultants, business partners, and guests to connect to their private networks. The

laptops that these visitors bring into your organization might not meet system health requirements and can present health risks.

NAP enables you to determine which visiting laptops are noncompliant and limit their access to restricted networks. Typically,

you would not require or provide any updates or configuration changes for visiting laptops. You can configure Internet access for

visiting laptops, but not for other organizational computers that have limited access.

Unmanaged Home Computers

Unmanaged home computers that are not a member of the company’s Active Directory® domain can connect to a managed

company network through VPN. Unmanaged home computers provide an additional challenge because you cannot physically

access these computers. Lack of physical access makes enforcing compliance with health requirements, such as the use of

antivirus software, more difficult. However, NAP enables you to verify the health state of a home computer every time it makes a

VPN connection to the company network, and to limit its access to a restricted network until it meets system health

requirements.

NAP Enforcement Methods

Components of the NAP infrastructure, known as enforcement clients and enforcement servers, require health-state validation,

and enforce limited network access for noncompliant computers. Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP with SP3,

Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server 2012 include NAP support for the following network-access

or communication methods:

• IPsec-protected traffic. Internet Protocol security (IPsec) enforcement confines communication to compliant computers after

they connect successfully and obtain a valid IP address configuration. IPsec enforcement is the strongest form of limited



network access or communication in NAP.

• Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.1X–authenticated network connections. IEEE 802.1X enforcement

requires that a computer is compliant to obtain unlimited network access through an IEEE 802.1X–authenticated network

connection. Examples of this type of network connection include an authenticating Ethernet switch or an IEEE 802.11 wireless

access point (AP).

• Remote access VPN connections. VPN enforcement requires that a computer is compliant to obtain unlimited network access

through a remote access VPN connection. For noncompliant computers, network access is limited through a set of IP packet

filters that the VPN server applies to the VPN connection.

• DirectAccess connections. DirectAccess connections require that a computer is compliant to obtain unlimited network access

through a DirectAccess server. For noncompliant computers, network access is limited to the set of computers that are defined

as infrastructure servers by using the infrastructure tunnel. Compliant computers can create the separate intranet tunnel that

provides unlimited access to intranet resources. DirectAccess connections use IPsec enforcement.

• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) address configurations. DHCP enforcement requires that a computer is

compliant to obtain an unlimited access Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) address configuration from a DHCP server. For

noncompliant computers, network access is restricted with an IPv4 address configuration that limits access to the restricted

network.

These network access or communication methods, or NAP enforcement methods, are useful separately or together for limiting

noncompliant computer access or communication. A server that is running Network Policy Server (NPS) in Windows Server 2012

acts as a health policy server for all of these NAP enforcement methods.

NAP Platform Architecture

The following table describes the components of a NAP-enabled network infrastructure.

Components Description

NAP clients

These computers support the NAP platform for communication and for validation prior to network access of a system’s health.

NAP enforcement points• These are computers or network-access devices that use NAP or that you can use with NAP to require evaluation of a NAP

client’s health state, and then provide restricted network access or communication. NAP enforcement points use a NPS that

is acting as a NAP health policy server to evaluate the health state of NAP clients, whether to allow network access or

communication, and the set of remediation actions that a noncompliant NAP client must perform.



• NAP enforcement points include the following:

o Health Registration Authority (HRA). A computer that runs Windows Server 2012 and Internet Information Services

(IIS), and that obtains health certificates from a certification authority (CA) for compliant computers.

o VPN server. A computer that runs Windows Server 2012 and Routing and Remote Access, and that enables remote

access VPN intranet connections through remote access.

o DHCP server. A computer that runs Windows Server 2012 and the DHCP Server service, and that provides automatic IPv4

address configuration to intranet DHCP clients.

o Network access devices. These are Ethernet switches or wireless access points that support IEEE 802.1X authentication.

NAP health policy servers These are computers that run Windows Server 2012 and the NPS service, and that store health-requirement policies and provide

health-state validation for NAP. NPS is the replacement for the Internet Authentication Service (IAS), and the Remote

Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) server and proxy that Windows Server 2003 provides.

NPS also acts as an authentication, authorization, and accounting (AAA) server for network access. When acting as an AAA server

or NAP health policy server, NPS typically runs on a separate server for centralized configuration of network access and health-

requirement policies. The NPS service also runs on NAP enforcement points, based on Windows Server 2012, that do not have a

built-in RADIUS client, such as an HRA or a DHCP server. However, in these configurations, the NPS service is acting as a RADIUS

proxy to exchange RADIUS messages with a NAP health policy server.

Health requirement servers These computers provide the current system health state for NAP health policy servers. An example of these would be a health

requirement server for an antivirus program that tracks the latest version of the antivirus signature file.

AD DS This Windows directory service stores account credentials and properties, and stores Group Policy settings. Although not required

for health-state validation, Active Directory is required for IPsec-protected communications, 802.1X- authenticated connections,

and remote access VPN connections.

802.1X devices Authenticating Ethernet switch or an IEEE 802.11 wireless AP.

Restricted network• This is a separate logical or physical network that contains:

o Remediation servers. These computers contain health update resources that NAP clients can access to remediate

their noncompliant state. Examples include antivirus signature distribution servers and software update servers.

o NAP clients with limited access. These computers are placed on the restricted network when they do not comply

with health-requirement policies.


When a client attempts to access or communicate on the network, it must present its system health state or proof-of-health

compliance. If a client cannot prove that it is compliant with system-health requirements, such as that it has the latest operating

system and antivirus updates installed, then you can limit its access to, or communication on, the network to a restricted network

that contains server resources. You can restrict this access until you remedy the health-compliance issues. After the updates

install, the client requests access to the network or attempts the communication again. If compliant, the client receives unlimited

access to the network or the communication is allowed.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe the general NAP enforcement processes.



• Discuss IPsec enforcement.

• Describe 802.1x enforcement.

• Explain VPN enforcement.

• Discuss DHCP enforcement.

NAP Enforcement Processes

Whatever form of NAP enforcement you select, many of the client-server communications are common. The following points

summarize these communications:

• Between a NAP client and a HRA

The NAP client sends its current system health state to the HRA and requests a health certificate. If the client is compliant, the

HRA sends a health certificate to the NAP client. If the client is noncompliant, the HRA sends remediation instructions to the

client.

• Between a NAP client and a remediation server

Although the NAP client has unlimited intranet access, it accesses the remediation server to ensure that it remains compliant.

If the NAP client has limited access, it communicates with the remediation server to become compliant, based on instructions

from the NAP health policy server.

• Between an HRA and a NAP health policy server

The HRA sends RADIUS messages to the NAP health policy server that contains the NAP client’s system health state. The NAP

health policy server sends RADIUS messages to indicate that the NAP client has:

o Unlimited access because it is compliant. Based on this response, the HRA obtains a health certificate, and then sends it to

the NAP client.

o Limited access until it performs a set of remediation functions. Based on this response, the HRA does not issue a health

certificate to the NAP client.

• Between an 802.1X network access device and a NAP health-policy server

The 802.1X network access device sends RADIUS messages to transfer Protected Extensible Authentication Protocol (PEAP)

messages that are sent by an 802.1X NAP client. The NAP health policy server sends RADIUS messages to:

o Indicate that the 802.1X client has unlimited access because it is compliant.



o Indicate a limited access profile to place the 802.1X client on the restricted network until it performs a set of remediation

functions.

o Send PEAP messages to the 802.1X client.

• Between a VPN server and a NAP health policy server

The VPN server sends RADIUS messages to transfer PEAP messages that are sent by a VPN-based NAP client. The NAP health

policy server sends RADIUS messages to:

o Indicate that the VPN client has unlimited access because it is compliant.

o Indicate that the VPN client has limited access through a set of IP packet filters that are applied to the VPN connection.

o Send PEAP messages to the VPN client.

• Between a DHCP server and a NAP health policy server

The DHCP server sends the NAP health policy server RADIUS messages that contain the DHCP client’s system health state. The

NAP health policy server sends RADIUS messages to the DHCP server to indicate that the DHCP client has:

o Unlimited access because it is compliant.

o Limited access until it performs a set of remediation functions.

• Between a NAP health policy server and a health requirement server:

When you are performing network access validation for a NAP client, the NAP health policy server might have to contact a

health requirement server to obtain information about the current requirements for system health.

Communication Based on the Type of Enforcement

Depending upon the type of enforcement selected, the following communication occurs:

• Between a NAP client and an 802.1X network access device

The NAP client performs authentication of the 802.1X connection, and then provides its current system health state to the NAP

health policy server.

The NAP health policy server provides either remediation instructions (because the 802.1X client is noncompliant) or indicates

that the 802.1X client has unlimited network access.

NAP routes these messages through the 802.1X network access device.

• Between a NAP client and a VPN server

The NAP client that acts as a VPN client indicates its current system health state to the NAP health policy server.

The NAP health policy server responds with messages to provide either remediation instructions (because the VPN client is

noncompliant), or to indicate that the VPN client has unlimited intranet access.

NAP routes these messages through the VPN server.

• Between a NAP client and a DHCP server

The NAP client, also the DHCP client, communicates with the DHCP server to obtain a valid IPv4 address configuration and to

indicate its current system health state.



The DHCP server allocates an IPv4 address configuration for the restricted network, and then provides remediation instructions

(if the DHCP client is noncompliant), or it allocates an IPv4 address configuration for unlimited access (if the DHCP client is

compliant).

IPsec Enforcement

With IPsec enforcement, a computer must be compliant to initiate communications with other compliant computers. Because

IPsec-based NAP enforcement uses IPsec, you can define requirements for protected communications with compliant

computers based on one of the following communications characteristics:

• IP address

• Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) port number

• User Datagram Protocol (UDP) port number

IPsec enforcement restricts communication to compliant computers after they have connected successfully and obtained a valid

IP address configuration. IPsec enforcement is the strongest form of limited network access or communication in NAP.

The components of IPsec enforcement consist of an HRA that is running Windows Server 2012 and an IPsec enforcement client in

one of the following operating systems:

• Windows XP Service Pack 3

• Windows Vista

• Windows 7

• Windows 8




The HRA obtains X.509 certificates for NAP clients when the clients prove that they are compliant. These health certificates then

authenticate NAP clients when they initiate IPsec-protected communications with other NAP clients on an intranet.



IPsec enforcement limits communication for IPsec-protected NAP clients by dropping incoming communication attempts sent

from computers that cannot negotiate IPsec protection by using health certificates. Unlike 802.1X and VPN enforcement, in

which enforcement occurs at the network entry point, each individual computer performs IPsec enforcement. Because you can

take advantage of IPsec policy settings, the enforcement of health certificates can be done for any of the following:

• All computers in a domain

• Specific computers on a subnet

• A specific computer

• A specific set of TCP or UDP ports

• A set of TCP or UDP ports on a specific computer

Considerations for IPsec enforcement

When selecting an IPsec NAP enforcement method, consider the following points:

• IPsec enforcement is more complex to implement than other enforcement methods, because it requires an HRA and a CA.

• No additional hardware is required to implement IPsec enforcement. There is no need to upgrade switches or Wireless

Application Protocols (WAPs), which you would have to do if you select 802.1X enforcement.

• You can implement IPsec enforcement in any environment.

• IPsec enforcement is very secure and difficult to circumvent.

• You can configure IPsec to encrypt communication for additional security.

• IPsec enforcement is applied to IPv4 and IPv6 communication.

802.1x Enforcement

With 802.1X enforcement, a computer must be compliant to obtain unlimited network access through an 802.1X-authenticated

network connection, such as to an authenticating Ethernet switch or an IEEE 802.11 wireless AP.

For noncompliant computers, network access is limited through a restricted access profile that the Ethernet switch or wireless AP

places on the connection. The restricted access profile can specify either IP packet filters, or a virtual local area network (VLAN)

identifier (ID) that corresponds to the restricted network. 802.1X enforcement imposes health policy requirements every time a



computer attempts an 802.1X-authenticated network connection. 802.1X enforcement also monitors the health status of the

connected NAP client actively, and then applies the restricted access profile to the connection if the client becomes

noncompliant.

The components of 802.1X enforcement consist of NPS in Windows Server 2012 and an EAP Host enforcement client in Windows

8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP Service Pack 3, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, and Windows Server

2012. 802.1X enforcement provides strong limited network access for all computers that access the network through an 802.1X-

authenticated connection.

To implement 802.1X enforcement, you must ensure that the network switches or wireless APs support 802.1X authentication.

The switches or wireless APs then act as an enforcement point for NAP clients. The health status of the client is sent as part of the

authentication process.

When a computer is noncompliant, the switch places the computer on a separate VLAN or uses packet filters to restrict access to

only remediation servers.

Considerations for 802.1X enforcement

When considering the 802.1X NAP enforcement method, consider the following points:

• The switch or wireless AP that connects with the client enforces noncompliant computer isolation. This makes it very difficult

to circumvent, and therefore very secure.

• Use 802.1X enforcement for internal computers. This type of enforcement is appropriate for local area network (LAN)

computers with both wired and wireless connections.

• You cannot use 802.1X enforcement if your switches and wireless APs do not support the use of 802.1X for authentication.

VPN Enforcement

VPN enforcement imposes health-policy requirements every time that a computer attempts to obtain a remote access VPN

connection to the network. VPN enforcement also actively monitors the health status of the NAP client, and applies the restricted

network’s IP packet filters to the VPN connection if the client becomes noncompliant.

The components of a VPN enforcement consist of NPS in Windows Server 2012 and a VPN enforcement client that is part of the

remote access client in:



• Windows 8

• Windows 7

• Windows Vista

• Windows XP SP3




VPN enforcement provides strong limited network access for all computers that access the network through a remote access VPN

connection. VPN enforcement uses a set of remote-access IP packet filters to limit VPN client traffic, so that it can reach only the

resources on the restricted network. The VPN server applies the IP packet filters to the IP traffic that it receives from the VPN

client, and silently discards all packets that do not correspond to a configured packet filter.

Considerations for VPN enforcement

When considering the VPN NAP enforcement method, consider the following points:

• VPN enforcement is best suited in situations in which you are using VPN already. It is unlikely that you will implement VPN

connections on an internal network to use VPN enforcement.

• Use VPN enforcement to ensure that staff members connecting from home computers are not introducing malware to your

network. Users often do not maintain their home computers correctly, and they can represent a high risk. Many users do not

have antivirus software, or do not apply Windows updates regularly.

• Use VPN enforcement to ensure that roaming laptops are not introducing malware to your network. Roaming laptops are

more susceptible to malware than computers directly on the corporate network, because they may be unable to download

virus updates and Windows updates from outside the corporate network. They also are more likely to be in environments

where malware is present.

DHCP Enforcement

DHCP enforces health-policy requirements every time that a DHCP client attempts to lease or renew an IP address configuration.

DHCP enforcement also actively monitors the NAP client’s health status and, if the client becomes noncompliant, renews the



IPv4 address configuration for access only to the restricted network.

The components of DHCP enforcement consist of a DHCP Enforcement service that is part of the DHCP Server service in

Windows Server 2012 and a DHCP enforcement client that is part of the DHCP Client service in:

• Windows 8

• Windows 7

• Windows Vista

• Windows XP SP3




Because DHCP enforcement relies on a limited IPv4 address configuration that a user who has administrator-level access can

override, it is the weakest form of limited network access in NAP.

DHCP address configuration limits network access for the DHCP client through its IPv4 routing table. DHCP enforcement sets the

DHCP Router option value to 0.0.0.0, so the noncompliant computer does not have a configured default gateway. DHCP

enforcement also sets the subnet mask for the allocated IPv4 address to 255.255.255.255 so that there is no route to the attached

subnet.

To allow the noncompliant computer to access the restricted network’s remediation servers, the DHCP server assigns the

Classless Static Routes DHCP option. This option contains host routes to the restricted network’s computers, such as the Domain

Name System (DNS) and remediation servers. The result of DHCP limited network access is a configuration and routing table that

allows connectivity only to specific destination addresses that correspond to the restricted network. Therefore, when an

application attempts to send to a unicast IPv4 address other than those supplied by the Classless Static Routes option, the TCP/IP

protocol returns a routing error.

Considerations for DHCP enforcement

When considering the DHCP NAP enforcement method, consider the following points:

• DHCP enforcement is easy to implement, and can apply to any computer with a dynamic IP address.

• DHCP enforcement is easy to circumvent. A client can circumvent DHCP enforcement by using a static IP address.

Additionally, a noncompliant computer could add static host routes to reach servers that are not remediation servers.

• DHCP enforcement is not possible for IPv6 clients. If computers on your network use IPv6 addresses to communicate, DHCP

enforcement is ineffective.


If you want your NAP deployment to work optimally, it is important that you understand what each of the NAP components

does, and how they interact to protect your network. If you want to protect your network by using NAP, you need to understand



the configuration requirements for the NAP client, as well as how to configure NPS as a NAP health policy server, configure

health policies and network policies, and configure the client and server settings. It also is important to test the NAP before using

it.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe System Health Validators (SHVs).

• Explain the use of a health policy.

• Discuss the use of remediation server groups.

• Describe the NAP client-configuration requirements.

• Explain how to enable and configure NAP.

What Are System Health Validators?

System Health Agents (SHAs) and System Health Validators (SHVs) are NAP infrastructure components that provide health-state

status and validation. Windows 8 includes a Windows Security Health Validator SHA that monitors the Windows Security Center

settings. Windows Server 2012 includes a corresponding Windows Security Health Validator SHV.

The design of NAP makes it very flexible and extensible, and it can interoperate with any vendor’s software that provides SHAs

and SHVs that use the NAP API. An SHV receives a statement of health (SoH), and then compares the system health-status

information in the SoH with the required system health state. For example, if the SoH is from an antivirus SHA, and it contains the

last version number for the virus-signature file, then the corresponding antivirus SHV can check with the antivirus health

requirement server for the latest version number to validate the NAP client’s SoH.

The SHV returns a SoH response (SoHR) to the NAP Administration Server. The SoHR can contain remediation information about

how the corresponding SHA on the NAP client can meet current system-health requirements. For example, the SoHR that the

antivirus SHV sends could instruct the NAP client’s antivirus SHA to request the latest version, by name or IP address, of the

antivirus signature file from a specific antivirus signature server.

What Is a Health Policy?



Health policies consist of one or more SHVs and other settings that you can use to define client-computer configuration

requirements for the NAP-capable computers that attempt to connect to your network.

When NAP-capable clients attempt to connect to the network, the client computer sends a SoH to the NPS. The SoH is a report

of the client configuration state, and NPS compares the SoH to the requirements that the health policy defines. If the client

configuration state does not match the requirements that the health policy defines, then depending on the NAP configuration,

NAP:

• Rejects the connection request.

• Places the NAP client on a restricted network, where it can receive updates from remediation servers that bring the client into

compliance with health policy. After the NAP client achieves compliance and resubmits its new health state, NPS enables it to

connect.

• Allows the NAP client to connect to the network despite its noncompliance with health policy.

You can define NPS client-health policies by adding one or more SHVs to the health policy.

After you configure a health policy with one or more SHVs, you can add it to the Health Policies condition of a network policy

that you want to use to enforce NAP, when client computers attempt connection to your network.

What Are Remediation Server Groups?

A remediation server group is a list of restricted network servers that provide resources that bring noncompliant NAP-capable

clients into compliance with your defined client health policy.



A remediation server hosts the updates that a NAP agent can use to bring noncompliant client computers into compliance with

health policy, as NPS defines. For example, a remediation server can host antivirus signatures. If a health policy requires that client

computers have the latest antivirus definitions, then the following work together to update noncompliant computers:

• An antivirus SHA

• An antivirus SHV

• An antivirus policy server

• The remediation server

NAP Client Configuration

Remember these basic guidelines when you configure NAP clients:

• Some NAP deployments that use Windows Security Health Validator require that you enable Security Center. Security Center is

not included with Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2012.

• You must enable the Network Access Protection Client service when you deploy NAP to NAP-capable client computers.

• You must configure the appropriate NAP enforcement clients on the NAP-capable computers.

Enable Security Center in Group Policy

You can use the Enable Security Center in the Group Policy procedure to enable Security Center on NAP-capable clients by using

Group Policy. Some NAP deployments that use Windows Security Health Validator require Security Center.


To enable Security Center in Group Policy:


2. In the console tree, double-click Local Computer Policy, double-click Computer Configuration, double-click

Administrative Templates, double-click Windows Components, and then double-click Security Center.



3. Double-click Turn on Security Center (Domain PCs only), click Enabled, and then click OK.

Enable the Network Access Protection Service on Clients

You can use the Enable the Network Access Protection Service on Clients procedure to enable and configure NAP service on

NAP-capable client computers. When you deploy NAP, enabling this service is required.


To enable the Network Access Protection service on client computers:

1. Open Control Panel, click System and Security, click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Services.

2. In the services list, scroll down to, and double-click, Network Access Protection Agent.

3. In the Network Access Protection Agent Properties dialog box, change Startup Type to Automatic, and then click OK.

Enable and Disable NAP Enforcement Clients

You can use the Enable and Disable NAP Enforcement Clients procedure to enable or disable one or more NAP enforcement

clients on NAP-capable computers. These clients can include:

• DHCP Enforcement Client

• Remote Access Enforcement Client

• EAP Enforcement Client

• IPsec Enforcement Client (also used for DirectAccess connections)

• Terminal Services Gateway (TS Gateway) Enforcement Client

To enable and disable NAP Enforcement Clients:

1. Open the NAP Client Configuration console (NAPCLCFG.MSC).

2. Click Enforcement Clients. In the details pane, right-click the enforcement client that you want to enable or disable, and

then click Enable or Disable.

Note: To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, oryou must have been delegated the appropriate authority. If the computer is joined to a domain, members of theDomain Admins group might be able to perform this procedure. As a security best practice, consider performingthis procedure by using the Run as command.

Demonstration: Configuring NAP




• Install the NPS server role.

• Configure NPS as a NAP health policy server.

• Configure health policies.

• Configure network policies for compliant computers.

• Configure network policies for noncompliant computers.

• Configure the DHCP server role for NAP.

• Configure client NAP settings.

• Test NAP.

Demonstration Steps Install the NPS server role

1. Switch to LON-DC1, and sign in as a domain administrator.

2. Open Server Manager, and then install the Network Policy and Access Services role.

Configure NPS as a NAP health policy server


2. Configure the Windows Security Health Validator to require that all Windows 8 computers are running a firewall.

Configure health policies

1. Create a health policy called Compliant in which the condition is that Client passes all SHV checks.

2. Create another health policy called Noncompliant in which the condition is that Client fails one or more SHV checks.

Configure network policies for compliant computers

1. Disable the two existing network policies. These would interfere with the processing of the policies you are about to create.

2. Create a new network policy called Compliant-Full-Access that has a condition of the Compliant health policy. Computers

are granted unrestricted access.

Configure network policies for noncompliant computers

• Create a new network policy called Noncompliant-Restricted that has a condition of the Noncompliant health policy.

Computers are granted restricted access.



Configure the DHCP server role for NAP

1. Open the DHCP console.

2. Modify the properties of the IPv4 scope to support Network Access Protection.

3. Create a new DHCP policy that allocates appropriate DHCP scope options to noncompliant computers. These options

assign a DNS suffix of restricted.Adatum.com.

Configure client NAP settings

1. Enable the DHCP Quarantine Enforcement Client on LON-CL1.

2. Start the Network Access Protection Agent service.

3. Use the local Group Policy Management console to enable the Security Center.

4. Reconfigure LON-CL1 to obtain an IP address from a DHCP server.

Test NAP

1. Verify the obtained configuration by using ipconfig.

2. Disable and stop the Windows Firewall service.

3. In the System Tray area, click the Network Access Protection pop-up warning. Review the information in the Network

Access Protection dialog box. Click Close.

4. Verify the obtained configuration by using ipconfig.

5. Notice that the computer has a subnet mask of 255.255.255.255 and a DNS Suffix of restricted.Adatum.com. Leave all

windows open.


Troubleshooting and monitoring NAP is an important administrative task because of different technology levels, including varied

expertise and prerequisites, for each NAP enforcement method. Trace logs are available for NAP, but are disabled by default.

These logs serve two purposes: troubleshooting and evaluating a network’s health and security.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe how NAP tracing can help monitor and troubleshoot NAP.

• Explain how to configure NAP Tracing.

• Troubleshoot NAP with Netsh.

• Use the NAP event log to troubleshoot NAP.



What Is NAP Tracing?

Aside from the preceding general guidelines, you can use the NAP Client Configuration console to configure NAP tracing.

Tracing records NAP events in a log file, and is useful for troubleshooting and maintenance. Additionally, you can use tracing

logs to evaluate your network’s health and security. You can configure three levels of tracing: Basic, Advanced, and Debug.

Enable NAP tracing when:

• Troubleshooting NAP problems.

• Evaluating the overall health and security of your organization’s computers.

In addition to trace logging, you can view NPS accounting logs. These logs could contain useful NAP information. By default,

NPS accounting logs are located in %systemroot%\system32\logfiles.

The following logs might contain NAP-related information:

• IASNAP.LOG. This contains detailed data about NAP processes, NPS authentication, and NPS authorization.

• IASSAM.LOG. This contains detailed data about user authentication and authorization.

Demonstration: Configuring NAP Tracing

Two tools are available for configuring NAP tracing. The NAP Client Configuration console is part of the Windows user interface,

and netsh is a command-line tool.

Using the Windows User Interface

You can use the Windows user interface to enable or disable NAP tracing and to specify the level of recorded detail by

performing the following steps:

1. Open the NAP Client Configuration console by running napclcfg.msc.

2. In the console tree, right-click NAP Client Configuration (Local Computer), and then click Properties.

3. In the NAP Client Configuration (Local Computer) Properties dialog box, select Enabled or Disabled.



Note: To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on the local computer, oryou must have been delegated the appropriate authority. As a security best practice, consider performing thisoperation by using the Run As command.

4. If Enabled is chosen, under Specify the level of detail at which the tracing logs are written, select Basic, Advanced, or

Debug.

Using a Command-Line Tool

To use a command-line tool to enable or disable NAP tracing and specify the level of recorded detail, perform the following

steps:

1. Open an elevated command prompt.

2. To enable or disable NAP tracing, do one of the following:

o To enable NAP tracing and configure for basic or advanced logging, type: netsh nap client set tracing state=enable

level =[advanced or basic]

o To enable NAP tracing for debug information, type: netsh nap client set tracing state=enable level =verbose

o To disable NAP tracing, type: netsh nap client set tracing state=disable

Note: To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on

the local computer, or you must have been delegated the appropriate authority. As a security best practice, consider performing

this operation by using the Run As command.

Viewing Log Files

To view the log files, navigate to the %systemroot%\tracing\nap directory, and then open the particular trace log that you want

to view.

Demonstration


• Configure tracing from the GUI.

• Configure tracing from the command line.

Demonstration Steps Configure tracing from the GUI

1. On LON-CL1, open the NAPCLCFG – [NAP Client Configuration (Local Computer)] console.

2. From the NAP Client Configuration (Local Computer) properties, enable Advanced tracing.



Configure tracing from the command line

• At the command prompt, type netsh nap client set tracing state = enable, and then press Enter.

Troubleshooting NAP

You can use the following tools to troubleshoot NAP.

Netsh Commands

Use the netsh NAP command to help troubleshoot NAP issues. The following command displays the status of a NAP client,

including the following:

• Restriction state

• Status of enforcement clients

• Status of installed SHAs

• Trusted server groups that have been configured

netsh NAP client show state

The following command displays the local configuration settings on a NAP client, including:

• Cryptographic settings

• Enforcement client settings

• Settings for trusted server groups

• Client tracing settings that have been configured

netsh NAP client show config



The following command displays the Group Policy configuration settings on a NAP client, including:

• Cryptographic settings

• Enforcement client settings

• Settings for trusted server groups

• Client tracing settings that have been configured

netsh NAP client show group

Troubleshooting NAP with Event Logs

NAP services record NAP-related events into the Windows event logs. To view these events, open Event Viewer, select Custom

Views, select Server Roles, and then select Network Policy and Access Services. The following events provide information

about NAP services that are running on an NPS server:

• Event ID 6272. Network Policy Server granted access to a user.

Occurs when a NAP client authenticates successfully, and, depending on its health state, obtains full or restricted access to the

network.

• Event ID 6273. Network Policy Server denied access to a user.

Occurs when an authentication or authorization problem arises, which is associated with a reason code.

• Event ID 6274. Network Policy Server discarded the request for a user.

Occurs when a configuration problem arises, or if the RADIUS client settings are incorrect or NPS cannot create accounting

logs.

• Event ID 6276. Network Policy Server quarantined a user.

Occurs when the client access request matches a network policy that is configured with a NAP enforcement setting of Allow

limited access.

• Event ID 6277. Network Policy Server granted access to a user, but put it on probation because the host did not meet the

defined health policy.




full network access for a limited time when the date specified in the policy has passed.

• Event ID 6278. Network Policy Server granted full access to a user because the host met the defined health policy.


full network access.


Scenario

A. Datum is a global engineering and manufacturing company with its head office in London, UK. An IT office and data center in

London support head office and other locations. A. Datum has recently deployed a Windows Server 2012 server and client

infrastructure.

To help increase security and compliance requirements, A. Datum is required to extend their VPN solution to include NAP. You

need to establish a way to verify and, if required, automatically bring client computers into compliance whenever they connect

remotely by using the VPN connection. You will accomplish this goal by using NPS to create system health-validation settings,

network and health policies, and configuring NAP to verify and remediate client health.

Objectives


• Configure NAP components.

• Configure VPN access.

• Configure the client settings to support NAP.

Lab Setup



20411B-LON-RTR

20411B-LON-CL2


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:









5. Perform steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-CL2 and 20411B-LON-RTR.

Exercise 1: Configuring NAP Components

Scenario

As the first step in implementing compliance and security, you should configure NAP components, such as certificate

requirements, health and network policies, and connection-request policies.


1. Configure server and client certificate requirements.

2. Configure health policies.

3. Configure network policies.

4. Configure connection request polices for VPN.

Task 1: Configure server and client certificate requirements

1. Switch to the LON-DC1 virtual server.

2. Open the Certification Authority tool.

3. In the Certificate Templates Console, open the properties of the Computer certificate template.

4. On the Security tab, grant the Authenticated Users group the Allow Enroll permission.

5. Restart the Certification Authority.

6. Close the Certification Authority tool.

Task 2: Configure health policies




4. Navigate to the Personal certificate store and Request New Certificate.




6. Enroll the Computer certificate that is listed.


8. Using Server Manager, install the NPS Server with the following role services:

o Network Policy Server


10. Under Network Access Protection, open the Default Configuration for the Windows Security Health Validator.

11. On the Windows 8/Windows 7/Windows Vista tab, clear all check boxes except A firewall is enabled for all network

connections.

12. Create a health policy with the following settings:

o Name: Compliant

o Client SHV checks: Client passes all SHV checks

o SHVs used in this health policy: Windows Security Health Validator

13. Create a health policy with the following settings:

o Name: Noncompliant

o Client SHV checks: Client fails one or more SHV checks

o SHVs used in this health policy: Windows Security Health Validator

Task 3: Configure network policies

1. Disable all existing network policies.

2. Configure a new network policy with the following settings:

o Name: Compliant-Full-Access

o Conditions: Health Policies, Compliant

o Access permissions: Access granted

o Settings: NAP Enforcement, Allow full network access

3. Configure a new network policy with the following settings:

o Name: Noncompliant-Restricted

o Conditions: Health Policies, Noncompliant

o Access permissions: Access granted

o Settings: NAP Enforcement, Allow limited access is selected and Enable auto-remediation of client computers is

not selected.

o IP Filters: IPv4 input filter

▪ Destination network: 172.16.0.10/255.255.255.255



▪ IPv4 output filter: Source network: 172.16.0.10/255.255.255.255

Task 4: Configure connection request polices for VPN

1. Disable existing connection request policies.

2. Create a new Connection Request Policy with the following settings:

o Policy name: VPN connections

o Type of network access server: Remote Access Server (VPN-Dial up)

o Conditions, Tunnel type: L2TP, SSTP, and PPTP

o Authenticate requests on this server: Enabled

o On the Specify Authentication Methods page, perform the following:

a. Select Override network policy authentication settings.

b. Add Microsoft: Protected EAP (PEAP).

c. Add Microsoft: Secured password (EAP-MSCHAP v2).

d. Edit Microsoft: Protected EAP (PEAP) to ensure that Enforce Network Access Protection is enabled.

Results: After this exercise, you should have installed and configured the required NAP components, created the health andnetwork policies, and created the connection request policies.

Exercise 2: Configuring VPN Access

Scenario

After configuring NAP, you will configure a VPN server, and then enable the PING protocol through the firewall for testing

purposes.


1. Configure a VPN server.

2. Allow PING for testing purposes.

Task 1: Configure a VPN server

1. On LON-RTR, open Routing and Remote Access.

2. Disable Routing and Remote Access.

3. Select Configure and Enable Routing and Remote Access.



4. Use the following settings to complete configuration:

a. Select Remote access (dial-up or VPN).

b. Select the VPN check box.

c. Select the interface called Public, and clear the Enable security on the selected interface by setting up static packet

filters check box.

d. Under IP Address Assignment, From a specified range of addresses: 172.16.0.100 to 172.16.0.110

e. Complete the process by accepting defaults when you receive a prompt, and by clicking OK to confirm any messages.

5. In the Network Policy Server, click the Connection Request Policies node, and verify that the Microsoft Routing and

Remote Access Service Policy is disabled. This was created automatically when Routing and Remote Access was enabled.

6. Close Network Policy Server management console, and then the Routing and Remote Access console.

Task 2: Allow PING for testing purposes

1. On LON-RTR, open Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.

2. Create an inbound rule with the following properties:

o Type: Custom

o All programs

o Protocol type: Choose ICMPv4 and then click Customize

o Specific ICMP types: Echo Request

o Default scope

o Action: Allow the connection

o Default profile

o Name: ICMPv4 echo request

3. Close the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security console.

Results: After this exercise, you should have created a VPN server and configured inbound communications.

Exercise 3: Configuring the Client Settings to Support NAP

Scenario

In this exercise, you will enable a client VPN to connect to the Adatum network. You then will enable and configure the required

client-side NAP components.




1. Enable a client NAP enforcement method.

2. Establish a VPN connection.

Task 1: Enable a client NAP enforcement method

1. Switch to the LON-CL2 computer.

2. Run the NAP Client Configuration tool (napclcfg.msc).

3. Under Enforcement Clients, enable the EAP Quarantine Enforcement Client.

4. Close the NAP Client Configuration tool.

5. Run services.msc, and then configure the Network Access Protection Agent service for automatic startup.

6. Start the service.

7. Close the services console.

8. Open the Local Policy Editor (gpedit.msc), and then enable the Local Computer Policy /Computer

Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components /Security Center/Turn on Security Center (Domain

PCs only) setting.

9. Close the Local Group Policy Editor.

Task 2: Establish a VPN connection

1. On LON-CL2, create a new VPN connection with the following properties:



o Allow other people to use this connection: Enable

2. After you have created the VPN, modify its settings by viewing the properties of the connection, and then selecting the

Security tab. Use the following settings to reconfigure the VPN:

o Authentication type: Microsoft: Protected EAP (PEAP) (encryption enabled)

o Properties of this authentication type:

▪ Validate server certificate: Enable

▪ Connect to these servers: Disable

▪ Authentication method: Secured password (EAP-MSCHAP v2)

▪ Enable Fast Reconnect: Disable

▪ Enforce Network Access Protection: Enable

3. Test the VPN connection:

o In the Network Connections window, connect Adatum VPN connection.



o View the details of the Windows Security Alert. Verify that the correct certificate information is displayed, and then click

Connect.

4. At the command prompt, run ipconfig /all to verify that the System Quarantine State is Not Restricted.

5. Ping 172.16.0.10.

6. Disconnect the Adatum VPN.


8. Open Network Policy Server.

9. In the Default Configuration of the Windows Security Health Validator, enable the Restrict access for clients that do not

have all available security updates installed option on the Windows 8/Windows 7/Windows Vista page.

10. Switch back to LON-CL2, and then reconnect the VPN.

11. Run the ipconfig /all command to verify that the System Quarantine State is Restricted.

12. Disconnect the VPN.

Results: After this exercise, you should have created a new VPN connection on LON-CL2, and have enabled and tested NAP onLON-CL2.








Review Questions

Question: What are the three main client configurations that you need to configure for most NAP deployments?

Question: You want to evaluate the overall health and security of the NAP enforced network. What do you need to do tostart recording NAP events?

Question: On a client computer, what steps must you perform to ensure that its health is assessed?

Tools



Tool Use For Where to find it

Services Enable and configure the NAP service on client computers. Click Start, click Control Panel, click System and Maintenance, click

Administrative

Tools, and then double-click Services.

Netsh nap Using netsh, you can create scripts to configure a set of NAP

automatically, and display the configuration and status of the

NAP client service.

Open a command window with administrative rights, and then type netsh –c

nap. You can type help to get a full list of available commands.

Group Policy Some NAP deployments that use Windows Security Health

Validator require that Security Center is enabled.

Enable the Turn on Security Center

(Domain PCs only) setting in the Computer Configuration/Administrative

Templates /Windows Components/Security Center sections of Group Policy.

Lab Answer Key: Module 9: Implementing Network Access Protection


Exercise 1: Configuring NAP Components

Task 1: Configure server and client certificate requirements

1. On LON-DC1, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Certification Authority.

2. In the certsrv management console, expand Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, right-click Certificate Templates, and then select

Manage on the context menu.

3. In the Certificate Templates Console details pane, right-click Computer, and then click Properties.

4. Click the Security tab in the Computer Properties dialog box, and then select Authenticated Users.

5. In the Permissions for Authenticated Users, select the Allow check box for the Enroll permission, and then click OK.

6. Close the Certificate Templates Console.

7. In certsrv – [Certification Authority (Local)], right-click Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, point to All Tasks and then click Stop

Service.

8. Right-click Adatum-LON-DC1-CA, point to All Tasks and then click Start Service.

9. Close the certsrv management console.

Task 2: Configure health policies




4. On the Start screen, type mmc.exe, and then press Enter.


6. In the Add or Remove Snap-ins dialog box, click Certificates, click Add, select Computer account, click Next, and then

click Finish.


8. In the console tree, expand Certificates, right-click Personal, point to All Tasks, and then click Request New Certificate.

9. The Certificate Enrollment dialog box opens. Click Next.


11. Select the Computer check box, and then click Enroll.

12. Verify the status of certificate installation as Succeeded, and then click Finish.


14. Click No when prompted to save console settings.

15. On LON-RTR, switch to Server Manager.

16. In Server Manager, in the details pane, click Add roles and features.

17. Click Next.






23. On the Select Role Services page, click Next.

24. Click Install.


26. Close the Server Manager window.


28. Click Network Policy Server.

29. Expand Network Access Protection, expand System Health Validators, expand Windows Security Health Validator, and

then click Settings.

30. In the right pane under Name, double-click Default Configuration.

31. On the Windows 8/Windows 7/Windows Vista tab, clear all check boxes except the A firewall is enabled for all network

connections check box, and then click OK.

32. In the navigation pane, expand Policies.

33. Right-click Health Policies and then click New.

34. In the Create New Health Policy dialog box, under Policy name, type Compliant.

35. Under Client SHV checks, verify that Client passes all SHV checks is selected.

36. Under SHVs used in this health policy, select the Windows Security Health Validator check box.

37. Click OK.

38. Right-click Health Policies, and then click New.

39. In the Create New Health Policy dialog box, under Policy Name, type Noncompliant.

40. Under Client SHV checks, select Client fails one or more SHV checks.

41. Under SHVs used in this health policy, select the Windows Security Health Validator check box.

42. Click OK.

Task 3: Configure network policies

1. In the navigation pane, under Policies, click Network Policies.

Important: Disable the two default policies found under Policy Name by right-clicking the policies, and thenclicking Disable.

2. Right-click Network Policies, and then click New.

3. On the Specify Network Policy Name and Connection Type page, under Policy name, type Compliant-Full-Access, and

then click Next.


5. In the Select condition dialog box, double-click Health Policies.

6. In the Health Policies dialog box, under Health policies, select Compliant, and then click OK.

7. On the Specify Conditions page, click Next.

8. On the Specify Access Permission page, click Next.

9. On the Configure Authentication Methods page, clear all check boxes, select the Perform machine health check only

check box, and then click Next.

10. Click Next again.

11. On the Configure Settings page, click NAP Enforcement. Verify that Allow full network access is selected, and then click

Next.


13. Right-click Network Policies, and then click New.

14. On the Specify Network Policy Name And Connection Type page, under Policy name, type Noncompliant-Restricted,

and then click Next.


16. In the Select condition dialog box, double-click Health Policies.

17. In the Health Policies dialog box, under Health policies, select Noncompliant, and then click OK.

18. On the Specify Conditions page, click Next.

19. On the Specify Access Permission page, verify that Access granted is selected, and then click Next.

20. On the Configure Authentication Methods page, clear all check boxes, select the Perform machine health check only

check box, and then click Next.

21. Click Next again.

22. On the Configure Settings page, click NAP Enforcement. Click Allow limited access.

23. Clear the Enable auto-remediation of client computers check box.

24. In the Configure Settings window, click IP Filters.

25. Under IPv4, click Input Filters, and then click New.

26. In the Add IP Filter dialog box, select Destination network.

27. In the IP address box, type 172.16.0.10.

28. In the Subnet mask box, type 255.255.255.255, and then click OK.

29. Click Permit only the packets listed below, and then click OK.

30. Under IPv4, click Output Filters, and then click New.

31. In the Add IP Filter dialog box, select Source network.

32. In the IP address box, type 172.16.0.10.

33. In the Subnet mask box, type 255.255.255.255, and then click OK.

34. Click Permit only the packets listed below, and then click OK.



Task 4: Configure connection request polices for VPN

1. Click Connection Request Policies.

2. Disable both the default Connection Request policies that are found under Policy Name by right-clicking each of the

policies, and then clicking Disable.

3. Right-click Connection Request Policies, and then click New.

4. On the Specify Connection Request Policy Name And Connection Type page, in the Policy name box, type VPN

connections.

5. Under Type of network access server, select Remote Access Server (VPN-Dial up), and then click Next.


7. In the Select Condition dialog box, double-click Tunnel Type, and then select PPTP, SSTP, and L2TP. Click OK, and then

click Next.

8. On the Specify Connection Request Forwarding page, verify that Authenticate requests on this server is selected, and

then click Next.

9. On the Specify Authentication Methods page, select the Override network policy authentication settings check box.

10. Under EAP Types, click Add.

11. In the Add EAP dialog box, under Authentication methods, click Microsoft: Protected EAP (PEAP), and then click OK.

12. Under EAP Types, click Add. In the Add EAP dialog box, under Authentication methods, click Microsoft: Secured

password (EAP-MSCHAP v2), and then click OK.

13. Under EAP Types, click Microsoft: Protected EAP (PEAP), and then click Edit.

14. Verify that Enforce Network Access Protection is selected, and then click OK.

15. Click Next twice, and then click Finish.

Results: After this exercise, you should have installed and configured the required NAP components, created the health andnetwork policies, and created the connection request policies.

Exercise 2: Configuring VPN Access

Task 1: Configure a VPN Server

1. On LON-RTR, pause your mouse pointer in the lower-left of the taskbar, and then click Start.

2. Click Routing and Remote Access. If prompted, at the Enable DirectAccess Wizard dialog box, click Cancel and then click

OK.


Access.


5. In the Routing and Remote Access console, right-click LON-RTR (local), and then click Configure and Enable Routing and

Remote Access.



8. Click the network interface called Local Area Connection 2. Clear the Enable security on the selected interface by setting

up static packet filters check box, and then click Next.

9. On the IP Address Assignment page, select From a specified range of addresses, and then click Next.

10. On the Address Range Assignment page, click New. Type 172.16.0.100 next to Start IP address and 172.16.0.110 next to

End IP address, and then click OK. Verify that 11 IP addresses were assigned for remote clients, and then click Next.

11. On the Managing Multiple Remote Access Servers page, ensure that No, use Routing and Remote Access to

authenticate connection requests is selected, and then click Next.

12. Click Finish.

13. Click OK twice, and then wait for the Routing and Remote Access Service to start.

14. Switch to Network Policy Server.

15. In the Network Policy Server, click Connection Request Policies, and in the results pane, verify that the Microsoft

Routing and Remote Access Service Policy, is Disabled.

Note: Click Action, and then click Refresh. If the Microsoft Routing and Remote Access Service Policy isEnabled, right-click it, and then click Disable.

16. Close the Network Policy Server management console.

17. Close the Routing and Remote Access console.

Task 2: Allow PING for testing purposes

1. On LON-RTR, pause your mouse pointer in the lower-left of the taskbar, and then click Start.

2. Click Administrative Tools, and then double-click Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.

3. Click Inbound Rules, right-click Inbound Rules, and then click New Rule.

4. Select Custom, and then click Next.

5. Select All programs, and then click Next.

6. Next to Protocol type, select ICMPv4, and then click Customize.

7. Select Specific ICMP types, select the Echo Request check box, click OK, and then click Next.

8. Click Next to accept the default scope.

9. In the Action window, verify that Allow the connection is selected, and then click Next.

10. Click Next to accept the default profile.

11. In the Name window, under Name, type ICMPv4 echo request, and then click Finish.

12. Close the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security console.

Results: After this exercise, you should have created a VPN server and configured inbound communications.

Exercise 3: Configuring the Client Settings to Support NAP

Task 1: Enable a client NAP enforcement method

1. Switch to the LON-CL2 computer.

2. On the Start screen, type napclcfg.msc, and then press Enter.

3. In NAPCLCFG – [NAP Client Configuration (Local Computer)], in the navigation pane, click Enforcement Clients.

4. In the results pane, right-click EAP Quarantine Enforcement Client, and then click Enable.

5. Close NAPCLCFG – [NAP Client Configuration (Local Computer)].

6. Pause your mouse in the lower-left of the taskbar, and then click Start.

7. In Start, type Services.msc, and then press Enter.

8. In Services, in the results pane, double-click Network Access Protection Agent.

9. In the Network Access Protection Agent Properties (Local Computer) dialog box, in the Startup type list, click

Automatic.

10. Click Start, and then click OK.


12. In Start, type gpedit.msc, and then press Enter.

13. In the console tree, expand Local Computer Policy, expand Computer Configuration, expand Administrative Templates,

expand Windows Components, and then click Security Center.

14. Double-click Turn on Security Center (Domain PCs only), click Enabled, and then click OK.

15. Close the console window.

16. Close the Services console, and then close the Administrative Tools and System and Security windows.

Task 2: Establish a VPN connection

1. On LON-CL2, on the desktop, point your mouse to the lower-right corner of the taskbar, and then click Settings.

2. Click Control Panel, and then click Network and Internet.


4. Click Set up a new connection or network.

5. On the Choose a connection option page, click Connect to a workplace, and then click Next.

6. On the How do you want to connect page, click Use my Internet connection (VPN).

7. Click I’ll set up an Internet connection later.

8. On the Type the Internet address to connect to page, in the Internet address box, type 10.10.0.1.

9. In the Destination name box, type Adatum VPN.

10. Select the Allow other people to use this connection check box, and then click Create.

11. In the Network And Sharing Center window, click Change adapter settings.

12. Right-click the Adatum VPN connection, click Properties, and then click the Security tab.

13. Under Authentication, click Use Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP).

14. In the Microsoft: Secured password (EAP-MSCHAP v2) (encryption enabled) list, select Microsoft: Protected EAP (PEAP)

(encryption enabled), and then click Properties.

15. Ensure that the Verify the server’s identity by validating the certificate check box is selected.

16. Clear the Connect to these servers check box, and then under Select Authentication Method, ensure that Secured

password (EAP-MSCHAP v2) is selected.

17. Clear the Enable Fast Reconnect check box, and then select the Enforce Network Access Protection check box.

18. Click OK twice to accept these settings.

19. In the Network Connections window, right-click the Adatum VPN connection, and then click Connect/Disconnect.


21. In Network Authentication, in the User name box, type Adatum\Administrator.

22. In the Password box, type Pa$$w0rd, and then click OK.

23. The Windows Security Alert window appears the first time that this VPN connection is used. Click Show certificate details.

24. Click Connect. Wait for the VPN connection to occur. Because LON-CL2 is compliant, it should have unlimited access to the

intranet subnet.


26. In Start, type cmd.exe, and then press Enter.

27. Type ipconfig /all, and then press Enter. View the IP configuration. System Quarantine State should be Not Restricted.

28. At the command prompt, type ping 172.16.0.10, and then press Enter. This should be successful. The client now meets the

requirement for VPN full connectivity.

29. Switch to Network Connections.

30. Right-click Adatum VPN, and then click Connect/Disconnect.

31. In the Networks list on the right, click Adatum VPN, and then click Disconnect.


33. In Administrative Tools, double-click Network Policy Server.

34. Expand Network Access Protection, expand System Health Validators, expand Windows Security Health Validator, and

then click Settings.

35. In the right pane, under Name, double-click Default Configuration.

36. On the Windows 8/Windows 7/Windows Vista tab, select the Restrict access for clients that do not have all available

security updates installed check box, and then click OK.




40. Type ipconfig /all, and then press Enter. View the IP configuration. System Quarantine State should be Restricted.

41. Switch to Network Connections.

42. Right-click Adatum VPN, and then click Connect/Disconnect.

43. In the Networks list on the right, select Adatum VPN, and then click Disconnect.

Results: After this exercise, you should have created a new VPN connection on LON-CL2, and have enabled and tested NAP onLON-CL2.





5/21/13 Module 10: Optimizing File Services


Module 10: Optimizing File Services

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Overview of FSRM









Module Overview

The files on your servers are constantly changing with content being added, removed, and modified. The Windows Server® 2012

File and Storage Services server role is designed to help administrators in an enterprise environment manage the continually

growing and changing amount of data. When storage requirements change and the data being stored changes as well, you need

to manage an increasingly larger and complex storage infrastructure. Therefore, to meet the needs of your organization, you

need understand and control how the existing storage resources are used.

This module introduces you to File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) and Distributed File System (DFS), two technologies that you

can use to address and manage these issues.

Objectives


• Describe FSRM.

• Use FSRM to manage quotas, file screens, and storage reports.

• Implement classification and file management tasks.

• Describe DFS.

• Configure DFS namespaces.

• Configure and troubleshoot DFS Replication.













Lesson 1 : Overview of FSRM

FSRM is a set of tools that allow you to understand, control, and manage the quantity and type of data stored on your servers.

Using FSRM, you can place quotas on storage volumes, screen files and folders, generate comprehensive storage reports, control

the file classification infrastructure, and use file management tasks to perform scheduled actions on sets of files. These tools help

you monitor existing storage resources, and aid in planning and implementing future policy changes.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe common capacity management challenges.

• Describe the features available within FSRM.

• Explain how to install and configure the FSRM role service.

Understanding Capacity Management Challenges

Capacity management is a proactive process of determining the current and future capacity needs for your enterprise's storage

environment. As the size and complexity of the data increases, the need for capacity management also increases. To effectively

meet the storage needs of your organization, you need to track how much storage capacity is available, how much storage space

you need for future expansion, and how you are using the environment’s storage.

Key Capacity Management Challenges

Capacity management brings with it the following key challenges:

• Determining existing storage use. To manage your storage environment and ensure that you can perform the simplest

capacity management task, you need to understand your environment’s current storage requirements. Knowing how much

data is being stored on your servers, what types of data is being stored, and how that data is currently being used is the

benchmark for measuring the various aspects of capacity management in your environment.

• Establishing and enforcing storage use policies. Capacity management includes ensuring that your storage environment is

being used to its full potential. Managing growth is important to ensure that your storage environment is not overwhelmed by

unplanned or unauthorized data storage on your servers. Modern media data such as audio, video, and graphic files consume

a large amount of storage space and, if left unchecked, the unauthorized storage of these types of files can consume the



storage space that is required for legitimate business use.

• Anticipating future requirements. Storage requirements are constantly changing. New projects and new organizational

initiatives require increased storage. New applications and imported data require additional storage. If you are not able to

anticipate or prepare for events like these, your storage environment may not be able to meet the storage requirements.

Addressing Capacity Management Challenges

To address these key challenges, you need to implement basic capacity management measures to proactively manage the

storage environment and prevent challenges from becoming problems. The following is a list of capacity management measures

that you can use to proactively manage your storage environment:

• Analyze how storage is being used. The first step in capacity management is analyzing the current storage environment.

Accurate analysis begins with proper tools that provide usable and organized information regarding the current state of your

storage environment.

• Define storage resource management policies. A robust set of policies are necessary to maintain the current storage

environment and ensure that storage growth happens in a manageable and predictable way. Preventing unauthorized files

from being saved to your servers, ensuring that data is stored in the right location, and ensuring that users have the required

storage are a few of the key areas your capacity management policies may address.

• Implement policies to manage storage growth. After implementing capacity management policies, you need to have an

effective tool to ensure that the policies that are established are technically enforced. Quotas that are placed on a user’s data

storage must be maintained, restricted files must be prevented from being saved, and business files must be stored in the

proper locations.

• Implement a system for reporting and monitoring. Establish a reporting and notification system to inform you of how policies

are enforced. These reports should be in addition to reports regarding the general state of your capacity management system

and data storage situation.

Question: What capacity management challenges have you experienced or are you experiencing in your environment?

What Is FSRM?

FSRM is a role service of the File Services role in Windows Server 2012. You can install it as part of the File Services role by using

Server Manager. Then, you can use the FSRM console to manage FSRM on your server. FSRM is intended to act as a capacity

management solution for your Windows Server 2012 server. It provides a robust set of tools and capabilities that allow you to



effectively manage and monitor your server’s storage capacity.

FSRM contains five components that work together to provide a capacity management solution.

Quota Management

Quota management is a component that allows you to create, manage, and obtain information about quotas that are used to set

storage limits on volumes or folders (and its contents). By defining notification thresholds, you can send email notifications, log

an event, run a command or script, or generate reports when users approach or exceed a quota. Quota management also allows

you to create and manage quota templates to simplify the quota management process.

File Screening Management

File screening management is a component that allows you to create, manage, and obtain information about file screens. You

can use this information to prevent specific file types from being stored on a volume or folder, or to notify you when users are

storing these types of files are. When users attempt to save unauthorized files, file screening can block the process and notify the

administrators to allow for proactive management.

Like quota management, file screening management allows you to create and manage file screen templates to simplify file

screening management. You can also create file groups that allow you to manage which file types may be blocked or allowed.

Storage Reports Management

Storage reports management is a component that allows you to schedule and configure storage reports. These reports provide

information regarding the components and aspects of FSRM including:

• Quota usage.

• File screening activity.

• Files that may negatively affect capacity management, such as large files, duplicate files, or unused files.

• List and filter files according to owner, file group, or a specific file property.

Note: Storage reports can be run based on a schedule, or you can generate them on demand.

Classification Management

Classification Management is a component that allows you to create and manage classification properties that you can then

assign to files. You can assign property values to files by using classification rules, which can be applied on demand or based on a

schedule. Classification allows you categorize and manage files by using a wide array of properties to identify and group your

files.

File Management Tasks

With the file management tasks component, you can schedule and configure specific tasks, which can automate the application

or expiration of custom commands, allowing for automated file management procedures. File management tasks leverage the

capabilities of classification management to allow you to delete old files or move files to a specific location based on a file

property (file name or file type).



Note: Volumes that FSRM manages must be formatted by using the NTFS file system. FSRM is included with WindowsServer 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) and newer.

Demonstration: How to Install and Configure FSRM

You can install FSRM in Windows 2012 by adding the FSRM role service within the File and Storage Services role.

FSRM has several configuration options that apply globally to all FSRM components.

You can access these options by using the following steps:

1. Open the File Server Resource Manager console.

2. In the left pane, right-click the root File Server Resource Manager node, and then click Configure Options.

FSRM Options

In the File Server Resource Manager Options properties dialog box, several tabs allow you to configure various aspects of

FSRM. The following tabs are available on the File Server Resource Manager Options properties dialog box:

• Email Notifications tab. This tab allows you to provide the name or address of an SMTP server name, along with other details

that FSRM will use to send email notifications.

• Notification Limits tab. Notification limits allow you to specify a time period that FSRM will wait between sending notifications

to avoid excessive notifications from a repeatedly exceeded quota or unauthorized file detection. It allows you set separate

values for email notifications, entries recorded to the event log, commands being run, or reports being generated. The default

value for each is 60 minutes.

• Storage Reports tab. This tab allows you to configure and view the default parameters for any existing storage reports. Report

Locations tab. This tab allows you to view and modify the location in which the following three different types of storage

reports are stored: incident reports, scheduled reports, and on demand reports. By default, each category is stored in its own

folder: %systemdrive%\Storage Reports.

Note: If FSRM generates a large number of storage reports, you may want to relocate the storage report folders toanother physical volume to decrease disk input/output (I/O) load on your system volume. You may also want tochange the location if the size of your storage reports causes a capacity issue on your system volume.

• File Screen Audit tab. On this tab, a single check box allows to enable or disable the recording of file screening activity to the

auditing database. You can view the resulting file screening activity when you run the File Screening Audit report from Storage

Reports Management.

• Automatic Classification tab. This tab allows you to provide a schedule that governs the automatic classification of files. Within

the tab, you can specify which logs to generate, and if and how to generate a report of the classification process.

• Access-Denied Assistance tab. This tab enables you to provide a customized message when FSRM prevents a file-level

operation as a result of a quota management of file screening management restriction.

Managing FSRM



Management of a server running FSRM typically happens locally, through the FSRM Microsoft® Management Console ( MMC)

console. However, there are other options available for managing a server running FSRM.

Managing FRSM by using Windows PowerShell

Windows PowerShell® 3.0 contains new cmdlets for managing FSRM that extend management capabilities to all aspects of

FSRM. The FileServerResourceManager module for Windows PowerShell is installed on a Windows Server 2012 computer

automatically, when you install the FSRM role service.

The Windows PowerShell3.0 cmdlets replace the functionality previously supplied by the FSRM command line executables

dirquota.exe, filescrn.exe, and storrpt.exe. While these executables are still present in Windows Server 2012, they have been

deprecated and will be removed in a future version of Windows Server. Therefore, you should create any management solutions

involving command line tasks using the Windows PowerShell cmdlets.

To see a complete list of available FSRM cmdlets, run the following command from a Windows PowerShell command-line

interface:

Get-Command –Module FileServerResourceManager

Managing FSRM Remotely

You can connect remotely to another server that is running FSRM by using the FSRM console. From there, you manage FSRM in

the same way that you manage resources on your local computer.

To manage FSRM remotely by using the FSRM console:

• Ensure that both servers are running Windows Server 2008 R2 or newer, and have FSRM installed.

• Enable the Remote File Server Resource Manager Management exception from within Windows® Firewall manually, either

through the Control Panel, or by using Group Policy.

• Allow Remote Procedure Call (RPC) traffic through any firewalls between the two servers.

• Sign in to the local computer with an account that is a member of the local Administrators group on the remote computer.

You also can run the FRSM Windows PowerShell cmdlets remotely by using Window PowerShell remoting capabilities.


• Install the FSRM role service.

• Specify FSRM configuration options.

• Manage FSRM by using Windows PowerShell.

Demonstration Steps

Install the FSRM role service



1. Sign in to LON-SVR1 as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.


3. Install the File Server Resource Manager role service within the File and Storage Services role.

Specify FSRM configuration options


2. Open the File Server Resource Manager Options window for the local instance of File Server Resource Manager.

3. Enable file screen auditing.

Manage FSRM by using Windows PowerShell

• From a Windows PowerShell command prompt, run the following command:

set-FSRMSetting -SMTPServer “server1” -AdminEmailAddress “[email protected]” -

FromEmailAddress “[email protected]”


Data is the core component of your server infrastructure. Under most circumstances, the server infrastructure provides the data

that is contained in the files on the server, to your users or applications.

Whether files are added to your servers by users or applications, quota management can help you ensure that users and

applications use the only the amounts of space allotted to them. File screens in FSRM can help you to control the file types that

can be stored within your file and storage infrastructure, and storage reports enable you to provide detailed reporting on quota

management, file screening, and several other aspects of FSRM functionality.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe quota management.

• Describe quota templates.

• Explain how to monitor quota usage.

• Describe file screening management.

• Describe file groups.

• Describe file screen templates and file screen exceptions.

• Describe storage reports.



• Describe a report task.

• Explain how to use FSRM to manage quotas, file screens, and generate storage reports.

What Is Quota Management?

In FSRM, quota management allows you to limit the disk space that is allocated to a volume or folder. The quota limit applies to

the entire folder subtree.

Using quotas, you can manage capacity restrictions in a variety of ways. For example, you can use a quota to ensure that

individual users do not consume excessive amounts of storage with their home drives, or to limit the amount of space consumed

by multimedia files in a particular folder.

Quota Types

You can create two different types of quotas within quota management:

• A hard quota prevents users from saving files after the space limit is reached, and it generates notifications when the volume

of data reaches each configured threshold.

• A soft quota does not enforce the quota limit, but it generates configured notifications.

Quota Notifications

To determine what happens when the quota limit approaches, you configure notification thresholds. For each threshold that you

define, you can send email notifications, log an event, run a command or script, or generate storage reports. For example, you

might want to notify the administrator and the user when a folder reaches 85 percent of its quota limit, and then send another

notification when the quota limit is reached. In some cases, you might want to run a script that raises the quota limit

automatically when a threshold is reached.

Creating Quotas

When you create a quota on a volume or a folder, you can base the quota on a quota template or use custom properties.

Whenever possible, base a quota on a quota template. You can reuse a quota template to create additional quotas, and it

simplifies ongoing quota maintenance.

FSRM can also generate quotas automatically. When you configure an auto-apply quota, you apply a quota template to a parent



volume or folder. Then, a quota that is based on the template is created for each of the existing subfolders, and a quota is

generated automatically for each new subfolder that is created. You can also create quotas using the Windows PowerShell

cmdlet, New-FSRMQuota.

What Are Quota Templates?

FSRM quota templates give you flexibility in creating, using, and managing templates for quotas. A quota template defines a

space limit, the quota type (hard or soft), and a set of notifications to be generated when the quota limit is approached or

exceeded.

Quota templates simplify the creation and maintenance of quotas. Using a quota template, you can apply a standard storage

limit and a standard set of notification thresholds to many volumes and folders on servers throughout your organization.

Template-Based Quota Updating

If you base your quotas on a template, you can update all quotas that are based on the template by editing that template. This

feature simplifies the process of updating quota properties by providing a central point where IT administrators can make all

changes.

For example, you can create a User Quota template that you use to place a 200 megabyte (MB) limit on the personal folder of

each user. For each user, you would then create a quota based on the User Quota template, and then assign it to the user’s folder.

If you decide later to allow each user additional space on the server, you only change the space limit in the User Quota template,

and then choose to update each quota that is based on that quota template.

Quota Template Examples

FSRM provides several quota templates. For example:

• You can use the 200 MB Limit Reports to User template to place a hard 200 MB limit on the personal folder of each user, and

then send storage reports to users who exceed the quota.

• For some folders, you might want to use the 200 MB Limit with 50 MB Extension template to grant a one-time 50 MB quota

extension to users who exceed the 200 MB quota limit.

• Other default templates are designed for monitoring disk usage through soft quotas, such as the Monitor 200 GB Volume

Usage template and the Monitor 500 MB Share template. When you use these templates, users can exceed the quota limit, but

email and event log notifications are generated when they do so.



Monitoring Quota Usage

In addition to the information in the notifications sent by quotas, you can find about quota usage in a variety of ways. You can

view the quotas in quota management within the FSRM console, generate a Quota Usage report, or create soft quotas for

monitoring the overall disk usage. You can also use a Windows PowerShell cmdlet.

Quota Usage Report

Use the Quota Usage report to identify quotas that may soon be reached or exceeded, so that you can take the appropriate

action. Generating a Quota Usage report will be covered in greater detail in the Managing Storage Reports lesson.

Templates for Monitoring Disk Usage

To monitor the overall disk usage, you can create soft quotas for volumes or shares. FSRM provides the following default

templates that you can use (or adapt) for this purpose.

• Monitor 200 GB Volume Usage

• Monitor 500 MB Share

Windows PowerShell

You can use the Get-FSRMQuota cmdlet to view FSRM quotas that exist on the server, along with the statistics for each quota.

What Is File Screening Management?



File Screening Management allows you to create file screens to block types of file from being saved on a volume or in a folder

tree. A file screen affects all folders in the designated path. You use file groups to control the types of files that file screens

manage. For example, you might create a file screen to prevent users from storing audio and video files in their personal folders

on the server. Like all components of FSRM, you can choose to generate email or other notifications when a file screening event

occurs.

File Screen Types

You can configure a file screen as either active or passive:

• Active screening prevents users from saving unauthorized file types on the server, and generates configured notifications when

they attempt to do so.

• Passive screening sends configured notifications to users who are saving specific file types, but it does not prevent users from

saving those files.

File Screening Management Considerations

To simplify file screen management, you can base your file screens on file screen templates, which will be covered later in this

lesson.

For additional flexibility, you can configure a file screen exception in a subfolder of a path where you have created a file screen.

When you place a file screen exception on a subfolder, you allow users to save file types there that would otherwise be blocked by

the file screen applied to the parent folder. You can also create file screens in Windows PowerShell by using the New-

FSRMFileScreen cmdlet.

Note: A file screen does not prevent users and applications from accessing files that were saved to the path before thefile screen was created, regardless of whether the files are members of blocked file groups.

What Are File Groups?

Before you begin working with file screens, you must understand the role of file groups in determining which files are screened.

You use a file group to define a namespace for a file screen or a file screen exception, or to generate a Files by File Group storage

report.

File Group Characteristics



A file group consists of a set of file name patterns, which are grouped as files to include, and files to exclude:

• Files to include: Files to which the file group applies.

• Files to exclude: Files to which the file group does not apply.

For example, an Audio Files file group might include the following file name patterns:

• Files to include: *.mp*: Includes all audio files created in the current and future MPEG formats (MP2, MP3, and so forth).

• Files to exclude: *.mpp: Excludes files created in Microsoft Project (.mpp files), which would otherwise be included by the

*.mp* inclusion rule.

FSRM provides several default file groups, which you can view in File Screening Management by clicking the File Groups node.

You can define additional file groups or change the files to include and exclude. Any change that you make to a file group affects

all existing file screens, templates, and reports to which the file group has been added.

Note: For convenience, you can modify file groups when you edit the properties of a file screen, file screen exception,file screen template, or the Files by File Group report. Note that any changes that you make to a file group from theseproperty sheets affect all items that use that file group.

What Are a File Screen Templates and File Screen Exceptions?

You use file screen templates and file screen exceptions to expand the capabilities of file screening management in FSRM.

File Screen Templates

To simplify file screen management, you can create your file screens based on file screen templates. A file screen template

defines the following:

• File groups to block

• Screening types to perform

• Notifications to be generated



You can configure two screening types in a file screen template. Active screening does not allow users to save any files related to

the selected file groups that you configure with the template. Passive screening allows users to save files, but provides

notifications for monitoring.

FSRM provides several default file screen templates, which you can use to block audio and video files, executable files, image

files, and email files, to meet common administrative needs. To view the default templates, in the File Server Resource Manager

console tree, click the File Screen Templates node.

By creating file screens exclusively from templates, you can centrally manage your file screens by updating the templates instead

of individual file screens.

Note: You create file screens from file screen templates, just as you create quotas from quota templates.

File Screen Exceptions

Occasionally, you need to allow exceptions to file screening. For example, you might want to block video files from a file server,

but you need to allow your training group to save video files for their computer-based training. To allow files that other file

screens are blocking, create a file screen exception.

A file screen exception is a special type of file screen that overrides any file screening that would otherwise apply to a folder, and

all its subfolders in a designated exception path. That is, it creates an exception to any rules derived from a parent folder. To

determine which file types the exception will allow, file groups are assigned.

You create file screen exceptions by specifically choosing the Create File Screen Exception from the File Screens node under File

Screening Management in FSRM.

Note: File screen exceptions always override file screens with conflicting settings. Therefore, you must plan andimplement file screen exceptions carefully.

What Are Storage Reports?

FSRM can generate reports—called storage reports—that help you understand file usage on your storage server. You can use

storage reports to monitor disk usage patterns (by file type or user), identify duplicate files and dormant files, track quota usage,

and audit file screening.



From the Storage Reports Management node, you can create report tasks, which you then use to schedule one or more periodic

reports, or you can generate reports on demand. For on-demand and scheduled reports, current data is gathered before the

report is generated. Reports can also be generated automatically to notify you when a user exceeds a quota threshold, or saves an

unauthorized file.

Storage Report Types

The following table describes each storage report that is available.

Report Description

Duplicate Files This report lists files that appear to be duplicates (files with the same size and last modified time). Use this report to identify and

reclaim disk space that is wasted due to duplicate files. This is the only report that is not configurable.

File Screening Audit This report lists file screening events that have occurred on the server for a specific number of days. Use this report to identify users

or applications that violate screening policies.

Files by File Group This report lists files that belong to specific file groups. Use this report to identify file group usage patterns and file groups that

occupy large amounts of disk space. This can help you determine which file screens to configure on the server.

Files by Owner This report lists files that are grouped by file owners. Use this report to analyze usage patterns on the server, and to identify users

who use large amounts of disk space.

Files by Property This report lists files by the values of a particular classification property. Use this report to observe file classification usage patterns.

Folders by Property This report lists folders by the value of a particular secure classification property. Use this report to observe folder classification

patterns.

Large Files This report lists files that are of a specific size or larger. Use this report to identify files that are consuming the most disk space on

the server. This can help you quickly reclaim large quantities of disk space.

Least Recently Accessed Files This report lists files that are not accessed for a specific number of days. This can help you identify seldom-used data that can be

achieved and removed from the server.

Most Recently Accessed Files This report lists files that are accessed within a specified number of days. Use this report to identify frequently used data that must

be kept highly available.

Quota Usage This report lists quotas for which the quota usage is higher than a specified percentage. Use this report to identify quotas with high

usage levels so that you can take appropriate action.

Configuring Report Parameters

Except for the Duplicate Files report, all reports have configurable report parameters that determine the content in the report.

Parameters vary with the type of report. For some reports, you can use report parameters to select the volumes and folders on

which to report, set a minimum file size to include, or restrict a report to files owned by specific users.

Saving Reports

Regardless of how you generate a report, or whether you choose to view the report immediately, the report is saved on the disk.

Incident reports are saved in the Dynamic HTML (DHTML) format. You can save scheduled and on-demand reports in DHTML,

HTML, XML, CSV, and text formats.

Scheduled reports, on-demand reports, and incident reports are saved in separate folders within a designated report repository.

By default, the reports are stored in the subdirectories of the %Systemdrive%\StorageReports\ folder. To change the default

report locations, in the File Server Resource Manager Options dialog box, on the Report Locations tab, specify where to save

each type of storage report.



What Is a Report Task?

A report task is a set of storage management reports that run based on a schedule.

The report task specifies which reports to generate, what parameters to use, and which volumes and folders to report on. The

report task also reports on how often to generate the reports, and in which file formats to save them.

When you schedule a set of reports, the reports are saved automatically in the report repository. You can also have the reports

emailed automatically to a group of administrators.

You can schedule report tasks by using the following steps from within FSRM.

1. Click the Storage Reports Management node.

2. Right-click Storage Reports Management, and then click Schedule a New Report Task. You also can click Schedule a

New Report Task in the Actions pane.

Note: To minimize the impact of report processing on server performance, generate multiple reports on the sameschedule so that the data is gathered only once.

Generating On Demand Reports

During daily operations, you may want to generate reports on demand to analyze the different aspects of the current disk usage

on the server. Before the reports are generated, current data is gathered.

When you generate reports on demand, the reports are saved in the report repository, but no report task is created for later use.

You can view the reports immediately after they are generated, or you can send the reports to a group of administrators by email.

To generate reports on demand:

1. Click the Storage Reports Management node.

2. Right-click Storage Reports Management, and then click Generate Reports Now (or in the Actions pane, click Generate

Reports Now).



Note: When generating an on-demand report, you can wait for the reports to be generated and then immediatelydisplay them. If you choose to open the reports immediately, you must wait while the reports generate.Processing time varies, depending on the types of reports and the data scope.

Demonstration: Using FSRM to Manage Quotas and File Screens, and to Generate On-Demand Storage Reports


• Create a quota.

• Test a quota.

• Create a file screen.

• Test a file screen.

• Generate a storage report.

Demonstration Steps

Create a quota




4. Create a quota based on the 100 MB Limit on the E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Data folder.

Test a quota

1. Open Windows PowerShell.

2. Create a new, 130 MB file in the E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Data folder by using the following command:

fsutil file createnew largefile.txt 130000000

3. Close Windows PowerShell.

Create a file screen

• In File Server Resource Manager, create a new file screen based on the Block Image Files file-screen template for

E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Data.



Test a file screen

1. Open Microsoft Windows Explorer.

2. Navigate to E:\Labfiles\Mod10.

3. Create a new bitmap (.bmp) image named testimage.

4. Copy the testimage, and then paste it into the E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Data folder.

5. View and close the error window.

6. Close the Windows Explorer window.

Generate a storage report

1. Generate an on-demand report for Large Files on drive E.

2. View and close the html report.

3. Close File Server Resource Manager.


Most applications manage files based on the directory in which they are contained. This leads to complicated file layouts that

require attention from administrators. Such layout can also lead to frustration among the users. In Windows Server 2012,

Classification Management and File Management tasks enable administrators to manage groups of files based on various file and

folder attributes. With Classification Management and File Management tasks, you can automate file and folder maintenance

tasks such as cleaning up stale data, or protecting sensitive information.

In this lesson, you will learn how Classification Management and File Management tasks work together to make it easier for you

to manage and organize the files and folders on your servers.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe classification management.

• Describe classification properties.

• Describe a classification rule.

• Explain how to configure classification management.

• Identify considerations for using file classification.

• Describe file management tasks.

• Explain how to configure file management tasks.

What Is Classification Management?



To reduce the cost and risk associated with data management, the File Classification infrastructure uses a platform that allows

administrators to classify files and apply policies based on that classification. The storage layout is unaffected by data

management requirements, and the organization can adapt more easily to a changing business and regulatory environment.

Classification Management is designed to ease the burden and management of data that is spread out in your organization.

Using Classification Management, you can classify files in a variety of ways. In most scenarios, you perform classification

manually. In Windows Server 2012, the File Classification Infrastructure feature allows organizations to convert these manual

processes into automated policies. You can specify file management policies based on a file’s classification, and can apply

corporate requirements for managing data based on business value. You can also modify the policies easily, and can use tools

that support classification to manage files.

You can use file classification to perform the following actions:

1. Define classification properties and values, which can be assigned to files by running classification rules.

2. Create, update, and run classification rules. Each rule assigns a single predefined property and value to files within a

specified directory, based on installed classification plug-ins.

When running a classification rule, you can reevaluate files that are already classified. You can choose to overwrite existing

classification values or add the value to properties that support multiple values.

What Are Classification Properties?

Classification properties are used to assign values to files. There are many property types from which you can choose. You can



define these properties based on the needs of your organization. Classification properties are assigned to files that use

classification rules, which are discussed in the next topic.

The following table defines the available property types, and the policy that is applied when a file is reclassified:

Property type Description

Yes/No A Boolean property that can have a value of either YES or NO. When multiple values are combined, a NO value overwrites a YES

value.

Date-Time A simple date and time property. When multiple values are combined, conflicting values prevent reclassification.

Number A simple number property. When multiple values are combined, conflicting values prevent reclassification.

Multiple Choice

List

A list of values that can be assigned to a property. More than one value can be assigned to a property at a time. When multiple values

are combined, each value in the list is used.

Ordered List A list of fixed values. Only one value can be assigned to a property at a time. When multiple values are combined, the value highest in

the list is used.

String A simple string property. When multiple values are combined, conflicting values prevent reclassification.

Multi-string A list of strings that can be assigned to a property. More than one value can be assigned to a property at a time. When multiple values

are combined, each value in the list is used.

What Is a Classification Rule?

A classification rule assigns a Classification Property to a file system object. A classification rule includes information detailing

when to assign a classification property to a file.

Key Classification Rule Properties

To define the behavior of a classification rule, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is the rule enabled? On the classification rule Properties page, on the Rule Settings tab, the Enabled check box allows you to

specifically disable or enable the classification rule.

• What is the scope of the rule? On the Rule Settings tab, the Scope parameter allows you to select a folder or folders to which

the classification rule will apply. When the rule is run, it processes and attempts to classify all file system objects within this

location.

• What classification mechanism will the rule use? On the classification rule Properties page, on the rule’s Classification tab,

you must choose a classification method that the rule will use to assign the classification property. By default, there are two



methods from which you can choose:

o Folder Classifier. The folder classifier mechanism assigns properties to a file based on the file’s folder path.

o Content Classifier. The content classifier searches for strings or regular expressions in files. This means that the content

classifier classifies a file based on the textual contents of the file, such as whether it contains a specific word, phrase,

numeric value, or type.

• What property will the rule assign? The main function of the classification rule is to assign a property to a file object based on

how the rule applies to that file object. On the Classification tab, you must specify a property and the specific value that the

rule will assign to that property.

• What additional classification parameters will be used? The core of the rule’s logic lies in the additional classification

parameters. Clicking the Advanced button on the Classification tab opens the Additional Classification Parameters window.

Here, you can specify additional parameters—including strings or regular expressions—that if found in the file system object,

will cause the rule to apply itself. For example, this parameter could be the phrase “Social Security Number” or any number

with the format 000-00-000. If this parameter is found, then the classification parameter will apply a YES value for a

Confidential classification property to the file. This classification could then be leveraged to perform some tasks on the file

system object, such as moving it to a secure location.

A classification parameter can be one of the following three types:

• RegularExpression. Match a regular expression by using the Microsoft .NET syntax. For example, \d\d\d will match any three-

digit string.

• StringCaseSensitive. Match a case-sensitive string. For example, Confidential will only match Confidential’ and not confidential

or CONFIDENTIAL.

• String. Match a string, regardless of case. Confidential will match Confidential, confidential, and CONFIDENTIAL.

Classification Scheduling

You can run classification rules in two ways: on-demand, or based on a schedule. Either way you choose, each time you run

classification, it uses all rules that you have left in the Enabled state.

Configuring a schedule for classification allows you to specify a regular interval at which file classification rules will run, ensuring

that your server’s files are regularly classified and up to date with the latest classification properties.

Demonstration: How to Configure Classification Management


• Create a classification property.

• Create a classification rule.

• Modify the classification schedule.

Demonstration Steps



Create a Classification Property

1. Open File Server Resource Manager, and expand the Classification Management node.

2. Using the Classification Properties node, create a new Classification Property named Confidential, with the Yes/No

property type.

Create a Classification Rule

1. Using the Classification Rules node, create a new Classification Rule named Confidential Payroll Documents.

2. Configure the rule to classify documents with a value of Yes for the Confidential classification property, if the file contains

the string expression PAYROLL.

Modify the Classification Schedule

1. Create a classification schedule that runs every Sunday at 8:30 AM.

2. Using the Classification Rule node, manually run Classification With All Rules Now, and view the report.

Considerations for Using File Classification

Although Classification Management provides a powerful mechanism to catalog, categorize, and classify your file system

objects, you should consider certain factors when dealing with Classification Management.

How Classification Properties Are Stored

Classification properties are stored in an alternate data stream, which is a feature of NTFS. If a file moves within NTFS, the

alternate data streams move with the file, but they do not appear in the file’s contents. In Microsoft Office applications, the

classification properties are also stored within file formats as custom document properties or server document properties.

How Movement Affects Classification Properties

When moving a file from one NTFS file system to another, if you use a standard mechanism such as Copy or Move, the file

retains its classification properties. However, if you move a file to a non-NTFS file system, regardless of how you move the file,

file classification properties are not retained. If the file is the product of a Microsoft Office application, then the classification



properties remain attached, regardless of how the file is moved.

Classification Management Process in Windows Server

Classification properties are available only to servers running Windows Server 2008 R2 or newer. However, Microsoft Office

documents will retain classification property information in Document Properties, which is viewable regardless of the operating

system being used.

Conflicting Classification Rules

At times, classification rules can conflict. When this happens, the file classification infrastructure will attempt to combine

properties. The following behaviors will occur when conflicting classification rules arise:

• For Yes or No properties, a YES value takes priority over a NO value.

• For ordered list properties, the highest property value takes priority.

• For multiple choice properties, the property sets are combined into one set.

• For multiple string properties, a multistring value is set that contains all the unique strings of the individual property values.

• For other property types, an error occurs.

Classification Management Cannot Classify Certain Files

File Classification Infrastructure will not identify individual files within a container, file such as a .zip or .vhd file. In addition, File

Classification Infrastructure will not allow content classification for the contents of encrypted files.

What Are File Management Tasks?

File management tasks automate the process of finding subsets of files on a server, and then applying simple commands to them

on a scheduled basis. Files are identified by classification properties that have been assigned to the file by a classification rule.

File management tasks include a file expiration command, and you can also create custom tasks. You can define files that will be

processed by a file management task through the following properties:

• Location

• Classification properties



• Creation time

• Modification time

• Last accessed time

• File name

You also can configure file management tasks to notify file owners of any impending policy that will be applied to their files.

File Expiration Tasks

File expiration tasks automatically move all files that match certain criteria to a specified expiration directory, where an

administrator can then back up those files and delete them. When you run a file expiration task, a new directory is created within

the expiration directory. The new directory is grouped by the server name on which the task was run, and it is named according

to the name of the file management task and the time it was run. When an expired file is discovered, it is moved into the new

directory, while preserving its original directory structure.

Custom File Management Tasks

Expiration is not always a desired action to be performed on files. File management tasks allow you to run custom commands.

Using the Custom Commands dialog box, you can run an executable file, script, or other custom command to perform an

operation on the files within the scope of the file management task.

Note: You configure custom tasks by selecting the Custom type on the Action tab of the Create File Management Taskwindow.

Demonstration: How to Configure File Management Tasks


• Create a file management task.

• Configure a file management task to expire documents.

Demonstration Steps

Create a File Management Task

1. Open File Server Resource Manager, and then expand the File Management Tasks node.

2. Create a file management task named Expire Confidential Documents with a scope of E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Data.

Configure a File Management Task to expire documents

1. On the Action tab, configure the task for file expiration to E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Expired.

2. Add a condition that Confidential equals Yes.

3. Run the File Management Task, and then view the report.




Scenario

A. Datum Corporation is a global engineering and manufacturing company with a head office based in London, United Kingdom.

An IT office and data center in London support the London location and other locations. A. Datum has recently deployed a


Each network client within the Adatum domain is provided with a server-based home folder that is used to store personal

documents or files that are works-in-progress. It has come to your attention that home folders are becoming quite large, and

may contain file types such as .MP3 files that are not approved due to corporate policy. You decide to implement FSRM quotas

and file screening to help address this issue.

Objectives


• Configure FSRM quotas.

• Configure file screening and generate a storage report.

Lab Setup



20411B-LON-SVR1


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:







5. Perform steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-SVR1.



Exercise 1: Configuring FSRM Quotas

Scenario

To control the size of home folders, you are implementing FSRM quotas. Each home folder is limited to 100 MB. To ensure that

administrators are made aware of home folders that are running out of space, an event is written to the event log when a user

exceeds 85 percent of their storage quota so that it can be tracked by administrators.


1. Create a quota template.

2. Configure a quota based on the quota template.

3. Test that the quota is functional.

Task 1: Create a quota template

1. On LON-SVR1, from Server Manager, install the File Server Resource Manager.

2. In the File Server Resource Manager console, use the Quota Templates node to configure a template that sets a hard limit of

100 MB on the maximum folder size.

3. Configure the template to record an event in the Event Log when the folder reaches 85 percent and 100 percent capacity.

Task 2: Configure a quota based on the quota template

1. Use the File Server Resource Manager console and the Quotas node to create a quota on the E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users

folder by using the quota template that you created in Task 1.

2. Configure the quota to auto apply on existing and new subfolders.

3. Create an additional folder named Max in the E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users folder, and ensure that the new folder is listed in

the quotas list in File Server Resource Manager.

Task 3: Test that the quota is functional

1. Open a Windows PowerShell window, and use the following commands to create a file in the

E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users\Max folder. Press Enter after each line:

E: cd \Labfiles\Mod10\Users\Max fsutil file createnew file1.txt 89400000

2. Check the Event Viewer for an Event ID of 12325.

3. Test that the quota works by attempting to create a file that is 16,400,000 bytes, and then press Enter:



fsutil file createnew file2.txt 16400000

4. Notice that the file cannot be created. The message returned from Windows references disk space, but the file creation fails

because it would surpass the quota limit. Close the Windows PowerShell window.

5. Close all open windows on LON-SVR1.

Results: After completing this exercise, you should have configured an FSRM quota.

Exercise 2: Configuring File Screening and Storage Reports

Scenario

Managers are concerned that large media files are being stored in home folders, which violates corporate policy. Managers want

to prevent media files such as video, audio, and graphics files from being saved. You need to implement file screening to prevent

media files from being stored in home folders. However, you have also been made aware that several users store Microsoft

Project files with the extension.mpp in their home directories. You must ensure that the file screen you create does not restrict the

storage of these files.

You have also been asked to provide a report to your manager documenting any attempts to save restricted media files on LON-

SVR1.


1. Create a file screen.

2. Create a file group.

3. Test the file screen.

4. Generate an on-demand storage report.

5. To prepare for the next lab.

Task 1: Create a file screen

1. On LON-SVR1, open File Server Resource Manager.

2. Create a File Screen based on the Block Audio and Video Files file screen template for the E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users

directory.

Task 2: Create a file group

1. On LON-SVR1, open the File Server Resource Manager Configuration Options dialog box, and on the File Screen Audit



tab enable the Record file screening activity in auditing database option.

Note: This step allows recording of file screening events. These recordings will supply data for a File Screen Auditreport, which will be run later in this exercise.

2. Create a new File Group with the following properties:

o File group name: MPx Media Files

o Files to include: *.mp*

o Files to exclude *.mpp

3. Modify the Block Audio and Video Files template to only use the MPx Media Files file group.

Task 3: Test the file screen

1. On the taskbar, click the Windows Explorer shortcut.

2. Create a new text document in E:\Labfiles\Mod10, and then rename it as musicfile.mp3.

3. Copy musicfile.mp3 into E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users. You will be notified that the system was unable to copy the file.

Task 4: Generate an on-demand storage report

1. Open the File Services Resource Manager console.

2. Right-click Storage Reports Management, select Generate Reports Now, and then provide the following parameters:

o Generate only the File Screening Audit report

o Report on E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users

3. Review the generated reports in Windows Internet Explorer.



• When you finish the lab, do not shut down the virtual machines. You will need them for the next lab.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured file screening and storage reports in FSRM.




You can use DFS to meet the challenges of managing data for branch offices by providing fault-tolerant access and wide area

network (WAN)–friendly replication of files that are located throughout an enterprise.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe DFS.

• Describe DFS namespaces.

• Describe DFS Replication.

• Describe how DFS namespaces and DFS replication work.

• Describe data deduplication.

• Describe scenarios where DFS can be used.

• Explain how to install the DFS role.

What Is DFS?

To access a file share, users typically require the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) name to access the shared folder content.

Many large organizations have hundreds of file servers that are dispersed geographically throughout an organization. This

introduces a number of challenges for users who are trying to find and access files efficiently.

Through the use of a namespace, DFS can simplify the UNC folder structure. In addition, DFS can replicate the virtual namespace

and the shared folders to multiple servers within the organization. This can ensure that the shares are located as close as possible

to users, thereby providing an additional benefit of fault tolerance for the network shares.

DFS includes two technologies that are implemented as role services:

• DFS Namespace (DFS-N). Allows administrators to group shared folders that are located on different servers into one or more

logically structured namespaces. Each namespace appears to users as a single shared folder with a series of subfolders. The

subfolders typically point to shared folders that are located on various servers in multiple geographical sites throughout the

organization.

• DFS-R. A multimaster replication engine that synchronizes files between servers for local and WAN network connections. DFS

Replication supports replication scheduling, bandwidth throttling, and uses remote differential compression (RDC) to update



only the portions of files that have changed since the last replication. You can use DFS Replication in conjunction with DFS

namespaces or as a standalone file replication mechanism.

What Is a DFS Namespace?

DFS namespaces enable a virtual representation of shared folder structures. You can create either a domain-based or standalone

namespace. Each type has different characteristics.

Domain-Based Namespace

A domain-based namespace can be used when:

• Namespace high availability is required, which is accomplished by replicating the namespace to multiple namespace servers.

• You need to hide the name of the namespace servers from users. This also makes it easier to replace a namespace server or

migrate the namespace to a different server. Users will then access the \\domainname\namespace format as opposed to the

\\servername\share format.

If you choose to deploy a domain-based namespace, you will also need to choose whether to use the Microsoft Windows 2000

Server mode or the Windows Server 2008 mode. Windows Server 2008 mode provides additional benefits such as support for

access-based enumeration, and it increases the number of folder targets from 5,000 to 50,000. With access-based enumeration,

you can also hide folders that users do not have permission to view.

To use Windows Server 2008 mode, the following requirements must be met:

• The Active Directory® forest must be at Windows Server 2003 or higher forest functional level.

• The Active Directory domain must be at the Windows Server 2008 domain functional level.

• All namespace servers must be Windows Server 2008.

Standalone Namespace

A standalone namespace is used when:

• An organization has not implemented Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS).



• An organization does not meet the requirements for a Windows Server 2008 mode, a domain-based namespace, and there are

requirements for more than 5,000 DFS folders. Standalone DFS namespaces support up to 50,000 folders with targets.

• An organization is hosting a DFS namespace in a failover cluster.

What Is DFS Replication?

DFS-R provides a way to keep folders synchronized between servers across well-connected and limited bandwidth connections.

Take note of the following key points related to DFS-R:

• DFS-R uses Remote Differential Compression (RDC). RDC is a client-server protocol that can be used to efficiently update files

over a limited bandwidth network. RDC detects data insertions, removals, and rearrangements in files, enabling DFS-R to

replicate only the changed file blocks when files are updated. RDC is only used for files that are 64 kilobytes (KB) or larger by

default. DFS-R also supports cross-file RDC, which allows DFS-R to use RDC, even when a file with the same name does not

exist at the client. Cross-file RDC can determine files that are similar to the file that needs to be replicated, and it uses blocks of

similar files that are identical to the replicating file to minimize the amount of data that needs to be replicated.

• DFS-R uses a hidden staging folder to stage a file before sending or receiving it. Staging folders act as caches for new and

changed files to be replicated from sending members to receiving members. The sending member begins staging a file when

it receives a request from the receiving member. The process involves reading the file from the replicated folder and building a

compressed representation of the file in the staging folder. After it has been constructed, the staged file is sent to the receiving

member; if RDC is used, only a fraction of the staging file might be replicated. The receiving member downloads the data and

builds the file in its staging folder. After the file download completes on the receiving member, DFS-R decompresses the file

and installs it into the replicated folder. Each replicated folder has its own staging folder, which by default is located under the

local path of the replicated folder in the DfsrPrivate\Staging folder.

• DFS-R detects changes on the volume by monitoring the file system update sequence number (USN) journal and replicates

changes only after the file is closed.

• DFS-R uses a version vector exchange protocol to determine which files need to be synchronized. The protocol sends less than

1 KB per file across the network to synchronize the metadata associated with changed files on the sending and receiving

members.

• DFS-R uses a conflict resolution heuristic of “last writer wins” for files that are in conflict (that is, a file that is updated at

multiple servers simultaneously) and “earliest creator wins” for name conflicts. Files and folders that lose the conflict resolution

are moved to a folder known as the Conflict and Deleted folder. You can also configure the service to move deleted files to the

Conflict and Deleted folder for retrieval, should the file or folder be deleted. Each replicated folder has its own hidden Conflict

and Deleted folder, which is located under the local path of the replicated folder in the DfsrPrivate \ConflictandDeleted folder.



• DFS-R is self-healing and can automatically recover from USN journal wraps, USN journal loss, or DFS-R database loss.

• DFS-R uses a Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider that provides interfaces to obtain configuration and

monitoring information from the DFS-R service.

How DFS-N and DFS-R Work

Even though DFS-N and DFS-R are separate role services, you can use them together to provide high availability and data

redundancy. The following process describes how DFS-N and DFS-R work together:

1. User accesses a folder in the virtual namespace. When a user attempts to access a folder in a namespace, the client

computer contacts the server that is hosting the namespace root. The host server can be a standalone server that is hosting

a standalone namespace, or a domain-based configuration that is stored in AD DS and then replicated to various locations

to provide high availability. The namespace server sends back to the client computer a referral containing a list of servers

that host the shared folders (called folder targets) that are associated with the folder being accessed. DFS is a site-aware

technology, so client computers can be configured to access namespaces that are within their site first to ensure the most

reliable access.

2. Client computer accesses the first server in the referral. The client computer caches the referral information and then

contacts the first server in the referral. This referral typically is a server in the client’s own site, unless there is no server

located within the client’s site. In this case, the administrator can configure the target priority.

On the slide example, the Marketing folder that is published within the namespace actually contains two folder targets. One share

is located on a file server in New York, and the other share is located on a file server in London. The shared folders are kept

synchronized by DFS-R. Even though multiple servers host the source folders, this fact is transparent to users, who only access a

single folder in the namespace. If one of the target folders becomes unavailable, users will be redirected to the remaining targets

within the namespace.

What Is Data Deduplication?



In Windows Server 2012, you can enable data deduplication for nonsystem volumes. Data deduplication optimizes volume

storage by finding redundant data on a volume, and ensuring that the data is stored only once on the volume. This is achieved by

storing the data in a single location, and providing reference to the single location for other redundant copies of the data. Data is

segmented into 32 KB to 218 KB chunks, so data deduplication can optimize not only redundant files, but also portions of files

that are redundant on the volume.

Data deduplication can be implemented in conjunction with DFS-R to provide an even more efficient storage and replication

infrastructure.

How Data Deduplication Works

Once a volume has data deduplication enabled, Windows 2012 optimizes the volumes by maintaining the following components:

• Unoptimized files. These include any files that do not meet the file-age criteria for data deduplication. In order to be optimized

by data deduplication, files must remain static for a certain amount of time. Unoptimized files could include system state files,

encrypted files, files smaller than 32 KB, files with extended attibutes, or files that are in use by other applications.

• Optimized files. Optimized files are stored as reparse points. A reparse point contains a pointer to the locations of the chunk

data within the chunk store, so the respective chunks can be retrieved when required.

• Chunk store. Optimized file data is located in the chunk store.

Benefits of Data Deduplication

Data deduplication can help you cope with storage growth in the following areas:

• Capacity optimization. Data deduplication enables a server to store more data in less physical disk space.

• Scale and performance. Data deplucation is highly scalable in Windows Server 2012. It can run on multiple volumes without

affecting other services and applications running on the server. Data deduplication can be throttled to accommodate other

heavy workloads on the server, so that no performance degradation occurs for important server tasks.

• Reliability data integrity. Windows Server 2012 uses checksum. Consistency and validation to ensure that the integrity of data

affected by data deduplication remains intact. Data deduplication also maintains redundant copies of the most frequently

used data on a volume to protect against data corruption.

• Bandwidth efficiency. In combination with DFS-R, or other file replication technology such as BranchCache, data

deduplication can greatly reduce the bandwidth consumed replicating file data, provided that replication partners are also

running Windows Server 2012.



• Simple optimization management. Windows Server 2012 and Windows PowerShell 3.0 contain integrated support for data

deduplication. Implementation and management within Windows Server 2012 is done with familiar tools.

Implementing Data Deduplication

Use the following process to implement data deduplication on a server:

1. Install the Data Deduplication role service for the File Services role.

This can be performed by using the Add Roles and Features Wizard in Server Manager, or by using the following Windows

PowerShell cmdlets:

Import-Module ServerManager Add-WindowsFeature -name FS-Data-Deduplication Import-Module

Deduplication

2. Enable data deduplication on one or more volumes.

Within Server Manager, you can right-click a volume and select Configure Data Deduplication, which opens the Data

Deduplication Settings page.

Alternatively, you can use the following Windows PowerShell cmdlet to enable data deduplication (for the volume E:, in this

case):

Enable-DedupVolume E:

3. Optionally, configure data deduplication jobs for a volume.

By default, built-in jobs are created and scheduled when you enable data deduplication for a volume. If required, you can

manually configure these jobs, or create additional jobs to further manage how data deduplication functions.

Additional Reading: Data Deduplication Overview http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkID=270996

DFS Scenarios




Several key scenarios can benefit from DFS-N and DFS-R. These scenarios include:

• Sharing files across branch offices.

• Data collection.

• Data distribution.

Sharing Files Across Branch Offices

Large organizations that have many branch offices often have to share files or collaborate between these locations. DFS-R can

help replicate files between branch offices or from a branch office to a hub site. Having files in multiple branch offices also

benefits users who travel from one branch office to another. The changes that users make to their files in one branch office are

replicated back to their branch office.

Note: This scenario is recommended only if users can tolerate some file inconsistencies as changes are replicatedthroughout the branch servers. Also, note that DFS-R only replicates a file after it is closed. Therefore, DFS-R is notrecommended for replicating database files or any files that are held open for long periods of time.

Data Collection

DFS technologies can collect files from a branch office and replicate them to a hub site, thus allowing the files to be used for a

number of specific purposes. Critical data can be replicated to a hub site by using DFS-R and then backed up at the hub site by

using standard backup procedures. This increases the branch office data recoverability if a server fails, because files will be

available in two separate locations and backed up. Additionally, companies can reduce branch office costs by eliminating backup

hardware and onsite IT personnel expertise. Replicated data can also be used to make branch office file shares fault tolerant. If the

branch office server fails, clients in the branch office can access the replicated data at the hub site.

Data Distribution

You can use DFS-N and DFS-R to publish and replicate documents, software, and other line-of-business (LOB) data throughout

your organization. DFS-N and folder targets can increase data availability and distribute client load across various file servers.

Demonstration: How to Install the DFS Role

This demonstration shows how to install the DFS Role.

Demonstration Steps Install the DFS role

• Under the File and Storage Management role, install the DFS Namespaces and DFS Replication role services.


Configuring a DFS namespace consists of several tasks, including creating the namespace structure, creating folders within the

namespace, and adding folder targets. You can also choose to perform additional management tasks, such as configuring the

referral order, enabling client fail back, and implementing DFS-R. This lesson provides information on how to complete these

configuration and management tasks to deploy an effective DFS solution.



Lesson Objectives


• Describe the process for deploying namespaces to publish content.

• Describe permissions required to create and manage a namespace.

• Explain how to create and configure DFS namespaces and folder targets.

• Describe the options for optimizing a namespace.

Deploying Namespaces to Publish Content

Most DFS implementations consist primarily of content that is published within the DFS namespace. To configure a namespace

for publishing content to users, perform the following procedures:

1. Create a namespace.

Use the New Namespace Wizard to create the namespace from within the DFS Management console. When a new

namespace is created, you must provide the name of the server that you want to use as the namespace server, and

namespace name and type (either domain- based or standalone). You can also specify whether the namespace is enabled

for Windows Server 2008 mode.

2. Create a folder in the namespace.

After you create the namespace, add a folder in the namespace that will be used to contain the content that you want to

publish. During the folder creation, you have the option to add folder targets, or you can perform a separate task to add,

edit, or remove folder targets later.

3. Add folder targets.

After you create a folder within the namespace, the next task is to create folder targets. The folder target is a shared folder’s

UNC path on a specific server. You can browse for shared folders on remote servers and create shared folders as needed.

Additionally, you can add multiple folder targets to increase the folder’s availability in the namespace. If you add multiple

folder targets, consider using DFS-R to ensure that the content is the same between the targets.

4. Set the ordering method for targets in referrals.

A referral is an ordered list of targets that a client computer receives from the namespace server when a user accesses a

namespace root or folder. When a client receives the referral, the client attempts to access the first target in the list. If the



target is not available, the next target is attempted. By default, targets in the client’s site are always listed first in the referral.

You can configure the method for ordering targets outside the client’s site on the Referrals tab of the Namespace Properties

dialog box. You have the choice of configuring the lowest cost, random order, or configuring the ordering method to

exclude targets outside the client’s site.

Note: Folders inherit referral settings from the namespace root. You can override the namespace settings on theReferrals tab of the Folder Properties dialog box by excluding targets outside the client’s site.

Optional Management Tasks

A number of optional management tasks that you can consider include:

• Set target priority to override referral ordering. You can have a specific folder target that you want everyone to use from all site

locations, or a specific folder target that should be used last among all targets. You can configure these scenarios by overriding

the referral ordering on the Advanced tab of the Folder Target Properties dialog box.

• Enable client failback. If a client cannot access a referred target, the next target is selected. Client failback will ensure that

clients fail back to the original target after it is restored. You can configure client failback on the Referrals tab of the

Namespace Properties dialog box by selecting the Clients fail back to preferred targets check box. All folders and folder

targets inherit this option. However, you can also override a specific folder to enable or disable client failback features, if

required.

• Replicate folder targets using DFS-R. You can use DFS-R to keep the contents of folder targets in sync. The next topic discusses

DFS-R in detail.

Permissions Required to Create and Manage a Namespace

To perform DFS namespace management tasks, a user either has to be a member of an administrative group or has to be

delegated specific permission to perform the task. To delegate the required permissions, right-click the namespace and then click

Delegate Management Permissions.

The following table describes the groups that can perform DFS administration by default, and the method for delegating the

ability to perform DFS management tasks.



Task Groups that can perform the task

by default

Delegation method

Create a domain-based namespace. Domain admins Click Delegate Management

Permissions.

Add a namespace server to a domain-based

namespace.

Domain admins Add users to local administrators group on the namespace

server.

Manage a domain-based namespace. Local administrators on each namespace server Click Delegate Management

Permissions.

Create a standalone namespace. Local administrators on each namespace server Add users to local administrators group on the namespace

server.

Manage a standalone namespace. Local administrators on each namespace server Click Delegate Management

Permissions.

Create a replication group, or enable DFS-R on a

folder.

Domain admins Add users to local administrators group on the namespace

server.

Demonstration: How to Create Namespaces


• Create a new namespace.

• Create a new folder and folder target.

Demonstration Steps

Create a new namespace

1. Open the DFS Management console.

2. Create a domain-based namespace on LON-SVR1 named Research.

Create a new folder and folder target

1. Create a new folder named Proposals in the \\Adatum.com\Research namespace.

2. Create a folder target for Proposals that points to \\LON-SVR1\Proposal_docs.

3. Confirm namespace functionality by navigating to \\Adatum.com\Research, and confirming that the Proposals folder

displays.

Optimizing a Namespace



Namespaces have a number of configuration options with which you can optimize its usability and performance.

Rename or Move a Folder

You can rename or move a folder in a namespace. This allows you to reorganize the hierarchy of folders to best suit your

organization’s users. For example, when your company reorganizes, you can reorganize the namespace to match the new

structure.

Disable Referrals to a Folder

A referral is a list of targets that a client computer receives from a domain controller or namespace server when the user accesses

a root or folder with namespace targets. By disabling a folder target’s referral, you prevent client computers from accessing that

folder target in the namespace. This is useful when you are moving data between servers.

Specify Referral Cache Duration

Clients do not contact a namespace server for a referral each time they access a folder in a namespace; instead, namespace root

referrals are cached. Clients that use a cached referral will renew the cache duration value of the referral each time a file or folder

is accessed using the referral. This means that the clients will use the referral indefinitely until the client’s referral cache is cleared

or the client is restarted. You can customize the referral cache duration. The default is 300 seconds (5 minutes).

Configure Namespace Polling

To maintain a consistent domain-based namespace across namespace servers, namespace servers must poll AD DS periodically

to obtain the most current namespace data. The two modes for namespace polling are:

• Optimize for consistency. Namespace servers poll the primary domain controller (PDC) emulator each time a namespace

change occurs. This is the default.

• Optimize for scalability. Each namespace server polls its closest domain controller at periodic intervals.


To configure DFS-R effectively, it is important to understand the terminology and requirements that are associated with the

feature. This lesson provides information on the specific elements, requirements, and scalability considerations as they relate to

DFS-R. This lesson also provides a process for configuring an effective replication topology.



Lesson Objectives


• Describe replication groups and replicated folders.

• Describe the initial replication process.

• Explain how to configure DFS-N and DFS-R.

• Describe DFS troubleshooting options.

Replication Groups and Replicated Folders

A replication group comprises a set of member servers that participate in replicating one or more replicated folders. There are

two main types of replication groups:

• Multipurpose replication group. This replication group helps to configure replication between two or more servers for

publication, content sharing, or other scenarios.

• Replication group for data collection. This replication group configures a two-way replication between two servers, such as a

branch office server and a hub server. This group type is used to collect data from the branch office server to the hub server.

You can then use standard backup software to back up the hub server data.

A replicated folder is synchronized between each member server. Creating multiple replicated folders within a single replication

group helps to simplify the following for the entire group:

• Replication Group type

• Topology

• Hub and spoke configuration

• Replication schedule

• Bandwidth throttling

The replicated folders that are stored on each member can be located on different volumes in the member. Replicated folders do



not need to be shared folders or part of a namespace, although the DFS Management snap-in makes it easy to share replicated

folders, and optionally, publish them to an existing namespace.

Replication Topologies

When configuring a replication group, you must define its topology. You can select between the following:

• Hub and spoke. To select this option, you require at least three member servers in the replication group. This topology works

well in publication scenarios where data originates at the hub and is replicated to members at the spokes.

• Full mesh. If ten or fewer members are in the replication group, this topology works well, with each member replicating to all

others, as required.

• No topology. Choose this option if you want to manually configure a custom topology after creating the replication group.

Initial Replication Process

When you first configure replication, you choose a primary member that has the most updated files to be replicated. This server

is considered authoritative for any conflict resolution that occurs when the receiving members have files that are older or newer

when compared to the same files on the primary member.

Consider the following concepts about the initial replication process:

• Initial replication does not begin immediately. The topology and DFS-R settings must be replicated to all domain controllers,

and each member in the replication group must poll its closest domain controller to obtain these settings. Active Directory

replication latency and the long polling interval (60 minutes) on each member determine the amount of time this takes.

• Initial replication always occurs between the primary member and its receiving replication partners. After a member has

received all files from the primary member, that member will replicate files to its receiving partners. In this way, replication for

a new replicated folder starts from the primary member and then progresses out to the other replication group members.

• When receiving files from the primary member during initial replication, the receiving members with files that are not present

on the primary member will move those files to their respective DfsrPrivate\PreExisting folder. If a file is physically identical to a

file on the primary member, then the file is not replicated. If the version of a file on the receiving member is different from the

primary member’s version, the receiving member’s version is moved to the Conflict and Deleted folder, and RDC can be used

to download only the changed blocks.

• To determine whether files are identical on the primary member and receiving member, DFS-R compares the files using a hash

algorithm. If the files are identical, only minimal metadata is transferred.



• After the initialization of the replicated folder, the primary member designation is removed. (Initialization takes place after all

files that exist prior to DFS-R configuration, are added to the DFS-R database.) That member then is treated like any other

member, and its files are no longer considered authoritative over other members that have completed initial replication. Any

member that has completed initial replication is considered authoritative over members that have not completed initial

replication.

Demonstration: How to Configure DFS-R


• Create a new folder target for replication.

• Create a new replication group.

Demonstration Steps

Create a new folder target for replication

• On LON-SVR1, create a folder target for \\LON-SVR4\Proposal_docs.

Create a new replication group

1. Add the folder to the replication group for LON-SVR1 and LON-SVR4.

2. Declare LON-SVR1 as the primary member, and create a full-mesh replication.

Troubleshooting DFS

Windows Server 2012 provides a number of tools that you can use to monitor and troubleshoot DFS-R. The tools include:

• Diagnostic Reports. Use Diagnostic Reports to run a diagnostic report for the following:

o Health Report. Shows extensive replication statistics and reports on replication health and efficiency.

o Propagation Test. Generates a test file in a replicated folder to verify replication and provide statistics for the propagation



report.

o Propagation Report. Provides information about the progress for the test file that is generated during a propagation test.

This report will ensure that replication is functional.

• Verify Topology. Use Verify Topology to verify and report on the status of the replication group topology. This will report any

members that are disconnected.

• Dfsrdiag.exe. Use this command-line tool to monitor the replication state of the DFS-R service.

Troubleshooting DFS

DFS problems generally fall into one of the following categories:

• Unable to access the DFS namespace. Ensure that both the Net Logon service and DFS service are running on all servers that

are hosting the namespace.

• Inability to find shared folders. If clients cannot connect to a shared folder, use standard troubleshooting techniques to ensure

that the folder is accessible and that clients have permissions. Remember that clients connect to the shared folder directly.

• Unable to access DFS links and shared folders. Verify that the underlying folder is available and that the client has permissions

on it. If a replica exists, verify whether the problem is related to replication latency (refer to the following replication latency

entry in this list).

• Security-related issue. Remember that the client accesses the shared folder directly. Therefore, you must verify the shared

folder and ACL permissions on the folder.

• Replication latency. Remember that the DFS-R topology is stored in the domain's AD DS. Consequently, there is some latency

before any modification to the DFS-N is replicated to all domain controllers.


Scenario

A. Datum Corporation has deployed a new branch office. This office has a single server. To support branch staff requirements,

you must configure DFS. To avoid the need to perform backups remotely, a departmental file share in the branch office will be

replicated back to the head office for centralized backup, and branch data files will be replicated to the branch server to provide

quicker access.

Objectives


• Install the DFS role service.

• Configure a DFS namespace.

• Configure DFS Replication.

Lab Setup




Lab Setup

Estimated time: 30 minutes


20411B-LON-SVR1

20411B-LON-SVR4


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:


2. In Hyper-V Manager, click 20411B-LON-DC1, and in the Actions pane, click Start.





5. Perform steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-SVR1 and 20411B-LON-SVR4.

Exercise 1: Installing the DFS role service

Scenario

To support the creation of a replicated namespace, you have been asked to perform the installation of the DFS server role for

LON-SVR1 and LON-SVR4.


1. Install the DFS role service on LON-SVR1.

2. Install the DFS role service on LON-SVR4.

Task 1: Install the DFS role service on LON-SVR1

• On LON-SVR1, from Server Manager, under the File and Storage Management role, install the DFS Namespaces and DFS

Replication role services.




• On LON-SVR4, in Server Manager, under the File and Storage Management role, install the DFS Namespaces and DFS

Replication role services.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have installed the DFS role service on LON-SVR1 and installed the DFS roleservice on LON-SVR4.

Exercise 2: Configuring a DFS Namespace

Scenario

You have been asked to configure a DFS namespace to support the newly requested file structure. Management has requested

that the new structure meet the following requirements:

• Namespace: \\Adatum.com\BranchDocs

• File shares to include:

o \\LON-SVR4\ResearchTemplates

o \\LON-SVR1\DataFiles


1. Create the BranchDocs namespace.

2. Enable access-based enumeration for the BranchDocs namespace.

3. Add the ResearchTemplates folder to the BranchDocs namespace.

4. Add the DataFiles folder to the BranchDocs namespace.

5. Verify the BranchDocs namespace.

Task 1: Create the BranchDocs namespace

1. Switch to LON-SVR1 and then open Server Manager.

2. Open DFS Management.

3. Create a new namespace with the following properties:

o Server: LON-SVR1

o Name: BranchDocs

o Namespace type: Domain-based namespace, and select Enable Windows Server 2008 mode



4. Under the Namespaces node, verify that the namespace has been created.

Task 2: Enable access-based enumeration for the BranchDocs namespace

• In DFS Management, in the \\Adatum.com\BranchDocs Properties dialog box, on the Advanced tab, select the Enable

access-based enumeration for this namespace check box.

Task 3: Add the ResearchTemplates folder to the BranchDocs namespace

• Add a new folder to the BranchDocs namespace:

o Folder name: ResearchTemplates

o Add a folder target:

▪ Path: \\LON-SVR4\ResearchTemplates

▪ Create share

▪ Local path: C:\BranchDocs\ResearchTemplates

▪ Permissions: All users have read and write permissions

Task 4: Add the DataFiles folder to the BranchDocs namespace

• Add a new folder to the BranchDocs namespace:

o Folder name: DataFiles

o Add a folder target:

▪ Path: \\LON-SVR1\DataFiles

▪ Create share

▪ Local path: C:\BranchDocs\DataFiles

▪ Permissions: All users have read and write permissions

Task 5: Verify the BranchDocs namespace

1. On LON-SVR1, open Windows Explorer, in the address bar type, type \\Adatum.com\BranchDocs\ and then press Enter.

2. Verify that both ResearchTemplates and DataFiles display, and then close the window.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured a DFS namespace.



Exercise 3: Configuring DFS-R

Scenario

You have been asked to ensure that the files contained in the new DFS namespace are replicated to both LON-SVR1 and LON-

SVR4 to ensure data availability.


1. Create another folder target for DataFiles.

2. Configure replication for the namespace.


Task 1: Create another folder target for DataFiles

1. In DFS Management, expand Adatum.com\BranchDocs, and then click DataFiles.

2. In the details pane, notice that there is currently only one folder target.

3. Add a new folder target:

o Path to target: \\LON-SVR4\DataFiles

o Create share

o Local path: C:\BranchDocs\DataFiles

o Permissions: All users have read and write permissions

o Create folder

4. In the Replication dialog box, click Yes. The Replicate Folder Wizard starts.

Task 2: Configure replication for the namespace

1. Complete the Replicate Folder Wizard:

o Primary member: LON-SVR1

o No topology

o Use defaults elsewhere, and accept any messages.

2. Create a new replication topology for the namespace:

o Type: Full mesh

o Schedule and bandwidth: Use default settings

3. In the details pane, on the Memberships tab, verify that the replicated folder displays on both LON-SVR4 and LON-SVR1.



Task 3: To prepare for the next module

When you finish the lab, revert the virtual machines to their initial state. To do this, complete the following steps:





Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured DFS-R.

Question: What are the requirements for deploying a namespace in Windows Server 2008 mode?

Question: What are the benefits of hosting a namespace on several namespace servers?


Review Questions

Question: How do FSRM templates for quotas and file screens provide a more efficient FSRM management experience?

Question: Why does DFS-R make a more efficient replication platform than FRSM?

Lab Answer Key: Module 10: Optimizing File Services


Exercise 1: Configuring FSRM Quotas

Task 1: Create a quota template


2. On the taskbar, click the Server Manager shortcut.



5. Confirm that role-based or feature-based installation is selected, and then click Next.

6. Confirm that LON-SVR1.Adatum.com is selected, and then click Next.

7. On the Select server roles page, expand File and Storage Services (Installed), expand File and SCSI Services, and then

select the File Server Resource Manager check box.

8. In the pop-up window, click Add Features.

9. Click Next twice to confirm the role service and feature selection.



12. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click File Server Resource Manager.

13. In the File Server Resource Manager console, expand Quota Management, and then click Quota Templates.

14. Right-click Quota Templates, and then click Create Quota Template.

15. In the Create Quota Template dialog box, in the Template name field, type 100 MB Limit Log to Event Viewer.

16. Under Notification thresholds, click Add.

17. In the Add Threshold dialog box, click the Event log tab.

18. On the Event log tab, select the Send warning to event log check box, and then click OK.

19. In the Create Quota Template dialog box, click Add.

20. In the Add Threshold dialog box, in the Generate notification when the usage reaches (%) field, type 100.

21. Click the Event Log tab, select the Send warning to event log check box, and then click OK twice.

Task 2: Configure a quota based on the quota template

1. In the File Server Resource Manager console, click Quotas.

2. Right-click Quotas, and then click Create Quota.

3. On the Create Quota dialog box, in the Quota path field, type E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users.

4. Click Auto apply template and create quotas on existing and new subfolders.

5. In the Derive properties from this quota template (recommended) list, click 100MB Limit Log to Event Viewer, and

then click Create.

6. In the details pane, verify that the E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users path has been configured with its own quota entry. You may

have to refresh the Quotas folder to view the changes.

7. From the taskbar, open Windows Explorer.

8. In the Windows Explorer window, click drive E, expand Labfiles, expand Mod10, and then expand Users.

9. In the Users folder, create a new folder named Max.

10. In File Server Resource Manager, on the Action menu, click Refresh.

11. In the details pane, notice that the newly created folder now displays in the list.

Task 3: Test that the quota is functional

1. On LON-SVR1, on the taskbar, click the Windows PowerShell shortcut.

2. In the Windows PowerShell window, type the following commands. Press Enter at the end of each line:

E: cd \Labfiles\Mod10\Users\Max fsutil file createnew file1.txt 89400000

This creates a file that is over 85 megabytes (MB), which will generate a warning in Event Viewer.

3. On the taskbar, click the Server Manager shortcut.

4. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Event Viewer.

5. In the Event Viewer console, expand Windows Logs, and then click Application.

6. In the details pane, note the event with Event ID of 12325.

7. In the Windows PowerShell window, type the following command, and then press Enter:

fsutil file createnew file2.txt 16400000

Notice that the file cannot be created. The message returned from Windows references disk space, but the file creation fails

because it would surpass the quota limit.

8. In the Windows PowerShell window, type exit, and then press Enter.


Results: After completing this exercise, you should have configured an FSRM quota.

Exercise 2: Configuring File Screening and Storage Reports

Task 1: Create a file screen

1. On LON-SVR1, open Server Manager and then from the Tools menu click File Server Resource Manager.

2. In the File Server Resource Manager console tree, expand File Screening Management, and then click File Screens.

3. Right-click File Screens, and then click Create File Screen.

4. In the Create File Screen window, in the File screen path text box, type E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users.

5. In the Create File Screen window, click the Derive properties from this file screen template (recommended) drop-down

list box, and then click Block Audio and Video Files.

6. Click Create.

Task 2: Create a file group

1. On LON-SVR1, right-click File Server Resource Manager (Local), and then click Configure Options.

2. In the File Server Resource Manager Options dialog box, click the File Screen Audit tab.

3. On the File Screen Audit tab, select the Record file screening activity in auditing database check box, and then click OK.

Note: This step is to allow recording of file screening events. These recordings will supply data for a File ScreenAudit report, which will be run later in this exercise.

4. In the File Server Resource Manager console tree, expand File Screening Management, and then click File Groups.

5. Right-click File Groups, and then click Create File Group.

6. In the Create File Group Properties window, in the File group name box, type MPx Media Files.

7. In the Files to include box, type *.mp*, and then click Add.

8. In the Files to exclude box, type *.mpp, click Add, and then click OK.

9. In the File Server Resource Manager console tree, expand File Screening Management, and then click File Screen

Templates.

10. Right-click the Block Audio and Video Files template, and then click Edit Template Properties.

11. On the Settings tab, under File groups remove the check box next to Audio and Video Files.

12. Select the check box next to MPx Media Files.

13. Click OK. Click Yes at the message prompt.

14. Click OK at the message.

Task 3: Test the file screen

1. On the taskbar, click the Windows Explorer shortcut.

2. In the Windows Explorer window, in the left pane, click Allfiles (E:).

3. In the right pane, right-click and point to New, and then click Text Document.

4. Rename New Text Document.txt to musicfile.mp3. Click Yes to change the file name extension.

5. Right-click musicfile.mp3, and then click Copy.

6. In the left pane, expand Allfiles (E:), expand Labfiles, expand Mod10, right-click Users, and then click Paste. You will be

notified that the system was unable to copy the file to E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users.

7. Click Cancel.

Task 4: Generate an on-demand storage report

1. In the File Server Resource Manager console, click Storage Reports Management.

2. Right-click Storage Reports Management, and then click Generate Reports Now.

3. Under Select reports to generate, select the File Screening Audit check box.

4. Click the Scope tab and then click Add.

5. In the Browse for Folder dialog box, browse to E:\Labfiles\Mod10\Users, and then click OK.

6. Click OK to close the Storage Reports Task Properties.

7. In the Generate Storage Reports dialog box, verify that Wait for reports to be generated and then display them is

selected, and then click OK.

8. In the Windows Internet Explorer window, review the generated html reports.



• When you finish the lab, do not shut down the virtual machines. You will need them for the next lab.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured file screening and storage reports in FSRM.


Exercise 1: Installing the DFS role service



2. On the taskbar, click Server Manager.





7. On the Select server roles page, expand File and Storage Services, expand File and iSCSI Services, and then select the

DFS Namespaces check box.

8. In the Add Roles and Features pop-up window, click Add Features.

9. Select the DFS Replication check box, and then click Next.











6. On the Select server roles page, expand File and Storage Services, expand File and SCSI Services, and then select the

DFS Namespaces check box.

7. In the Add Roles and Features pop-up window, click Add Features.

8. Select the DFS Replication check box, and then click Next.





Results: After completing this exercise, you will have installed the DFS role service on LON-SVR1 and installed the DFS role

service on LON-SVR4.

Exercise 2: Configuring a DFS Namespace

Task 1: Create the BranchDocs namespace

1. Switch to LON-SVR1 and then open Server Manager.

2. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click DFS Management.

3. In the navigation pane, click Namespaces.

4. Right-click Namespaces, and then click New Namespace.

5. In the New Namespace Wizard, on the Namespace Server page, under Server, type LON-SVR1, and then click Next.

6. On the Namespace Name and Settings page, under Name, type BranchDocs, and then click Next.

7. On the Namespace Type page, ensure that Domain-based namespace is selected. Take note that the namespace will be

accessed by \\Adatum.com\BranchDocs.

8. Ensure that the Enable Windows Server 2008 mode check box is selected, and then click Next.

9. On the Review Settings and Create Namespace page, click Create.

10. On the Confirmation page, ensure that the Create namespace task is successful, and then click Close.

11. In the navigation pane, expand Namespaces, and then click \\Adatum.com\BranchDocs.

12. In the details pane, click the Namespace Servers tab, and ensure that there is one entry that is enabled for \\LON-

SVR1\BranchDocs.

Task 2: Enable access-based enumeration for the BranchDocs namespace

1. In the navigation pane, under Namespaces, right-click \\Adatum.com\BranchDocs, and then click Properties.

2. In the \\Adatum.com\BranchDocs Properties dialog box, click the Advanced tab.

3. On the Advanced tab, select the Enable access-based enumeration for this namespace check box, and then click OK.

Task 3: Add the ResearchTemplates folder to the BranchDocs namespace

1. In DFS Management, right-click Adatum.com\BranchDocs, and then click New Folder.

2. In the New Folder dialog box, under Name, type ResearchTemplates.

3. In the New Folder dialog box, click Add.

4. In the Add Folder Target dialog box, type \\LON-SVR4\ResearchTemplates, and then click OK.


6. In the Create Share dialog box, in the Local path of shared folder box, type C:\BranchDocs\ResearchTemplates.

7. Click All users have read and write permissions, and then click OK.


9. Click OK again to close the New Folder dialog box.

Task 4: Add the DataFiles folder to the BranchDocs namespace

1. In DFS Management, right-click Adatum.com\BranchDocs, and then click New Folder.

2. In the New Folder dialog box, under Name, type DataFiles, and then, click Add.

3. In the Add Folder Target dialog box, type \\LON-SVR1\DataFiles, and then click OK.


5. In the Create Share dialog box, in the Local path of shared folder box, type C:\BranchDocs\DataFiles.

6. Click All users have read and write permissions, and then click OK. The permissions will be configured later.


8. Click OK again to close the New Folder dialog box.

Task 5: Verify the BranchDocs namespace

1. On LON-SVR1, open Windows Explorer, in the address bar type \\Adatum.com\BranchDocs\, and then press Enter.

2. In the BranchDocs window, verify that both ResearchTemplates and DataFiles display.

3. Close the BranchDocs window.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured a DFS namespace.

Exercise 3: Configuring DFS-R

Task 1: Create another folder target for DataFiles

1. In DFS Management, expand Adatum.com\BranchDocs, and then click DataFiles.

2. In the details pane, notice that there is currently only one folder target.

3. Right-click DataFiles, and then click Add Folder Target.

4. In the New Folder Target dialog box, under Path to folder target, type \\LON-SVR4\DataFiles, and then click OK.

5. In the Warning dialog box, click Yes to create the shared folder on LON-SVR4.

6. In the Create Share dialog box, under Local path of shared folder, type C:\BranchDocs\DataFiles.

7. In the Create Share dialog box, under Shared folder permissions, select All users have read and write permissions, and

then click OK.

8. In the Warning dialog box, click Yes to create the folder on LON-SVR4.

9. In the Replication dialog box, click Yes. The Replicate Folder Wizard starts.

Task 2: Configure replication for the namespace

1. In DFS Management, in the Replicate Folder Wizard, on both the Replication Group and Replicated Folder Name page,

accept the default settings, and then click Next.

2. On the Replication Eligibility page, click Next.

3. On the Primary Member page, select LON-SVR1, and then click Next.

4. On the Topology Selection page, select No topology, and then click Next.

5. In the Warning dialog box, click OK.

6. On the Review Settings and Create Replication Group page, click Create.

7. On the Confirmation page, click Close.

8. In the Replication Delay dialog box, click OK.

9. In the DFS Management console, expand Replication, and then click Adatum.com\BranchDocs\DataFiles.

10. In the Action pane, click New Topology.

11. In the New Topology Wizard, on the Topology Selection page, click Full mesh, and then click Next.

12. On the Replication Group Schedule and Bandwidth page, click Next.

13. On the Review Settings and Create Topology page, click Create.

14. On the Confirmation page, click Close, and in the Replication Delay dialog box, click OK.

15. In the details pane, on the Memberships tab, verify that the replicated folder displays on both LON-SVR4 and LON-SVR1.







Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured DFS-R.

5/21/13 Module 11: Configuring Encryption and Advanced Auditing


Module 11: Configuring Encryption and Advanced Auditing

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Encrypting Files by Using Encrypting File System




Module Overview

As an administrator of the Windows Server® 2012 operating system, you should ensure the continued security of the files and

folders on your servers. You can encrypt sensitive files by using native Windows Server 2012 tools. However, you must be aware

of some considerations and implementation methods in order to provide a reliable environment.

By using Windows Server 2012, you can understand how files and folders are being used on your Windows Server 2012

computers. You can also audit file and folder access. Auditing file and folder access can give you insight into general usage, and

more critical information, such as unauthorized usage attempts.

This module describes the Windows Server 2012 tools that can help you to provide increased file system security on your servers.

Objectives


• Encrypt files by using EFS.

• Configure advanced auditing.

Lesson 1 : Encrypting Files by Using Encrypting File System

Encrypting File System (EFS) is a built-in component of the NTFS file system that enables encryption and decryption of file and

folder contents on an NFTS volume. It is important to understand how EFS works before implementing EFS in your environment.

You should also know how to recover the encrypted files, and troubleshoot issues when EFS encryption does not work properly.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe EFS.

• Explain how EFS works.








• Explain how to recover EFS–encrypted files.

• Explain how to encrypt a file by using EFS.

What Is EFS?

EFS is a feature that can encrypt files that are stored on an NTFS formatted partition. By default, this option is available to all

users. You can also use EFS to encrypt files on a file share.

After a file is encrypted by using EFS, it can only be accessed by authorized users. If a user is authorized, then access to the file is

transparent and it can be opened like an unencrypted file. If a user is not authorized, attempts to open the file will result in an

access denied message.

EFS encryption acts as an additional layer of security in addition to NTFS permissions. If users are given NTFS permission to read a

file, they must still be authorized by EFS to decrypt the file.

The default configuration of EFS requires no administrative effort. Users can begin encrypting files immediately, and EFS

automatically generates a user certificate with a key pair for a user if one does not already exist. Using a certification authority

(CA) to issue user certificates enhances manageability of the certificates.

You can disable EFS on client computers by using Group Policy. In the Properties of the policy, navigate to Computer

Configuration\Policies\Windows Settings\Security Settings\Public Key Polices\Encrypting Files System, and then click Don’t

allow.

Note: If you are not using certificates from a CA and you want to allow EFS to be used on a file share, then you mustconfigure the file server computer account to be trusted for delegation. Domain controllers are trusted for delegationby default.

How EFS Works



EFS uses a combination of public-key and symmetric-key encryption to protect files from attack. EFS uses a symmetric key to

encrypt the file, and a public key to protect the symmetric key.

Symmetric key encryption uses the same key to encrypt and then decrypt a file. This type of encryption is faster and stronger

than public key encryption. Because it is difficult to secure the symmetric key during a cross-network transfer, it requires

additional security. Symmetric key encryption is the typical method for encrypting large amounts of data.

EFS uses public key encryption to protect the symmetric key that is required to decrypt the file contents. Each user certificate

contains a private key and a public key that is used to encrypt the symmetric key. Only the user with the certificate and its private

key can decrypt the symmetric key.

The file encryption process is as follows:

1. When a user encrypts a file, EFS generates a file encryption key (FEK) to encrypt the data. The FEK is encrypted with the

user’s public key, and the encrypted FEK is then stored with the file. This ensures that only the user who has the matching

EFS encryption private key can decrypt the file. After a user encrypts a file, the file remains encrypted for as long as it is

stored on the disk.

2. To decrypt files, the user can open the file, remove the encryption attribute, or decrypt the file by using the cipher

command. When this occurs, EFS decrypts the FEK with the user’s private key, and then decrypts the data by using the FEK.

Note: In addition to the user that encrypted the file, additional copies of the symmetric key are encrypted with therecovery agent public key, and are available to any other authorized users.

Recovering EFS–Encrypted Files



If a user who encrypted a file by using EFS loses the private key for any reason, then you need a method for recovering the EFS–

encrypted file. The private key is part of a user certificate that is used for encryption. Backing up a user certificate is one method

for recovering EFS–encrypted files. The backed-up user certificate can be imported into another profile and you can use it to

decrypt the file. However, this method is difficult to implement when there are many users.

A better method for recovering EFS-encrypted files is to make use of a recovery agent. A recovery agent is an individual who is

authorized to decrypt all EFS encrypted files. The default recovery agent is the domain administrator. However, you can delegate

the recovery agent role to any user.

When you add a new recovery agent through Group Policy, the agent is added automatically to all newly encrypted files, but the

agent is not automatically added to the existing encrypted files. Because the recovery agent for a file is set at the time that the file

is encrypted, an encrypted file must be accessed and saved to update the recovery agent.

To back up the recovery agent certificate, you should always export the certificate with the private key and keep it in a secure

location. The two reasons to back up the private key for the recovery agent (or the recovery key) are:

• To secure against system failure. The domain administrator key that is used by default for EFS recovery is stored only on the

first domain controller in the domain. If anything happened to this domain controller, EFS recovery would be impossible.

• To make the recovery key portable. The recovery key is not automatically available to the recovery agent on all computers. The

recovery key must be installed in the recovery agent’s profile. If roaming profiles are not used, then exporting and importing

the recovery key is a method to update the recovery agent’s profile on a particular computer.

Demonstration: Encrypting a File by Using EFS


• Verify that a computer account supports EFS on a network share.

• Use EFS to encrypt a file on a network share.

• View the certificate used for encryption.

• Test access to an encrypted file.

Demonstration Steps Verify that a computer account supports EFS on a network share




2. Verify that that LON-DC1 is trusted for delegation to any service.

Use EFS to encrypt a file on a network share

1. Log on to LON-CL1 as Adatum\Doug with a password of Pa$$w0rd.

2. Navigate to \\LON-DC1\Mod11Share.

3. Create a new Microsoft® Word document named MyEncryptedFile.

4. Open MyEncryptedFile, type My secret data, and then save the file.

5. Encrypt MyEncryptedFile.

6. Log off of LON-CL1.

View the certificate used for encryption

1. On LON-DC1, navigate to C:\Users\. Notice that Doug has a profile on the computer. This is where the self-signed

certificate is stored. It cannot be viewed in the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Certificates snap-in unless Doug logs

on locally to the server.

2. Navigate to C:\Users\Doug\AppData\roaming\Microsoft\SystemCertificates\My\Certificates. This is the folder that

stores the self-signed certificate for Doug.

Test access to an encrypted file

1. Log on to LON-CL1 as Adatum\Alex.

2. Attempt to open \\LON-DC1\Mod11Share\MyEncryptedFile by using Microsoft Word. The attempt will fail because the

file is encrypted by Doug.


Auditing logs report a variety of activities in your enterprise to the Windows® Security Log. You can then monitor these auditing

logs to identify issues that warrant further investigation. Auditing can log successful activities as well, to provide documentation

of changes. It can also log failed and potentially malicious attempts to access enterprise resources. When configuring auditing,

you will specify audit settings, enable an audit policy, and then monitor events in the security logs.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe audit policies.

• Explain how to specify audit settings for a file or folder.



• Explain how to enable audit policy.

• Explain how to evaluate events in the security log.

• Describe the advanced audit policy configuration.

• Explain how to configure advanced auditing.

Overview of Audit Policies

Audit policy configures a system to audit categories of activities. If audit policy is not enabled, a server will not audit those

activities.

You can view audit policies in Group Policy, under Computer Configuration. In Computer Configuration, expand

Policies\Windows Settings \Security Settings\Local Policies, and then click Audit Policy. To configure auditing, you must define

the policy setting. In the Group Policy Management Editor, double-click any policy setting, and select the Define These Policy

Settings check box. Then, select whether to enable auditing of Success events, Failure events, or both.

The following table defines each audit policy and its default settings on a Windows Server 2012 domain controller.

Audit policy

setting

Description Default setting

Audit Account Logon Events Creates an event when a user or computer attempts to authenticate by using an

Active Directory® account. For example, when a user logs on to any computer in the

domain, an account logon event is generated.

Successful account logons are audited.

Audit Logon Events Creates an event when a user logs on interactively (locally) to a computer or over the

network (remotely). For example, if a workstation and a server are configured to audit

logon events, the workstation audits a user logging on directly to that workstation.

When the user connects to a shared folder on the server, the server logs that remote

logon. When a user logs on, the domain controller records a logon event because

logon scripts and policies are retrieved from the domain controller.

Successful logons are audited.

Audit Account Management Audits events, including the creation, deletion, or modification of user, group, or

computer accounts, and the resetting of user passwords.

Successful account management activities

are audited.

Audit Directory Service Access Audits events that are specified in the system access control list (SACL), which is seen

in an Active Directory object’s Properties Advanced Security Settings dialog box. In

addition to defining the audit policy with this setting, you must also configure auditing

for the specific object or objects by using the SACL of the object or objects. This policy

is similar to the Audit Object Access policy that you use to audit files and folders, but

Successful directory service access events are

audited, but few objects’ SACLs specify audit

settings.



this policy applies to Active Directory objects.

Audit Policy Change Audits changes to user rights assignment policies, audit policies, or trust policies. Successful policy changes are audited.

Audit Privilege Use Audits the use of a privilege or user right. See the explanatory text for this policy in the

Group Policy Management Editor.

No auditing is performed by default.

Audit System Events Audits system restart, shutdown, or changes that affect the system or security logs. Successful system events are audited.

Audit Process Tracking Audits events such as program activation and process exit. See the explanatory text

for this policy in the Group Policy Management Editor.

No events are audited.

Audit Object Access Audits access to objects such as files, folders, registry keys, and printers that have their

own SACLs. In addition to enabling this audit policy, you must configure the auditing

entries in objects’ SACLs.

No events are audited.

Notice that most major Active Directory events are already audited by domain controllers, assuming that the events are

successful. Therefore, the creation of a user, the resetting of a user’s password, the logon to the domain, and the retrieval of a

user’s logon scripts are all logged.

However, not all failure events are audited by default. You might need to implement additional failure auditing based on your

organization’s IT security policies and requirements. For example, if you audit failed account logon events, you can expose

malicious attempts to access the domain by repeatedly trying to log on as a domain user account without yet knowing the

account’s password. Auditing failed account management events can reveal a malicious user who is attempting to manipulate

the membership of a security-sensitive group.

One of the most important tasks you must perform is to balance and align the audit policy with your corporate policies, and with

what is realistic. Your corporate policy might state that all failed logons and successful changes to Active Directory users and

groups must be audited. That is easy to achieve in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). But how, exactly, are you going to

use that information? Verbose auditing logs are useless if you do not know how, or do not have the tools, to manage those logs

effectively. To implement auditing, you must have a well-configured audit policy, and have the tools with which to manage

audited events.

Specifying Auditing Settings on a File or Folder

Many organizations elect to audit file system access to provide insight into resource usage and potential security issues. Windows

Server 2012 supports granular auditing based on user or group accounts and the specific actions performed by those accounts.

To configure auditing, you must complete three steps: specify auditing settings, enable audit policy, and evaluate events in the

security log.



You can audit access to a file or folder by adding auditing entries to its SACL. To do this, perform the following steps:

1. Open the properties dialog box of the file or folder, and then click the Security tab.

2. On the Security tab, click Advanced.

3. Click Auditing.

4. To add an entry, click Edit. This opens the Auditing tab in Edit mode.

5. Click Add to select the user, group, or computer to audit.

6. In the Auditing Entry dialog box, indicate the type of access to audit.

Considerations for Configuring Auditing for Files and Folders

You can audit for successes, failures, or both as the specified user, group, or computer attempts to access the resource by using

one or more of the granular access levels.

You can audit successes for the following purposes:

• To log resource access for reporting and billing.

• To monitor access that would suggest users are performing actions greater than what you had planned, indicating that

permissions are too generous.

• To identify access that is out of character for a particular account, which might be a sign that a user account has been

breached by a hacker.

You can audit failed events for the following purposes:

• To monitor for malicious attempts to access a resource to which access has been denied.

• To identify failed attempts to access a file or folder to which a user does require access. This would indicate that the

permissions are not sufficient to meet a business requirement.

Auditing entries directs Windows operating systems to audit the successful or failed activities of a security principal (user, group,

or computer) to use a specific permission. Full Control includes all individual access levels, so this entry covers any type of access.

For example, if you assign Full Control to the Consultant group, and if a Consultant group member attempts access of any kind

and fails, this activity will be logged.

Typically, auditing entries reflect the permission entries for the object, but auditing entries and permissions entries may not

always match. In the above scenario, keep in mind, that a member of the Consultants group can also belong to another group

that does have permission to access the folder. Because that access will be successful, the activity is not logged. Therefore, if you

are concerned about restricting folder access and ensuring that users do not access it in any way, you should monitor failed

access attempts. However, you should also audit successful access to identify situations in which a user is accessing the folder

through another group membership that is potentially incorrect.

Note: Audit logs can get large quite rapidly. Therefore, configure the bare minimum required to achieve yourcompany’s security objective. When you specify to audit the successes and failures on an active data folder for the



Everyone group by using Full Control (all permissions), this generates enormous audit logs that could affect theperformance of the server, and can make locating a specific audit event almost impossible.

Enabling Audit Policy

Configuring auditing entries in the security descriptor of a file or folder does not, in itself, enable auditing. Auditing must be

enabled by defining the appropriate Audit object access policy setting within Group Policy.

After auditing is enabled, the security subsystem begins to log access as directed by the audit settings.

The policy setting must be applied to the server that contains the object that is being audited. You can configure the policy

setting in the server’s local Group Policy Object (GPO), or you can use a GPO that is scoped to the server.

You can define the policy then to audit Success events, Failure events, or both. The policy setting must specify auditing of

Success or Failure attempts that match the type of auditing entry in the object’s SACL. For example, to log a failed attempt by

Consultants to access the Confidential Data folder, you must configure the Audit object access policy to audit failures, and you

must configure the SACL of the Confidential Data folder to audit failures. If the audit policy audits successes only, the failure

entries in the folder’s SACL will not trigger logging.

Locating Audit Policy Settings

In Group Policy Management in AD DS, there is a group of standard settings in a GPO that control audit behavior. This set of

audit policy settings is found under Computer Configuration, in the following node: Windows Settings\Security\Local

Policies\Audit Policy. The audit policy settings govern the following basic settings:

• Audit account logon events

• Audit account management

• Audit directory service access

• Audit logon events

• Audit object access

• Audit policy change

• Audit privilege use

• Audit process tracking



• Audit system events

Note: Remember that audited and logged access is the combination of the settings in audit policy and the auditentries on specific files and folders. If you have configured audit entries to log failures, but the policy enables onlylogging for successes, your audit logs will remain empty.

Evaluating Events in the Security Log

After you have enabled the Audit Object Access Policy setting and specified the access you want to audit by using object SACLs,

the system begins to log access according to the audit entries. You can view the resulting events in the server’s security log. To

do this, in Administrative Tools, open the Event Viewer console, and then expand Windows Logs\Security.

In the security log, audit events are represented as either Audit Success or Audit Failure Event Types. The Details field of each

event will contain the relevant information, depending on what type of event was audited. Many audit categories will return a

large number of events. These events can be tedious to navigate, so event filtering is recommended. You can filter based on the

details field, and include appropriate information, such as the name of a user or the name of a file or folder that is being audited.

Advanced Audit Policies

In Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2008 R2, administrators can audit more specific aspects of client behavior on the

computer or network. This makes it easier for the administrator to identify the behaviors that are of greatest interest. For example,

in Computer Configuration \Policies\Windows Settings\Security Settings \Local Policies\Audit Policy, there is only one policy

setting—Audit logon events—for logon events. In Computer Configuration\Policies \Windows Settings\Security



Settings\Advanced Audit Policy Configuration\Audit Policies, you can instead choose from ten different policy settings in the

Logon/Logoff category. This provides you with a more detailed control of what aspects of logon and logoff you can track.

These security auditing enhancements can help your organization’s audit compliance with important business-related and

security-related rules by tracking precisely defined activities, such as:

• A group administrator who has modified settings or data on servers that contain finance information.

• An employee within a defined group who has accessed an important file.

• That the correct SACL is applied to every file and folder or registry key on a computer or file share, as a verifiable safeguard

against undetected access.

Understanding Advanced Audit Policy Settings

There are ten groups of advanced audit policy settings that you can configure in Group Policy for Windows Server 2012:

• Account Logon. These settings enable auditing the validation of credentials, and other Kerberos-specific authentication and

ticket operation events.

• Account Management. You can enable auditing for events relating to the modification of user accounts, computer accounts,

and groups with the Account Management group of settings.

• Detailed Tracking. These settings control auditing of encryption events, Windows process creation and termination events,

and remote procedure call (RPC) events.

• DS Access. These audit settings involve access to Directory Services, including general access, changes, and replication.

• Logon/Logoff. Standard logon and logoff events are audited by this group of settings. Other account specific activity, such as

Internet Protocol security (IPsec), Network Policy Server, and other uncategorized logon and logoff events are also audited.

• Object Access. These settings enable auditing for any access to AD DS, registry, application, and file storage.

• Policy Change. When you configure these settings, internal changes to audit policy settings are audited.

• Privilege Use. Within the Windows environment, Windows Server 2012 audits attempts of privilege use, when you configure

these settings.

• System. System settings are used for auditing changes to the state of the security subsystem.

• Global Object Access Auditing. These settings are for controlling the SACL settings for all objects on one or more computers.

When settings in this group are configured and applied with Group Policy, SACL membership is determined by the

configuration of the policy setting, and the SACLs are configured directly on the server itself. You can configure SACLs for file

system and registry access under Global Object Access Auditing.

Demonstration: Configuring Advanced Auditing

This demonstration shows how to create and edit a GPO for audit policy configuration.

Demonstration Steps Create and edit a GPO for audit policy configuration

1. On LON-DC1, open Group Policy Management.



2. Create a new GPO called File Audit.

3. Edit the File Audit GPO, and enable Success and Failure audit events for the Audit Detailed File Share and Audit

Removable Storage settings.



Scenario

A. Datum is a global engineering and manufacturing company with head office based in London, United Kingdom. An IT office

and data center are located in London to support the London location and other locations. A. Datum has recently deployed a


You have been asked to configure the Windows Server 2012 environment to protect sensitive files, and to ensure that access to

files on the network is audited appropriately. You have also been asked to configure auditing for the new server.

Objectives


• Encrypt and recover files by using EFS management tools.

• Configure advanced auditing.

Lab Setup



20411B-LON-CL1

20411B-LON-SVR1


Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:









5. Perform steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-CL1 and 20411B-LON-SVR1.

Exercise 1: Encrypting and Recovering Files

Scenario

Your organization wants to allow users to start encrypting files with EFS. However, there are concerns about recoverability. To

enhance the management of the certificates used for EFS, you are going to configure an internal CA to issue certificates to users.

You will also configure a recovery agent for EFS, and verify that the recovery agent can recover files.


1. Update the recovery agent certificate for the Encrypting File System (EFS).

2. Update Group Policy on the computers.

3. Obtain a certificate for EFS.

4. Encrypt a file.

5. Use the recovery agent to open the file.

Task 1: Update the recovery agent certificate for the Encrypting File System (EFS)

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager, open the Group Policy Management administrative tool.

2. Edit the Default Domain Policy that is linked to Adatum.com.

3. In the Group Policy Management Editor, browse to Computer Configuration\Policies \Windows Settings\Security

Settings\Public Key Policies\Encrypting File System.

4. In the Encrypting File System folder, delete the existing Administrator certificate.

5. Create a new Data Recovery Agent.

6. Read the information about the new certificate, and verify that it was issued by AdatumCA.

Task 2: Update Group Policy on the computers

1. On LON-DC1, use the Windows PowerShell® command-line interface to run gpupdate /force.

2. On LON-CL1, open a command prompt and run gpupdate /force.


Task 3: Obtain a certificate for EFS



1. On LON-CL1, log on as Adatum\Doug with a password of Pa$$w0rd.

2. Run mmc.exe to open an empty MMC console.

3. Add the Certificates snap-in to the MMC console.

4. In the MMC console, right-click Personal, and request a new certificate.

5. Select a Basic EFS certificate.

6. Verify that the new certificate was issued by AdatumCA.

7. Close the console, and do not save the changes.

Task 4: Encrypt a file

1. On LON-CL1, browse to \\LON-DC1\Mod11Share\Marketing.

2. Open the properties of DougFile.

3. Enable encryption in the advanced attributes for only the DougFile.

4. Close Windows Explorer.


Task 5: Use the recovery agent to open the file

1. On LON-DC1, browse to E:\Labfiles\Mod11\Mod11Share\Marketing.

2. Open DougFile.txt, modify the contents, and then save the file.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have encrypted and recovered files.

Exercise 2: Configuring Advanced Auditing

Scenario

Your manager has asked you to track all access to file shares that are stored on LON-SVR1. You also need to be aware of any time

a user accesses a file on a removable storage device that is attached to the server. You have decided to implement the

appropriate object access settings by using Advanced audit policy Configuration.


1. Create a Group Policy Object (GPO) for advanced auditing.

2. Verify audit entries.



Task 1: Create a Group Policy Object (GPO) for advanced auditing

1. On LON-DC1, from Server Manager open Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. Create a new OU in Adatum.com named File Servers.

3. Move LON-SVR1 from the Computers container to the File Servers OU.

4. On LON-DC1, open Group Policy Management.

5. Create a new GPO called File Audit, and link it to the File Servers OU.

6. Edit the File Audit GPO and under Computer Configuration, browse to the Advanced Audit Policy Configuration\Audit

Policies\Object Access node.

7. Configure both the Audit Detailed File Share and Audit Removable Storage settings to record Success and Failure events.

8. Restart LON-SVR1 and log on as Adatum\Administrator with a password of Pa$$w0rd.

Task 2: Verify audit entries

1. Log on to LON-CL1 as Adatum\Allan with a password of Pa$$w0rd.

2. Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to \\LON-SVR1\Mod11.

3. Open Testfile.txt in Notepad, and then close Notepad.


5. Open Event Viewer, and view the Audit Success events in the Security Log.

6. Double-click one of the log entries with a Source of Microsoft Windows security auditing, and a Task Category of

Detailed File Share.

7. Click the Details tab, and note the access that was performed.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured advanced auditing.






4. Repeat these steps for 20411B-LON-SVR1 and 20411B-LON-CL1.




Review Questions

Question: Some users are encrypting files that are stored on network shares to protect them from other departmentalusers with NTFS permissions to those files. Is this an effective way to prevent users from viewing and modifying thosefiles?

Question: Why might EFS be considered a problematic encryption method in a widely-distributed network file serverenvironment?

Question: You have configured an audit policy by using Group Policy to apply to all of the file servers in yourorganization. After enabling the policy and confirming that the Group Policy settings are being applied, you discover thatno audit events are being recorded in the event logs. What is the most likely reason for this?

Tools

Tool Used to Where to find it?

Group Policy Management Console Manage GPOs containing audit policy settings Server Manager - Tools

Event Viewer View audit policy events Server Manager - Tools

Lab Answer Key: Module 11: Configuring Encryption and Advanced Auditing


Exercise 1: Encrypting and Recovering Files

Task 1: Update the recovery agent certificate for the Encrypting File System (EFS)

1. On LON-DC1, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Group Policy Management.

2. In Group Policy Management, expand Forest: Adatum.com, expand Domains, expand Adatum.com, and then click Default

Domain Policy.

3. In the Group Policy Management Console dialog box, click OK to clear the message.

4. Right-click Default Domain Policy, and then click Edit.

5. In the Group Policy Management Editor window, under Computer Configuration, expand Policies, expand Windows

Settings, expand Security Settings, expand Public Key Policies, and then click Encrypting File System.

6. Right-click the Administrator certificate, and then click Delete.

7. In the Certificates window, click Yes.

8. Right-click Encrypting File System, and then click Create Data Recovery Agent.

9. Read the information for the new certificate that was created. Notice that this certificate was obtained from AdatumCA.



Task 2: Update Group Policy on the computers

1. On LON-DC1, on the taskbar, click the Windows PowerShell® command-line interface shortcut.

2. At the Windows PowerShell prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

gpupdate /force



5. On LON-CL1, at the Start screen, type cmd, and then press Enter.

6. At the prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter

gpupdate /force



Task 3: Obtain a certificate for EFS

1. On LON-CL1, log on as Adatum\Doug with a password of Pa$$w0rd.

2. On the Start screen, type mmc, and then press Enter.

3. In Console1, click File, and then click Add/Remove Snap-in.

4. In the list of available snap-ins, click Certificates, and then click Add.

5. In the Add Or Remove Snap-ins dialog box, click OK.

6. In the left pane, click Certificates – Current User, right-click Personal, point to All Tasks, and then click Request New

Certificate.

7. In the Certificate Enrollment Wizard, click Next.

8. On the Select Certificate Enrollment Policy page, click Next to use the Active Directory Enrollment Policy.

9. On the Request Certificates page, select the Basic EFS check box, and then click Enroll.

10. On the Certificate Installation Results page, click Finish.

11. In the Console1 window, in the left pane, expand Certificates – Current User, expand Personal, and then click Certificates.

12. Read certificate details, and note that it was issued by AdatumCA.

13. Close Console1, and do not save the settings.

Task 4: Encrypt a file

1. On LON-CL1, open Windows Explorer, type \\LON-DC1\Mod11Share\Marketing in the address field, and then press

Enter.

2. Right-click DougFile, and then click Properties.

3. On the General tab, click Advanced.

4. In the Advanced Attributes dialog box, select the Encrypt contents to secure data check box, and then click OK.

5. In the DougFile Properties dialog box, click OK.

6. In the Encryption Warning dialog box, click Encrypt the file only, and then click OK. Wait a few seconds for the file to be

encrypted.

7. Look at the color of the file name.

8. Close the Windows® Explorer window.


Task 5: Use the recovery agent to open the file

1. On LON-DC1, on the taskbar, click the Windows Explorer shortcut.

2. In the Windows Explorer, browse to E:\Labfiles\Mod11\Mod11Share\Marketing.

3. Double-click DougFile.txt.

4. In Notepad, add some text to the file, click File, and then click Save.

5. Close Notepad and Windows Explorer.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have encrypted and recovered files.

Exercise 2: Configuring Advanced Auditing

Task 1: Create a Group Policy Object (GPO) for advanced auditing

1. On LON-DC1, open Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers.

2. In Active Directory Users and Computers, right-click Adatum.com, click New, and then click Organizational Unit.

3. Type File Servers, and then press Enter.

4. Click the Computers container, right-click LON-SVR1, click Move, click the File Servers organizational unit (OU), and then

click OK.


6. In Group Policy Management, expand Forest: Adatum.com, expand Domains, expand Adatum.com, click and then right-

click File Servers, and then click Create a GPO in this domain and Link it here.

7. In the New GPO window, type File Audit, and then press Enter.

8. Double-click the Group Policy Objects container, right-click File Audit, and then click Edit.

9. In the Group Policy Management Editor, under Computer Configuration, expand Policies, expand Windows Settings,

expand Security Settings, expand Advanced Audit Policy Configuration, expand Audit Policies, and then click Object

Access.

10. Double-click Audit Detailed File Share.

11. In the Properties dialog box, select the Configure the following events check box.

12. Select both Success and Failure check boxes, and then click OK.

13. Double-click Audit Removable Storage.

14. In the Properties dialog box, select the Configure the following events check box.

15. Select both Success and Failure check boxes, and then click OK.


17. Restart LON-SVR1.

18. Log on to LON-SVR1 as Adatum\Administrator with a password of Pa$$w0rd.

Task 2: Verify audit entries

1. Log on to LON-CL1 as Adatum\Allan with a password of Pa$$w0rd.

2. On the Start screen, type \\LON-SVR1\Mod11, and then press Enter.

3. Double-click the Testfile.txt file to open it in Notepad.

4. Close Notepad.


6. On LON-SVR1, in Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Event Viewer.

7. In Event Viewer, double-click Windows Logs, and then click Security.

8. Double-click one of the log entries with a Source of Microsoft Windows security auditing, and a Task Category of

Detailed File Share.

9. Click the Details tab, and note the access that was performed.

Results: After completing this exercise, you will have configured advanced auditing.






4. Repeat these steps for 20411B-LON-SVR1 and 20411B-LON-CL1.

5/21/13 Module 12: Implementing Update Management


Module 12: Implementing Update Management

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Overview of WSUS




Module Overview

Windows Server® Update Services (WSUS) improves security by applying security updates to servers in a timely way. It provides

the infrastructure to download, test, and approve security updates. Applying security updates quickly helps prevent security

incidents that are a result of known vulnerabilities. While implementing WSUS, you must keep in mind the hardware and software

requirements for WSUS, the settings to configure, and the updates to approve or remove according to your organization’s needs.

Objectives


• Describe the role of WSUS.

• Deploy updates with WSUS.

Lesson 1 : Overview of WSUS

The WSUS role provides a central management point for updates to your Windows® operating system computers. By using

WSUS, you can create a more efficient update environment in your organization, and stay better informed of the overall update

status of the computers on your network. This lesson introduces you to WSUS, and describes the key features of the WSUS server

role.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe WSUS.

• Explain the WSUS update management process.

• Identify the server requirements for WSUS.








What Is WSUS?

WSUS is a server role included in the Windows Server 2012 operating system, and that downloads and distributes updates to

Windows clients and servers. WSUS can obtain updates that are applicable to the operating system and common Microsoft

applications such as Microsoft® Office and Microsoft SQL Server®.

In the simplest configuration, a small organization can have a single WSUS server that downloads updates from Microsoft

Update. The WSUS server then distributes the updates to computers that are configured to obtain automatic updates from the

WSUS server. You must approve the updates before clients can download them.

Larger organizations can create a hierarchy of WSUS servers. In this scenario, a single centralized WSUS server obtains updates

from Microsoft Update, and other WSUS servers obtain updates from the centralized WSUS server.

You can organize computers into groups to simplify the approval of updates. For example, you can configure a pilot group to be

the first set of computers that are used for testing updates.

WSUS can generate reports to help with monitoring of update installation. These reports can identify which computers have not

applied recently approved updates. Based on these reports, you can investigate why updates are not being applied.

The WSUS Update Management Process

The update management process allows you to manage and maintain WSUS and the updates retrieved by WSUS. This process is a

continuous cycle during which you can reassess and adjust the WSUS deployment to meet changing needs. The four phases in

the update management process are:



• Assess

• Identify

• Evaluate and plan

• Deploy

The Assess Phase

The goal for the assess phase is to set up a production environment that supports update management for routine and

emergency scenarios. The assess phase is an ongoing process that you use to determine the most efficient topology for scaling

the WSUS components. As your organization changes, you might identify the need to add more WSUS servers in different

locations.

The Identify Phase

The identify phase is concerned with identifying new updates that are available and determining whether they are relevant to the

organization. You have the option to configure WSUS to retrieve all updates automatically, or to retrieve only specific types of

updates. WSUS also identifies which updates are relevant to registered computers.

The Evaluate and Plan Phase

After relevant updates have been identified, you need to evaluate whether they work properly in your environment. It is always

possible that the specific combination of software in your environment might have problems with an update.

To evaluate updates, you should have a test environment in which you can apply updates to verify proper functionality. During

this time, you might identify dependencies that enable an update to function properly, and you can plan any changes that need

to be made.

The Deploy Phase

After you have thoroughly tested an update and determined any dependencies, you can approve it for deployment in the

production network. Ideally, you should approve the update for a pilot group of computers before approving the update for the

entire organization.

Server Requirements for WSUS

You can use Server Manager to install and configure the WSUS server role. However, for you to be able to implement WSUS, your



server must meet some minimum hardware and software requirements.

The software required for WSUS 3.0 SP2 includes:

• Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 1 (SP1) or newer, Windows Server 2003 SP1

or newer, Windows Small Business Server 2008, or Windows Small Business Server 2003

• Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 or newer

• Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 or newer

• Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 3.0

• Microsoft Report Viewer Redistributable 2008 or newer

• SQL Server 2012, SQL Server 2008, SQL Server 2005 SP2, or Windows Internal Database

The minimum hardware requirements for WSUS are approximately the same as the minimum hardware requirements for

Windows Server operating systems. However, you must consider disk space as part of your deployment. A WSUS server requires

about 10 gigabytes (GB) of disk space, and you should allocate at least 30 GB of disk space for the downloaded updates.

A single WSUS server can support thousands of clients. For example, a single WSUS server with 4 GB of RAM and dual quad-core

CPUs can support up to 100,000 clients. However, in most cases, an organization with that many clients will likely have multiple

WSUS servers to reduce the load on wide area network (WAN) links.


This lesson explains the specifics of deploying updates with WSUS to client computers. Deploying updates to Windows update

clients through WSUS can provide numerous benefits. You can configure updates to be downloaded, approved, and installed

automatically, without the input of an administrator. Alternatively, you can exercise more control of the update process and

provide a controlled environment in which to deploy updates. You can perform testing on an isolated test computer group

before approving an update for approval in your entire organization.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe how to configure the Automatic Updates feature to use WSUS.

• Explain how to administer WSUS.

• Identify computer groups in WSUS.

• Describe the options for approving WSUS updates.

Configuring Automatic Updates



When you enable the Automatic Updates feature on a server, the default configuration automatically downloads updates from

Microsoft Update and installs them. After you have implemented WSUS, your clients should be configured to obtain updates

automatically from the WSUS server instead.

The location from which Automatic Updates obtains updates is controlled by a registry key. Although it is possible to configure

the registry key manually by using the Regedit tool, this is not recommended except when the computer is not in a domain. If a

computer is in a domain, it is much more efficient to create a Group Policy Object (GPO) that configures the registry key.

For Active Directory® Domain Services (AD DS) environments, Automatic Updates are typically configured in a GPO by

configuring the settings located under Computer Configuration. To locate the settings, expand Policies, expand Administrative

Templates, expand Windows Components, and then locate the Windows Updates node.

In addition to configuring the source for updates, you can also use a GPO to configure the following settings:

• Update frequency. This setting determines how often the updates are detected.

• Update installation schedule. This setting determines when updates are installed. This setting also determines when updates

are rescheduled for, when updates cannot be installed at the scheduled time.

• Automatic restart behavior. This setting determines whether the computer will restart automatically if required by an update.

• Default computer group in WSUS. This setting determines the computer group in which the computer will be registered during

initial registration with WSUS.

WSUS Administration



The WSUS administration console is an MMC snap-in that you can use to administer WSUS. You can use this tool to:

• Identify and download updates.

• Approve updates for deployment.

• Organize computers into groups.

• Review the update status of computers.

• Generate reports.

Monitoring is an essential part of maintaining a service. WSUS logs detailed health information to the event log. In addition, you

can download a management pack to facilitate monitoring in Microsoft System Center 2012 - Operations Manager.

Controlling Updates on Client Computers

Client computers perform updates according to either manual configuration or, in most AD DS environments, Group Policy. In

some cases, you might want to initiate the update process outside of the normal update schedule. You can use the wuauclt.exe

tool to control the auto-update behavior on Windows Update client computers. The following command initiates the detection

of Microsoft Updates from the Windows Update source.

Wuauclt.exe /detectnow

Administration with Windows PowerShell®

In Windows Server 2012, WSUS includes Windows PowerShell cmdlets that you can use to manage your WSUS server. The

following table lists these cmdlets.

cmdlet Description

Add-WsusComputer Adds a specified client computer to a specified target group.

Approve-WsusUpdate Approves an update to be applied to clients.

Deny-WsusUpdate Declines the update for deployment.

Get-WsusClassification Gets the list of all WSUS classifications currently available in the system.

Get-WsusComputer Gets the WSUS computer object that represents the client computer.

Get-WsusProduct Gets the list of all products currently available on WSUS by category.

Get-WsusServer Gets the value of the WSUS update server object.

Get-WsusUpdate Gets the WSUS update object with details about the update.

Invoke-WsusServerCleanup Performs the process of cleanup on a specified WSUS server.

Set-WsusClassification Sets whether the classifications of updates that WSUS synchronizes are enabled or disabled.

Set-WsusProduct Sets whether the product representing the category of updates to synchronize is enabled or disabled.

Set-WsusServerSynchronization Sets whether the WSUS server synchronizes from Microsoft Update, or from an upstream server and uses the

upstream server properties.



What Are Computer Groups?

Computer groups are a way to organize the computers to which a WSUS server deploys updates. The two computer groups that

exist by default are All Computers and Unassigned Computers. New computers that contact the WSUS server are assigned

automatically to both of these groups.

You can create custom computer groups for controlling how updates are applied. Typically, custom computer groups contain

computers with similar characteristics. For example, you might create a custom computer group for each department in your

organization. You can also create a custom computer group for a test lab where you first deploy updates for testing. You would

also typically group servers separate from client computers.

When you manually assign new computers to a custom computer group, it is called server-side targeting. You can also use

client-side targeting to assign computers to a custom computer group. To use client-side targeting, you need to configure a

registry key or GPO for the computer that specifies the custom computer group to be joined during initial registration with the

WSUS server.

Server-side targeting enables administrators to manage WSUS computer group membership manually. This is useful when the

AD DS structure does not support the logical client-side for computer groups, or when computers need to be moved between

groups for testing or other purposes. Client-side targeting is used most commonly in large organizations where automated

assignment is required and computers must be assigned to specific groups.

Approving Updates

The default configuration for WSUS does not automatically approve updates for application to computers. Although it is possible

to automatically approve updates, it is not recommended. The recommended process for approving updates is to first test



updates in a lab environment, then a pilot group, and only then to the production environment. This process reduces the risk of

an update causing an unexpected problem in your production environment. You would perform this process by approving

updates for specific groups of computers before approving the update for the All Computers group.

Some updates are not considered critical and do not have any security implications. You might decide not to implement some of

these updates. For any updates that you decide not to implement, you can decline the update. After an update is declined, it is

removed from the list of updates on the WSUS server in the default view.

If you apply an update and find that it is causing problems, you can use WSUS to remove that update. However, the update can

be removed only if that specific update supports removal. Most updates support removal.

When you look at the details of an update, it will indicate if the update is superseded by another update. Superseded updates are

typically no longer required, because a newer update includes the changes in this update and more. Superseded updates are not

declined by default, because in some cases they are still required. For example, the older update might be required if some servers

are not running the latest service pack.


Scenario

A. Datum is a global engineering and manufacturing company with head office based in London, UK. An IT office and a data

center are located in London to support the London location and other branch office locations. A. Datum has recently deployed a


A. Datum has been manually applying updates to servers in a remote location. This has resulted in difficulty identifying which

servers have updates applied and which do not. This is a potential security issue. You have been asked to automate the update

process by extending A. Datum’s WSUS deployment to include the branch office.

Objectives


• Implement the WSUS server role.

• Configure update settings.

• Approve and deploy an update by using WSUS.

Lab Setup



20411B-LON-SVR1

20411B-LON-SVR4

20411B-LON-CL1




Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:







5. Perform steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-SVR1, 20411B-LON-SVR4, and 20411B-LON-CL1.

Exercise 1: Implementing the WSUS Server Role

Scenario

Your organization already has a WSUS server called LON-SVR1, which is located in the head office. You need to install the WSUS

server role on LON-SVR4 at a branch location. LON-SVR4 will use LON-SVR1 as the source for Windows Update downloads. The

installation on LON-SRV4 will use the Windows Internal Database for the deployment.


1. Install the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) server role.

2. Configure WSUS to synchronize with an upstream WSUS server.

Task 1: Install the Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) server role


2. From Server Manager, install the Windows Server Update Services role with the WID Database and WSUS Services Role

Services. Also configure the updates location as C:\WSUSUpdates.

3. Open the Windows Server Update Services console and complete the installation when prompted.

4. On the Windows Server Update Services Configuration Wizard, click Cancel.

5. Close the Update Services console.

Task 2: Configure WSUS to synchronize with an upstream WSUS server

1. On LON-SVR4, complete the Windows Server Update Services Configuration Wizard, specifying the following settings:



o Upstream Server: LON-SVR1.Adatum.com

o No proxy server

o Default languages

o Manual sync schedule

o Begin initial synchronization

2. In the Windows Server Update Services console, under Options, set the Computers to Use Group Policy or registry settings

on computers.

Results: After completing this exercise, you should have implemented the WSUS server role.

Exercise 2: Configuring Update Settings

Scenario

You need to configure the Group Policy settings to deploy automatic WSUS settings to client computers. With the WSUS role

configured on LON-SVR4, you must ensure that the Research department has its own computer group in WSUS on LON-SVR4.

You must also configure client computers in the Research OU to use LON-SVR4 as their source for updates.


1. Configure WSUS groups.

2. Configure Group Policy to deploy WSUS settings.

3. Verify the application of Group Policy settings.

4. Initialize Windows Update.

Task 1: Configure WSUS groups

1. On LON-SVR4, if necessary, open the Windows Server Update Services console.

2. Create a new computer group named Research.

Task 2: Configure Group Policy to deploy WSUS settings


2. Open Group Policy Management.

3. Create and link a new GPO to the Research OU named WSUS Research, and configure the following policy settings under

the Windows Update node:

o Configure Automatic Updates: Auto download and schedule the install



o Microsoft Update service location: http://LON-SVR4.Adatum.com:8530

o Intranet statistics server: http://LON-SVR4.Adatum.com:8530

o Client-side targeting group: Research

4. Move LON-CL1 to the Research OU.

Task 3: Verify the application of Group Policy settings


2. Restart LON-CL1.

3. On LON-CL1, log on as Adatum\Administrator with a password of Pa$$w0rd.

4. Open a command prompt by using the Run as Administrator option.

5. At the command prompt, run the following command:

Gpresult /r

6. In the output of the command, confirm that under Computer Settings, WSUS Research is listed under Applied Group

Policy Objects.

Task 4: Initialize Windows Update

1. On LON-CL1, at the command prompt, type the following command, and then press Enter:

Wuauclt.exe /reportnow /detectnow


3. In the Update Services console, expand Computers, All Computers, and then click Research.

4. Verify that LON-CL1 appears in the Research Group. If it does not then repeat steps 1-3. It may take several minutes for

LON-CL1 to display.

5. Verify that updates are reported as needed. If there are not updates reported, repeat steps 1-3. It may take 10-15 minutes for

updates to register.

Results: After completing this exercise, you should have configured update settings for client computers.

Exercise 3: Approving and Deploying an Update by Using WSUS

Scenario



After you have configured the Windows Update settings, you can now view, approve, and then deploy required updates. You

have been asked to use LON-CL1 as a test case for the Research department. You will approve, deploy, and verify an update on

LON-CL1 to confirm the proper configuration of the WSUS environment.


1. Approve WSUS updates for the Research computer group.

2. Deploy updates to LON-CL1.

3. Verify update deployment to LON-CL1.

Task 1: Approve WSUS updates for the Research computer group

1. On LON-SVR4, open the WSUS console.

2. Approve the Security Update for Microsoft Office 2010 (KB2553371), 32-bit edition update for the Research group.

Task 2: Deploy updates to LON-CL1



2. Open Windows Update and then check for updates.

3. Click Install to install the approved update.

Task 3: Verify update deployment to LON-CL1

1. On LON-CL1, open Event Viewer.

2. Navigate to Applications and Services Logs\ Microsoft\Windows, and view the events under WindowsUpdateClient –

Operational.

3. Confirm that events are logged in relation to the update.

Results: After completing this exercise, you should have approved and deployed an update by using WSUS.


When you finish the lab, revert all virtual machines back to their initial state. To do this, perform the following steps:






4. Repeat steps 2 to 3 for 20411B-LON-SVR1, 20411B-LON-SVR4, and 20411B-LON-CL1.


Review Questions

Question: A colleague has argued that all updates to the Windows operating system should be applied automaticallywhen they are released. Do you recommend an alternative process?

Question: Your organization implements several applications that are not Microsoft applications. A colleague hasproposed using WSUS to deploy application and operating system updates. Are there any potential issues with usingWSUS?

Question: Why is WSUS easier to manage in an AD DS domain?

Tools

Tool Use Where to find it

WSUS Administration console Administer WSUS Server Manager - Tools

Windows PowerShell WSUS cmdlets Administer WSUS from the command–line interface Windows PowerShell

Lab Answer Key: Module 12: Implementing Update Management


Exercise 1: Implementing the WSUS Server Role

Task 1: Install the Windows Server® Update Services (WSUS) server role


2. On LON-SVR4, in Server Manager, click Manage, and then click Add Roles and Features.


4. On the Select installation type page, ensure Role-based or feature-based installation is selected, and then click Next.


6. On the Select server roles page, select the Windows Server Update Services check box.

7. In the pop-up window, click Add Features.

8. On the Select server roles page, click Next.


10. On the Windows Server Update Services page, click Next.

11. On the Select role services page, confirm that both WID Database and WSUS Services are selected, and then click Next.

12. On the Content location selection page, in the text box, type C:\WSUSUpdates, and then click Next.

13. On the Web Server Role (IIS) page, click Next.

14. On the Select role services page, click Next.



17. In Server Manager, click Tools, and then click Windows Server Update Services.

18. In the Complete WSUS Installation window, click Run, and wait for the task to complete. Click Close.

19. Do not close the Windows Server Update Services Configuration Wizard window.

Task 2: Configure WSUS to synchronize with an upstream WSUS server

1. In the Windows Server Update Services Configuration Wizard window, click Next twice.

2. On the Choose Upstream Server page, click the Synchronize from another Windows Server Update Services server

option, in the Server name text box, type LON-SVR1.Adatum.com, and then click Next.

3. On the Specify Proxy Server page, click Next.

4. On the Connect to Upstream Server page, click Start Connecting. Wait for the upstream server settings to be applied, and

then click Next.

5. On the Choose Languages page, click Next.

6. On the Set Sync Schedule page, click Next.

7. On the Finished page, click the Begin initial synchronization option, and then click Finish.

8. In the Windows Server Update Services console, in the navigation pane, double-click LON-SVR4, and then click Options.

9. In the Options pane, click Computers. In the Computers dialog box, select Use Group Policy or registry settings on

computers. Click OK.

Results: After completing this exercise, you should have implemented the WSUS server role.

Exercise 2: Configuring Update Settings

Task 1: Configure WSUS groups

1. On LON-SVR4, in the WSUS console, in the navigation pane, double-click LON-SVR4, and then double-click Computers.

2. Click All Computers, and then, in the Actions pane, click Add Computer Group.

3. In the Add Computer Group dialog box, in the Name text box, type Research, and then click Add.

Task 2: Configure Group Policy to deploy WSUS settings



3. In the Group Policy Management Console, double-click Forest: Adatum.com, double-click Domains, and then double-click

Adatum.com.

4. Right-click the Research OU, and then click Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here.

5. In the New GPO dialog box, in the Name text box, type WSUS Research, and then click OK.

6. Double-click the Research organizational unit (OU), right-click WSUS Research, and then click Edit.

7. In the Group Policy Management Editor, under Computer Configuration, double-click Policies, double-click

Administrative Templates, double-click Windows Components, and then click Windows Update.

8. In the Setting pane, double-click Configure Automatic Updates, and then click the Enabled option.

9. In the Configure automatic updating field, click and select 4 – Auto download and schedule the install, and then click OK.

10. In the Setting pane, double-click Specify intranet Microsoft update service location, and then click the Enabled option.

11. In the Set the intranet update service for detecting updates and the Set the intranet statistics server text boxes, type

http://LON-SVR4.Adatum.com:8530, and then click OK.

12. In the Setting pane, double click Enable client-side targeting.

13. In the Enable client-side targeting dialog box, click the Enabled option, in the Target group name for this computer text

box, type Research, and then click OK.

14. Close the Group Policy Management Editor and the Group Policy Management console.

15. Open Active Directory Users and Computers.

16. In Active Directory Users and Computers, double-click Adatum.com, click Computers, right-click LON-CL1, and then click

Move.

17. In the Move dialog box, click the Research OU, and then click OK.


Task 3: Verify the application of Group Policy settings


2. On LON-CL1, move the mouse pointer to the right-hand side of the screen, click the Settings icon, click Power, and then

click Restart.

3. After LON-CL1 restarts, log on as Adatum\Administrator with a password of Pa$$w0rd.

4. On the Start screen, type cmd, right-click the Command Prompt tile, and then click Run as Administrator.


Gpresult /r

6. In the output of the command, confirm that, under COMPUTER SETTINGS, WSUS Research is listed under Applied Group

Policy Objects.

Task 4: Initialize Windows® Update


Wuauclt.exe /reportnow /detectnow


3. In the Update Services console, expand Computers, All Computers, and then click Research.

4. Verify that LON-CL1 appears in the Research Group. If it does not then repeat steps 1-3. It may take several minutes for LON-

CL1 to display.

5. Verify that updates are reported as needed. If there are not updates reported, repeat steps 1-3. It may take 10-15 minutes for

updates to register.

Results: After completing this exercise, you should have configured update settings for client computers.

Exercise 3: Approving and Deploying an Update by Using WSUS

Task 1: Approve WSUS updates for the Research computer group

1. On LON-SVR4, in Windows Server Update Services, under Updates, click Security Updates, right-click Security Update for

Microsoft Office 2010 (KB2553371), 32-bit edition, and then click Approve.

2. In the Approve Updates window, in the Research drop-down list box, select Approved for Install.

3. Click OK and then click Close.

Task 2: Deploy updates to LON-CL1



2. Click to the Start screen and then type Windows Update.

3. Under Search, click Settings and then click Windows Update.

4. Click Check for updates now.

5. Click We’ll install 1 important update automatically.

6. Click Install to install the approved update.

7. Close the PC Settings window when the installation is complete.

Task 3: Verify update deployment to LON-CL1

1. On LON-CL1, on the Start screen, type Event Viewer, click Settings, and then press Enter.

2. In Event Viewer, expand Applications and Services Logs, expand Microsoft, expand Windows, and click

WindowsUpdateClient – Operational to view events.

3. Confirm that events are logged in relation to the update.

Results: After completing this exercise, you should have approved and deployed an update by using WSUS.


When you finish the lab, revert all virtual machines back to their initial state. To do this, perform the following steps:




4. Repeat steps 2 to 3 for 20411B-LON-SVR1, 20411B-LON-SVR4, and 20411B-LON-CL1.

5/21/13 Module 13: Monitoring Windows Server 2012


Module 13: Monitoring Windows Server 2012

Contents:

Module Overview

Lesson 1: Monitoring Tools





Module Overview

When a system failure or an event that affects system performance occurs, you must be able to repair the problem or resolve the

issue quickly and efficiently. With so many variables and possibilities in the modern network environment, the ability to

determine the root cause quickly often depends on having an effective performance-monitoring methodology and toolset.

You can use performance-monitoring tools to identify components that require additional tuning and troubleshooting. By

identifying components that require additional tuning, you can improve the efficiency of your servers.

Objectives


• Describe the monitoring tools for Windows Server® 2012.

• Use Performance Monitor to view and analyze performance statistics of programs that are running on your servers.

• Monitor event logs to view and interpret the events that occurred.

Lesson 1 : Monitoring Tools

Windows Server2012 provides a range of tools to monitor an operating system and applications on a computer. You can use

these tools to tune your system for efficiency and troubleshoot problems. You should use these tools and complement them

where necessary with your own tools.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe Task Manager.

• Describe Performance Monitor.









• Describe Resource Monitor.

• Describe Event Viewer.

Overview of Task Manager

Task Manager has been enhanced in Windows Server 2012 to provide more information to help you identify and resolve

performance-related problems. Task Manager includes the following tabs:

• Processes. The Processes tab displays a list of running programs, subdivided into applications and internal Windows processes.

For each running process, this tab displays a summary of processor and memory usage.

• Performance. The Performance tab displays a summary of central processing unit (CPU) and memory usage, and network

statistics.

• Users. The Users tab displays resource consumption on a per-user basis. You also can expand the user view to see more

detailed information about the specific processes that a user is running.

• Details. The Details tab lists all the running processes on the server, providing statistics about the CPU, memory, and other

resource consumption. You can use this tab to manage the running processes. For example, you can stop a process, stop a

process and all related processes, and change the processes’ priority values. By changing a process’s priority, you determine

how much CPU resource the process can consume. By increasing the priority, you allow the process to request for more CPU

resource.

• Services. The Services tab provides a list of the running Windows services, together with related information: whether the

service is running and the processor identity value (PID) of the running service. You can start and stop services by using the list

on the Services tab.

Generally, you might consider using Task Manager when a performance-related problem first manifests itself. For example, you

might examine the running processes to determine if particular program is using excessive CPU resources. Always remember that

Task Manager shows a snapshot of current resource consumption, and you also may need to examine historical data to

determine a true picture of a server computer’s performance and response under load.

Overview of Performance Monitor



Performance Monitor enables you to view current performance statistics, or to view historical data that is gathered by using data

collector sets.

With Windows Server 2012, you can monitor operating system performance through performance objects and counters in the

objects. Windows Server 2012 collects data from counters in various ways, including:

• A real-time snapshot value.

• The total since the last computer startup.

• An average over a specific time interval.

• An average of last values.

• The number per second.

• A maximum value.

• A minimum value.

Performance Monitor works by providing you with a collection of objects and counters that record data about computer

resource usage.

There are many counters that you can research and consider monitoring to meet your specific requirements.

Primary Processor Counters

CPU counters are a feature of the computer’s CPU that stores the count of hardware-related events. The primary processor

counters include:

• Processor > % Processor Time. This counter measures the percentage of elapsed time the processor spends executing a

nonidle thread. If the percentage is greater than 85 percent, the processor is overwhelmed and the server may require a faster

processor. In other words, this counter displays the percentage of elapsed time that a given thread used the processor to run

instructions. An instruction is the basic unit of execution in a processor, and a thread is the object that executes instructions.

Included in this count is code that handles some hardware interrupts and trap conditions.

• Processor > Interrupts/sec. This counter displays the rate, in incidents per second, at which the processor received and serviced

hardware interrupts.

• System > Processor Queue Length. This counter displays an approximate number of threads that each processor is servicing.



The server does not have enough processor power if the value is more than two times the number of CPUs for an extended

period. The processor queue length, sometimes referred to as processor queue depth, that this counter reports is an

instantaneous value that is representative only of a current snapshot of the processor. Therefore, you must observe this

counter over an extended period to notice data trends. Additionally, the System > Processor Queue Length counter reports a

total queue length for all processors, not a length for each processor.

Primary Memory Counters

The Memory performance object consists of counters that describe the behavior of the computer’s physical and virtual memory.

Physical memory is the amount of random access memory (RAM) on the computer. Virtual memory consists of space in physical

memory and on disk. Many of the memory counters monitor paging, which is the movement of pages of code and data between

disk and physical memory.

The Memory > Pages/sec counter measures the rate at which pages are read from or written to disk to resolve hard-page faults. If

excessive paging results in a value that is greater than 1,000, there may be a memory leak. In other words, the Memory>Pages/sec

counter displays the number of hard page faults per second. A hard page fault occurs when the requested memory page cannot

be located in RAM because it exists currently in the paging file. An increase in this counter indicates that more paging is

occurring, which in turn suggests a lack of physical memory.

Primary Disk Counters

The Physical Disk performance object consists of counters that monitor hard or fixed disk drives. Disks store file, program, and

paging data. Disks are read to retrieve these items, and are written to record changes to them. The total values of physical disk

counters are the total of all the values of the logical disks (or partitions) into which they are divided. The primary disk counters

include:

• Physical Disk > % Disk Time. This counter indicates how busy a particular disk is, and it measures the percentage of time that

the disk was busy during the sample interval. A counter approaching 100 percent indicates that the disk is busy nearly all of the

time, and a performance bottleneck is possibly imminent. You may consider replacing the current disk system with a faster

one.

• Physical Disk > Avg. Disk Queue Length. This counter indicates how many disk requests are waiting to be serviced by the I/O

manager in Windows® 7 at any given moment. If the value is larger than two times the number of spindles, it means that the

disk itself may be the bottleneck. The longer the queue is, the less satisfactory the disk throughput.

Note: Throughput is the total amount of traffic that passes a given network-connection point for each time unit.Workload is the amount of processing that the computer does at a given time.

Primary Network Counters

Most workloads require access to production networks to ensure communication with other applications and services, and to

communicate with users. Network requirements include elements such as throughput and the presence of multiple network

connections.

Workloads might require access to several different networks that must remain secure. Examples include connections for:



• Public network access

• Networks for performing backups and other maintenance tasks

• Dedicated remote-management connections

• Network-adapter teaming for performance and failover

• Connections to the physical host computer

• Connections to network-based storage arrays

By monitoring the network performance counters, you can evaluate your network’s performance. The primary network counters

include:

• Network Interface > Current Bandwidth. This counter indicates the current bandwidth being consumed on the network

interface in bits per second (bps). Most network topologies have maximum potential bandwidths quoted in megabits per

second (Mbps). For example, Ethernet can operate at bandwidths of 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps), and

higher. To interpret this counter, divide the value given by 1,048,576 for Mbps. If the value approaches the network’s maximum

potential bandwidth, you should consider implementing a switched network or upgrading to a network that supports higher

bandwidths.

• Network Interface > Output Queue Length. This counter indicates the current length of the output packet queue on the

selected network interface. A growing value, or one that is consistently higher than two, could indicate a network bottleneck,

which you should investigate.

• Network Interface > Bytes Total/sec. This measures the rate at which bytes are sent and received over each network adapter,

including framing characters. The network is saturated if you discover that more than 70 percent of the interface is consumed.

Overview of Resource Monitor

The Resource Monitor interface in Windows Server 2012 provides an in-depth look at your server’s real-time performance.

You can use Resource Monitor to monitor the use and performance of CPU, disk, network, and memory resources in real time.

This enables you to identify and resolve resource conflicts and bottlenecks.

By expanding the monitored elements, system administrators can identify which processes are using which resources.

Furthermore, you can use Resource Monitor to track a process or processes by selecting their check boxes. When you select a



process, it remains selected in every pane of Resource Monitor, which provides the information that you require regarding that

process at the top of the screen, no matter where you are in the interface.

Overview of Event Viewer

Windows Event Viewer provides access to the Windows Server 2012 event logs. Event logs provide information regarding system

events that occur within Windows. These events include information, warning, and error messages about Windows components

and installed applications.

Event Viewer provides categorized lists of essential Windows log events, including application, security, setup, and system events,

as well as log groupings for individual installed applications and specific Windows component categories. Individual events

provide detailed information regarding the type of event that occurred, when the event occurred, the source of the event, and

technical detailed information to assist in troubleshooting the event.

Additionally, Event Viewer allows you to consolidate logs from multiple computers onto a centralized computer by using

subscriptions. Finally, you can configure Event Viewer to perform an action based on a specific event or events occurring. This

may include sending an email message, launching an application, running a script, or other maintenance actions that could

notify you or attempt to resolve a potential issue.

Event Viewer in Windows Server 2012 contains the following important features:

• The inclusion of several new logs. You can access logs for many individual components and subsystems.

• The ability to view multiple logs. You can filter for specific events across multiple logs, thereby making it simple to investigate

issues and troubleshoot problems that might appear in several logs.

• The inclusion of customized views. You can use filtering to narrow searches to only events in which you are interested, and

you can save these filtered views.

• The ability to configure tasks scheduled to run in response to events. You can automate responses to events. Event Viewer is

integrated with Task Scheduler.

• The ability to create and manage event subscriptions. You can collect events from remote computers, and then store them

locally.

Note: To collect events from remote computers, you must create an inbound rule in Windows Firewall to permitWindows Event Log Management.



Event Viewer tracks information in several different logs. These logs provide detailed information that includes:

• A description of the event

• An event ID number

• The component or subsystem that generated the event

• Information, Warning, or Error status

• The time of the occurrence

• The user’s name on whose behalf the event occurred

• The computer on which the event occurred

• A link to Microsoft TechNet for more information about the event

Windows Server Logs

Event Viewer has many built-in logs, including those in the following table.

Built-In Log Description and Use

Application log This log contains errors, warnings, and informational events that pertain to the operation of applications such as Microsoft

Exchange Server, the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) service, and other applications.

Security log This log reports the results of auditing, if you enable it. Audit events are described as successful or failed, depending on the event.

For instance, the log would report success or failure regarding whether a user was able to access a file.

Setup log This log contains events related to application setup.

System log General events are logged by Windows components and services, and are classified as error, warning, or information. Windows

predetermines the events that system components log.

Forwarded events This log stores events that are collected from remote computers. To collect events from remote computers, you must create an

event subscription.

Application and Services Logs

Applications and Services logs store events from a single application or component rather than events that might have system-

wide impact. This category of logs includes four subtypes:

• Admin

• Operational

• Analytic

• Debug

Admin logs are of interest to IT professionals who use Event Viewer to troubleshoot problems. These logs provide guidance about

how to respond to issues, and primarily target end users, administrators, and support personnel. The events found in the Admin

channels indicate a problem and a well-defined solution upon which an administrator can act.



Events in the Operational log also are useful for IT professionals, but they are likely to require more interpretation. You can use

operational events to analyze and diagnose a problem or occurrence, and to trigger tools or tasks based on the problem or

occurrence.

Analytic and Debug logs are not as user friendly. Analytic logs store events that trace an issue, and they often log a high volume

of events. Developers use debug logs when they are debugging applications. By default, both Analytic and Debug logs are hidden

and disabled.

By default, Windows log files are 1,028 kilobytes (KB) in size, and events are overwritten as needed. If you want to clear a log

manually, you must be logged in to the server as a local administrator. If you want to centrally configure event log settings, you

can do so by using Group Policy. Open the Group Policy Manage Editor for your selected Group Policy object (GPO), and then

navigate to Computer Configuration\Policies\Administrative Templates\Windows Components \Event Log Service.

For each log, you can define:

• The location of the log file.

• The maximum size of the log file.

• Automatic backup options.

• Permissions on the logs.

• Behavior that occurs when the log is full.


You can use Performance Monitor to collect, analyze, and interpret performance-related data about your organization’s servers.

This enables you to make informed capacity planning decisions. However, to make informed decisions, it is important that you

know how to establish a performance baseline, how to use data collector sets, and how to use reports to help you compare

performance data to your baseline.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe a baseline.

• Describe data collector sets.

• Explain how to capture counter data with a data collector set.

• Explain how to configure an alert.

• Explain how to view Performance Monitor reports.

• Identify the key parameters that you should track when monitoring network infrastructure services.

• Identify considerations for monitoring virtual machines.

Baseline, Trends, and Capacity Planning



By calculating performance baselines for your server environment, you can interpret real-time monitoring information more

accurately. A baseline for your server’s performance indicates what your performance-monitoring statistics look like during

normal use, and you can establish a baseline by monitoring performance statistics over a specific period. When an issue or

symptom occurs in real time, you can compare your baseline statistics to your real-time statistics, and then identify anomalies.

Trends Analysis

You should consider the value of performance data carefully to ensure that it reflects your real server environment.

Additionally, you should consider performance analysis, as well as business or technological growth and upgrade plans. It is

possible to reduce the number of servers in operation after you measure performance and assess the required environment.

By analyzing performance trends, you can predict when existing capacity is likely to be exhausted. Review historical analysis with

consideration to your business, and use this to determine when additional capacity is required. Some peaks are associated with

one-time activities, such as extremely large orders. Other peaks occur on a regular basis, such as a monthly payroll. These peaks

could require increased capacity to meet an increasing number of employees.

Planning for future server capacity is a requirement for all organizations. Business planning often requires additional server

capacity to meet targets. By aligning your IT strategy with your business strategy, you can support business objectives.

Furthermore, you should consider virtualizing your environment to reduce the number of physical servers that you require. You

can consolidate servers by implementing the Hyper-V® role in the Windows Server 2012 environment.

Capacity Planning

Capacity planning focuses on assessing server workload, the number of users that a server can support, and the ways to scale

systems to support additional workload and users in the future.

New server applications and services affect the performance of your IT infrastructure. These services could receive dedicated

hardware although they often use the same local area network (LAN) and wireless area network (WAN) infrastructure. Planning

for future capacity should include all hardware components and how new servers, services, and applications affect the existing

infrastructure. Factors such as power, cooling, and rack space are often overlooked during initial exercises to plan capacity

expansion. You should consider how your servers can scale up and out to support an increased workload.

Tasks such as upgrading to Windows Server 2008 R2 and updating operating systems might affect your servers and network. An

update can sometimes cause a problem with an application. Careful performance monitoring before and after you apply updates

can identify problems.



An expanding business requires you to provide support for more users. You should consider business requirements when

purchasing hardware. By doing this, you can meet future business requirements by increasing the number of servers or by adding

capacity to existing hardware.

Capacity requirements include:

• More servers

• Additional hardware

• Reducing application loads

• Reducing users

Understanding Bottlenecks

A performance bottleneck occurs when a computer is unable to service the current requests for a specific resource. The resource

might be a key component, such as a disk, memory, processor, or network. Alternatively, the shortage of a component within an

application package might cause the bottleneck.

By using performance-monitoring tools on a regular basis, and comparing the results to your baseline and to historical data, you

can identify performance bottlenecks before they affect users.

After you identify a bottleneck, you must decide how to remove it. Your options for removing a bottleneck include:

• Running fewer applications

• Adding resources to the computer

A computer suffering from a severe resource shortage might stop processing user requests, which requires immediate attention.

However, if your computer experiences a bottleneck, but still operates within acceptable limits, you might decide to defer any

changes until you resolve the situation or you have an opportunity to take corrective action.

Analyzing Key Hardware Components

By understanding how your operating system uses the four key hardware components—processor, disk, memory, and network—

and how they interact with one another, you begin to understand how to optimize server performance.

Processor

Processor speed is one important factor in determining your server’s overall processor capacity. Processor speed is determined by

the number of operations that are performed in a measured period. Servers with multiple processors, or processors with multiple

cores, generally perform processor-intensive tasks with greater efficiency, and typically are faster, than single processor or single-

core processor computers.

Processor architecture also is important. 64-bit processors can access more memory and have a significant effect on

performance. However, it is important to note that both Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2008 R2 are available in 64-bit

editions only.



Disk

Hard disks store programs and data. Consequently, the throughput of its disks affects the speed of the workstation or server,

especially when the workstation or server is performing disk-intensive tasks. Most hard disks have moving parts, and it takes time

to position the read/write heads over the appropriate disk sector to retrieve the requested information.

By selecting faster disks, and by using collections of disks to optimize access times, you can alleviate the potential for the disk

subsystem to create a performance bottleneck.

You also should remember that information on the disk moves into memory before it is used. If there is a surplus of memory, the

Windows Server operating system creates a file cache for items recently written to, or read from, the disks. Installing additional

memory in a server can often improve the disk subsystem performance, because accessing the cache is faster than moving the

information into memory.

Memory

Programs and data load from the disk into memory before the program manipulates the data. In servers that run multiple

programs, or where datasets are extremely large, increasing the amount of memory installed can help improve server

performance.

Windows Server uses a memory model in which excessive memory requests are not rejected, but handled by a process known as

paging. During paging, data and programs in memory not currently being utilized by processes are moved into an area on the

hard disk, known as the paging file. This frees up physical memory to satisfy the excessive requests, but because a hard disk is

comparatively slow, it has a negative effect on workstation performance. By adding more memory, and by using a 64-bit

processor architecture that supports larger memory, you can reduce the need for paging.

Network

It is easy to underestimate the effect of a poorly performing network, because it is not as easy to see or to measure as the three

other workstation components. However, the network is a critical component for performance monitoring, because network

devices store so many of the programs, the data that is processing, and applications.

What Are Data Collector Sets?

A data collector set is the foundation of Windows Server performance monitoring and reporting in Performance Monitor.

You can use data collector sets to gather performance-related information and other system statistics, on which you can conduct

analysis with other tools within Performance Monitor, or with third-party tools.



Although it is useful to analyze current performance activity on a server computer, you might find it more useful to collect

performance data over a set period, and then analyze and compare it with data that you gathered previously. You can use this

data comparison to determine resource usage to plan for growth and to identify potential performance problems.

Data collector sets can contain the following types of data collectors:

• Performance counters. This data collector provides server performance data.

• Event trace data. This data collector provides information about system activities and events, which often is useful for

troubleshooting.

• System configuration information. This data collector allows you to record the current state of registry keys and to record

changes to those keys.

You can create a data collector set from a template, from an existing set of data collectors in a Performance Monitor view, or by

selecting individual data collectors and setting each individual option in the data collector set properties.

Demonstration: Capturing Counter Data with a Data Collector Set


• Create a data collector set.

• Create a load on the server.

• Analyze the resulting data in a report.

Demonstration Steps Create a data collector set


2. Open Performance Monitor.

3. Create a new User Defined data collector set with the following key counters:

o Processor > % Processor Time

o Memory > Pages/sec

o PhysicalDisk > % Disk Time

o PhysicalDisk > Avg. Disk Queue Length

o System > Processor Queue Length

o Network Interface > Bytes Total/sec

4. Start the data collector set.

Create a disk load on the server

1. Open a command prompt, and then use the fsutil command to create a large file.



2. Copy the file to the LON-DC1 server to generate network load.

3. Create a new copy of the large file on the local hard disk by copying it from LON-DC1.

4. Delete all the newly created files.

Analyze the resulting data in a report

1. Switch to Performance Monitor, and then stop the data collector set.

2. Select the Performance Monitor tool, and then select View Log Data.

3. Add the data that you collected in the data collector set to the chart.

4. Change the view to Report.

Demonstration: Configuring an Alert

With alert counters, you can create a custom data collector set that contains performance counters for which you can configure

actions that occur based on the measured counters exceeding or dropping below the limits that you define. After you create the

data collector set, you must configure the actions that the system will take when the alert criteria are met.

Alert counters are useful in situations where a performance issue arises periodically, and you can use the actions to run programs,

generate events, or a combination of these.


• Create a data collector set with an alert counter.

• Generate a server load that exceeds the configured threshold.

• Examine the event log for the resulting event.

Demonstration Steps Create a data collector set with an alert counter

1. Create a new User Defined data collector set.

2. Use the Performance Counter Alert option, and then add only the Processor > % Processor Time counter.

3. Set the threshold to be above 10 percent and to generate an entry in the event log when this condition is met.

4. Start the data collector set.

Generate a server load that exceeds the configured threshold

1. Open a command prompt, and then run a tool to generate a load on the server.

2. When the tool has run for a minute, stop it.



Examine the event log for the resulting event

• Open Event Viewer, and examine the Diagnosis-PLA log for performance alerts.

Demonstration: Viewing Reports in Performance Monitor

This demonstration shows how to view a performance report.

Demonstration Steps View a performance report

1. In the navigation pane, expand Reports/User Defined/LON-SVR1 Performance.

2. Expand the folder beneath LON-SVR1 Performance. The previous collection process of the data collector set generated this

report. You can change from the chart view to any other supported view.


Monitoring Network Infrastructure Services

Because network infrastructure services are an essential foundation of many other server-based services, it is important that they

are configured correctly and that they run optimally.

Your organization can benefit in several ways by gathering performance-related data on your network infrastructure services,

including that it:

• Helps optimize network infrastructure server performance. By providing performance baseline and trend data, you can help

your organization to optimize network infrastructure server performance.

• Enables troubleshooting of servers. Where server performance degrades, either over time or during periods of peak activity,

you can help to identify possible causes and take corrective action. Thereby, you can bring the service back within the limits of

your Service Level Agreement (SLA).

• Enables you to use Performance Monitor to gather and analyze the relevant data.

Monitoring DNS

Domain Name System (DNS) provides name-resolution services on your network. You can monitor the Windows Server 2012 DNS



Server role to determine the following aspects of your DNS infrastructure:

• General DNS server statistics, including the number of overall queries and responses that the DNS server is processing.

• User Datagram Protocol (UDP) or Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) counters for measuring DNS queries and responses that

the DNS server processes respectively by using either of these transport protocols.

• Dynamic update and secure dynamic update counters for measuring registration and update activity that dynamic clients

generate.

• Memory usage counter, for measuring system memory usage and memory allocation patterns that are created by operating

the server computer as a DNS server.

• Recursive lookup counters for measuring queries and responses when the DNS Server service uses recursion to look up and

fully resolve DNS names on behalf of requesting clients.

• Zone transfer counters, including specific counters for measuring the following: all zone transfer (AXFR), incremental zone

transfer (IXFR), and DNS zone-update notification activity.

Monitoring DHCP

The Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) service provides dynamic IP configuration services on your network. You can

monitor the Windows Server 2012 DHCP server role to determine the following aspects of your DHCP server:

• The Average Queue Length, which indicates the current length of the DHCP server’s internal message queue. This number

represents the number of unprocessed messages that the server receives. A large number might indicate heavy server traffic.

• The Milliseconds per packet (Avg.) counter is the average time in milliseconds that the DHCP server uses to process each

packet that it receives. This number varies depending on the server hardware and its I/O subsystem. A spike could indicate a

problem, either with the I/O subsystem becoming slower or because of an intrinsic processing overhead on the server.

Considerations for Monitoring Virtual Machines

Server virtualization has only been a part of the Windows Server operating system since the release of Windows Server 2008 and

the introduction of the Hyper-V role. Many organizations have migrated some or all of their server workloads to virtual machines

that are running on the Hyper-V platform. From a monitoring perspective, it is important to remember that servers running as

guest virtual machines consume resources in the same way as physical host server computers.



With Hyper-V server virtualization, you can create separate virtual machines, and run them concurrently by using the resources of

a single server operating system. These virtual machines are known as guests, while the computer running Hyper-V is the host.

Virtual machine guests function as normal computers. Virtual machine guests that are hosted on the same hypervisor remain

independent of one another. You can run multiple virtual machines that are using different operating systems on a host server

simultaneously, as long as the host server has enough resources.

When you create a virtual machine, you configure characteristics that define the available resources for that guest. These

resources include memory, processors, disk-configuration and storage technology, and network-adapter configuration. These

virtual machines operate within the boundaries of the resources that you allocate to them, and can suffer from the same

performance bottlenecks as host servers. As a result, it is important that you monitor virtual machines in the same way, and with

the same tools, that you monitor your host servers.

Note: It addition to monitoring the virtual machine guests, always remember that you must monitor the host that runsthem.

Microsoft provides a tool, Hyper-V Resource Metering, that enables you to monitor resource consumption on your virtual

machines.

Resource metering allows you to track the resource utilization of virtual machines hosted on Windows Server 2012 computers

that have the Hyper-V role installed.

With resource metering, you can measure the following parameters on individual Hyper-V virtual machines:

• Average graphics processing unit (GPU) use

• Average physical memory use, including:

o Minimum memory use

o Maximum memory use

• Maximum disk-space allocation

• Incoming network traffic for a network adapter

• Outgoing network traffic for a network adapter

By measuring how much of these resources each virtual machine uses, an organization can bill departments or customers based

on their hosted virtual-machine use, rather than charging a flat fee per virtual machine. An organization with only internal

customers also can use these measurements to see patterns of use and plan future expansions.

You perform resource-metering tasks by using Windows PowerShell® cmdlets in the Hyper-V Windows PowerShell module.

There is no GUI tool that allows you to perform this task. You can use the following cmdlets to perform resource metering tasks:

• Enable-VMResourceMetering. Starts collecting data, per virtual-machine.

• Disable-VMResourceMetering. Disables resource metering per virtual machine.

• Reset-VMResourceMetering. Resets virtual machine resource-metering counters.



• Measure-VM. Displays resource-metering statistics for a specific virtual machine.


Event Viewer provides a convenient and accessible location for you to view events that occur and that Windows Server records

into one of several log files based on the type of event that occurs. To support your users, you should know how to access event

information quickly and conveniently, and know how to interpret the data in the event log.

Lesson Objectives


• Describe a custom view.

• Explain how to create a custom view.

• Describe event subscriptions.

• Explain how to configure an event subscription.

What Is a Custom View?

Event logs contain vast amounts of data, and it could be a challenge to narrow the set of events to just those events that interest

you. In previous Windows versions, you could apply filters to logs, but you could not save those filters. In Windows Server 2008

and Windows Server 2012, custom views allow you to query and sort just the events that you want to analyze. You also can save,

export, import, and share these custom views.

Event Viewer allows you to filter for specific events across multiple logs, and display all events that may be related to an issue that

you are investigating. To specify a filter that spans multiple logs, you need to create a custom view.

Create custom views in the Action pane in Event Viewer. You can filter custom views based on multiple criteria, including:

• The time that the event was logged.

• Event level to display, such as errors or warnings.

• Logs from which to include events.



• Specific Event IDs to include or exclude.

• User context of the event.

• Computer on which the event occurred.

Demonstration: Creating a Custom View


• View Server Roles custom views.

• Create a custom view.

Demonstration Steps View Server Roles custom views

• In Event Viewer, examine the predefined Server Roles custom views.

Create a custom view

1. Create a new custom view to select the following event types:

o Critical

o Warning

o Error

2. Select the following logs:

o System

o Application

3. Name the custom view as Adatum Custom View

4. View the resulting filtered events in the details pane.

What Are Event Subscriptions?



Event Viewer enables you to view events on a single remote computer. However, troubleshooting an issue might require you to

examine a set of events that are stored in multiple logs on multiple computers. For this purpose, Event Viewer provides the ability

to collect copies of events from multiple remote computers, and then store them locally. To specify which events to collect,

create an event subscription. After a subscription is active and events are being collected, you can view and manipulate these

forwarded events as you would any other locally stored events.

To use the event-collecting feature, you must configure the forwarding and the collecting computers. The event-collecting

functionality depends on the Windows Remote Management (WinRM) service and the Windows Event Collector service

(Wecsvc). Both of these services must be running on computers that are participating in the forwarding and collecting process.

Enabling Subscriptions

To enable subscriptions, perform the following tasks:

1. On each source computer, run the following command at an elevated command prompt to enable WinRM:

winrm quickconfig

2. On the collector computer, type the following command at an elevated command prompt to enable the Wecsvc:

wecutil qc

3. Add the computer account of the collector computer to the local Administrators group on each of the source computers.

Demonstration: Configuring an Event Subscription


• Configure the source computer.

• Configure the collector computer.

• Create and view the subscribed log.

Demonstration Steps Configure the source computer

1. Switch to LON-DC1 and if necessary, sign in as Adatum\Administrator with the password Pa$$w0rd.

2. Run the winrm quickconfig command at a command prompt.

Note: The service is already running.

3. Open Active Directory Users and Computers, and add the LON-SVR1 computer as a member of the domain local

Administrators group.



Configure the collector computer

1. Switch to LON-SVR1, and then open a command prompt.

2. Run the wecutil qc command.

Create and view the subscribed log

1. Switch to Event Viewer.

2. Create a new subscription to collect events from LON-DC1:

o Collector initiated

o Source computer LON-DC1

o All events types

o Last 30 days


Scenario

A. Datum Corporation is a global engineering and manufacturing company with its head office in London, UK. An IT office and

data center are located in London to support the London location and other locations. A. Datum recently deployed a Windows

Server 2012 server and client infrastructure.

Because the enterprise has deployed new servers, it is important to establish a performance baseline with a typical load for these

new servers. You are tasked to work on this project. Additionally, to make the process of monitoring and troubleshooting easier,

you decide to perform centralized monitoring of event logs.

Objectives


• Establish a performance baseline.

• Identify the source of a performance problem.

• View and configure centralized event logs.

Lab Setup



20411B-LON-SVR1




Password Pa$$w0rd


steps:


2. In Hyper-V Manager, click 20411B-LON-DC1, and then in the Actions pane, click Start.





o Domain: Adatum

5. Repeat steps 2 through 4 for 20411B-LON-SVR1.

Exercise 1: Establishing a Performance Baseline

Scenario

In this exercise, you will use Performance Monitor on the server, and create a baseline by using typical performance counters.


1. Create and start a data collector set.

2. Create a typical workload on the server.

3. Analyze the collected data.

Task 1: Create and start a data collector set



3. Create a new User Defined data collector set by using the following information to complete the process:

o Name: LON-SVR1 Performance

o Create: Create manually (Advanced)

o Type of data: Performance counter

o Select the following counters:

▪ Memory, Pages/sec



▪ Network Interface, Bytes Total/sec

▪ PhysicalDisk, %Disk Time

▪ PhysicalDisk, Avg. Disk Queue Length

▪ Processor, %Processor Time

▪ System, Processor Queue Length

o Sample interval: 1 second

o Where to store data: default value

4. Save and close the data collector set.

5. In Performance Monitor, in the results pane, right-click LON-SVR1 Performance, and then click Start.

Task 2: Create a typical workload on the server

1. Open a command prompt, and then run the following commands by pressing Enter after each command:

Fsutil file createnew bigfile 104857600 Copy bigfile \\LON-dc1\c$ Copy \\LON-

dc1\c$\bigfile bigfile2 Del bigfile*.* Del \\LON-dc1\c$\bigfile*.*

2. Do not close the command prompt.

Task 3: Analyze the collected data

1. Switch to Performance Monitor.

2. Stop the LON-SVR1 Performance data collector set.

3. Switch to the Performance Monitor node.

4. View logged data, and then add the following counters:

o Memory, Pages/sec

o Network Interface, Bytes Total/sec

o PhysicalDisk, %Disk Time

o PhysicalDisk, Avg. Disk Queue Length

o Processor, %Processor Time

o System, Processor Queue Length

5. On the toolbar, click the down arrow, and then click Report.

6. Record the values that are listed in the report for later analysis. Recorded values include:

o Memory, Pages/sec








Results: After this exercise, you should have established a baseline for performance-comparison purposes.

Exercise 2: Identifying the Source of a Performance Problem

Scenario

In this exercise, you will simulate a load to represent the system in live usage, gather performance data by using your data

collector set, and then determine the potential cause of the performance problem.


1. Create additional workload on the server.

2. Capture performance data by using a data collector set.

3. Remove the workload, and review the performance data.

Task 1: Create additional workload on the server

1. On LON-SVR1, switch to the command prompt.

2. Change to the C:\Labfiles folder.

3. On LON-SVR1, run StressTool.exe 95.

Task 2: Capture performance data by using a data collector set


2. In Performance Monitor, click User Defined, in the results pane, right-start LON-SVR1 Performance.

3. Wait one minute to allow the data capture to occur.

Task 3: Remove the workload, and review the performance data

1. At the command prompt, press Ctrl+C. Leave the command prompt running.




3. Stop the data collector set.

4. In Performance Monitor, in the navigation pane, click Performance Monitor.

5. On the toolbar, click View log data.

6. In the Performance Monitor Properties dialog box, on the Source tab, click Log files, and then click Remove.

7. Click Add.

8. In the Select Log File dialog box, click Up One Level.

9. Double-click the LON-SVR1_date-000002 folder, and then double-click DataCollector01.blg.

10. Click the Data tab, and then click OK.

Note: If you receive an error at this point, or the values in your report are zero, repeat steps 4 through 9.

11. Recorded values:

o Memory, Pages/sec






Question: Compared with your previous report, which values have changed?

Question: What would you recommend?

Results: After this exercise, you should have used performance tools to identify a potential performance bottleneck.

Exercise 3: Viewing and Configuring Centralized Event Logs

Scenario

In this exercise, you will use LON-DC1 to collect event logs from LON-SVR1. Specifically, you will use this process to gather

performance-related alerts from your network servers.


1. Configure subscription prerequisites.



2. Create a subscription.

3. Configure a performance counter alert.

4. Introduce additional workload on the server.

5. Verify results.

Task 1: Configure subscription prerequisites


2. At the command prompt, run winrm quickconfig to enable the administrative changes that are necessary on a source

computer.

3. Add the LON-DC1 computer to the local Administrators group.


5. At a command prompt, run wecutil qc to enable the administrative changes that are necessary on a collector computer.

Task 2: Create a subscription

1. Open Event Viewer.

2. Create a new subscription with the following properties:

o Computers: LON-SVR1

o Name: LON-SVR1 Events

o Collector Initiated

o Events: Critical, Warning, Information, Verbose, and Error

o Logged: Last 7 days

o Logs: Applications and Services> Microsoft > Windows > Diagnosis-PLA > Operational

Task 3: Configure a performance counter alert



3. Create a new User Defined data collector set by using the following information to complete the process:

o Name: LON-SVR1 Alert

o Create: Create manually (Advanced)

o Type of data: Performance counter Alert



o Select the following counters: Processor, %Processor Time above 10 percent

o Sample interval: 1 second

o Where to store data: default value

o Alert Action: Log an entry in the application event log

4. Start the LON-SVR1 Alert data collector set.

Task 4: Introduce additional workload on the server


2. Change to the C:\Labfiles, and then run StressTool.exe 95.

3. Wait one minute for the data capture to occur, and at the command prompt, press Ctrl+ C, and then close the command

prompt.

Task 5: Verify results

• Switch to LON-DC1, and then open Forwarded Events.

Question: In Performance Monitor, are there any performance-related alerts in the subscribed application log? Hint:They have an ID of 2031.

Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have centralized event logs and examined these logs for performance-relatedevents.








Review Questions

Question: What significant counters should you monitor in Performance Monitor?



Question: Why is it important to monitor server performance periodically?

Question: Why should you use performance alerts?

Tools


Fsutil.exe Configuring and managing the file system Command line

Performance Monitor Monitoring and analyzing real-time and logged performance data Start menu

Logman.exe Managing and scheduling performance-counter and event-trace log collections Command line

Resource Monitor Monitoring the use and performance of CPU, disk, network, and memory in real time Start menu

Event Viewer Viewing and managing event logs Start menu

Task Manager Identifying and resolving performance-related problems Start menu

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Lab Answer Key: Module 13: Monitoring Windows Server® 2012


Exercise 1: Establishing a Performance Baseline

Task 1: Create and start a data collector set



3. In Start, type Perf, and in the Apps list, click Performance Monitor.

4. In Performance Monitor, in the navigation pane, expand Data Collector Sets, and then click User Defined.

5. Right-click User Defined, point to New, and then click Data Collector Set.

6. In the Create new Data Collector Set Wizard, in the Name box, type LON-SVR1 Performance.

7. Click Create manually (Advanced), and then click Next.

8. On the What type of data do you want to include? page, select the Performance counter check box, and then click Next.

9. On the Which performance counters would you like to log? page, click Add.

10. In the Available counters list, expand Processor, click %Processor Time, and then click Add >>.

11. In the Available counters list, expand Memory, click Pages/sec, and then click Add >>.

12. In the Available counters list, expand PhysicalDisk, click %Disk Time, and then click Add >>.

13. Click Avg. Disk Queue Length and then click Add >>.

14. In the Available counters list, expand System, click Processor Queue Length, and then click Add >>.

15. In the Available counters list, expand Network Interface, click Bytes Total/sec, click Add >>, and then click OK.

16. On the Which performance counters would you like to log? page, in the Sample interval box, type 1, and then click

Next.

17. On the Where would you like the data to be saved? page, click Next.

18. On the Create the data collector set? page, click Save and close, and then click Finish.

19. In Performance Monitor, in the results pane, right-click LON-SVR1 Performance, and then click Start.

Task 2: Create a typical workload on the server


2. In Start, type Cmd, and in the Apps list, click Command Prompt.


Fsutil file createnew bigfile 104857600


Copy bigfile \\LON-dc1\c$


Copy \\LON-dc1\c$\bigfile bigfile2


Del bigfile*.*


Del \\LON-dc1\c$\bigfile*.*

8. Do not close the command prompt.

Task 3: Analyze the collected data


2. In the navigation pane, right-click LON-SVR1 Performance, and then click Stop.


4. On the toolbar, click View Log Data.

5. In the Performance Monitor Properties dialog box, on the Source tab, click Log files, and then click Add.

6. In the Select Log File dialog box, double-click Admin.

7. Double-click LON-SVR1 Performance, double-click the LON-SVR1_date-000001 folder, and then double-click

DataCollector01.blg.

8. Click the Data tab, and then click Add.

9. In the Add Counters dialog box, in the Available counters list, expand Memory, click Pages/sec, and then click Add >>.

10. Expand Network Interface, click Bytes Total/sec, and then click Add >>.

11. Expand PhysicalDisk, click %Disk Time, and then click Add >>.

12. Click Avg. Disk Queue Length and then click Add >>.

13. Expand Processor, click %Processor Time, and then click Add >>.

14. Expand System, click Processor Queue Length, click Add >>, and then click OK.

15. In the Performance Monitor Properties dialog box, click OK.

16. On the toolbar, click the down arrow, and then click Report.

17. Record the values listed in the report for later analysis.

Results: After this exercise, you should have established a baseline for performance-comparison purposes.

Exercise 2: Identifying the Source of a Performance Problem

Task 1: Create additional workload on the server



C:


Cd\Labfiles


StressTool 95

Task 2: Capture performance data by using a data collector set


2. In Performance Monitor, click User Defined, in the results pane, right-click LON-SVR1 Performance, and then click Start.

3. Wait one minute to allow the data capture to occur.

Task 3: Remove the workload, and review the performance data

1. After one minute, switch to the command prompt.

2. Press Ctrl+C.

3. Do NOT close the command prompt.


5. In the navigation pane, right-click LON-SVR1 Performance, and then click Stop.


7. On the toolbar, click View log data.

8. In the Performance Monitor Properties dialog box, on the Source tab, click Log files, and then click Remove.

9. Click Add.

10. In the Select Log File dialog box, click Up One Level.

11. Double-click the LON-SVR1_date-000002 folder, and then double-click DataCollector01.blg.

12. Click the Data tab, and then click OK.

Note: If you receive an error at this point, or the values in your report are zero, repeat steps 4 through 11.

Question: Compared with your previous report, which values have changed?

Answer: Memory and disk activity are reduced, although processor activity has increased significantly.

Question: What would you recommend?

Answer: You should continue to monitor the server to ensure that the processor workload does not reach capacity.

Results: After this exercise, you should have used performance tools to identify a potential performance bottleneck.

Exercise 3: Viewing and Configuring Centralized Event Logs

Task 1: Configure subscription prerequisites



winrm quickconfig

3. If prompted, type Y, and then press Enter.

4. On the taskbar, click Server Manager.

5. In Server Manager, in the navigation pane, click Local Server. On the toolbar, click Tools, and then click Computer

Management.

6. In Computer Management (Local), expand System Tools, expand Local Users and Groups, and then click Groups.

7. In the results pane, double-click Administrators.

8. Click Add, and in the Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts or Groups dialog box, click Object Types.

9. In the Object Types dialog box, select the Computers check box, and then click OK.

10. In the Select Users, Computers, Service Accounts or Groups dialog box, in the Enter the object names to select box,

type LON-DC1, and then click OK.

11. In the Administrators Properties dialog box, click OK.



14. In Start, type Cmd, and in the Apps list, click Command Prompt.


Wecutil qc

16. When prompted, type Y, and then press Enter.

Task 2: Create a subscription


2. In Start, type Event, and in the Apps list, click Event Viewer.

3. In Event Viewer, in the navigation pane, click Subscriptions.

4. Right-click Subscriptions, and then click Create Subscription.

5. In the Subscription Properties dialog box, in the Subscription name box, type LON-SVR1 Events.

6. Click Collector Initiated and then click Select Computers.

7. In the Computers dialog box, click Add Domain Computers.

8. In the Select Computer dialog box, in the Enter the object name to select box, type LON-SVR1, and then click OK.

9. In the Computers dialog box, click OK.

10. In the Subscription Properties – LON-SVR1 Events dialog box, click Select Events.

11. In the Query Filter dialog box, select the Critical, Warning, Information, Verbose, and Error check boxes.

12. In the Logged list, click Last 7 days.

13. In the Event logs list, expand Applications and Services, expand Microsoft, expand Windows, expand Diagnosis-PLA, and

then select the Operational check box.

14. Click the mouse back in the Query Filter dialog box, and then click OK.

15. In the Subscription Properties – LON-SVR1 Events dialog box, click OK.

Task 3: Configure a performance counter alert


2. In Performance Monitor, in the navigation pane, expand Data Collector Sets, and then click User Defined.

3. Right-click User Defined, point to New, and then click Data Collector Set.

4. In the Create new Data Collector Set Wizard, in the Name box, type LON-SVR1 Alert.

5. Click Create manually (Advanced), and then click Next.

6. On the What type of data do you want to include? page, click Performance Counter Alert, and then click Next.

7. On the Which performance counters would you like to monitor? page, click Add.

8. In the Available counters list, expand Processor, click %Processor Time, click Add >>, and then click OK.

9. On the Which performance counters would you like to monitor? page, in the Alert when list, click Above.

10. In the Limit box, type 10, and then click Next.

11. On the Create the data collector set? page, click Finish.

12. In the navigation pane, expand the User Defined node, and then click LON-SVR1 Alert.

13. In the results pane, right-click DataCollector01, and then click Properties.

14. In the DataCollector01 Properties dialog box, in the Sample interval box, type 1, and then click the Alert Action tab.

15. Select the Log an entry in the application event log check box, and then click OK.

16. In the navigation pane, right-click LON-SVR1 Alert, and then click Start.

Task 4: Introduce additional workload on the server


C:


Cd\Labfiles


StressTool 95

4. Wait one minute to allow for alerts to generate.

5. Press Ctrl+C.


Task 5: Verify results


2. In Event Viewer, in the navigation pane, expand Windows Logs.

3. Click Forwarded Events.

Question: Are there any performance-related alerts?

Answer: Answers may vary, but there should be some events that relate to the imposed workload on LON-SVR1.Events will have an ID of 2031.

Results: At the end of this exercise, you will have centralized event logs and examined these logs for performance-relatedevents.





