How to Install Windows Server 2003 on Your Own

Due to the large number of functionalities like improved security, reliability, and scalability etc offered by Microsoft in its Windows Server 2003 operating system., I planned to install it in my system. I took assistance from a remote technical support company, which helped me in this process as well as explained me the entire process of installation.

Features

Windows Server 2003 is integrated with many new features like improved security features, because of the built-in firewall. It consists of an enhanced version of IIS and improvement to Message Queuing. Further as well as contains an administrative tool that offers the management facility to administrator.
Windows Server 2003 has a backup system to bring back lost files. This server operating system is improved in many aspects like Active Directory, Group Policy handling and administration, disk management, etc. In addition to this, it contains many command line tools, and can restart the server in a situation when operating system stops responding.

Usability

Here are the steps used in the process of installation:
STEP 1: Start your computer with Windows Server 2003 CD inserted into the CD drive.
STEP 2: Press any key to boot from the CD.
STEP 3: You will be prompted with the “Welcome to Setup” screen, press “Enter” key to continue.
STEP 4: Read and accept the license terms and conditions.
STEP 5: Press Esc button and create primary partition by pressing C key and typing the size.
STEP 6: Press Enter to install and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the installation process.
See how simple it is! I analyzed that the entire process was very simple and I could do it myself too. Hats off to the experts at the remote tech support company, who not only did it for me but also explained the process to me so that I am capable of installing Windows Server 2003 on my own.

Concept of Virtual Private Network

Virtual private network (VPN) acts as a medium of linking your private network with the public network. It can combine the benefits of a dial-up connection to a dial-up server, with the use of an Internet connection. With the use of VPN, you can easily connect to your office, no matter where you are located.
Virtual private network offers the facility that an enterprise can easily connect to its branch offices or to other companies over the Internet while maintaining secure communications. It makes use of authenticated links to ensure that only authorized users can connect to your network.
VPN connection utilizes either Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP) or Layer Two Tunneling Protocol (L2TP) to encrypt data, so that, data can travel securely over the Internet. In case you are working with Windows Server 2003, then VPN consists of a VPN server, VPN client, VPN connection and the tunnel.

Conversion of Primary DNS Server to an Active Directory Integrated Primary Server

Every website on Internet has a unique URL, which locates the website. The URL consist of the domain name, which is converted into the corresponding IP address with the help of DNS server.
You can also convert your Primary DNS server to an Active Directory Integrated Primary server, instead of adding secondary DNS servers. The concept behind adding secondary DNS server is to avoid any failure. With the following steps you can convert Primary DNS Server to Active Directory Integrated Primary server on Windows Server 2003:
STEP 1: On the current DNS server, start DNS Manager.
STEP 2: Right-click a DNS zone, click Properties, click the General tab, and then note the Type value. This will be Primary zone, Secondary zone or Stub zone.
STEP 3: Click Change.
STEP 4: In the Change Zone Type box, click to select the “Store the zone” in Active Directory check box. When you are prompted to answer whether want this zone to become Active Directory integrated, click Yes, and then click OK.
When you complete all the steps, then in the Domain properties, type will be shown as "Active Directory-Integrated". You can supplement other DNS servers in the domain controller after its replication becomes complete. So, in this way you can supplement other DNS servers, which lead to removal of any point of failure.

Remote Support Services

Remote support services are an array of technical services offered through the Internet. Many technical service providers offer remote support for a range of services. Your system should have an Internet connection in order to utilize remote support services.

Services offered through remote support are enlisted below:

· Software installation

· Virus removal

· Windows upgrades

· System tune-up and routine maintenance to speed up the computer

· Configuring settings for e-mail, or Internet, or Microsoft Office

· Removal of spyware applications

· Troubleshooting

· Internet optimization

· Support for peripheral devices

Along with these services, remote support provides you many benefits. Most important benefit is the availability; you can access remote support from anywhere in the world. You do not have to take your system to any service provider, and no need to call someone at your premises.

You just have to contact any technical service provider, and your issue gets resolved. A technician from your service provider will access your system via remote connection. After that, he will diagnose the issue that is not letting your system perform better and fix it simultaneously.

So, it is viable to say that remote support services are much better than traditional services. You just have to pay once and get access to a wide variety of services through remote support.

Windows Server Support

Microsoft had launched a series of server operating systems under the brand name Windows Server. Some of the server operating systems are, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 Server and others.
Microsoft offers support for all its products including server operating systems. You can visit Microsoft support website, in case you have any technical issues related to Windows Servers.
You can receive a lot of information related to Windows Servers from Microsoft support website. Some of the issues on which you can receive information are, how to configure an authoritative time server in Windows Server 2008 R2, how to troubleshoot shutdown problems in Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 service pack 1 support tools, how to lock down Windows Server 2003, how to configure Internet printing in Windows Server 2003, how to enable Telnet Server in Windows 2000 Server and many others.
Beside this, you can contact a technical service provider for Windows Server support. Technicians at technical service providers make use of remote connection in order to access your system online. After accessing your system, your issues will be analyzed and resolved. So, you do not have to take pain of inviting a technician at your own place because your issues will be resolved through the Internet.

How to enable DHCP on Windows 7?

DHCP Server for Windows 7
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) server offers information about IP address, subnet mask and default gateway to the clients. DHCP server for Windows 7 has been enhanced in many areas like support for SSID caching, optimization for obtaining IP address and others.
Suppose, your Windows 7 computer is connected to an intranet having multiple subnets and the Internet, but having a default gateway for both adapters. In this situation, you can either communicate with all computers on the intranet or Internet, but not with both of them. In order to solve this problem, you have to configure a default gateway with the adapter connected to the Internet. This is where the role of DHCP server comes into play.
In case, you want to configure a default gateway on Windows 7 PC follow the procedure:
STEP 1: Open Network Connections by clicking the Start button, and then clicking Control Panel. In the search box, type adapter, and then, under Network and Sharing Center, click View network connections.
STEP 2: Right-click the network adapter that you want to configure a default gateway for, and then click Properties. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
STEP 3: Click the Networking tab.
STEP 4: Under “This connection uses the following items”, click either Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) or Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6), and then click Properties.
STEP 5: In the dialog box that appears, select either “Obtain an IP address automatically” or “Use the following IP address”.
a) If you configure the network adapter to obtain an IP address automatically, the default gateway is assigned by the DHCP server.
b) If you manually specify an IP address configuration, the default gateway is the IP address in the Default gateway box on the General tab
After completing this procedure, you can configure a default gateway on your Windows 7 PC.

Benefits of Print Server

Print server can be a computer or any device which is capable of connecting with one or more printers along with the client computers over a network.
Print server has many benefits because it lowers the administrative and management workload. A print server enables an administrator to manage and control access to each printer. Three level of printer permissions are available, print, manage documents and manage printer. Print permission is granted to everyone in the group. It allows a user to print documents, pause, resume, start and cancel his documents.
Manage documents permission is allocated by administrator to some selected users for controlling job settings for all documents. Manage printer permission enables the user to pause and restart the printer, share a printer, adjust printer permissions, modify printer properties and modify spooler settings.
Client computer jobs are quickly spooled to print server when compared to printer. The main point to be noted is that while printing large jobs from an own printer, resources of client computer are used and he may have to leave his computer running until printing task gets completed. But with the use of print server, if any job has been spooled to it, then user can shutdown his system without any harm.
Print server can also work according to priority of documents. The document with the highest priority will be printed first.