Share via

Remote Administration Best practices

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Best practices

To perform many tasks on a single, remote server, use Remote Desktop for Administration.

  • To remotely administer a server running a Windows Server 2003 family operating system, you do not need to install Terminal Server. Instead, use Remote Desktop for Administration. On these operating systems, Remote Desktop for Administration is on by default but is not enabled. After you enable remote connections, Remote Desktop for Administration allows you to administer your server from any computer on your network running Windows Server 2003 family, Windows XP Professional, and Windows 2000. Windows Server 2003 , Web Edition, does not support remote administration.

  • You can use Remote Desktop with Windows 2000 Server. You need to install Terminal Services for Remote Administration as described in the Windows 2000 Help.

    For more information, see Enable or disable Remote Desktop and Remote Desktop for Administration.

To do similar tasks on many servers, use MMC snap-ins.

  • Most of the administration tools provided with Windows Server 2003 family operating systems are Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins that can be used to administer remote servers as well as your local computer. The advantages of using MMC include the following:

    • You can create a console with the tools you use for the tasks you do most often.

    • You can set the focus for a tool to any of the servers you administer, and switch between servers and tools within a single MMC console.

    For more information, see Microsoft Management Console.

To manage servers running Windows Server 2003 family operating systems from a computer using Windows XP Professional , use Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack

  • Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack when installed on Windows XP Professional (ordinarily a client operating system) provides many remote management tools for managing your servers.

  • Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack comes as adminpak.msi on the Windows Server 2003 family operating system and is easily installed from the server CD onto Windows XP Professional by installing the .msi from the server to the Windows XP Professional operating system.

  • The Administration Tools Packs in the Windows Server 2003 family and Windows 2000 are not mutually compatible. You must use the Windows 2000 Administrative Tools to administer Windows 2000, and the Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack to administer the Windows Server 2003 family operating system.

    For more information, see Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack Overview.