Deploying and Managing a Windows Server 2003 Environment: Hands-On

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this course about? Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is a popular industry metric, representing how much it actually costs to own a PC. TCO can be as much as three to four times the purchase price of the hardware per year. Microsoft Windows incorporates a variety of technologies aimed at significantly reducing TCO. This course focuses on learning to leverage these technologies to lower your TCO while intelligently managing clients and servers and improving service delivery within a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory environment. You learn to automate OS and software installation, and centralize control of workstation and server configurations. What background do I need? It is assumed that you have a working knowledge of Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP (or strong client and server administration skills in Windows 2000). Course 595, Windows Server® 2003: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction, provides the prerequisite background. Who will benefit from this course? This course is designed for those who plan and implement a wide-scale Windows management strategy. The course benefits those responsible for improving operating system installation, software installation, or Windows management procedures. This group includes systems administrators, systems engineers, network and IT managers, systems integrators and support personnel who need to maintain distributed environments using Windows technologies. Does this course cover Terminal Services, Remote Desktop, and Remote Assistance? These topics are addressed as they pertain to remote administration. The course does not offer in-depth coverage of Terminal Services running in Application Server mode. I've recently taken Course 595. Will this course be useful to me? Absolutely. Course 595 provides a solid introduction to Windows Server 2003, but it does not attempt to cover all aspects of systems management. Course 597 builds on the knowledge you gain in Course 595 so that you can effectively install and manage large numbers of computers in a Windows Server 2003 Active Directory environment. Does this course cover only Windows Server 2003 (servers)? No. This course is designed to demonstrate systems management tools available in Windows Server 2003 domains. These technologies are useful for managing both clients and servers. Will the course teach me to manage Windows XP, Windows 2000, or older versions? While this course focuses on Window Server 2003 and Windows XP, the techniques covered apply equally well to Windows 2000 Professional and Windows 2000 Server. The course materials highlight management differences between the operating systems. The last chapter of the course covers use of Windows management technologies in a mixed Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003 environment. The course briefly addresses issues involved with supporting Windows NT and Windows 98/95. The course does not cover management of non-Microsoft platforms. How much time is spent on each topic? Content Hours Introduction 3.0 Management and support tools 5.0 Configuring Windows with Group Policy 10.0 Deploying Windows Installer packages 5.0 Automating Windows installation 6.0 Times, including the workshops, are estimates; exact times may vary according to the needs of each class. What hands-on exercises are in the course? The course exercises focus on all aspects of client and server management using the tools and technologies in Windows Server 2003 domains. Exercises include: Using policies to configure the operating system on large numbers of computers Publishing applications in the environment for "Just-in-Time" installations Using and enhancing the Microsoft Management Console to manipulate the desktop and application settings Setting up and configuring the unattended installation of applications and the operating system Are the hands-on exercises done on Windows Server 2003? The classroom environment uses Windows Server 2003 domain controllers. Exercises are performed primarily on Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003, though some exercises also include management of Windows 2000 systems. Will this course teach me how to migrate to Windows Server 2003? While this course introduces some techniques useful in migration, migration is not a primary topic. The class focuses very specifically on new installations of Windows and maintenance of systems in Windows Server 2003 domains. For specific migration information, we recommend Course 596, Windows Server® 2003 Active Directory®: Hands-On. Does the course use third-party management tools? Some third-party tools are demonstrated in the classroom, but the course focuses on technologies built into Windows. Why should I take this course instead of one offered by Microsoft? Learning Tree is dedicated to helping to accelerate the careers of our clients by providing them with world-class technology and management training. Our independence from Microsoft (and any other vendor) allows us to give an unbiased view of what works and what does not. This course is objective in its approach, having been developed independently from Microsoft by industry experts who bring their real-world experience to the classroom. How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses? Windows Server 2003 Courses: 595, Windows Server® 2003: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction  596, Windows Server® 2003 Active Directory®: Hands-On  599, Securing Windows Server® 2003: Hands-On  566, Internet Information Services 6 for Windows Server® 2003: Hands-On  539, Deploying Clusters on Windows Server® 2003: Hands-On  Windows XP and Vista courses: 950, Windows Vista®: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction  Additional Windows Courses: 558, Automating Windows® Administration with VBScript: Hands-On  559, Windows Server® 2003 AD Troubleshooting: Hands-On

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