Level: Intermediate
Server 2012 comes with a real treasure trove of useful new tools, but none of those tools are of any value if you don't know how to install them, start them up and point them where you want them to go. Rolling out Server 2012 is similar to deploying Servers 2008 and 2008 R2, as it still uses the "Panther" setup engine, so if you've installed 08 or R2, then 2012 setup won't seem too foreign, although it does have a few new wrinkles. Once the server's running, however, get ready for some big changes, as Server Core and remote access are the default configuration. If your next question is "so does Server 2012 have any GUI at all?," the answer is "sure... four GUIs in fact, counting Server Core." Assuming you've opted for the traditional style of GUI, you'll find that 2012 has something called Server Manager, but it's completely different from the Server Managers we've seen since 2003 SP1. The new Server Manager is, however, not the biggest change in server management, believe it or not -- no, that title has to go to the ten-fold increase in PowerShell tools. The more things change, though, the more they stay the same, as in the end analysis every server needs the same sort of tender loving care -- give it a name, give it an IP address, assign some roles and features, join it to a domain and the like, and few have been doing those things as many years as Windows expert and bestselling author Mark Minasi. Give him just 75 minutes and we guarantee you'll be ready to crack the whip on your new servers more quickly, easily, and consistently... and deliver a few laughs in the process. Don't miss this session, or you may end up helplessly trapped in the Roles and Features wizard, and trust us, that is a terrible way to go!