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• Options for server management tools expand to meet IT needs

  Not only do admins have to contend with a mix of server OSes, there are diverse scenarios to complicate their management. Learn about the tools worth exploring for administration. Continue Reading

• How do I build data protection policies in SCDPM 2016?

  One size does not fit all when administrators develop a protection policy for specific applications. Learn about the configuration options in System Center DPM 2016. Continue Reading

• New Office 365 administrators grapple with challenges

  More enterprises mulling the move to Office 365 should factor in the adjustments necessary to get the IT department up to speed to manage the platform properly. Continue Reading

• Office 365 labels help keep content under control

  Labels in Office 365 take data governance tasks out of the users' hands through the automatic designation of policies to meet regulations or internal procedures. Continue Reading

• Server Core management remains a challenge for some

  Server Core, the minimal Windows Server deployment, removes some admins from their GUI comfort zone, but its benefits reduce some chores associated with the full server OS. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • What is Active Directory (AD)?
  • What is Microsoft Outlook?
  • What is a domain controller?
  • What is Active Directory Domain (AD Domain)?

  • What is Microsoft?
  • What is a batch file?
  • What is C (programming language)?
  • What is Microsoft Azure File Service?

  View All Definitions

• Compliance Manager tool aims to ease security audit process

  Administrators who wrestle with compliance tasks in Office 365 and Azure workloads might find some relief with Microsoft's dashboard platform, which automates part of the process.Continue Reading

• How does Data Protection Manager 2016 save and restore data?

  Data Protection Manager 2016 works with a wide range of enterprise applications, but administrators need to be aware that some backup types do not work with every program.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows Server OS (operating system)

  Microsoft Windows Server OS (operating system) is a series of enterprise-class server operating systems designed to share services with multiple users and provide extensive administrative control of data storage, applications and corporate networks.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Replication Service (MRS)

  The Microsoft Exchange Mailbox Replication Service (MRS) is a feature that handles mailbox import, export, migration and restoration requests on Exchange Server.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Nano Server

  Microsoft Nano Server is a lightweight version of the Windows Server operating system that was introduced with Windows Server 2016 for use as an OS layer for virtualized container instances.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection

  Microsoft Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) is Microsoft's optional cloud-based service that scans and filters email to protect subscribers from malware in attachments and hyperlinks to malicious websites.Continue Reading

• Server Core installation offers perks, challenges for IT

  Server Core is a lighter Windows Server deployment that frees up server resources for additional workloads, but the management aspect will put some admins to the test.Continue Reading

• Construct a chain of commands with the PowerShell pipeline

  The pipeline in PowerShell connects multiple cmdlets to assemble complex commands to give administrators advanced management control over their systems.Continue Reading

• Automate Active Directory jobs with PowerShell scripts

  Much of what admins do in Active Directory is not exactly cutting-edge, and they don't want to waste time on mundane tasks. A dash of PowerShell can speed things along.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Office 365 Admin Center

  The Microsoft Office 365 Admin Center is the web-based portal administrators use to manage user accounts and configuration settings for the Office 365 subscription services, including Exchange Online and SharePoint Online.Continue Reading

• Office 365 admin roles give users the power of permissions

  No matter your organization's size, it's helpful to have users handle some functions typically reserved for IT. But limit access to elevated access to reduce security risks.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Network Device Enrollment Service (NDES)

  Microsoft Network Device Enrollment Service (NDES) is a security feature in Windows Server 2008 R2 and later Windows Server operating versions. NDES provides and manages certificates used to authenticate traffic and implement secure network ...Continue Reading

• Microsoft Online Services Sign-In Assistant

  The Microsoft Online Services Sign-In Assistant is a software application that provides common sign-on capabilities for a suite of Microsoft online services, such as Office 365.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Windows Features on Demand

  Microsoft Windows Features on Demand is a feature that allows system administrators to add or remove roles and features in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, and later versions of the client and server operating system to alter the file size of ...Continue Reading

• Microsoft SCORCH lights an automated path to more efficiency

  System Center Orchestrator tackles tedious tasks and can even make autonomous decisions based on conditions set by the Windows administrator.Continue Reading

• These Windows configuration management tools can prevent mishaps

  It's a challenge to limit downtime and speed up deployments in the data center. Configuration management tools can help IT maintain control.Continue Reading

• Test and confirm functions with PowerShell parameters

  Windows PowerShell functions support parameters that can prevent scripts from being run accidentally and simulate the outcome of the function.Continue Reading

• How to upgrade to PowerShell 5

  PowerShell version 5 is the most recent iteration of the scripting language and offers new features from previous versions. Admins can upgrade to the new version in a few steps.Continue Reading

• PowerShell script examples and reference guide for admins

  Microsoft unveiled PowerShell in 2006, but many Windows administrators are still unaware of the tremendous amount of resources available to help automate numerous tasks.Continue Reading

• Use the admin center for some Office 365 administration

  Administrators can choose the admin center or PowerShell for Office 365 management -- the best option depends on the circumstances.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Hyper-V Shielded VM

  A Microsoft Hyper-V Shielded VM is a security feature of Windows Server 2016 that protects a Hyper-V second-generation virtual machine (VM) from access or tampering by using a combination of Secure Boot, BitLocker encryption, virtual Trusted ...Continue Reading

• What are my options for Azure ExpressRoute connections?

  For companies that need a private connection and full access to different Azure regions, Microsoft offers a premium version of Azure ExpressRoute.Continue Reading

• Using XPath syntax to root through XML documents

  Using XPath syntax and the Select-XML cmdlet can help uncover the information you need in an XML document.Continue Reading

• Learn Group Policy basics for Windows administrators

  Group Policy hasn't changed much since its introduction, but it can be overwhelming to beginners. Learn how to use Group Policy to manage users and computers.Continue Reading

• How to calculate Exchange 2013 resource requirements

  Inadequate server resources can impair performance and growth. Here's how to calculate megacycles of work and memory requirements for Exchange 2013.Continue Reading

• Advanced threat protection add-on comes to Microsoft EOP

  The ATP add-on for Exchange Online Protection gives on-premises Exchange Server and Office 365 customers another layer of security.Continue Reading

• A Windows Server 2016 Group Policy walkthrough

  Administrators who work with Group Policy will appreciate that the structure hasn't changed in Windows Server 2016, but there are new policies unique to the release worth noting.Continue Reading

• Learn how to use BitLocker in Windows Server 2012

  BitLocker is an encryption feature in all versions of Windows Server 2012 that can protect the data on your PC and hard drive. Learn how to install and use it.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Network Policy and Access Services (Microsoft NPAS)

  Microsoft Network Policy and Access Services (Microsoft NPAS) is a server role in Windows 2008 and Windows Server 2012 that allows administrators to provide local and remote network access.Continue Reading

• This PowerShell module takes control of NTFS permissions

  One simple install of the File System Security PowerShell Module can help manage NTFS permissions for user access to folders.Continue Reading

• IIS exploits in Windows Server and how you can fix them

  There are several flaws in IIS that can jeopardize the security of Windows servers. Here are some of the top threats and how to solve them.Continue Reading

• Microsoft System Center Operations Manager Management Pack (Microsoft SCOM Management Pack)

  A System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) Management Pack is a pre-fabricated rule set intended to extend and configure SCOM for specific services or applications.Continue Reading

• How does Exchange Native Data Protection work?

  Take a look at what Exchange Native Data Protection does in Exchange 2013 to decide if it fits into your organization.Continue Reading

• How does write back cache improve performance?

  With Windows Server 2012 R2 and earlier, admins have access to write-back caching, leading to reasonable improvements for mission-critical workloads.Continue Reading

• Should you migrate to Windows Server 2012 R2?

  It's time to seriously consider migration plans for Windows Server 2012 R2. Learn best practices, what's new and more.Continue Reading

• A closer look at virtual hard disks in Windows Server 2012 R2

  The VHDX format includes performance-enhancing features and capabilities that let virtual servers recover VMs with little to no data loss.Continue Reading

• Compression eases Live Migration process in Windows Server 2012 R2

  By using Live Migration compression, smaller VM files are transferred more quickly between systems and have fewer resent or dropped packets.Continue Reading

• How Remote DMA improves Live Migration in Windows Server 2012 R2

  The RDMA feature can use high-throughput, low-latency data exchanges to improve Live Migration's performance in Windows Server 2012 R2.Continue Reading

• Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces addresses storage growth demands

  Windows Server 2012 R2 Storage Spaces offers an alternative to traditional SAN storage and includes updates for virtualizing shared storage.Continue Reading

• peer-to-peer network (P2P network)

  A peer-to-peer (P2P) network is a network in which each computer functions as a client or server for other computers in the network.Continue Reading

• Microsoft System Center 2012

  Microsoft System Center 2012 is a bundled suite of systems management products that offers tools to monitor and automate virtualized environments, including private clouds based on Microsoft Hyper-V.Continue Reading

• Microsoft Exchange Online explained

  With all the chatter around hosted services these days, it pays to know about Exchange Online. Get a handle on its benefits and drawbacks.Continue Reading

• Five Quick Links: Windows server hardening

  Learn to effectively lock down your systems with these server security resources, including must-have tips and tricks for hardening the Windows OS.Continue Reading

• The SharePoint content repository: It's just a database

  SharePoint's lifeline is the content repository, where all the content is housed. Learn how the database works as well as its challenges.Continue Reading

• Forcing the removal of a Windows Server 2008 domain controller

  Need solutions for Microsoft Active Directory 2008? This excerpt from "Active Directory Domain Services 2008 How-To" explains how to force the removal of a Windows Server 2008 Domain Controller and how to perform a metadata cleanup.Continue Reading

• Windows Distributed File System (DFS) Namespace primer

  This excerpt from "The Complete Guide to Windows Server 2008" goes over the basics of Distributed File System Namespace (DFSN). Learn the applications, components and mechanics of DFSN, as well as what's new with Windows Server 2008.Continue Reading

• Enabling Unified Messaging mailboxes and users

  When Unified Messaging is deployed in an Exchange 2007 environment, the Exchange Recipient Administrator can configure UM mailbox-enabled users and begin to allow email, voicemail and faxes to be delivered to their Inboxes. In this excerpt from "...Continue Reading

• Microsoft Group Policy Tutorial

  This guide introduces you to Group Policy. From the basics of using GP to run your environment to the changes you can expect after migrating to Windows Vista, we've got all the tips, article and how-to's administrators need to know.Continue Reading

• Downloading and Installing Windows PowerShell

  In this excerpt from "Essential PowerShell" you'll learn the steps and procedures for downloading and installing Windows PowerShell. You'll also go over the process of taking WPS for a test run in interactive mode and script mode.Continue Reading

• Database grooming for System Center Operations Manager 2007

  This excerpt from "System Center Operations Manager 2007 Unleashed" takes you through the process of grooming your operational, data warehouse and ACS databases in SCOM 2007Continue Reading

• How to test Exchange Management Shell commands

  Understand how to use the Exchange Management Shell parameters WhatIf and ValidateOnly in Exchange 2007 to preview and test EMS commands before executing them.Continue Reading

• Active Directory Replication Guide

  This guide provides tips and resources on Active Directory replication, including info on replication basics, topology design and troubleshooting replication issues.Continue Reading

• Active Directory Tutorial

  This guide helps Active Directory administrators better understand the basics of the Active Directory infrastructure, including design strategies, DNS, replication and security.Continue Reading

• Hacking for Dummies: Test your firewall rules

  Before someone else hacks your firewall, test your firewall rules during the self-hacking process to test your network's security. Learn about the tools involved in this excerpt from Chapter 9, "Network Infrastructure," from, Hacking for Dummies,...Continue Reading