Key technologies that administrators should pay attention to when upgrading to Windows2003

When an enterprise plans to upgrade to a new server platform, it must consider upgrading the skills of IT staff to meet the requirements of deploying and maintaining the new system. The value of an in-depth understanding of all the features of the server is invaluable, but it is not expected that every IT staff will have full access to all aspects of the new system platform-at least not immediately. Therefore, in the process of deploying a new system and after the deployment is complete, the enterprise must ensure that IT staff are trained centrally in the appropriate areas of work. In this article, we will explore the most important features for a system administrator when an enterprise upgrades an old Windows NT or Windows 2000 to Windows Server 2003.

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First and foremost, all the IT staff should have a deep understanding of the details of the Active Directory (AD). The Active Directory provides the most basic technical support for many of the features of Windows Server 2003, so a basic understanding of the Active Directory is critical for every system administrator. Extended knowledge of ad-domain management and trust and security are also important to administrators who will create and manage domains, users, and groups.

Here are some other core technologies that administrators may need to learn, depending on their specific job needs.

Group Policy

Managing Group Policy requires at least a basic understanding of the Active Directory, as well as a broad understanding of Group Policy. System administrators should understand what the purpose of Group Policy is and what they can get by using Group Policy. They should be able to create and deploy Group Policy objects, delegate Group Policy Management rights, and manage security policies. A good understanding of Windows 2000 and Windows XP is essential because the client system platform is the target of Group Policy deployments (Windows Server and Windows Servers 2003 can also be the target of Group Policy deployments, of course)

File system

All IT staff must be familiar with the NTFS format and know how to configure permissions on NTFS partitions. System administrators who manage storage should understand the difference between basic and dynamic disks, as well as how to create and manage partitions and volumes, manage disk quotas, use a split volume, and configure and manage shadow copies (Volume Shadow copy). In addition, understanding of disk-array-related knowledge points, such as creating and managing mirrored volumes and striped volumes, is essential.

Distributed File System

System administrators who are going to create and manage Distributed File System (DFS) roots and shares must be familiar with the Active Directory and filesystem-related knowledge before they need a broad understanding of distributed file systems and replication technologies.

Safety

Security deployments are required in many areas of the enterprise. System administrators need security training that depends on the security technologies and features they will manage. Basic Active Directory training is important as well as user and group management, IP Security (IPSEC), Virtual private Network (VPN), IP Routing and Ports, firewalls, Certificate Services, certificate management, and Internet Information Services (IIS).

Remote access

IT staff who will manage remote access must be familiar with network, routing, user and group management, Routing and Remote Access Services (RRAS), and remote access policies. At the same time, depending on whether they are using these remote access features, they should understand Remote Authentication dial-up User Service (RADIUS), Internet Authentication Service (IAS), and Certificate Services.

IIS 6.0, ASP.net, ADO. NET and. NET Framework

Because many of the system's features are dependent on IIS, each system administrator should have at least a basic understanding of IIS and its associated security issues. Administrators who manage IIS servers need a deeper understanding of IIS, including the ability to manage IIS system structures and processes, configure and manage virtual servers, and deploy security for servers. Depending on how your organization will use IIS, your system administrator may also need a good database installation management background, including the experience of configuring an ODBC connection.

Terminal Server

Administrators who will be managing Terminal servers need to understand the details of the deployment and use of Remote Desktop clients, based on understanding the Terminal Server itself. Terminal Server is also a very important topic.

Internet

Any administrator who manages the characteristics of a network architecture should be trained at least in connection with network design and network protocols. Technicians who will manage the network need to be trained in network protocols, routing, traffic management, security-related issues (such as IPSec), firewalls, agents, and VPNs.

Data integrity and disaster recovery

Finally, ensuring data integrity and being able to implement disaster recovery is also critical to system administrators. System administrators who manage backup and restore must understand the knowledge and technology associated with file systems, storage hardware management, shadow copies, backup methods and tools, Automated System Restore (ASR), and Remote Storage.

Where to start

We have learned the most important leading technology in the Windows Server 2003 upgrade process. Now, we will look for resources that can help IT staff master these technologies, including certifications that demonstrate their knowledge and skills in this area.

Some links

Many resources are available for IT staff who want to study Windows Server 2003 in depth. Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 training and Events page, for example, contains Windows Server 2003 assessment pages, online information, books, and other training resources, as well as information about Windows Server 2003 certification. You can also find learning resources in other places, whether online or not.

These Microsoft resources, as well as books and training materials published by other publishers, provide IT staff with an excellent way to familiarize themselves with Windows Server 2003 features and learn how to deploy and manage these features. However, even if these resources are useful for the initial assessment, they often fail to provide comprehensive training for IT staff looking for the most technical expertise. This is why many organizations choose formal training and certification (such as using MCSA and MCSE to enable their employees to learn how to deploy and manage the latest operating system technology).

Training resources

Getting a Microsoft Certified System Administrator (MCSA) certificate or other Microsoft certificate requires more than just learning about key topics and a small amount of mock practice, which is far from enough. Successful completion of the certification exams requires a wide range of available technology and feature training, as well as practical experience in implementing Windows Server 2003. (Programming Entry Network)

There are now a wide range of resources for training and mentoring related certifications. Microsoft offers a number of training courses on Windows Server 2003 and related technologies. You can find relevant information on Microsoft's official website.

Since many courses are associated with Microsoft certifications, some of the courses offered by Microsoft require the completion of the corresponding advance courses. For example, Microsoft's five-day course-planning, implementing, and Maintaining a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Active Directory Infrastructure (course number 2279)-Requires completing Course 2278 first, which is planning and maintaining a Windows server 2003 Network Infrastructure. The cost of such training has changed, please contact the local training center to determine the training costs.

Most publishers provide a complete set of teaching materials, so you should query the title of Windows Server 2003 on your Web site. For example, Sybex recently published its hardcover textbook Proficient in Windows Server 2003. You can also find a Windows Server 2003 emulation certification test for vendors like Transcender. Microsoft is selling a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 profile through Microsoft Press (the author of this article is John Wiley & Sons's Windows Server 2003 Bible co-author)

When the system administrator has completed most of the training, or when they are trying to experience their learning skills to meet the requirements of Microsoft certification, they can use the assessment tool to test the level of knowledge. Some training companies offer these tools and you can find some on the Microsoft site.

Standard positioning

The key technologies that make Windows Server 2003 available to your IT staff may determine the success or failure of your deployment. Whether you're trying a large migration from Windows NT to Windows Server 2003 or simply upgrading Windows 2000 to get some of the features of Windows Server 2003, this is a determining factor. The number of new Windows Server 2003 features-whether active catalogs, file system features, security, or other improvements-means that IT staff may be overwhelmed with training and resources that target the successful deployment and management of new systems. Positioning system administrators to work efficiently on the primary technical requirements of the Windows Server 2003 platform can help companies determine that these employees are properly preparing to plan, deploy, and maintain a new system platform.