Server Roles

Part 1

Tim Begimov
Can you tell the difference?
Server.
You keep using that word.

I don’t think it means

what you think it means.

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Server vs. Workstation
 A PC (desktop/workstation) is designed for 
human-to-computer interaction.

 A server is designed for 

computer-to-computer interaction.

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Roles and Features
Is probably what
you’re thinking right
now.

 First introduced in
Windows Server
2003

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But that’s not quite what
we need…
A wider take on server roles
 The applications that the server is running specify the particular
server’s role.
 Servers typically need services and additional features installed to
perform its specific role.

 Servers love to role-play. Kinky bastards.

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Active Directory
What is Active Directory?
 Kurzgesagt: a database of network resources (known as
objects) and information about each of these objects

 AD != DC

 AD is a database,
DC is a single server
that controls AD

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A trip to the Forest
 Forest -> Tree -> Domain -> Organizational Unit -> Object
User, Computer, Printer, Network Share Obj.
 Schema = Object description

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Draw me like one of your French Schemas
 Classes = “Blueprints”. E.g. “ClassUser” for all objects of “User” type.

 For a Schema Object, classSchema defines the type of a Blueprint and

attributeSchema defines a particular attributed that can be assigned to
any desired blueprint

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What is Active Directory again?
 You will see this structure
a lot further down the road

 Indexed storage, Sequential

Storage, Transactional Processing

Data table (object records)

Link table (linked attributes, i.e.
pointers to objects in a container)
Security Descriptor table (inherited security descriptors for each object with links
pointing to them, separated for efficiency as to not store duplicates)

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Active Directory Services
 Directory System Agent
 Provides interfaces for clients
and other servers to connect

 Database Layer
 Provides API for working
With the AD data store

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SYSVOL and NETLOGON
 Sysvol is used to deliver the policy and logon scripts to
domain members.
 Policies %SystemRoot%/Sysvol/Sysvol/domain_name/Policies
 Scripts %SystemRoot%/Sysvol/Sysvol/domain_name/Scripts
 Staging Folders – used to sync data and files between domain controllers
 Sysvol replication:
 IF Domain Functional Level => Windows Server 2008: Distributed File System Replication
(DFS-R)
 ELSE: File Replication System (FRS).

 Netlogon Share is a folder where all the logon scripts are

stored. 
 Script folder under sysvol folder will act as Netlogon share:
 Location - %SystemRoot%\sysvol\sysvol\<domain DNS name>\scripts

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System State
 System State Backup includes:
 Active Directory DC Database file (ntds.dit)
SYSVOL folder and its files
Certificate Store
User Profiles
IIS metabase
Boot files
DLL cache folder
Registry info
COM+ and WMI info
Cluster service info
Windows Resource Protection system files

 Ntdsutil.exe, Esentutl.exe

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Exchange
Server or servers?
 Mailbox
 Hosts mailboxes, public folders, and related
messaging data.
 Hub Transport
 Handles mail flow, routing, and delivery within
the Exchange organization.
 Client Access
 This is a middle-tier server that accepts
connections to Exchange Server from clients.
 Unified Messaging
 Allows voice messages and faxes to be stored with
e-mail in a user’s mailbox.
 Edge Transport
 Serves as an additional mail routing server that
routes mail into and out of the Exchange organization.
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Exchange Database
 Mailbox Store
 Priv1.edb – messages, headers,
 Text attachments
 Priv1.stm – streaming file for
 MIME data and internet attachments
 Public Folder Store
 Designed for shared access

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Thank you