Unit I

Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012: Introduction, Selecting a Windows

Server 2012 Edition, Supporting Server Roles and Features, Server Licensing, Installing
Windows Server 2012: System Requirement, Performing a Clean Installation, Working with
Installation Partitions, Server Core Defaults, Server Core Capabilities, Completing Post-
Installation Tasks, Converting Between GUI and Server Core, Upgrade paths, Installing
Windows Server Migration Tools, Configuring NIC Teaming, Configuring local storage,
Configuring WDS to install OS through networking.

Introduction: - Server Administration means managing, monitoring and optimizing the

servers and networks so that we can ensure they work properly and safely. It requires 24/7
availability and monitoring to guarantee business operations at all times.
Windows Server Administration is an advanced computer networking topic that includes
server installation and configuration, server roles, storage, Active Directory and Group Policy,
file, print, and web services, remote access, virtualization, application servers,
troubleshooting, performance, and reliability.
Difference between Client OS and Server OS: -
Client OS Server OS
• It is an operating system that operates • It is an operating system that is
within desktop. It is used to obtain designed to be used on server. It is
services from a server. It run on the used to provide services to multiple
client devices like laptop, computer clients at a time and is very advanced
and is very simple operating system. operating system.
• Default domain of such system is • Here, it is server or domain controller.
‘Workstations’. • Works on high bandwidth.
• Works on low bandwidth. • Can handle more network connections
• Can’t handle more network • It provides more security.
connections. • Here, Hardware is used more
• It provides less security. efficiently. It has more memory
• It has less processing power. support.
• It is less stable. • It has greater processing power.
• It is less efficient. • It is more stable.
• Examples: Windows (XP, 7, 8, 10, • It is highly efficient.
11), Android, etc. • Example: - Windows server (2008,
2012, 2016, 2022), Red Hat, Linux etc.

Supporting Server Roles and Features: - The services that are provided by the server
for network clients are called server roles. Windows Server 2012 includes predefined
combinations of services called roles that implement common server functions.
After you install the Windows Server 2012 operating system, you can use Server Manager or
Windows PowerShell to assign one or more roles to that computer. The roles included with
Windows Server 2012 fall into three basic categories:
• Directory services store, organize, and supply information about a network and its
resources.
• Infrastructure services provide support services for network clients.
• Application services provide communications services, operating environments, or
programming interfaces for specific applications.
Directory Services: - Store, organize & supply information about network and its resources.
Active Directory: - An Active Directory is a directory structure used on Microsoft
Windows based servers and computers to store data and information about networks and
domains. It is a centralized and hierarchical database.
• It is used for centralized domain management.
• Store information about the objects on networks and makes this
information available to administrator and users for use.
• Its main purpose is to authenticate the users.
Its features of directory services are as: -

1. Active Directory Certificate Services (ADCS): - implements certification authorities

(CAs) and other services that facilitate the creation and management of the public key
certificates used by the identity and access control elements of the Windows Server
2012 security infrastructure.
• It provides digital certificates for the organization which can be used by the
organization to encrypt the network traffic and to authenticate user etc.
• Example: - Whenever ‘https’ request is made, it keeps on using the certificate
to encrypt your request to communicate from the client to the server.

2. Active Directory Domain Services (ADDS): - configures the server to function as an

Active Directory domain controller, which stores and manages a distributed database
of network resources and application-specific information. It is for the organization
security and authentication. [Domain: - it can be defined as a logical structure of the
container or the hierarchical structure of users, groups, computers, networks and
many more. It can include security services that provides authentication.]

3. Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS): - creates a single sign-on

environment by implementing trust relationships that enable users on one network to
access applications on other networks without providing a secondary set of logon
credentials. It connects Domain Services to the web-based applications outside the
domain by using the federated trust in order to authenticate user access. It allows
centralized web access under Domain Services Credentials.

4. Active Directory Rights Management Services: - makes up a client/server system

that uses certificates and licensing to implement persistent usage policies, which can
control access to information, no matter where a user moves it.
 It provides methods for protecting information. it protects documents by defining
who can open, modify, print, forward or to take other actions. It can be done by using
the certificates to encrypt the documents to have better security.

Infrastructure Services: - provide support services for network clients. Its features are as:
1. Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP): - provides network clients
with dynamically assigned IP addresses and other TCP/IP configuration settings,
such as subnet masks, default gateway addresses, and Domain Name System (DNS)
server addresses so that they can communicate with IP network.
2. DNS Servers: - provides name-to-address and address-to-name resolution services
for ADDS and Internet clients. The Windows Server 2012 DNS server
implementation also supports dynamic DNS and DHCP integration. It associates the
domain name; the people use to access web pages with their IP address. It uses ARP
and RARP protocols for IP to MAC and MAC to IP respectively..
3. Hyper-V: - provides a hypervisor-based environment in which administrators can
create virtual machines, each of which provides an isolated instance of the operating
system environment.
4. Remote Access: - provides remote users with access to network resources by using
DirectAccess and VPNs, as well as LAN and NAT routing services.
5. Windows Deployment Services (WDS): - enables you to install Windows operating
systems remotely on computers throughout the enterprise.
6. Windows Server Update Services (WSUS): - automates the process of
disseminating operating-system updates to Windows computers throughout the
enterprise.

Application Services: - provide communication services, operating environments or

programming interfaces for specific application.
1. Application Server: - provides an integrated environment for deploying and running
server-based business applications designed within (or expressly for) the organization,
such as those requiring the services provided by Internet Information Services (IIS),
web servers etc.
2. Fax Server: - enables you to manage fax devices and clients to send and receive faxes
over the network.
3. File and Storage Services: - installs tools and services that enhance Windows Server
2012’s basic ability to provide network clients with access to files stored on server
drives.
4. Print and Document Services: - provides clients with access to printers attached to
the server or to the network, as well as centralized network printer. Document services
enable you to route images from network attached scanners to users.
5. Web Server (IIS): - installs Internet Information Services (IIS), which enables the
organization to publish websites and web-based applications for use by intranet,
extranet, and/or Internet clients.
Selecting a Windows Server 2012 Editions: - When planning a server deployment, you
should choose the operating system edition based on multiple factors, including the
following:
• The roles you intend the servers to perform
• The virtualization strategy, you intent to implement
• The licensing strategy you plan to use
There are four editions of Windows Server 2012 which are as follows: -
1. Windows Server 2012 Datacenter: -
• Designed for large and powerful servers
• Support all the features of directory, infrastructure and application
services.
• Fault-tolerant and available through volume-licensing program
• Uses Client Access License (CALs) for accessing the server's services for
each user and device.
• Supports full storage replica feature for complete disaster recovery.

2. Windows Server 2012 Standard: -

• Designed for medium to large businesses
• Uses CALs for accessing the server's services for each user and device.
• Fault-tolerant
• It supports all the features but vary in the numbers of virtual machine
instances permitted by license
• supports limited Storage Replica feature (volume of 2TB)

3. Windows Server 2012 Essentials: -

• Supports only necessary tools and utilities
• Limited to 25 to 50 users only
• doesn't require buying CALs, making it an affordable option for small
companies.
• But doesn't support
• Remote access
• Hyper-V
• Active Directory Federation Services
• Active Directory Rights Management Services
• Active Directory domain services

4. Windows Server 2012 Foundation

• Designed for small businesses
• Limited to 15 users only
 • Implemented in environments where features such as file sharing,
printer sharing and security are required.
• But doesn't support:
• Active Directory Federation Services
• Hyper-V

Supporting Server Virtualization: -

The Windows Server 2012 Datacenter and Standard editions both include support for Hyper-
V, but they vary in the number of virtual machines permitted by their licenses. Each running
instance of it is classified as being in POSE or VOSE.

• POSE (Physical Operating System Environment): - A POSE is a physical computer

with its own hardware. When you purchase a Windows Server 2012 license, you can
perform a POSE installation of the operating system, as always.
Key features of POSE are as:
o Runs directly on physical hardware.
o Manages hardware resources like CPU, memory, storage, and peripherals.
o Examples include Windows, mac OS, various Linux distributions.
o Each physical machine typically hosts only one operating system instance.
o Requires dedicated hardware for each operating system environment.
o Hardware upgrades or changes impact the specific OS environment directly.

• VOSE (Virtual Operating System Environment): - VOSE is a virtual machine

running on a Hyper-V server with virtualized hardware. After installing the Hyper-V
role, you can then create virtual machines (VMs) and perform VOSE installations
on them. The number of VOSE installations permitted by your license depends on
the edition you purchased.
Key Features of VOSE are as:
o Runs on a virtualization layer, which abstracts physical hardware.
o Supports concurrent execution of multiple operating system instances on a
single physical host.
o Each virtual machine can run its own OS, independent of others.
o Managed by a hypervisor, which allocates and manages resources for VMs.
o Enables better resource utilization and flexibility in resource allocation.
o Resources like CPU, memory, and disk space can be dynamically adjusted
based on demand.
o Examples of virtualization platforms include VMware, Hyper-V, VirtualBox.
Server Licensing: -
The licensing structure for Windows Server 2012 is considerably simpler than it has been in
previous versions of the operating system. The licenses you need to purchase for a given
server installation are affected by the following criteria: -
• Processors—Both the Datacenter and the Standard edition come with a license that
supports up to two physical processors. To run either one on a computer with more than
two processors, you must purchase additional licenses.

• Virtual instances—The Standard edition license supports one physical instance and as
many as two virtual operating system instances on a Hyper-V installation. If you want
to create more than two virtual machines running Windows Server 2012 Standard, you
must purchase additional licenses at the rate of two virtual instances per license. The
Datacenter edition supports an unlimited number of virtual instances. The Essentials
license enables you to install the operating system on one physical computer or one
virtual machine, but not both. The Foundation license includes no virtual instances.

• Clients—The Foundation license supports up to 15 users and the Essentials edition up

to (25-100) users. For the Standard and Datacenter editions, you must purchase client
access licenses (CALs).

Installing Windows Server 2012: -

If a computer is brand new and has no operating system installed on it, it cannot start until you
supply a boot disk, such as a Windows Server 2012 installation disk. During installation, you
select the disk partition on which you want to install the operating system, and the Setup
program copies the operating system files there.
System Requirements: -
As of this writing, the minimum system requirements for all editions of Windows Server
2012 are as follows:
• 1.4 GHz 64-bit processor
• 512 MB RAM
 • 32 GB disk space
• DVD or USB flash drive
• Super VGA (800x600) or higher resolution monitor
Having 32 GB of available disk space should be considered an absolute minimum. The system
partition needs extra space if you install the system over a network or your computer has more
than 16 GB of RAM installed. The additional disk space is required for paging, hibernation,
and dump files. In practice, you are unlikely to come across a computer with 32 GB RAM and
only 32 GB disk space. If you do, free more disk space or invest in additional storage hardware.
Maximum hardware configuration can be: -

Performing a clean Installation: -

Steps to install Windows server 2012 are as follows: -
1. Turn on the computer and insert the Windows Server 2012 installation disk into the
DVD drive.
2. Press any key to boot from the DVD (if necessary). A progress indicator screen
appears as Windows is loading files. A Windows Setup page appears, as shown
below: -
3. By using the drop-down lists provided, select the appropriate language to install, time
and currency format, and keyboard or input method, and then click Next. The
Windows Setup page appears, as shown below: -

4. Click on ‘Install Now’. The Windows Setup Wizard appears, displaying the ‘Select
the operating system you want to install’ page, as shown below: -
5. Select the operating system edition and installation option you want to install and
click Next. The License Terms page appears.

6. Select the ‘I accept the license terms check box’ and click Next. The Which type of
installation do you want? page appears, as shown below: -

7. Because you are performing a clean installation and not an upgrade, click the
‘Custom: Install Windows Only (advanced)’ option. The ‘Where do you want to
install Windows?’ page appears, as shown below: -
8. From the list provided, select the partition on which you want to install Windows
Server 2012, or select an area of unallocated disk space where the Setup program can
create a new partition. Then click Next. The Installing Windows page appears.

9. After several minutes, during which the Setup program installs Windows Server
2012, the computer restarts and the Settings page appears, as shown below: -
 10. In the Password and Re-enter Password text boxes, type the password to be
associated with the Administrator account and press Enter. The system finalizes the
installation and the Windows sign-on screen appears, as shown below: -

Working with Installation Partitions: -

During the Windows Server 2012 installation procedure, the Setup program enables you to
select the partition or area of unallocated disk space where you want to install the operating
system. The Where do you want to install Windows? page lists the partitions on all the
computer’s disk drives that the Setup program can detect with its default drivers.
In most cases, all the computer’s drives should appear in the list; if they do not, it is probably
because Windows does not include a driver for the computer’s drive controller.
In addition to installing disk drivers, the ‘Where do you want to install Windows?’ Page
enables you to create, manage, and delete the partitions on your disks.

Clicking the Drive options (advanced) button on the page causes of additional buttons to
appear. These buttons have the following functions:
• Delete: - removes an existing partition from a disk, permanently erasing all its data. You
might want to delete partitions to consolidate unallocated disk space, enabling you to
create a new, larger partition.
• Format: - enables you to format an existing partition on a disk, thereby erasing all its
data. You do not need to format any new partitions you create for the install, but you
might want to format an existing partition to eliminate unwanted files before installing
Windows Server 2012 on it.
• New: - creates a new partition of a user-specified size in the selected area of unallocated
space.
• Load drivers: - If during a Windows Server 2012 installation, no disk partitions or
unallocated space appear on the ‘Where do you want to install Windows?’ page, you
must install the appropriate driver for your disk controller using this option before the
installation can continue.
• Extend: - enables you to make an existing partition larger, as long as unallocated space
is available immediately following the selected partition on the disk.
Post-Installation Tasks: - Post-Installation tasks can be termed as the tasks that will be
performed after the installation of Windows Server 2012 on the system to configure various
changes. These tasks can be as follows: -
1. Converting the System interface from GUI to Server Core and vice versa
2. Upgrading paths
3. Installing Migration tools
4. Configuring NIC Teaming
5. Configuring Local Storage
[ Detailed explanation about these tasks is given further]

Server Core: - While installing Windows Server, there is an option for installing ‘Server Core
Installation’. With this version of the OS, it’ll be supporting CLI interface rather than GUI.
There is no Start menu, no desktop Explorer shell, no Microsoft Management Console, and
virtually no graphical applications. All you see when you start the computer is a single window
with a command prompt.
Benefits of running Server Core are as follows: -
• More Secure: -
• More Stable: -
• Reduces Disk Space: - Server Core requires less disk space for the installed operating
system elements, as well as less swap space, which maximizes the utilization of the
server’s storage resources.
• Less need of maintenance: -
• Easy management: -
• Reduced patch frequency: - Windows Server 2012’s graphical elements are among the
most frequently patched features, so running Server Core reduces the number of patches
(updates) that you must apply. Fewer patches also mean fewer server restarts and less
downtime.
• Reduced attack surface: - The less software there is running on the computer, the fewer
entrances are available for attackers to exploit. Server Core reduces the potential
openings presented by the operating system, increasing its overall security.
• Hardware resource conservation: - Server Core eliminates some of the most memory
and processor-intensive elements of the Windows Server 2012 operating system, thus
devoting more of the system hardware to running essential services.
Server Core Defaults: -
In Windows Server 2012, Server Core is now the default installation option because in the new
way of managing servers, you should rarely, if ever, have to work at the server console, either
physically or remotely.
The new Server Manager application in Windows Server 2012 enables you to add servers from
all over the enterprise and create server groups to facilitate the configuration of multiple
systems simultaneously. The new Windows PowerShell 3.0 environment increases the number
of available commands—known as cmdlets—from 230 to more than 2,430.
With tools like these, it is possible for you to install your servers using the Server Core option,
execute a few commands to join each server to an AD DS domain, and then never touch the
server console again.
You can perform all subsequent administration tasks, including deployment of roles and
features, by using Server Manager and Windows PowerShell from a remote workstation.
Server Core Capabilities: -
The following table lists the roles and features that are available and not available in a
Windows Server 2012 Server Core Installation: -

[Please note. For your university examination, you’ll have to explain the above-mentioned
capabilities. Explanation regarding these capabilities is already given under the topic “Server
roles and Features”.]
Converting between GUI and Server Core: -
In Windows Server 2012, you can convert a computer installed with the full GUI option to
Server Core and add the full GUI to a Server Core computer.
To convert a full GUI installation of Windows Server 2012 to Server Core using Server
Manager, use the following procedure.
This can be done using GUI as well as CLI.
At first, Let’s do by using GUI: -
Log on to the server running Windows Server 2012 by using an account with administrative
privileges. The Server Manager window appears.
1. From the ‘Manage’ menu, select ‘Remove Roles and Features’. The ‘Remove Roles and
Features Wizard’ appears, displaying the ‘Before you begin page’.

2. Click Next. The ‘Select destination server’ page appears.

3. Select the server you want to convert to Server Core and click Next. The Remove Server
Roles page appears.
4. Click Next. The ‘Remove features’ page appears.
5. Scroll down in the list and expand the ‘User Interfaces and Infrastructure’ feature, as
shown below: -
6. Clear the check boxes for the following components: -
• Graphical Management Tools and Infrastructure
• Server Graphical Shell
7. The ‘Remove features that require Graphical Management Tools and Infrastructure’
dialog box appears, as shown below, with a list of dependent features that must be
uninstalled. Click ‘Remove Features’.

8. Click Next. The ‘Confirm removal selections’ page appears.

9. Select the ‘Restart the destination server automatically if required’ check box and click
‘Remove’. The Removal progress page appears as the wizard uninstalls the feature.
 10.Click Close. When the removal is completed, the computer restarts.
Converting from GUI to Server Core using command: -
• Type the following Command in the Windows PowerShell: -
Uninstall-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra, Server-Gui-Shell -Restart

On the successful execution of this command, processing will get started for interface
conversion, as shown below.
To convert a Windows Server 2012 Server Core installation to the full GUI option, use the
following Windows PowerShell command:
Type the following command: -
1. First of all, type ‘powershell’ to shift to Windows PowerShell
2. Now type the following Command: -
Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra, Server-Gui-Shell -Restart

On the successful execution of command, processing will get started for interface conversion.
Installing Windows Server Migration Tools: -
Migration is the preferred method of replacing an existing server with one running Windows
Server 2012. Unlike an in-place upgrade, a migration copies vital information from an existing
server to a clean Windows Server 2012 installation.
By using the Windows Server Migration Tools and migration guides supplied with Windows
Server 2012, you can migrate data between servers under any of the following conditions:
• Between versions: You can migrate data from any Windows Server version since
Windows Server 2008 R2 to Windows Server 2012. This includes migrations from one
server running Windows Server 2012 to another.
• Between platforms: You can migrate data from an x32 or x64-based server to an x64-
based server running Windows Server 2012.
• Between editions: You can migrate data between servers running different Windows
Server editions.
• Between physical and virtual instances: You can migrate data from a physical server
to a virtual one, or the reverse.
Before you can use the migration tools, however, you must install the Windows Server
Migration Tools feature on the destination server running Windows Server 2012, and then
copy the appropriate version of the tools to the source server.
Steps are as follows: -
1. From Manage menu, Select ‘Add Roles and Features’. The ‘Add Roles and Features
Wizard’ appears, displaying the ‘Before you begin’ page.

2. Select the destination server from Server Pool. Then, Click on ‘Next’.
3. On ‘Select features’ page, Scroll down and select “Windows Server Migration Tools”
and click on ‘Next’.
 4. Then, ‘Confirm installation selections’ page appears and select ‘Restart the destination
server automatically if required’ and the click on ‘Install’
5. Then, it’ll get installed after few moments.
After you install the Windows Server Migration Tools feature on the destination server, you
must create a distribution folder containing the tools for the source server. This distribution
folder must contain the appropriate files for the platform and the operating system version of
the source server.
To create the distribution folder on a server running Windows Server 2012 with the
Windows Server Migration Tools feature already installed, use the following procedure: -
1. Open the command prompt.
2. Switch to the directory containing the Windows Server Migration Tools files which is
as: - C:\Windows\System32\ServerMigrationTools
3. To switch to this path, type: - cd \Windows\System32\ServerMigrationTools
4. The SmigDeploy.exe program creates a new folder in the directory you specify for the
‘path’ parameter, assigning it a name and location based on the command-line switches
you specify.
5. Now, type the following command as: -
SmigDeploy.exe /os WS12 /path C:\MigrationFolder /package /architecture amd64
NIC Teaming: -

Points to remember: -

• Switch: -A switch is a networking device, which provides the facility to share the
information & resources by connecting different network devices, such
as computers, printers, and servers, within a small business network.

• Router: -A router is a networking device used to connect multiple switches and their
corresponding networks to build a large network. These switches and their corresponding
networks may be in a single location or different locations.
 • NIC Cards: - A network interface card (NIC) is a hardware component without which
a computer cannot be connected over a network. It is a circuit board installed in a
computer that provides a dedicated network connection to the computer. It is also
called network interface controller, network adapter or LAN adapter.

NIC Teaming: - NIC Teaming (or Load Balancing/Failover – LBFO, or NIC bonding)
allows joining multiple physical network adapters (NICs) into a single logical network
card or enables you to combine multiple physical network adapters into a single
interface.

[NIC teaming is a feature of Windows Server that allows the grouping of NICs into
teams. The team members are the network adapters that are used to communicate with
the switch. The team interfaces are the virtual network adapters created when making a
team. Hence, NIC teaming maintains a connection to multiple physical switches but uses
a single IP address. This ensures readily available load balancing and instant fault
tolerance (instead of waiting for DNS records to timeout/update)]

Benefits of NIC Teaming: -

• Load balancing
In the case of NIC teaming, the network traffic is balanced across all active
NICs equally. Hence, outgoing traffic is load balanced automatically between
 the available physical NICs, based on the destination address. The incoming
traffic is controlled by the switch routing the traffic to the server. The server
does not control the physical NIC traffic.
• Fault tolerance
Another benefit offered by NIC teaming is higher fault tolerance. If one of the
underlying physical NICs is broken down or if the cable of the corresponding
NIC is unplugged, the host/server detects the fault condition and moves the
traffic to another NIC automatically. This reduces the possibility of a
breakdown of the entire network, thus improving the fault tolerance of the
system.

NIC Teaming Modes: -

The two NIC teaming modes are Switch Independent and Switch Dependent.
• Switch Independent: -
As the name suggests, in the Switch Independent mode, it is hardware
independent and the switches to which the NIC team members are connected
do not know about the presence of the NIC team. Hence, those switches do not
know how to distribute the network traffic to NIC team members, and instead,
they distribute the inbound network traffic across NIC team members.

If this mode is on, you can connect different network adapters to different
switches to improve fault tolerance (protection against switch failure).

• Switch Dependent: - It is hardware dependent. In the Switch Dependent mode,

the switch that is connected to NIC team members determines the distribution
of the inbound network traffic among the NIC team members. Switch
Dependent mode further has the following two options:
i) Static Teaming: - It is a static operation mode depending on your
network hardware. All team adapters must be connected to the same
switch, which Ethernet ports are configured to use static channel
aggregation (additional switch configuration is required); Requires
manual configuration of the switch as well as the host to identify the links
that form the team. Since this configuration is static, there is no additional
protocol that assists the switch and host to identify errors such as
incorrectly plugged cables. This can cause the team to fail.
ii) Link Aggregation Control Protocol (LACP): LACP teaming identifies
links connected between the switch and the host dynamically. This in turn
enables the automatic creation of the team. This mode is supported by all
server-class switches, but network operators must enable LACP on the
switch port. You need to enable and configure the dynamic link
aggregation using the LACP on your switch.
Using Switch Dependent mode with Dynamic distribution distributes the network traffic
load based on Transport Ports address hash that is modified by the dynamic load
balancing algorithm. This algorithm redistributes flows, optimizes team member
bandwidth utilization, and allows individual flow transmissions to move from one active
team member to another. The algorithm also reduces the possibility of out-of-order
deliveries but takes its possibility into account.

Load Balancing Modes: -

The load balancing distribution modes of NIC teaming are:
1. Address Hash
In this mode, a hash is created based on the address components of the packet. This hash
is assigned to one of the available adapters, thus creating a reasonable balance across
available adapters.
Windows PowerShell can be used to specify values for the hashing components like:
i. Source and destination TCP ports and source and destination IP addresses.
ii. Source and destination address only.
iii. Source and destination Media Access Control (MAC) addresses only.
2. Hyper-V Port
In this mode, the NIC teams that are configured on Hyper-V hosts give independent
MAC addresses to Virtual Machines (VMs). The MAC address of the VMs or the VM
ports connected to the Hyper-V switch are used to divide network traffic between NIC
team members. It allows you to bind an adapter from your NIC Team to a specific port
on a Hyper-V virtual switch.
3. Dynamic
In this mode, the outbound loads are distributed based on the TCP port and IP address.
This mode rebalances loads in real-time to ensure that a given outbound flow moves
back and forth between team members. The inbound loads are distributed in the same
way as the Hyper-V port. It utilizes both aspects of Address Hash and Hyper-V and is
the highest performing load balancing mode.

Steps to create NIC Teaming are as: -

1. Log on the server. The server manager windows appear.
2. In the navigation pane, click the Local Server icon. The Local Server homepage
appears. In the Properties tile, click the NIC Teaming hyperlink [which is initially
disabled].

3. The NIC Teaming window appears. In the Teams tile, click the Tasks menu and
select New Team.

4. The New team page appears. In the Team Name text box, type the name you want
to assign to the team.
5. In the Member adapters box, select the network adapters you want to add to the
team.
6. In the Teaming Mode drop-down list, select one of the following options:
• Static Teaming
• Switch Independent
• LACP
7. In the Load balancing mode drop-down list, select one of the following options:
• Address Hash
• Hyper-V Port
• Dynamic

8. Click OK. The new team appears in the Teams tile,

 After you create a NIC team, you can use the NIC Teaming window to monitor
the status of the team and the team interface you created. The team itself and the
individual adapters all have status indicators that inform you if an adapter goes
offline.

Upgrading paths: - If you have a 64-bit computer running Windows Server 2008 or Windows
Server 2008 R2, you can upgrade it to Windows Server 2012 as long as you use the same (or
a lower) operating system edition.
Windows Server 2012 does not support the following: -
• Upgrades from Windows Server versions prior to Windows Server 2008
• Upgrades from Windows workstation operating systems
• Cross-edition upgrades, such as Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition to
Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Edition
• Cross-platform upgrades, such as 32-bit Windows Server 2008 to 64-bit
Windows Server 2012
• Cross-language upgrades, such as from Windows Server 2008, U.S. English, to
Windows Server 2012, French
Performing Upgrade Installation: -
To perform a Windows Server 2012 upgrade installation from Windows Server 2008 or
Windows Server 2008 R2, use the following procedure.

1. Start the server and log on using an account with administrative privileges.
2. Insert the Windows Server 2012 installation disk into the DVD drive/bootable pen
drive and start the Setup program. The Windows Setup window appears.

3. Click Install Now. The Windows Setup Wizard appears, displaying the Select the
operating system you want to install page.

4. Select the operating system edition and installation option you want to install and
click Next. The License Terms page appears.
5. Select the I accept the license terms check box and click Next. The Which type of
installation do you want? page appears.
6. Click the Upgrade: Install Windows and keep files, settings, and applications option.
The Compatibility report (saved to your desktop) page appears,
 7. Note the compatibility information provided by the Setup program and click Next.
The Upgrading Windows page appears,

After several minutes, during which the Setup program upgrades Windows Server 2008 or
Windows Server 2008 R2 to Windows Server 2012 and restarts the computer several times,
the system finalizes the installation and the Windows sign-on screen appears.

During the upgrade process, when the system restarts, the boot menu provides an option to
roll back to the previous operating system version. However, after the upgrade is complete,
this option is no longer available; uninstalling Windows Server 2012 and reverting to the old
operating system version is not possible.
Configuring local storage in Windows Server 2012 involves several steps, including partitioning
disks, formatting volumes then use these partitions for storage. Here's a step-by-step guide:
1. Partition disks: If you have not already done so, you will need to partition the disks to create
separate storage areas. To partition a disk, follow these steps: -
• Open the Disk Management tool by typing "diskmgmt.msc" in the Start menu search
bar.

• Right-click on the disk you want to partition and select "Shrink Volume."
• Enter the amount of space you want to allocate to the new partition and click
"Shrink."

After clicking on “Shrink”, A partition of 4.24GB has been created which is

unallocated.

• Right-click on the unallocated space and select "New Simple Volume."

• Selecting “New Simple Volume” will open this wizard as: -

• Follow the wizard to set up the new partition.

• Assigning Drive letter to the partition: -

• Then, Format partition wizard will appear as: -

Then, Click on “Next”.

• Then, Click “Finish”.

2. Format volumes: After creating a new partition, If partition has not been formatted, then you
will need to format it before you can use it. To format a volume, follow these steps:
• Open the Disk Management tool.
• Right-click on the partition you want to format and select "Format."
• Select the file system you want to use (such as NTFS or FAT32) and enter a volume label.
• Click "OK" to format the volume.