Windows Server 2012 R2 Lab Report
itjen10202122
windows_server_2012_essentials-1-1_3.pdf
Windows Server 2012
R2 Essentials
Windows Server 2012
R2 Essentials
Hands-on lab
An ideal server for small businesses, Windows Server 2012 R2
Essentials, the latest version of Windows Small Business Server
Essentials, provides a powerful and flexible solution that helps
protect your business data while allowing you to access the
information you need from virtually anywhere using almost
any device.
In this lab, you will learn how to work with Microsoft Office
365 mailboxes, create a user account for a new employee, join
a computer to the network, monitor the health and protect the
data of the network environment using local and cloud-based
services, extend storage capacity, and finally how to remotely
access the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials server when
away from the office.
Produced by HynesITe, Inc
Version 3.1
11/20/2013
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Introduction
Estimated time to complete this lab
60 minutes
Objectives
After completing this lab, you will be able to:
� Integrate Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials with Microsoft Office 365.
� Add a user account.
� Connect the user’s computer to the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials environment.
� Manage the user’s computer to ensure its health and security.
� Generate a Health Report.
� Protect data on the server and the user’s computer.
� Integrate Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials with Windows Azure Backup.
� Add server storage capacity.
� Use Remote Web Access.
Prerequisites
Before working on this lab, you must have:
� A basic level of understanding of Windows Server concepts.
� A basic level of understanding of Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.
Overview of the lab
An ideal server for small businesses, Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials, the latest version of Windows
Small Business Server Essentials, provides a powerful and flexible solution that helps protect your business
data while allowing you to access the information you need from virtually anywhere using almost any
device. In this lab, you will learn how to work with Microsoft Office 365 mailboxes, create a user account
for a new employee, join a computer to the network, monitor the health and protect the data of the
network environment using local and cloud-based services, extend storage capacity, and finally how to
remotely access the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials server when away from the office.
This demonstration lab highlights some of the core features in Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials. It
shows a typical scenario of a new user joining the company, and an office Administrator setting up the
user account, joining the computer to the domain, extending the storage and backup capabilities of the
server, and using Storage Spaces to manage and protect data. It also shows how the user can take
advantage of Remote Web Access to work remotely via the Internet, as well as how to take advantage of
cloud-based services for Office 365, online backups, and add-ins such as health reports.
Scenario
Coho Vineyard is a growing small business with four employees. They run Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 on
their client computers, and have deployed a server running Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials to assist
with centralization of data, client and server backup, password management, remote access, and to start
taking advantage of productivity and line-of-business (LOB) solutions now offered in the cloud. Coho
Vineyard has recently hired a new employee, Lisa Miller. Lisa comes to the organization with her own
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laptop, and while she is happy to join her laptop to the network, she does not want to lose any data or
personal settings. The administrator for Coho Vineyard’s network, Aaron Lee, needs to ensure the
company’s data is protected and that there is adequate storage space available, and ensure that he can
prepare server health reports to send to the partner that assists with his network. To do this, he wants to
ensure that Lisa’s computer is being backed up to the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials server and that
the server’s backup configuration is set up. He will also configure the online backup process. Aaron also
needs to add new storage capacity to the server and move some of the data to the new hard drive. Finally,
Lisa Miller needs to be able to work remotely, so we’ll set up an Office 365 account for her and walk her
through the process of using Remote Web Access which will allow her to access shared folders on the
server and connect to computers in the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials environment.
Virtual machine technology
This lab is completed using virtual machines that run on Windows Server 2012 Hyper-V technology. To
log on to the lab virtual machines, on the Navigation Pane on the right, click the virtual machine to which
you want to log on, and then click Send Ctl-Alt-Del.
Computers in this lab
This lab uses computers as described in the following table. Before you begin the lab, you must ensure
that the virtual machines are started and then log on to the computers.
Virtual Machine Role Configuration
Server Server Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials server
Client1 Domain-joined client Client computer with Windows 8.1 installed
Client2 Non-domain-joined client Client computer with Windows 8.1 installed
All user accounts in this lab use the password Passw0rd!
Note regarding user account control
Some steps in this lab may be subject to user account control. User account control is a technology which
provides additional security to computers by requesting that users confirm actions that require
administrative rights. Tasks that generate a user account control confirmation are denoted using a shield
icon. If you encounter a shield icon, confirm your action by selecting the appropriate button in the dialog
box that is presented.
Note regarding pre-release software
Portions of this lab include software that is not yet released, and as such may still contain active or known
issues. While every effort has been made to ensure this lab functions as written, unknown or unanticipated
results may be encountered as a result of using pre-release software.
Note regarding activation
The virtual machines for these labs may have been built by using software that has not been activated.
This is by design in the lab to prevent the redistribution of activated software. The unactivated state of
software has been taken into account in the design of the lab. Consequently, the lab is in no way affected
by this state. For operating systems other than Windows 8.1, please click Cancel or Close if prompted by
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an activation dialog box. If you are prompted by an Activate screen for Windows 8.1, press the Windows
key to display the Start screen.
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Exercise1: Getting Started
Coho Vineyard is a growing small business with four employees. They run Windows 7 on their client
computers and have deployed a Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials server to assist with centralization of
data, client and server backup, password management, remote access, and to start taking advantage of
line-of-business (LOB) solutions now offered in the cloud. Coho Vineyard has recently hired a new
employee, Lisa Miller. Lisa comes to the organization with her own laptop, and while she is happy to join
her laptop to the network, she does not want to lose any data or personal settings.
In this exercise, you will see how Aaron Lee, the administrator for Coho Vineyard’s network, will use the
Dashboard to create a user account for Lisa. The Dashboard is the primary administrative interface for
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials and can be run from any computer in the network as well as the server
itself. Aaron can use the Launchpad, which was installed when his computer was joined to the Windows
Server 2012 R2 Essentials domain, to launch the Dashboard.
Review the Dashboard and Alerts
Begin this lab logged on to Server as admin using the password Passw0rd!
1. On the Start screen, click Dashboard.
Figure 1: Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Start
2. On the Home screen, review the Setup list.
The default view of the Small Business Server Dashboard is the Home screen. On the Home screen, you
can immediately see the Setup list. This list provides the key activities to get the server configured for
your environment. As you finish each task, it will be marked as completed to help track your progress.
The list is extensible and allows partners to add tasks based on the server’s hardware and any pre-
installed software.
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Figure 2: Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Dashboard Home screen, displaying the Setup tasks
On the left-hand side of the Home screen, there is a set of common tasks which Aaron can take
advantage of to help him more easily manage the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials environment,
such as connecting to an e-mail service, installing additional add-ins, and viewing help and support
options.
IMPORTANT: In this screenshot and the ones that follow, what is shown in the manual may not be
identical to what you actually see on the screen during the lab, but will be similar. This is expected
behavior for this lab environment.
3. Click Quick Status.
Figure 3: Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Dashboard Quick Status view
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In the Quick Status view, you can see at a glance the current summary of the server’s configuration.
4. On the Ribbon, click the alerts icon, (a red X with a numeric subscript showing the number of
alerts, to open the Alerts summary.
Figure 4: Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Alerts summary
5. Close the Alerts Summary.
6. Before proceeding, on the taskbar, right-click Windows PowerShell, and then click Run as
Administrator. In the User Account Control dialog box, click Yes.
7. At the Windows PowerShell command prompt, type the following command, and then press
ENTER.
↪ Restart-Service certsvc
8. Close Windows PowerShell.
The preceding Windows PowerShell steps are not required in a production environment, only in the lab
environment.
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Exercise 2: Office 365 Connectivity
A key business tool in any modern organization is e-mail, and Aaron has decided to leverage the
convenience and functionality of Microsoft Office 365 for Coho’s messaging and collaboration needs.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials provides an integrated administration experience that allows Aaron to
manage his user accounts and their associated mailboxes together, right within the Dashboard.
Connect to Office 365
In this step, you will connect to the Office 365 service by creating a trial account.
Begin this task logged on to Server as Admin using the password Passw0rd!
1. On the Home page, click SERVICES.
Figure 5: E-mail choice
2. In Services, click Integrate with Microsoft Office 365, and then click Integrate with Microsoft
Office 365.
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Figure 6: Office 365 selection
3. In the Microsoft Office 365 Integration wizard, you have the choice of using your existing
subscription or beginning a new agreement. Click Next to set up a new subscription.
Figure 7: Office 365 Integration Wizard
4. Aaron has decided that Coho Vineyard will start out with a trial of Microsoft Office 365 for midsize
businesses and enterprises. Click the Microsoft Office 365 for midsize businesses and enterprises
Try link.
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Figure 8: Subscribe to Office 365
5. On the trial setup page, enter the following information, and then click create my account.
Property Value
Country: United States
First name: Aaron
Last name: Lee
Email: [email protected]
Address 1: 1 Somewhere Road
City: Redmond
State or Province: Washington
Zip or postal code: 98052
Phone: Use your own phone number
Organization: Coho Vineyard
User ID: Admin
Domain (second half of User ID box):
Create a trial domain name using coho plus a random 8- character string. Highlight and copy the name you use, you will need it later in the lab.
Password: Passw0rd!
Verification: Enter the verification string
Language: English
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Figure 9: Office 365 Trial Account setup
6. In mobile Phone Number, type the phone number you entered in step 5, and then click Save and
continue.
Figure 10: Office 365 mobile phone number
7. Wait a few minutes until the services are set up, and then close the browser window.
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Figure 11: Office 365 E3 plan services
8. In the Microsoft Office 365 Integration wizard, click Next.
9. On the Provide your Office 365 Account Information page, enter the user ID and password you
created to set up the trial account, and then click Next.
IMPORTANT: Ensure you use onmicrosoft.com after the domain name you previously created.
Figure 12: Office 365 Account Information
10. To protect your mailboxes, Office 365 requires strong password policies. Review the strong
password policy, select the I understand that this wizard sets the password policy to Strong
check box, and then click Next.
Figure 13: Strong password policy
11. Click Restart Dashboard. The integration is now complete. The Dashboard restarts and a new
page is added to the Ribbon to manage Office 365.
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Figure 14: Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Dashboard with Office 365 integration
For the next exercise, Aaron will perform management tasks from his own client computer, signing in to
the Dashboard remotely using admin credentials.
12. Close the Dashboard.
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Exercise 3: Adding a User Account
The Users tab is where you create, modify, and manage the user accounts for the organization. Windows
Server 2012 R2 Essentials includes Active Directory for secure user identity and management, and
publishes this information through this easy-to-use tab. Built on best practices for small business
management, it enables office administrators with Windows skills to create and manage the users in their
environment. Aaron needs to create an account for a new user named Lisa Miller.
Open the Dashboard
In this task, you will launch the Dashboard.
Begin this task logged on to Client1 as Aaron using the password Passw0rd!
1. On the desktop, open Dashboard.
2. Sign in as admin using the password Passw0rd!
It is highly recommended that a dedicated account is used for administration tasks and that day-to-day
tasks are performed using a standard user account. Here, Aaron is signing in to the Dashboard from his
client computer using the admin account with the password Passw0rd!.
Figure 15: Dashboard sign in
3. On the Ribbon, click Users.
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Figure 16: Dashboard users
Add a user account
In this task, you will create an account for a new user.
1. To create a new account for Lisa, in Users Tasks, click Add a user account.
2. Enter the information in the following table, and then click Next.
Property Value
First name: Lisa
Last name: Miller
User name: Lisa
Password: Passw0rd!
Confirm password: Passw0rd!
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Figure 17: Add a user account wizard
To make it easy for office administrators to create new users, Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials creates
user accounts with one of two levels of access, either Standard user or Administrator. Advanced user
account properties can be set with the Active Directory management tools native to the underlying
Windows Server 2012 operating system; however these are more complex and require a greater level of
technical knowledge to use effectively.
3. Because you have integrated Office 365, the next step of the wizard allows you to create a
mailbox for Lisa. Click Next.
Figure 18: Create new user mailbox
4. To assign licenses for the Microsoft Online Services, select all of the check boxes except Office
Professional Plus, and then click Next.
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Figure 19: Assign licenses
5. Change the access level for Lab Documents to Read/Write, and then click Next.
Figure 20: Shared folder access
During the user creation wizard, you can also set permissions to the server’s shared folders. Permissions
to shared folders are configured at the top level and then flow down to subsequent subfolders. This
makes it easy to create, secure, and manage the organization’s data. By default, all new users have read-
only access to all shared folders and full access to their own personal folder.
The final step in creating a user account is defining permissions for Anywhere Access. This includes
access via a VPN and Remote Web Access (RWA). RWA, which you explore later in this lab, provides
access to the shared folders and computers in the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials environment
through a web browser from virtually anywhere you have Internet access. By default, Lisa has access to
the Shared Folders, Computers, and Homepage links. Aaron can edit these as desired, or even disallow
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access to RWA. Users with Administrator accounts can be given access to the Dashboard to perform
management tasks while away from the office.
6. Click Create account.
Figure 21: Anywhere Access permissions
Now that Lisa has a user account, the wizard finishes by providing information for connecting Lisa
Miller’s computer to the server and providing log on information.
7. Click Close.
Figure 22: Successfully added account
8. In the list of users, select Lisa Miller, and then in Lisa Miller Tasks, click View the account
properties.
Because Lisa takes her laptop with her when she leaves the office, you want to give her permission to
log on to Aaron’s computer.
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Figure 23: Lisa Miller’s user account and mailbox
9. Click the Computer access tab, and then select the CLIENT1 check box.
Figure 24: Lisa’s user account properties
10. Click OK.
Because Aaron had set up user accounts for the other Coho Vineyard employees before creating an
Office 365 subscription, he needs to create mailboxes for everyone else. Using the wizard, Aaron can
quickly give everyone a mailbox.
11. On the Users page, click Add Microsoft online accounts. Uncheck the admin and the
administrator accounts, and then click Next.
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Figure 25: Add Office 365 accounts
12. To assign licenses for the Microsoft Online Services, select all of the check boxes except Office
Professional Plus, click Next, and then click Close.
Figure 26: Assign Licenses
Create security and distribution groups
In this task, you will create a security group for the vineyard research team. They often deal with sensitive
documents and Aaron wants to ensure that he has a group that he can use to assign permissions to. He
will also create a distribution group for the marketing team.
Begin this task logged on to xxx as xxx using the password Passw0rd!
1. On the Dashboard, on the Users page, open the User Groups tab.
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Figure 27: User Groups tab
2. Click on Add a new user group.
3. Complete the Add a New Group form with the following information, and then click Next.
Property Value
Group name: Research and Development Security
Description: This is a restricted group for the R & D Team.
Figure 28: Group name
4. This group will be created both on premise and in Office 365. Click Next.
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Figure 29: Microsoft Online Services security group
You can create a new Microsoft Online Service security group, attach to an existing Online Service
security group, or only create the group locally.
5. Assign both Craig and Jan to the new group, and then click Next.
Figure 30: Adding users to group
6. Give the group Read and Write access to the Company folder, and then click Next.
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Figure 31: Folder access rights
7. To use this to assign access to the organization, leave the Anywhere Access settings as the
default, and then click Create Account.
Figure 32: Enable Anywhere Access settings
8. On the Distribution Groups tab, click Add a distribution group.
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Figure 33: Distribution Groups tab
9. Complete the Add a New Group form with the following information, and then click Next.
Property Value
Group name: Marketing Team Mail
Description: All members of the Marketing team.
Group email address: Marketing
Figure 34: Distribution group settings
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The default setting is to enable the e-mail address to accept mail from outside of the organization. To
restrict the group to only receive mail internally, you only need to uncheck the option.
10. Add Jan and Lisa to the group, and then click Next.
Figure 35: Distribution group membership
11. Once the distribution group has been created, click Close.
Figure 36: Successful addition of group
You have now created a security group and a distribution group, both locally (on premise) and in Office
365.
You will now get Lisa’s laptop computer set up on the network. You will be working from the server
later.
12. Close the Dashboard.
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Next you’ll switch to Lisa’s Windows 8.1 laptop, Client2, and see how easy it is to join her computer to
the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials environment.
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Exercise 4: Connecting Computers
Lisa is running Windows 8.1 and has made some personalization settings to her PC. In a traditional
Windows Server environment, Aaron would need to add this computer to the domain using the computer
properties. This would create a new profile on Lisa’s computer and all her personalization settings would
be lost. With Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials, the Connect Computer wizard makes this process much
easier for Lisa.
Connect computers
In this task, you will use the Connect Computer wizard to connect a client computer to the domain.
Begin this task logged on to Client2 as Client2\Lmiller using the password Passw0rd!
1. On the Start page, click Internet Explorer.
Figure 37: Windows 8.1 desktop
2. In the address bar, type http://Server/connect, and then click Go .
3. Click Download software for Windows.
Figure 38: Connect computer wizard web page
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4. In the Security Warning message box, click Run.
5. In the User Account Control message box, click Yes.
6. Select the agreement confirmation check box, and then click Next.
Figure 39: Connect Computer wizard
Like all Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials wizards, the Connect Computer wizard begins with an
introductory page. Here you can see that it will not only join the computer to the domain, but it will
then be able to be managed by the network administrator. The first step is to ensure that the computer
meets the minimum requirements to connect to the server. The computer will be checked to verify that
the prerequisite software is installed. After the prerequisites have been checked, Lisa is prompted for her
network credentials. While you can use the administrator account to join the computer to the network,
by using the user’s own account, you can also transfer the user’s local profile to their domain profile.
This ensures that Lisa’s personalization will be kept.
7. In the username, type Lisa, and then in the password, type Passw0rd!
8. Click Restart.
9. Click Set up this computer for myself, and then click Next.
After the computer has restarted, you are asked who you want to set up the computer for, and if you
want to migrate the existing user data to the new profile. This will transfer Lisa’s local user profile,
including all her personalization, desktop setup, gadgets, favorites, etc., to the new domain user profile.
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Figure 40: Set up the computer
10. In Computer description, type Lisa Miller’s primary workstation, and then click Next.
Figure 41: Review and modify the description
11. Click Yes, wake up this computer if it is either in sleep or hibernate mode to back it up, and
then click Next.
If the computer is present on the network during the automated client backup times, you can determine
if you want the computer to wake up from standby or hibernation.
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Figure 42: Wake up the computer for back up
12. Click Finish to complete the wizard.
Figure 43: Connect computer final step
13. The computer is now part of the CohoVineyard domain. Log on as Lisa using the password
Passw0rd!
Figure 44: Client login screen
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14. Click the Desktop tile.
Figure 45: The Start screen
15. Review the desktop.
Lisa’s laptop is now connected to the domain.
Next you’ll switch to the server and continue Aaron’s management tasks.
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Exercise 5: Health Alerts and Add-Ins
Now that the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials environment consists of several computers as well as the
server itself, you need an easy way to ensure that the entire network is healthy and stays that way. The
Dashboard helps to do this by displaying real-time status and alerts which you can also receive as e-mail
messages. You can also extend the functionality of Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials with Add-ins.
Configure health alerts and add-ins
In this task, you will configure health alerts and add-ins.
Switch to Server, and then log in as admin using the password Passw0rd!
1. Start the Dashboard, and then click the Devices tab.
All computer management is performed on the Devices tab. Here you can view details of each computer
joined to the network, including Mac client computers. There are a number of alerts you can review in
the lab environment.
2. To review Aaron’s computer, click CLIENT1, and then in the Tasks pane, click View the computer
properties, and then click the General tab.
Figure 46: Devices page
3. On the General tab, review the computer information, and then click the Backup tab.
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Figure 47: Computer properties: Backup tab
IMPORTANT: Depending on the time that has elapsed and the time of day, you may not see any
backups in the CLIENT1 or CLIENT2 Properties dialog box, as the first automatic backup will take some
time to complete.
IMPORTANT: Note that CLIENT1 may show as offline. This is due to the nature of the lab environment
and has no effect on the operation of the lab. If you want to see it showing online then you can reboot
Client1.
4. Select the first backup, and then click View Details.
Figure 48: Backup details
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You can view the computer's backup history, when the backups ran, whether they were successful, and
how many are currently stored on the server. The automated client backup in Windows Server 2012 R2
Essentials allows you to restore individual files and folders, and even perform a complete bare-metal
restore if needed. If one of the employee’s machines had a catastrophic failure, it can easily be restored
using either a Recovery DVD or USB key.
For Windows 8.1 clients, there is an additional option to be able to manage the File History settings.
5. Review the backup details, and then click OK twice to return to the Devices page.
By examining one of the latest backups you can see which volumes are backed up and manage the
lifecycle of this backup if required. By default, a backup retention policy controls how long backups are
kept.
Customize the File History settings
Using Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials, you can customize the File History settings for Lisa to ensure
that she can recover files herself quickly and with minimal data loss. By default, the location of this backup
for Lisa on Client2 when joined to the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials domain is \\Server\File History
Backups\, however this location can be modified from the Windows 8.1 client.
In this step, you will customize the File History settings.
1. In the Users window, ensure Lisa Miller is selected, and then under Users Tasks, click Change the
File History setting.
2. Click the File History tab, click the drop-down list to show the available Backup frequency
schedules, change the backup frequency to 30 minutes or shorter, and then click OK.
Figure 49: The File History tab
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Review alerts
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials captures the health of connected computers and reports on them a
number of ways to display critical, warning, and informational alerts. You can view this information a
number of ways through the Dashboard. In the Dashboard, you can view the network all-up health
summary (displayed in the upper-right) as well as the individual computer health.
By extending the server’s functionality with Add-ins, Aaron can unlock the full potential of the Windows
Server 2012 R2 Essentials server platform to provide improved manageability, increased security, and
enhanced business productivity for Coho Vineyard.
In this step, you will review the alerts.
1. On the Home screen, select the Health Monitoring tab, and then select the Critical Windows
Update error.
2. To view the details shown for the error, under Current Alert Tasks, click Get More Information.
You are now taken to a web page showing methods to resolve the issue.
3. Close Internet Explorer.
4. With the Windows Update error selected, under Current Alert Tasks, click Ignore the alert, and
then click Yes.
The error still exists; it has just been cleared from alerts.
For each alert, you can see a description, guidance for how to resolve the alert, and in some cases, links
to get more information or to launch the appropriate tool to fix the issue. Alerts can also be ignored. An
ignored alert will be recreated if the issue that generated it recurs.
One of the most powerful features of Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials is its extensibility and support
for add-ins, which are used to add new features and functionality to the server. A large partner
ecosystem, including Microsoft and other third-party developers, has taken advantage of the Windows
Server Solutions SDK to develop several useful add-ins, and one example of this is the Windows 8.1
Professional Pack. Add-ins can now be installed and managed from the Applications tab in the
Dashboard.
Configure the health reports
The health report can help Aaron, and in many cases a Microsoft Partner who may be helping to manage
the small business environment, to keep up-to-date on the overall health and status of the network.
1. Click the Home page of the Dashboard, click the Get Started tab, and then select the Quick
Status section.
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2. Select Health Report settings and then click the Click to customize Health Report settings
link.
Figure 50: Health Report settings
3. Review the settings on the Content tab, and then click the Schedule and Email tab.
4. On the Schedule and Email tab, select the Generate a health report at its scheduled time
check box, and then click OK.
Figure 51: Configure Health Report settings
5. On the Dashboard, click the Health Report tab.
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6. Under Health Report Tasks, click Generate a Health Report.
Figure 52: Health Report tab
7. After the report as completed building, open the health report to see the contents, which includes
a summary overview as well as detail sections. The report can also be customized, including the
option to automatically generate and email the report to desired recipients.
Figure 53: Health Report for SERVER
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Exercise 6: Protecting Data
One of the most important considerations for businesses of any size is the ability to protect their data.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials helps Coho Vineyard avoid data loss and prolonged downtime due to
hard drive crashes or other system failures for both their server and their client computers. Although
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials has automated client backups, the default schedule is between 6 pm
and 9 am. This is fine for all current computers on the network; however Aaron wants to have a backup of
Lisa’s computer right away.
Start a backup
In this step, you will start a backup so that you know Lisa’s computer is fully protected.
Ensure you are logged on to Server as admin using the password Passw0rd!
1. On the Dashboard, in Devices, select CLIENT2, and then in the Client2 Tasks pane, click Set up
backup for this computer.
Figure 54: The Devices page
2. In the Backup Description for Client2, keep the default name, and then click OK.
The backup can be named so that it can be easily identified.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials leverages snapshot backup technology which allows fast, efficient
backups. The first backup will capture all the data and system files, while subsequent backups will only
capture the changes and will be much faster.
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Figure 55: Backup description
3. In the Dashboard, click Server, and then in the Server Tasks pane, click Set Up Backup for the server.
Client backup is only part of the story. For a full disaster recovery solution you also need server backup.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials provides full automated server backup for the OS, system files,
shared folders, as well as the client computer backups. This ensures that you can fully recover if anything
happens to the server.
4. Review the content of the Getting Started page, and then click Next.
To implement server backup, you need to specify three things: a backup destination disk (which can be
internal, but external drives are recommended), the items you wish to back up, and the schedule you
want to use.
Figure 56: Getting Started page
5. Check Show all drives that can be used as backup drives, check the Microsoft Virtual Disk
Drive #1 check box, and then click Next.
Because this is the first time the backup has been configured, you will need to specify the backup
destination drive. When selecting a backup destination drive for the first time, you will be prompted to
format the drive.
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Figure 57: Select the Backup Destination
6. In the Set up Server Backup dialog box, click Yes.
Figure 58: Reformat hard drive warning
7. In Microsoft Virtual Disk Drive #1, type Primary Server Backup, and then click Next.
It is very helpful to provide a label for your backup destination and to affix a matching label to the
physical device. That way, you can easily identify the desired device when performing subsequent
backups or restoring data.
Figure 59: Label the destination drives
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8. Click Next.
By default, the server is backed up twice a day, but you can define a custom schedule to meet the needs
of your business. Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials takes advantage of Windows Server Backup to
provide fast, efficient backups.
Figure 60: Specify the backup schedule
9. Click Next.
You can specify which items you want to protect. In most cases, all items will be selected.
Figure 61: Select items to back up
10. Click Apply settings.
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Figure 62: Confirm the backup settings
11. Click Close.
The server backup setup is completed, and now provides daily automated backup of both the client
computers and the server.
Windows Azure Backup – optional
In addition to the local backup, Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials also includes the ability to use
Microsoft Azure Backup. This can be accessed from the Add-ins section of the Home page.
This optional task requires the supply of a credit card for verification. No charges are placed on the
credit card and the account can be cancelled when this lab has been completed.
1. In the Dashboard, select the Home page, click Get Started, and then click Add-ins. Select
Integrate with Windows Azure Backup and then click the Sign up for Windows Azure Backup
link to launch Internet Explorer.
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Figure 63: Integrate with Windows Azure Backup
2. Click Free Trial, and then click the Try it now link. Scroll down, and then click the Try it link.
Figure 64: Get started with the Windows Azure Backup trial
3. Click Sign in using your organizational account, and then sign in using the same trial account
that you previously created for Office 365.
4. On the signup page, under Mobile verification, enter your cell number, and then click Send Text
Message.
5. When you receive the code, enter it, and then click Verify code.
6. Enter the payment information, and then click Sign Up.
You are signing up for a 30 day Windows Azure trial account. This will expire after 30 days. The credit
card or debit card is required to authenticate you when you sign up. Your credit card will initially NOT
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be charged as your new account has a $0 spending limit. Use up to your Windows Azure credits at no
charge. If you exceed your credits, your service will be disabled. You can choose to turn off your
spending limit, and any usage in excess of the credits will be charged at the Pay-As-You-Go rates.
7. Wait until the free trial has been activated, and then open the Windows Server 2012 R2
Essentials Dashboard.
8. On the Dashboard, click the Home page, click Get Started, and then click Add-ins. Select
Integrate with Windows Azure, and then click the Click to download Windows Azure Backup
Integration module.
Figure 65: Windows Azure Backup subscription agreement
9. In the View Downloads window, click Open, and then click Yes.
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Figure 66: Download window
10. Click Accept to accept the license, and then click Install the Add-In.
Figure 67: Windows Azure Backup add-in for Essentials
11. After the installation is complete, click Close.
Figure 68: Windows Azure Backup add-in installation completed
12. Once the add-in has been installed, restart the Dashboard, and then click the Online Backup
page.
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Figure 69: Windows Azure Backup add-in page for the Dashboard
13. To begin the process of protecting your server, click the clipboard icon next to the default
certificate address, and then click Upload certificate to Windows Azure Backup vault.
14. In the Windows Azure browser window, click New, click Data Services, and then click Recovery
Services.
15. In Recovery Services, click Backup Vault, and then click Preview Program.
Figure 70: Backup Vault
16. Under Backup, click try it now.
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Figure 71: Backup trial request
17. Click the check to enable the Backup preview.
Figure 72: Add preview feature
18. Refresh the Preview Features page, and then when Backup shows as active, proceed to the next
step.
Figure 73: Successful signup
This may take several minutes to complete.
19. Under Backup, click Manage.
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20. On the Windows Azure page, click New, click Data Services, click Recovery Services, click
Backup Vault, and then click Quick Create.
Figure 74: Backup Vault creation
21. Type your domain name in the name field (cohoXXXXXXXX), modify the region to West US, and
then click Create Vault.
Figure 75: Quick Create
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22. After the Backup Vault becomes Active, click Manage Certificate.
Figure 76: Recovery Services
23. On the Manage Certificate page, click Browse for file.
Figure 77: Manage Certificate
24. Paste the file location that was copied at step 10 in file name, and then click Open.
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Figure 78: Select Certificate
25. On the Manage Certificate page, click the check.
Figure 79: Confirmation of certificate
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26. Minimize Internet Explorer, click the Register link, and then click Next.
Figure 80: Register your server
27. In the passphrase and the confirmation, type WindowEssentialsBackupLab.
Figure 81: Windows Azure Backup trial account credentials
28. Once the server is registered, click the Configure Online Backup link.
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Figure 82: Server registered with Windows Azure Backup
29. Click Next through the Wizard to accept all the default settings, and then click Close.
The configuration wizard allows you to specify which folders to protect, whether or not to include File
History backups of Windows 8.1 client computers, the backup schedule, retention policy, and bandwidth
usage settings.
Figure 83: Windows Azure Backup configuration wizard
Aaron can now enjoy the extra peace of mind from knowing that Coho’s critical files and folders have an
additional layer of protect by being backed up at an off-site location in the cloud.
You will now return to the client computer to configure the server’s storage.
30. Close the Dashboard.
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Exercise 7: Managing Server Storage
Coho Vineyard is enjoying some growth in their business, so in addition to adding Lisa to their team, they
also need to add more storage space on their Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials server. Aaron has
installed a new physical drive and needs to configure the server to take advantage of the increased
capacity. He also wants to ensure that the data is resilient. He will start by adding new drives to the server.
Manage the server storage
Adding a new employee to the company also means that data storage needs may grow. You need to
ensure that you have enough storage capability for your current needs. The Storage tab is where you
manage the data storage aspects of your network.
In this task, you will configure server storage.
Begin this task logged on to CLIENT1 as Aaron using a password of Passw0rd!
1. Launch the Dashboard, and then click the Storage tab.
2. Click the Hard Drives tab.
Figure 84: Hard Drives tab
3. Click the Alerts viewer summary.
Currently, there is one hard drive available for storage and one dedicated to server backup. There are
two new physical drives which will be used to increase the server’s storage capacity.
4. Click the information alert, and then on the Health Monitoring tab, click the alert that indicates
one or more unformatted hard drives are connected to the server.
5. In Current Alert Tasks, click Troubleshoot this issue.
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In the list of alerts, which you can filter by severity, there is an informational message that there is an
unformatted hard disk available. In order to use this drive, it needs to be formatted, which you can do
directly from this alert.
6. Click Microsoft Virtual Disk Drive #2, and then click Next.
Figure 85: Choose the hard drive
7. On the Configure hard drive usage page, click Format the hard drive and automatically create
a drive on it, and then click Next.
Figure 86: Configure hard drive usage
8. Click Close.
View SharePoint Online libraries (Office 365 integration)
Aaron has integrated Office 365 into the Coho Vineyards server. This enables him to manage the Office
365 SharePoint libraries from the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Dashboard. After performing the
Office 365 integration, this functionality is automatically configured and enabled. Aaron wants to be able
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to create a shared web environment that users use to store pictures for marketing of the vineyard and the
building.
In this task, you will add a new SharePoint library from the Dashboard.
Begin this task logged on to CLIENT1 as Aaron using the password Passw0rd!
1. In the Storage section, on the SharePoint Libraries tab, click Add a library.
Figure 87: SharePoint Libraries
2. Complete the Add a New SharePoint library page using the following settings, and then click
Next.
Property Value
Name: Marketing Photos
Description: Images from the staff of the vineyard and buildings
Site: Coho Vineyard Team Site
Library Type Picture Library
3. Click Create Library.
Aaron can control who has access to the new photo library. The users must have accounts in Office 365
to be able to have permissions allocated to them.
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Figure 88: SharePoint library permissions
4. When the library has been created, click the link to display the newly created library.
Figure 89: New SharePoint library successful creation
Because the library has been created in Office 365 it will automatically be available to be accessed
securely from anywhere in the world.
5. Sign in to Office 365 as [email protected] (where cohoXXXXXXXX is the
domain you created in an earlier exercise) using the password Passw0rd!
The newly created Photo library is showing in the quick access links.
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Figure 90: Team site
6. Close Internet Explorer, and then close the SharePoint library wizard.
Using Storage Spaces
Aaron would like to ensure that files saved to the new drives will remain safe, even if a drive fails. This can
be enabled using a new function in Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials called Storage Spaces. Storage
Spaces can also be used to extend the amount of available space if you start running out of capacity.
In this task, you will create a storage pool and configure Storage Spaces.
Begin this task logged on to CLIENT1 as Aaron using the password Passw0rd!
1. On the Hard Drives tab, in Hard Drives Tasks, click Create a storage space.
Figure 91: The Hard Drives tab
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2. In the Create a Storage Pool window, select the disks labeled Drive #3 and Drive #4, and then
click Next.
Figure 92: Select drives
3. After the Storage Space has been created, click Close.
Figure 93: Storage Space successfully created
There are 4 types of resiliency settings available. The default is a two-way mirror which will enable one
of the drives to be taken offline and the data retained.
4. Click the Server Folders tab.
There is a new drive F available. You can move one of the existing shared folders to take advantage of
this new resilient space.
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Figure 94: Server folders
5. Select the Company shared folder, and then in the Company Tasks pane, click Move the folder.
Figure 95: Prepare to move a folder
6. Click Next.
This is a very simple wizard, but it is a very convenient way to relocate the shared folder and its contents
to a new drive, taking care of all the steps which would otherwise have to be performed manually.
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Figure 96: The Move a Folder wizard
7. Select the new drive F, and then click Move folder.
This will create a new folder of the same name on the new drive, move the data, remove the old network
share, create a new shared folder, and set the appropriate permissions.
Figure 97: Move a folder
The last step of the wizard is to update the server’s backup configuration. You need to make sure that
the new F drive is among the items selected for backup.
8. Click Next.
The search error can be safely ignored. It only occurs due to the configuration of the lab environment
9. Click Next.
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Figure 98: Finalize the backup
10. Log off of Client1.
At this point, Aaron has finished his administration tasks and can log off his computer to make it
available for Lisa to use remotely.
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Exercise 8: Using Launchpad and Remote Web Access
Now that Lisa Miller has a user account, she is able to connect to the Coho Vineyard network and work
remotely. She has taken her laptop to a client’s office, but realizes that she needs to show her client a file
that is stored on the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials server. In this exercise, you will review the
capabilities that are provided to Lisa by Remote Web Access.
The Launchpad, which is installed as part of the client connector software, allows users to easily access
several of feature areas of Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials. These include Backup, Remote Web Access
(RWA), Shared Folders, and the Dashboard. The Launchpad is fully extensible by third-party software
developers, and as new add-ins are installed on the server, this list can grow and change. While primarily
intended for use when connected to the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials network, the Launchpad
works in an offline mode to provide client health monitoring and reporting, as well as access to RWA.
Review the Launchpad
Begin this task logged on to CLIENT2 as COHOVINEYARD\Lisa using the password Passw0rd!
1. On the Start page, click the Desktop tile.
Figure 99: Windows 8.1 Start screen
2. In the System Tray, click the arrow next to the Computer icon.
Figure 100: Launchpad icon
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3. Right-click the icon, and then click Open Launchpad.
Figure 101: Open Launchpad
4. In the Launchpad, click Backup to examine the current list of Launchpad links.
Figure 102: Windows 8.1 desktop showing the Launchpad
The first link is Backup, which you can use to launch a manual backup directly from the client.
5. Review the options in the Backup Properties window, and then click OK.
Lisa’s machine has just been joined to the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials network and has not yet
been automatically backed up. Earlier, you performed a manual back up of her computer. Lisa can also
kick off a manual backup to ensure her laptop is protected. In addition, she can decide whether or not
her computer should wake from sleep or hibernation to run a scheduled backup.
Figure 103: The Backup Properties window
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6. Click Shared Folders, review the Shared Folders, and then close Windows Explorer.
Clicking on Shared Folders opens a Windows Explorer window showing all the shared folders on the
server so that you can quickly browse through the files and folders.
Figure 104: Shared Folders in Windows Explorer
7. To open the Dashboard via RemoteApp, click Dashboard, and then close the Sign in dialog box.
Opening the Dashboard via RemoteApp allows the application to run on the server but have the user
interface displayed on the local computer. The Dashboard can be launched on any connected computer,
but it requires administrative credentials to start it. This makes it easy to follow the best practice of
doing day-to-day work using a standard user account, and using an Administrator account to perform
specific management tasks.
Figure 105: Log in to the Dashboard via RemoteApp
Because Aaron has integrated his Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials environment with Microsoft Office
365, the Launchpad has been extended to provide quick links for accessing these services.
Figure 106: Office 365 integration
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Remote Web Access
Remote Web Access is part of the Anywhere Access functionality, and in Windows Server 2012 R2
Essentials it enables Lisa to access computers and files in the office from anywhere in the world that she
has an Internet connection. VPN is also now part of the Anywhere Access functionality.
Now that Lisa Miller has a user account, she is able to connect to the Coho Vineyard network and work
remotely. She has taken her laptop to a client’s office, but realizes that she needs to show her client a file
that is stored on the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials server. In this task, you will review the capabilities
that are provided to Lisa by Remote Web Access.
Begin this task logged on to CLIENT2 as COHOVINEYARD\Lisa using the password Passw0rd!
1. Open Internet Explorer. In a typical production environment, this would automatically browse to
the Remote Web Access portal. For the purposes of this lab, type the address http://server.
2. Sign in with the username Lisa and password Passw0rd!
Figure 107: Remote Web Access sign in page
3. Review the RWA portal.
The RWA portal contains several sections, including Computers, Shared Folders, Links, and may contain
other integrated functionality provided by add-ins such as the Microsoft Office 365 section. RWA has
been enhanced in Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials to make it easier to use on touch-first devices
such as tablets.
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Figure 108: Remote Web Access web portal
The list of available computers is limited to those for which the user has access, which you defined for
Lisa earlier in the lab. She can use this link to connect to the Client1 computer and use it as if she were
sitting in front of it back in the office. Because remote computer connections use secure HTTP, or
normal web connections, they work seamlessly through firewalls and other network devices.
4. Click Client1, and then click Connect.
Administrator users can connect to all computers in the environment.
In the lab environment if you attempt to connect to Client1 it will not succeed. This is only in the current
lab environment.
Figure 109: Remote Web Access computers page
5. Enter Lisa’s password, Passw0rd! and then click Cancel.
In the lab environment if you attempt to connect to Client1 it will not succeed. This is only in the current
lab environment.
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Figure 110: Remote Access logon
6. Review the Shared Folders section.
In the Shared Folders section, Lisa is able to access the files and folders she needs to be productive away
from the office. She is able to upload, download, and perform other typical file operations –copy, delete,
rename, etc.
Figure 111: Remote Web Access shared folders page
7. Review the Change password option.
Lisa can even change her password remotely, so she doesn’t have to depend on Aaron’s assistance to
keep her account safe and secure.
Figure 112: Change password option
This is the end of lab
