Expanded core chapter
Windows Server, Active Directory, DNS and Group Policy
Extended teaching, worked examples, calculations and configuration or commissioning walkthroughs.
Read expanded chapterNETCOMTECH TECHNICAL TEXTBOOK
Servers and Virtualization Technical Textbook
A structured course covering physical servers, Windows Server, Active Directory, Linux, virtualization, containers, hardware management and recovery.
Read in order as a course, or jump directly to the procedure you need in the field.
PHOTO WORKSHOP
Start by recognising the parts inside a modern rack server
Book 3
Preface
Windows Server, Active Directory, Linux, virtualization, hardware, automation and recovery.
What this book should give you: By the end of this book, the reader should understand how modern server platforms deliver identity, files, applications and virtual workloads, and how those services are protected and recovered.
This book contains 25 linked chapters. Read it from the beginning if the subject is new. Experienced readers can use the part headings and chapter index as a reference manual.
How a chapter is written
Each chapter starts with the business problem, defines the jargon, then moves into the technical explanation. It includes a worked business scenario, practical lab work, troubleshooting, a field checklist and review questions. The aim is to connect theory to real infrastructure work.
HOW TO USE THIS TEXTBOOK
Learn the subject, then prove you can use it
Who this is for
IT technicians, system administrators and business owners who want to understand what modern servers actually do.
Why a business cares
Servers run identity, files, applications, databases and virtual machines. Understanding them helps a company avoid single points of failure, weak permissions and expensive recovery surprises.
How to study
Read the chapters in order if the subject is new. Each chapter includes plain-English definitions, business context, a lab, a troubleshooting exercise, a field checklist and a summary.
PART 1: SERVER AND VIRTUALIZATION FUNDAMENTALS
Part 1: Server and Virtualization Fundamentals
Understand physical servers, hypervisors and virtual workloads.
Chapter 1
How Modern Servers and Virtual Hosts Work
Physical host, hypervisor, VMs and failure domains.
Open chapterChapter 2
Hypervisor Platforms Compared
Hyper-V, KVM, Proxmox VE and VMware.
Open chapterChapter 3
VM Networking and Storage
Trace packets and disks through the hypervisor.
Open chapterPART 2: WINDOWS SERVER AND ACTIVE DIRECTORY
Part 2: Windows Server and Active Directory
Build and operate a Windows domain.
Chapter 4
Windows Server, AD, DNS and GPO
Core Windows domain architecture.
Open chapterChapter 5
Windows File Server, SMB and NTFS
File shares and permissions.
Open chapterChapter 6
Windows DHCP Server
Scopes, reservations and relay.
Open chapterChapter 7
AD CS and PKI
Certificates and trust chains.
Open chapterChapter 8
FSMO Roles
Operations master roles.
Open chapterChapter 9
AD Replication Troubleshooting
Repadmin, DNS and topology.
Open chapterChapter 10
Active Directory Trusts
Cross-domain authentication relationships.
Open chapterPART 3: VIRTUALIZATION PLATFORMS
Part 3: Virtualization Platforms
Deploy production hypervisors.
Chapter 11
Hyper-V Host Deployment
Microsoft virtualization host.
Open chapterChapter 12
Linux KVM and libvirt
Linux virtualization stack.
Open chapterChapter 13
Proxmox VE
Integrated KVM/LXC platform.
Open chapterChapter 14
VMware ESXi and vSphere
VMware operations.
Open chapterChapter 15
Virtualization HA and Backup
Clusters, replication and recovery.
Open chapterPART 4: LINUX SERVICES AND CONTAINERS
Part 4: Linux Services and Containers
Run common services on Linux.
Chapter 16
Linux Samba File Server
SMB services from Linux.
Open chapterChapter 17
Apache and Nginx Web Server
Web server operations.
Open chapterChapter 18
Apache and Nginx Virtual Hosts
Multiple websites on one IP/server.
Open chapterChapter 19
Docker Containers
Images, containers, networks and volumes.
Open chapterPART 5: HARDWARE, AUTOMATION AND RECOVERY
Part 5: Hardware, Automation and Recovery
Operate the complete server lifecycle.
Chapter 20
PowerShell Administration
Repeatable Windows automation.
Open chapterChapter 21
Windows Server Backup
Backup and tested restore.
Open chapterChapter 22
Server RAID, HBA and Backplanes
Physical storage path.
Open chapterChapter 23
Dell iDRAC and HPE iLO
Out-of-band management.
Open chapterChapter 24
Server Installation and Commissioning
Complete deployment checklist.
Open chapterChapter 25
Training Lab
Build and break a safe lab.
Open chapterNot an IT specialist?
Start with the business-language guide. It explains what the main technologies do, why companies use them and what questions to ask before buying or changing infrastructure.
VOLUME 12 SECURITY OPERATIONS
Messaging Security Deep Core
A dedicated modern security book derived from the operational lessons in the supplied Exchange security reference and current Microsoft security practice.
Messaging Security Deep Core Book
OWA, mailbox delegation, modern authentication, hardening, phishing, auditing, TLS and firewall boundaries.
Open security book