Managing a Windows Network - 7/24/2007

This morning we covered two brief chapters: Chapters 7 and 8, which dealt with IIS and SUS respectively. IIS is the component that allows for our servers to function as web servers, ftp servers, etc. Remember that in Server 2003, that IIS is not installed by default (as to reduce the attack surface), but has to be installed by admins.

SUS stands for Software Update Services, and is Microsoft's answer to admin's cries for help with MS updates breaking custom applications. SUS allows an admin to download MS updates and test them first before deploying them out to the clients en masse. Effectively, your own servers (the SUS ones, anyway) become sort of in-house Windows Update servers. It's a win-win since computers are updated in the way that admins want them, and admins don't have to go around and manually update all the clients.

Homework:

• Chapter Seven - Review Questions
• Chapter Eight - Review Questions