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Network Services Basics

Network services in Windows Server provide essential functionality for network communication, name resolution, and IP address management. This guide covers the fundamental network services and their configuration.

DNS Server​

DNS Basics​

  1. Name Resolution

    • Forward lookup zones
    • Reverse lookup zones
    • Root hints
    • Forwarders

  2. Zone Types

    • Primary zones
    • Secondary zones
    • Active Directory integrated
    • Stub zones

DNS Configuration​

  1. Zone Management

    • Zone creation
    • Record management
    • Zone transfers
    • Dynamic updates

  2. DNS Security

    • DNSSEC
    • Zone signing
    • Trust anchors
    • Secure updates

DHCP Server​

DHCP Basics​

  1. Address Management

    • IP address pools
    • Lease duration
    • Reservations
    • Exclusions

  2. DHCP Options

    • Default gateway
    • DNS servers
    • WINS servers
    • Boot options

DHCP Configuration​

  1. Scope Setup

    • Scope creation
    • Option configuration
    • Policies
    • Filters

  2. DHCP Security

    • Authorization
    • Authentication
    • Audit logging
    • Failover

Network Infrastructure​

TCP/IP Configuration​

  1. IP Addressing

    • IPv4 addressing
    • IPv6 addressing
    • Subnetting
    • CIDR notation

  2. Network Settings

    • Interface configuration
    • Protocol bindings
    • Network metrics
    • QoS policies

Routing​

  1. Routing Basics

    • Static routes
    • Dynamic routing
    • Route tables
    • Route filters

  2. Advanced Routing

    • RIP configuration
    • OSPF setup
    • BGP implementation
    • Route policies

Remote Access​

VPN Services​

  1. VPN Types

    • Point-to-Point (PPTP)
    • L2TP/IPsec
    • SSTP
    • IKEv2

  2. VPN Configuration

    • Connection settings
    • Authentication
    • Encryption
    • Access control

DirectAccess​

  1. Setup Requirements

    • Infrastructure
    • Certificates
    • DNS settings
    • Firewall rules

  2. Client Configuration

    • Group policies
    • Connection security
    • Network location
    • Application servers

Network Load Balancing​

NLB Basics​

  1. Cluster Configuration

    • Port rules
    • Affinity settings
    • Health monitoring
    • Load distribution

  2. Operation Modes

    • Unicast
    • Multicast
    • IGMP multicast
    • Client persistence

Advanced Features​

  1. Failover Settings

    • Host priority
    • Convergence
    • Drainstop
    • Port handling

  2. Management

    • PowerShell management
    • Remote administration
    • Performance monitoring
    • Troubleshooting

Web Services (IIS)​

IIS Basics​

  1. Site Configuration

    • Website creation
    • Application pools
    • Virtual directories
    • Bindings

  2. Security Settings

    • Authentication
    • SSL certificates
    • URL authorization
    • IP restrictions

Advanced Features​

  1. Application Settings

    • Handler mappings
    • Modules
    • Compression
    • Caching

  2. Management

    • Remote management
    • Backup/restore
    • Logging
    • Monitoring

Network Policy​

Network Policy Server​

  1. RADIUS Server

    • Client configuration
    • Authentication methods
    • Authorization rules
    • Accounting

  2. Access Policies

    • Connection request policies
    • Network policies
    • Health policies
    • Templates

Network Access Protection​

  1. NAP Enforcement

    • DHCP enforcement
    • VPN enforcement
    • IPsec enforcement
    • 802.1X enforcement

  2. Health Policies

    • System health validators
    • Health requirements
    • Remediation servers
    • Monitoring

Monitoring and Troubleshooting​

Network Monitoring​

  1. Performance Monitoring

    • Network counters
    • Protocol analysis
    • Bandwidth usage
    • Connection tracking

  2. Logging and Alerts

    • Event logs
    • Service logs
    • SNMP monitoring
    • Alert configuration

Troubleshooting Tools​

  1. Network Tools

    • Ping
    • Tracert
    • Netstat
    • Nslookup

  2. Advanced Tools

    • Network Monitor
    • Wireshark
    • PowerShell cmdlets
    • Performance Monitor

Best Practices​

Network Design​

  1. Architecture

    • Scalability
    • Redundancy
    • Security
    • Performance

  2. Documentation

    • Network diagrams
    • Configuration details
    • Change management
    • Recovery procedures

Maintenance​

  1. Regular Tasks

    • Service updates
    • Configuration backups
    • Performance review
    • Security audits

  2. Optimization

    • Resource allocation
    • Load balancing
    • Cache management
    • Service tuning