Policy This chapter shows you how to manage different parts of Windows policies by using the Group Policy Management Console. This chapter also explains how to install and configure software using GPOs.
Chapter 17: Configure and Manage High Availability This chapter shows how to set up Windows Server 2012 R2 high availability. This includes clustering and failover systems.
Chapter 18: Configure File and Storage Solutions This chapter shows you how to configure file and storage solutions. You will learn how to help your system run faster and give you better response times.
Chapter 19: Implement Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery This chapter shows you how to protect yourself in the event of a system crash or a catastrophic failure.
Chapter 20: Configure Advanced Network Services This chapter shows you how to configure the different types of network services and how to configure them properly.
Chapter 21: Configure the Active Directory Infrastructure This chapter takes you through the different ways to create and manage your Windows Server 2012 R2 Active Directory infrastructure.
Chapter 22: Configure Access and Information Protection Solutions You will see how to set up your Windows Server 2012 R2 system so that your information stays secure.
What’s Included with the Book
This book includes many helpful items intended to prepare you for the MCSA: Windows Server 2012 R2 certification. These items include:
Assessment Test There is an Assessment Test at the conclusion of the introduction that can be used to evaluate quickly where you are with Windows Server 2012 R2. This test should be taken prior to beginning your work in this book, and it should help you identify areas in which you are either strong or weak. Note that these questions are purposely simpler than the types of questions you may see on the exams.
Objective Map and Opening List of Objectives Later in this introduction, you will find a detailed exam objective map showing you where each of the exam objectives is covered. Each chapter also includes a list of the exam objectives covered.
Helpful Exercises Throughout the book are step-by-step exercises of some of the more important tasks that you should be able to perform. Some of these exercises have corresponding videos that can be downloaded from the book’s website. Also, the following section has a recommended home lab setup that will be helpful in completing these tasks.
Exam Essentials The end of each chapter also includes a listing of exam essentials. These are essentially repeats of the objectives, but remember that any objective on the exam blueprint could show up on the exam.
Chapter Review Questions Each chapter includes review questions. These are used to assess your understanding of the chapter and are taken directly from the chapter. These questions are based on the exam objectives, and they are similar in difficulty to items you might actually receive on the MCSA: Windows Server 2012 R2 exams.
Interactive Online Learning Environment You can access the Interactive Online Learning Environment, which includes the assessment test and chapter review questions. In addition, there are a total of three practice exams included with the Interactive Online Learning Environment: one each for exams 70-410, 70-411, and 70-412.
Flashcards Flashcards are included for quick reference. They are a great tool for learning important facts quickly. You may even consider these as additional simple practice questions, which is essentially what they are.
Videos Some of the exercises include corresponding videos. These videos show you how we do the exercises. There is also a video that shows you how to set up virtualization so that you can complete the exercises within a virtualized environment. This same video also shows you how to install Windows Server 2012 Datacenter on that virtualized machine.
PDF of Glossary of Terms There is a glossary included that covers the key terms used in this book.
Recommended Home Lab Setup
To get the most out of this book, you will want to make sure you complete the exercises throughout the chapters. To complete the exercises, you will need one of two setups. First, you can set up a machine with Windows Server 2012 R2 and complete the labs using a regular Windows Server 2012 R2 machine.
The second way to set up Windows Server 2012 R2 (the way we set up Server 2012 R2) is by using virtualization. We set up Windows Server 2012 R2 as a virtual hard disk (VHD), and we did all the labs this way. The advantages of using virtualization are that you can always just wipe out the system and start over without losing a real server. Plus, you can set up multiple virtual servers and create a full lab environment on one machine.
We created a video for this book showing you how to set up a virtual machine and how to install Windows Server 2012 R2 onto that virtual machine.
How to Contact the Author/Sybex
Sybex strives to keep you supplied with the latest tools and information that you need for your work. Please check the website at www.sybex.com/go/mcsawin2012r2, where we’ll post additional content and updates that supplement this book should the need arise.
You can contact Will Panek by going to www.willpanek.com.
Certification Objectives Maps
In addition to the book chapters, you will find coverage of exam objectives in the flashcards, practice exams, and videos on the book’s companion website.
http://www.sybex.com/go/mcsawin2012r2
Objectives
Part I: Exam 70-410: Installing and Configuring Windows Server 2012 R2
Install servers, Chapter 1
Plan for a server installation
Plan for server roles
Plan for a server upgrade
Install Server Core
Optimize resource utilization by using Features on Demand
Migrate roles from previous versions of Windows Server
Configure servers, Chapter 1
Configure Server Core
Delegate administration
Add and remove features in offline images
Deploy roles on remote servers
Convert Server Core to/from full GUI
Configure services
Configure NIC teaming
Configure local storage, Chapter 1
Design storage spaces
Configure basic and dynamic disks
Configure MBR and GPT disks
Manage volumes
Create and mount virtual hard disks
Configure storage pools and disk pools
Deploy and configure DNS service, Chapter 2
Configure Active Directory integration of primary zones
Configure