WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.160 All right, so today we're going to try to demystify 2 00:00:02.200 --> 00:00:04.839 the world of Windows Server. We got a guide here 3 00:00:05.000 --> 00:00:08.519 all about installing and configuring it, and we're going to 4 00:00:08.599 --> 00:00:11.599 pull out the most useful and sometimes surprising things that 5 00:00:11.679 --> 00:00:14.439 you should know to get up to speed quickly, you know, 6 00:00:14.480 --> 00:00:16.199 if you're just trying to get a handle on this stuff. 7 00:00:16.280 --> 00:00:16.960 Yeah, sounds good. 8 00:00:17.039 --> 00:00:20.719 For example, get this, there are now two versions of 9 00:00:20.839 --> 00:00:25.239 IP addresses. Oh wow, IPv four A and d IPv six. 10 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:27.320 I don't know about you, but that's news to me. 11 00:00:27.879 --> 00:00:31.000 We're also going to cover everything from the basics, like 12 00:00:31.079 --> 00:00:33.679 what exactly is is a server, all the way to 13 00:00:33.759 --> 00:00:37.159 more complex things like storage spaces and virtual machines. Really 14 00:00:37.159 --> 00:00:39.399 trying to give you that efficient kind of like crash 15 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:40.679 course in this whole world. 16 00:00:40.840 --> 00:00:41.560 Sounds like a plan. 17 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:43.880 So let's start by laying the foundation. What is the 18 00:00:43.880 --> 00:00:46.880 difference between the operating system on my laptop and a 19 00:00:46.920 --> 00:00:49.799 server operating system? I mean they both let you run programs. 20 00:00:49.479 --> 00:00:52.840 Right, Well, yeah, they do, but a server operating system 21 00:00:52.960 --> 00:00:56.320 is built for like way more demanding tasks. It's designed 22 00:00:56.359 --> 00:00:59.799 to be like constantly connected to a network. It's running 23 00:00:59.840 --> 00:01:03.600 backackground processes without you even noticing, and it's letting like 24 00:01:03.799 --> 00:01:08.359 tons of users share resources like files and printers. Think 25 00:01:08.359 --> 00:01:11.200 of it as the engine behind a company's website or 26 00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:11.959 email system. 27 00:01:12.079 --> 00:01:14.480 Okay, so it's not just about running microsoftware. There's a 28 00:01:14.519 --> 00:01:17.079 whole lot more going on behind the scenes. But even 29 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:21.560 within the world of server operating systems, there are different options, Right, 30 00:01:21.680 --> 00:01:24.719 why would you choose one edition of Windows Server over another? 31 00:01:24.959 --> 00:01:27.719 That's a good question. Well, it's kind of like you 32 00:01:27.719 --> 00:01:30.120 wouldn't use a screwdriver to hammer and a nail, right. 33 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:33.159 You choose the additional Windows Server that fits what you 34 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:35.400 need to do. So if you're like a smaller business, 35 00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:39.000 you might only need the Essentials edition. But just knowing 36 00:01:39.079 --> 00:01:42.079 that there's a data center edition out there, yeah, designed 37 00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:44.760 for massive virtualization, it kind of gives you a sense 38 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:46.439 of the scale and possibilities out there. 39 00:01:46.519 --> 00:01:48.480 Got it. So it's like choosing the right tool for 40 00:01:48.560 --> 00:01:50.959 the job. But once you've picked the addition you need, 41 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:52.799 how do you actually install this thing? 42 00:01:53.040 --> 00:01:55.239 Well, the good news is the installation process is actually 43 00:01:55.280 --> 00:01:58.480 pretty straightforward. You just boot from the installation media, choose 44 00:01:58.480 --> 00:02:01.239 your language settings. This server pretty much walks you through 45 00:02:01.239 --> 00:02:05.120 the rest. There are a few crucial steps you'll want 46 00:02:05.159 --> 00:02:10.479 to pay attention to, though, like setting the administrator password 47 00:02:10.840 --> 00:02:12.000 and activating the server. 48 00:02:12.199 --> 00:02:16.039 Speaking of activation, how long do you have before things 49 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:17.280 start going haywire? 50 00:02:17.520 --> 00:02:20.280 You have a ten day grace period to activate, and 51 00:02:20.400 --> 00:02:23.919 after that you'll start getting some pretty persistent reminders, like 52 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:27.759 your desktop background will turn black and it'll restart every hour, 53 00:02:27.960 --> 00:02:30.560 which can be a major disruption if you're trying to 54 00:02:30.560 --> 00:02:31.039 get work done. 55 00:02:31.159 --> 00:02:34.840 So it doesn't like self destruct, but it definitely lets 56 00:02:34.840 --> 00:02:35.879 you know you need to get on that. 57 00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:38.319 Now, tell me about this server Core thing. Is that 58 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:40.520 some kind of like bare bones expert level mode. 59 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:43.280 Yeah, you could say that server Core is a command 60 00:02:43.319 --> 00:02:48.520 line only interface, meaning no fancy graphics, just text commands. 61 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:51.240 It might sound kind of intimidating, but it actually uses 62 00:02:51.319 --> 00:02:54.479 fewer resources and it has a smaller footprint, which makes 63 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:58.080 it ideal if you just want maximum efficiency for certain tasks. 64 00:02:58.719 --> 00:03:01.439 So it's like choosing a manual transmission over and automatic. 65 00:03:01.840 --> 00:03:05.199 Maybe a little trickier to use, but potentially more efficient. 66 00:03:05.439 --> 00:03:07.280 So you're telling me, I could actually switch back and 67 00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:12.719 forth between the full graphical interface and server Core exactly. 68 00:03:12.919 --> 00:03:15.680 It's not an all or nothing decision. You can choose 69 00:03:15.719 --> 00:03:18.400 what works best for you depending on the task at hand. 70 00:03:18.599 --> 00:03:22.400 Okay, that's pretty flexible. Now let's talk about storage. Because 71 00:03:22.759 --> 00:03:25.919 data is the lifeblood of any server. I'm guessing it's 72 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:27.960 not just about having a big hard drive anymore. 73 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:30.319 No, definitely not. You need to think about things like 74 00:03:30.360 --> 00:03:33.639 fault tolerance, which means making sure you don't lose all 75 00:03:33.680 --> 00:03:37.080 your data if a hard drive crashes. Performance is also 76 00:03:37.159 --> 00:03:40.400 crucial because nobody wants to wait forever for their files 77 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:43.960 to load. And then there's RAID, which stands for a 78 00:03:44.120 --> 00:03:46.599 redundant array of independent discs RAID. 79 00:03:46.840 --> 00:03:49.319 Okay, break that down for me. That sounds a little intimidating. 80 00:03:49.360 --> 00:03:51.759 It's actually a pretty clever way to combine multiple hard 81 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:56.000 drives for either better performance or better protection against data loss. 82 00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:59.919 Imagine spreading your data across multiple baskets. If one bad 83 00:04:00.080 --> 00:04:01.879 skit breaks, you haven't lost everything. 84 00:04:02.039 --> 00:04:04.240 So it's like a built in backup system. That makes sense. 85 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:07.560 But I've also heard about something called storage spaces. Is 86 00:04:07.599 --> 00:04:08.960 that related to RAID at all? 87 00:04:09.360 --> 00:04:13.120 So storage spaces is a newer technology introduced in Windows 88 00:04:13.120 --> 00:04:16.600 Server twenty twelve, and it's even more flexible than RAID. 89 00:04:17.000 --> 00:04:19.560 Think of it like virtualizing your hard drives. You can 90 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:22.879 pull together drives of different sizes and types and then 91 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:25.879 create what it called virtual discs from that pool, with 92 00:04:26.000 --> 00:04:29.480 different configurations depending on whether you want speed, reliability, or 93 00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:30.399 a balance of both. 94 00:04:30.639 --> 00:04:32.160 Wait, so you're saying I could take a bunch of 95 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:35.079 old hard drives lying around, pull them together and create 96 00:04:35.120 --> 00:04:36.120 like a super drive. 97 00:04:36.600 --> 00:04:40.319 Essentially, yes, and you get to choose the configuration. For example, 98 00:04:40.360 --> 00:04:43.680 a mirror layout duplicates your data on two drives, so 99 00:04:43.720 --> 00:04:46.800 that's for like maximum protection against drive failure, while a 100 00:04:46.839 --> 00:04:50.800 parody layout focuses on efficiency spreading data across multiple drives 101 00:04:50.800 --> 00:04:52.079 with error checking information. 102 00:04:52.319 --> 00:04:54.160 Okay, so it's all about making the most of your 103 00:04:54.199 --> 00:04:57.480 hardware and choosing the right setup for your needs. So 104 00:04:57.519 --> 00:04:59.639 we've got our server up and running, We've figured out 105 00:04:59.639 --> 00:05:02.959 our store situation, but what about actually using this thing? 106 00:05:03.000 --> 00:05:04.480 I mean, one of the most common uses for a 107 00:05:04.560 --> 00:05:06.639 server is sharing files and printers. 108 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:12.480 Right absolutely, Windows uses a protocol called smbcifs Server Message 109 00:05:12.519 --> 00:05:15.720 Block Common Internet Filesystem. You can think of it as 110 00:05:15.759 --> 00:05:18.079 the language that Windows computers use to talk to each 111 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:19.399 other and share files. 112 00:05:19.560 --> 00:05:21.920 So my computers basically saying, hey, server, let me see 113 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:25.959 that spreadsheet. Using this is SMBCIFS language exactly. 114 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:29.199 And the cool thing is Windows can also talk to 115 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:32.920 non Windows systems like Linux using a different protocol called 116 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:36.279 NFS Network Filesystem, So it's like being multi lingual in 117 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:37.160 the world of computers. 118 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:40.079 Wow, that's a pretty impressive. But what about security. I mean, 119 00:05:40.120 --> 00:05:43.319 we don't want just anyone waltzing into our server and 120 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:45.000 grabbing whatever files they want. 121 00:05:44.920 --> 00:05:48.240 Right, You need security. That's where NTFS permissions come in. 122 00:05:48.680 --> 00:05:53.120 NTFS stands for New Technology Filesystem. It's the filesystem used 123 00:05:53.120 --> 00:05:56.600 by Windows, and it lets you control who can access 124 00:05:56.879 --> 00:05:59.720 specific files and folders and what they can do with them. 125 00:06:00.079 --> 00:06:02.920 Like you have different permission levels like read, write, full control, 126 00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:05.560 so you can really fine tune who has access to what. 127 00:06:06.040 --> 00:06:08.199 So it's like having a digital bouncer at the door, 128 00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:12.120 checking IDs and making sure only authorized personnel get in. 129 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:14.720 That makes sense. But now we need to talk about 130 00:06:14.720 --> 00:06:17.040 the big one, the one that always makes me think 131 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:19.480 of spy movies. Active directory. 132 00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:23.720 Ah. Yes, active directory. It's essentially the heart of user 133 00:06:23.839 --> 00:06:27.560 and computer management in a Windows domain. Think of it 134 00:06:27.560 --> 00:06:30.360 as a massive phone book and security system all rolled 135 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:30.800 into one. 136 00:06:31.240 --> 00:06:33.959 A phone book and a security system. That's an interesting combination. 137 00:06:34.240 --> 00:06:36.319 Yeah, it is. So think about it this way. You 138 00:06:36.360 --> 00:06:39.319 have users, you have groups of users, you have computers. Yeah, 139 00:06:39.360 --> 00:06:43.480 and they're all organized into what are called ouser organizational units. 140 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:46.160 It's like having departments in a company, each with its 141 00:06:46.160 --> 00:06:48.199 own set of resources and access controls. 142 00:06:48.480 --> 00:06:51.279 I see. So it's all about organization and control. But 143 00:06:51.439 --> 00:06:54.439 what are these GPO things I keep hearing about? Group 144 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:57.720 policy objects? Are those like really strict rules for everyone? 145 00:06:58.120 --> 00:07:02.040 Policy objects or GPOs are a way to control settings 146 00:07:02.040 --> 00:07:05.000 and security across many users or computers all at once. 147 00:07:05.759 --> 00:07:08.040 Imagine you want to make sure every computer in your 148 00:07:08.079 --> 00:07:11.680 company has a specific screensaver. Instead of going to each 149 00:07:11.680 --> 00:07:15.759 computer individually, you can create a GPO that automatically pushes 150 00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:17.600 that screensaver out to everyone. 151 00:07:17.920 --> 00:07:20.199 So it's like setting a dress code for the entire 152 00:07:20.240 --> 00:07:24.000 company instead of telling each employee what to wear individually exactly. 153 00:07:24.079 --> 00:07:26.720 That sounds incredibly efficient. Can you give me another example? 154 00:07:26.800 --> 00:07:28.800 Sure, Let's say you want to enforce a strong password 155 00:07:28.839 --> 00:07:31.519 policy for everyone. Instead of going to each user and 156 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:34.360 making them change their password, you can use a GPO 157 00:07:34.480 --> 00:07:36.680 to automatically enforce those password requirements. 158 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:39.279 All right, So active directory and GPOs are like the 159 00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:43.000 ultimate power couple for managing your server kingdom. I'm starting 160 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:44.920 to get the picture here, But let's move on to 161 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:49.000 the thing that makes all of this interconnectedness possible networking, 162 00:07:49.360 --> 00:07:50.079 right networking. 163 00:07:50.439 --> 00:07:54.240 It's the backbone of any modern IT infrastructure, and the 164 00:07:54.279 --> 00:07:58.120 foundation of networking is the TCPIP protocol suite. It's what 165 00:07:58.160 --> 00:07:59.920 makes the internetwork right TCPIP. 166 00:08:00.639 --> 00:08:03.240 But you mentioned earlier that there are now two versions, 167 00:08:03.399 --> 00:08:06.120 IPv four and IPv six. Why do we need to 168 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:07.279 is one better than the other? 169 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:10.680 Well, IPv six was created because, believe it or not, 170 00:08:10.759 --> 00:08:13.560 we're running out of IPv four addresses. The Internet has 171 00:08:13.600 --> 00:08:16.120 grown so much that we need more addresses, and IPv 172 00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:19.480 six provides a much larger pool of addresses to draw from. 173 00:08:19.600 --> 00:08:22.199 Wow, we're literally running out of Internet addresses. So what's 174 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:24.839 the big difference between IPv four and IPv six. 175 00:08:24.920 --> 00:08:27.480 The main difference is the length of the addresses. IPv 176 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:30.120 six addresses are much longer, which gives us like a 177 00:08:30.120 --> 00:08:34.799 practically inexhaustible supply of addresses for the foreseeable future. Think 178 00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:36.919 of it this way. IPv four is like a small 179 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:39.440 town where everyone knows each other. Well. IPv six is 180 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:41.840 like a sprawling metropolis with room for everyone. 181 00:08:41.919 --> 00:08:44.000 Okay, I get it. IPv six is the future of 182 00:08:44.000 --> 00:08:46.799 the Internet. But what about subnetting. I've heard that term 183 00:08:46.840 --> 00:08:49.399 before and it always sounds a little bit like underwater 184 00:08:49.480 --> 00:08:50.480 basket weaving to me. 185 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:55.320 Uh huh, it's not that complicated. Subnetting is simply dividing 186 00:08:55.320 --> 00:08:58.799 a network into smaller chunks. Imagine you're slicing a pizza. 187 00:08:59.200 --> 00:09:01.759 You can have different top uppings and eat slice, but 188 00:09:01.799 --> 00:09:04.440 it's still all part of the same pizza. Subne and 189 00:09:04.519 --> 00:09:07.320 lets you organize your network and control traffic more efficiently. 190 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:12.080 So instead of having one giant pizza party, we're having several, smaller, 191 00:09:12.279 --> 00:09:13.879 more manageable pizza parties. 192 00:09:14.159 --> 00:09:17.600 Exactly. It's all about creating a structured and organized network. 193 00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:20.159 Right. This is all certain to make sense, But how 194 00:09:20.159 --> 00:09:23.600 do all these computers and servers actually get their IP addresses? 195 00:09:23.639 --> 00:09:25.720 Do we have to go around and assign them manually? 196 00:09:25.799 --> 00:09:28.559 Well, that would be a nightmare, especially with the billions 197 00:09:28.559 --> 00:09:31.759 of devices connected to the Internet today. Thankfully, we have 198 00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:36.879 something called DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol. Think of it 199 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:40.360 as a hotel front desk that automatically assigns rooms who 200 00:09:40.360 --> 00:09:43.200 are in this case, IP addresses to devices when they 201 00:09:43.240 --> 00:09:43.720 connect to. 202 00:09:43.639 --> 00:09:46.960 The network, So DHCP takes care of all the address assignments, 203 00:09:47.000 --> 00:09:49.320 making sure every device has a unique address and can 204 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:51.279 communicate properly exactly. 205 00:09:51.440 --> 00:09:55.360 It simplifies network administration and ensures that everything runs smoothly. 206 00:09:55.559 --> 00:09:58.639 This is amazing. We've covered so much ground already, from 207 00:09:58.679 --> 00:10:02.039 server basics to network. It's been a whirlwind tour of 208 00:10:02.039 --> 00:10:04.919 the Windows server landscape. But there's one more big topic 209 00:10:04.960 --> 00:10:07.200 we need to tackle before we wrap up this part 210 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:09.519 of the deep dive. Virtualization. 211 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:14.440 Ah Yes, virtualization, one of the most transformative technologies in 212 00:10:14.480 --> 00:10:19.039 modern computing and hyper v is Microsoft's powerful platform for 213 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:21.480 creating and managing virtual machines. 214 00:10:21.559 --> 00:10:24.519 Okay, virtualization, I know it's a big deal, but I'm 215 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:27.639 still not entirely sure what it means. Is it like 216 00:10:27.720 --> 00:10:29.840 creating a digital copy of a computer. 217 00:10:30.200 --> 00:10:33.120 It's more like creating a self contained digital environment that 218 00:10:33.200 --> 00:10:35.360 acts like a real computer. You can run a different 219 00:10:35.360 --> 00:10:39.279 operating system, install different applications, and configure it just like 220 00:10:39.320 --> 00:10:41.679 you would a physical machine. And you can run multiple 221 00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:46.080 virtual machines on a single physical server, making it incredibly efficient. 222 00:10:46.360 --> 00:10:49.360 So it's like having multiple computers all running inside one 223 00:10:49.399 --> 00:10:52.600 physical computer. That sounds pretty mind blowing, But why would 224 00:10:52.600 --> 00:10:53.279 I want to do that? 225 00:10:53.559 --> 00:10:56.759 Well, there are a ton of benefits to virtualization. For example, 226 00:10:57.000 --> 00:11:00.639 you can better utilize your hardware resources by running multiple 227 00:11:00.679 --> 00:11:03.799 workloads on a single server. You can also test new 228 00:11:03.840 --> 00:11:08.039 software or configurations in a safe, isolated environment without affecting 229 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:12.360 your production systems. And if a virtual machine crashes, it 230 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:13.960 doesn't take down your entire server. 231 00:11:14.200 --> 00:11:17.879 Okay, so virtualization is all about efficiency, flexibility, and safety. 232 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:20.799 I'm starting to see the appeal. But how do these 233 00:11:20.919 --> 00:11:24.279 virtual machines actually work? Where do they store their files 234 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:24.759 and data? 235 00:11:25.039 --> 00:11:28.200 That's where virtual hard disks come in. Each virtual machine 236 00:11:28.200 --> 00:11:31.080 has its own virtual hard disk or VHD, which is 237 00:11:31.159 --> 00:11:33.600 essentially a file that acts like a physical hard drive. 238 00:11:33.879 --> 00:11:36.759 It stores the operating system, applications, and data for that 239 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:37.559 virtual machine. 240 00:11:37.600 --> 00:11:39.639 So it's like giving each virtual machine its own little 241 00:11:39.639 --> 00:11:42.759 apartment in the server's digital building, complete with its own 242 00:11:42.799 --> 00:11:44.240 storage closet exactly. 243 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:46.720 You have different options for these virtual hard disks. You 244 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:49.879 can have fixed sized disks which allocate a set amount 245 00:11:49.919 --> 00:11:54.559 of storage upfront, yeah, or dynamically expanding disks which start 246 00:11:54.639 --> 00:11:57.519 small and grow as needed. It's like choosing between a studio, 247 00:11:57.559 --> 00:12:01.120 apartment and a loft that you can expand virtual family growth. 248 00:12:01.399 --> 00:12:03.399 All right, this is all starting to click. We've got 249 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:05.960 our server up and running, our storage figured out, and 250 00:12:06.000 --> 00:12:09.120 now we're venturing into the world of virtualization. But we're 251 00:12:09.120 --> 00:12:10.279 only scratching the surface here. 252 00:12:10.480 --> 00:12:13.679 Oh yeah, definitely. There's so much more to explore in 253 00:12:13.720 --> 00:12:16.399 the world of Windows Server, and we've only just begun 254 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:19.240 our journey. But I think we've laid a solid foundation 255 00:12:19.320 --> 00:12:23.879 for understanding the basics of servers, networking, and virtualization. 256 00:12:24.279 --> 00:12:26.360 I agree we've covered a lot of ground in this 257 00:12:26.440 --> 00:12:29.000 first part of our deep dive, but there's still much 258 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:31.559 more to discover. Join us next time as we delve 259 00:12:31.600 --> 00:12:34.840 deeper into the world of virtualization and explore even more 260 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:36.440 advanced features of Windowserver. 261 00:12:37.360 --> 00:12:40.399 Welcome back. Last time, we lay the groundwork for understanding 262 00:12:40.399 --> 00:12:44.240 Windows Server, from hardware to networking. We even dipped our 263 00:12:44.240 --> 00:12:49.320 toes into the fascinating world of virtualization, and today we're 264 00:12:49.320 --> 00:12:52.039 going to dive a little deeper into that world, explore 265 00:12:52.120 --> 00:12:55.200 how to actually manage those virtual machines we talked about 266 00:12:55.440 --> 00:12:57.159 and really unlock their full potential. 267 00:12:58.000 --> 00:12:59.919 All right, I'm ready to become a virtual machine master. 268 00:13:00.440 --> 00:13:03.080 But first a quick recap. We talked about virtual hard 269 00:13:03.080 --> 00:13:07.000 disks or vhds, which are essentially files that act like 270 00:13:07.080 --> 00:13:10.559 physical hard drives for our virtual machines. What are some 271 00:13:10.600 --> 00:13:12.759 of the key things to keep in mind about. 272 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:15.720 Those Well, one important consideration is choosing the right type 273 00:13:15.720 --> 00:13:19.639 of VHD. You mentioned fixed size and dynamically expanding discs. 274 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.879 A fixed size VHD is like reserving a parking spot. 275 00:13:23.039 --> 00:13:25.679 You allocate a specific amount of storage space right away, 276 00:13:26.360 --> 00:13:28.200 and it's always there whether you use it or not. 277 00:13:28.559 --> 00:13:31.480 A dynamically expanding VHD, on the other end, is more 278 00:13:31.559 --> 00:13:34.200 like valet parking. It starts small and grows you add 279 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:34.759 more data. 280 00:13:34.840 --> 00:13:36.720 So if I'm not sure how much storage space my 281 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:38.519 virtual machine will need, I should probably go with a 282 00:13:38.600 --> 00:13:40.840 dynamically expanding disc exactly. 283 00:13:41.080 --> 00:13:44.080 It's more efficient because you're only using the storage space 284 00:13:44.120 --> 00:13:48.519 you actually need. But keep in mind that dynamically expanding 285 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:51.279 discs can be a bit slower than fixed sized disks, 286 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:54.639 especially if you're frequently adding large amounts of data. 287 00:13:54.799 --> 00:13:58.320 Okay, performance versus efficiency, it's always a trade off. So 288 00:13:58.360 --> 00:14:01.159 we've got our virtual hard discs sort it out, but 289 00:14:01.240 --> 00:14:04.279 now we need to talk about managing those virtual machines themselves. 290 00:14:04.360 --> 00:14:06.440 It can't be as simple as just turning them on 291 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:06.919 and off. 292 00:14:07.120 --> 00:14:10.480 Right, You're right. Hyper v gives you a whole suite 293 00:14:10.559 --> 00:14:13.879 of tools for controlling and monitoring your virtual machines. You 294 00:14:13.879 --> 00:14:17.159 can adjust their resource allocation, like how much CPU power 295 00:14:17.240 --> 00:14:20.440 or RAM they get. You can create snapshots, which are 296 00:14:20.480 --> 00:14:22.799 like saving a game, allowing you to revert back to 297 00:14:22.840 --> 00:14:25.919 a previous state if something goes wrong. And you can 298 00:14:26.039 --> 00:14:30.120 even move virtual machines between physical servers without any downtime. 299 00:14:30.399 --> 00:14:32.960 Wait, move them between service so my virtual machine to 300 00:14:33.000 --> 00:14:35.200 be on one server one minute and on a different 301 00:14:35.200 --> 00:14:37.200 server than next, and it wouldn't even blink. 302 00:14:37.480 --> 00:14:40.320 That's the power of live migration. It's like moving a 303 00:14:40.399 --> 00:14:43.240 plant from one pot to another without disturbing its roots. 304 00:14:43.519 --> 00:14:46.879 That's incredible. It seems like virtualization opens up a whole 305 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:50.519 new level of flexibility and resilience. But how do I 306 00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:53.759 actually interact with these virtual machines? Do I need a 307 00:14:53.799 --> 00:14:55.919 special keyboard and mouse for each one? 308 00:14:56.159 --> 00:14:59.200 Not at all. You can connect to your virtual machines 309 00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:02.720 remotely using the Virtual Machine Connection tool. It's like opening 310 00:15:02.759 --> 00:15:06.000 a window into the virtual machine's desktop and you can 311 00:15:06.039 --> 00:15:07.960 interact with it just as if you were sitting right 312 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:08.559 in front of it. 313 00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:10.559 So I could have a virtual machine running on a 314 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:13.279 server in a different country, and I could control it 315 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:14.559 from my laptop here at home. 316 00:15:14.759 --> 00:15:17.960 Exactly. It's like having a remote control for your virtual machines. 317 00:15:18.159 --> 00:15:22.159 That's amazing. But what about things like transferring files or 318 00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:24.440 using a printer with a virtual machine. It's not like 319 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:27.159 I can plug a USB drive into a digital. 320 00:15:26.840 --> 00:15:29.480 World, right, Well, that's where enhanced session mode comes in. 321 00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:33.440 With Enhanced Session Mode enabled, you can seamlessly redirect audio, 322 00:15:33.519 --> 00:15:38.000 printer's USB devices, even clipboard data between your physical machine 323 00:15:38.000 --> 00:15:39.039 and the virtual machine. 324 00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:41.159 So if I wanted to print a document from a 325 00:15:41.240 --> 00:15:44.600 virtual machine, it would just use my local printer exactly. 326 00:15:44.759 --> 00:15:47.600 It's like bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds. 327 00:15:47.720 --> 00:15:51.080 This is getting pretty futuristic, but I'm guessing there are 328 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:53.600 some limitations to enhance Session Mode. 329 00:15:54.039 --> 00:15:57.039 Of course, there are always trade offs. Enhanced Session Mode 330 00:15:57.120 --> 00:16:00.519 requires a bit more configuration and might not be suitable 331 00:16:00.519 --> 00:16:05.440 for all scenarios, especially those with strict security requirements. But 332 00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:09.720 for most everyday tasks and testing, it's incredibly convenient. 333 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:13.799 Okay, so we've covered virtual hard disks, managing those virtual 334 00:16:13.840 --> 00:16:17.879 machines and even connecting to them remotely. I'm feeling pretty empowered. 335 00:16:18.440 --> 00:16:20.879 But let's shift gears a bit and talk about something 336 00:16:20.919 --> 00:16:23.879 we touched on earlier, managing server storage. 337 00:16:24.000 --> 00:16:26.200 Right, we talked about RAID, which is a great way 338 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.840 to protect your data and improve performance at the hardware level, 339 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:32.480 but Windows Server offers an even more sophisticated approach with 340 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:33.440 storage spaces. 341 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:36.000 Right, storage spaces, we talked about how it's like virtualizing 342 00:16:36.039 --> 00:16:38.120 your hard drives, but can you give me a real 343 00:16:38.120 --> 00:16:40.320 world example of how this might be useful. 344 00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:43.279 Imagine you have a server with a few hard drives 345 00:16:43.279 --> 00:16:46.320 of different sizes and types. Maybe you've got some older 346 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:49.000 drives lying around and you want to make the most 347 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:51.879 of them. With storage spaces, you can pool all those 348 00:16:51.960 --> 00:16:55.720 drives together and create a single virtual storage pool. 349 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:58.639 So it's like taking a bunch of mismatched lego bricks 350 00:16:59.120 --> 00:17:01.960 and building some amazing out of them exactly. 351 00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:04.319 And the best part is you can choose how that 352 00:17:04.400 --> 00:17:07.839 virtual storage pool is configured. You mentioned mirror and parity 353 00:17:07.920 --> 00:17:11.839 layouts before. If you need maximum protection against data loss, 354 00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:15.079 you can choose a mirror layout which duplicates your data 355 00:17:15.079 --> 00:17:17.920 on two drives. If you need more storage space and 356 00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:20.880 are willing to sacrifice some redundancy. You can choose a 357 00:17:20.880 --> 00:17:24.599 parity layout which spreads data across multiple drives with error 358 00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:25.480 checking information. 359 00:17:26.119 --> 00:17:29.039 Okay, so storage space is all about flexibility and making 360 00:17:29.079 --> 00:17:31.920 the most of your hardware. But what about actually accessing 361 00:17:31.960 --> 00:17:33.559 and sharing those files on the server. 362 00:17:33.720 --> 00:17:35.799 Well, that's where file and printer sharing comes in, and 363 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:37.920 it's one of the core functions of a server. Windows 364 00:17:37.920 --> 00:17:41.680 server uses that SMBCIFS protocol we talked about earlier to 365 00:17:41.720 --> 00:17:44.200 make file sharing seamless between Windows computers. 366 00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:47.440 So it's like setting up a digital library where everyone 367 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:50.200 can check out the books or in this case, files 368 00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:51.319 they need exactly. 369 00:17:51.759 --> 00:17:54.839 You can create shared folders on your server, set permissions 370 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:58.440 to control who can access what, and even configure quotas 371 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:01.799 to limit how much storage each user can use. It's 372 00:18:01.839 --> 00:18:03.640 all about managing your digital assets. 373 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:05.960 Wisely, this is making me think about all the ways 374 00:18:06.000 --> 00:18:09.039 I could use the server to organize and share files 375 00:18:09.039 --> 00:18:11.440 with my family or team. It seems like a much 376 00:18:11.480 --> 00:18:15.559 more robust and secure solution than just using cloud storage. 377 00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:17.880 But there's one more big piece of the puzzle that 378 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:20.359 we need to revisit. Active directory. 379 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:24.880 Ah Yes, active directory essential for any organization that wants 380 00:18:24.920 --> 00:18:28.519 to centrally manage users, computers, and resources on their network. 381 00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:31.279 It's like having a digital command center for your entire 382 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:32.279 IT infrastructure. 383 00:18:32.359 --> 00:18:34.279 Right active directory we talked about how it's like a 384 00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:37.160 massive phone book and security system rolled into one. But 385 00:18:37.240 --> 00:18:39.680 can you give me some specific examples of how active 386 00:18:39.680 --> 00:18:42.279 directory is used in the real world. Okay, Well, imagine 387 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:45.720 you're an IT administrator for a company with hundreds of employees. 388 00:18:46.279 --> 00:18:49.519 You need to create user accounts for each employee, give 389 00:18:49.519 --> 00:18:53.759 them access to the resources they need, and enforce security policies. 390 00:18:54.519 --> 00:18:57.319 Doing this manually on each computer would be a nightmare. 391 00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:59.920 But with active directory, you can do all of this 392 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:01.160 from a central. 393 00:19:00.880 --> 00:19:04.480 Location, So instead of running around to each employee's desk, 394 00:19:04.839 --> 00:19:07.680 I can manage everything for my own computer exactly. 395 00:19:07.880 --> 00:19:11.279 You can create groups of users like sales or marketing, 396 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:14.880 and then apply policies to those groups. For example, you 397 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:16.920 could give everyone in the sales group access to a 398 00:19:16.960 --> 00:19:20.359 shared folder with sales materials, or you could enforce a 399 00:19:20.359 --> 00:19:23.359 password policy that requires everyone to have a strong password. 400 00:19:23.759 --> 00:19:25.720 Okay, that makes a lot of sense. It seems like 401 00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:29.359