Hands-On Microsoft

Windows Server 2003

Chapter 12
Managing System Reliability
and Availability
Objectives
• Develop general problem-solving
strategies
• Resolve boot problems
• Back up and restore system state data
• Restore a failed system volume
• Use Event Viewer for solving problems

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Objectives
• Troubleshoot security using the Security
Configuration and Analysis Snap-in
• Troubleshoot connectivity
• Remotely administer a server

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General Problem-solving
Strategies
• Understand how a server and the network
interact
• Train your users to help you solve
problems
• Solve problems step by step
• Track problems and solutions

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Understanding How Servers
and the Network Interact
• Create network diagrams
– Mainframes, minicomputers, and servers
– Workstations and network printers
– Network devices
– Telecommunications links
– Remote links
– Building locations
• Gather benchmarks
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Training Users to Help
• Save work at the first sign of a problem
• Record information about a problem as
the problem is occurring
• Report any protocol information, including
error messages
• Quickly report the problem by telephone or
voice mail
• Avoid sending e-mail about urgent
problems
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Solving Problems Step by Step
• Ask the right questions to get as much
information as possible
• Record the error message when it
appears or when the user reports it
• Start with simple solutions
• Determine if anyone else is experiencing
the problem

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Solving Problems Step by Step
• Regularly check the Windows Server 2003
event logs for signs of a problem
• Use System Monitor and Network Monitor
filtering to help you troubleshoot problems
• Check for power interruptions

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Tracking Problems and
Solutions
• Keep a log of all network problems and
their solutions
– Database
– Help Desk system
• Use the log for future reference, as a
teaching tool, and as an indicator of
recurring problems
• Keep a log of changes made to the
system
– Serves as a reference for other administrators
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Resolving Boot Problems
• Common causes of boot problems
– Disk failure of drive with system and boot files
– Corrupt partition table, boot file, or Master
Boot Record
– Disk read error
• First step is to try rebooting
– Often works for temporary disk read or
memory errors, out-of-sync registers, and disk
controller problems
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Troubleshooting by Using Safe
Mode
• Safe mode boots the server using the
most generic default settings with only the
services needed for a basic configuration
• Accessed by pressing F8 when the
computer boots
• Contains several advanced options for
various problems associated with:
– Modified server configuration
– New software or drivers

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Using the Automated Recovery
Set to Solve a Boot Problem
• Restores the disk signatures, volumes and
partitions, and system files required to
start the computer
– Uses a previously created ASR set created
with the Backup utility
• Windows Server 2003 is then installed and
a system restore can be done
– The restore process uses previously created
backup media
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Troubleshooting by Using the
Recovery Console
• Enables booting into the Windows Server 2003
command line
– Repair a disk problem
– Copy a critical file back into the server
– Start a service
– Format a drive
• Started from the Windows Server 2003 CD-ROM
or from an installation
– Available from the Advanced Options Menu after
installation
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General Tips for Fixing Boot
Problems

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Troubleshooting Stop Messages

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Backing Up and Restoring
System State Data
• System state data consists of several critical
elements
– System and boot file, Active Directory, Sysvol folder,
Registry, COM+ information, DNS zones, certificate
information, and server cluster data
• All of the system state data must be backed up
as a group and from the local computer
• Select the System State option in the Backup
utility to ensure system protected files are
backed up
– Check the Automatically backup System Protected
files with the System State box in the Advanced tab

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Restoring a Failed System
Volume
• Replace the failed hardware
• Install Windows Server 2003 on the new
drive
• Use the Backup utility to restore the
system state data and all other data, using
the most recent backup tapes
• Do additional restores if using differential
or incremental backups
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Using and Configuring Event
Viewer
• Event logs contain a record of all types of
server events
– System
– Security
– Application
– Directory Service
– DNS Service
– File Replication Service

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Viewing Log Events
• Icons indicate the seriousness of an event
– Information message contains a blue “i” in a white
comment circle
– Warning message contains a black “!” on a yellow
caution symbol
– Error message contains a white “x” inside a red circle
• Event Viewer can be accessed from
Administrative Tools, Computer Management, or
as an MMC snap-in
• Logs contain information about each event
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Using the Event Viewer Filter
Option
• All event logs have a filter option to help
locate a problem quickly
• Events can be filtered on the following
criteria
– Event type, source, and category
– Event ID
– User and computer associated with an event
– Date and time of day range

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Maintaining Event Logs
• Size each log to prevent it from filling it too
quickly
– Set the maximum log size
– Test the setting regularly
• Regularly clear each log before it is full
– Use the clear or overwrite option
• Automatically override the oldest events when a
log is full
– Use the Overwrite events older than x days option
• Save logs as .evt, .txt, or .csv files

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Troubleshooting Security
• Security policies may have omissions
• Security requirements may change over time
• Use the Security Configuration and Analysis tool
to monitor and analyze security
– Creates a database to configure a server and perform
a security check
– Can be used periodically to perform an analysis of a
policy
• Make modifications on the basis of growth in
server use
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Troubleshooting Connectivity
• TCP/IP utilities and TCP/IP-compatible operating
systems often have built-in IP troubleshooting
tools
– ipconfig can find duplicate IP addresses
• Subnet mask will be 0.0.0.0
– ping can poll the presence of another TCP/IP
computer
– netstat can verify that a workstation or server has
established a successful TCP/IP connection
• If the network and sent data contain 0 bytes, the session may
be hung

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Remotely Administering a
Server
• Remote access may be from another building,
from home, or while traveling
• Enabled in the System Properties Remote tab
• Remote Desktop client
– Use a dial-up line via a RAS or VPN server
– Configure a strong password
• Remote Assistance
– Set up a Group Policy
– Access the server from a Windows XP computer

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Summary
• Develop a problem-solving strategy before
problems occur
– Understand your server and network
– Train users to help
– Step-by-step problem solving
– Tracking problems
• Windows Server 2003 addresses boot problems
with several tools
– Safe mode
– ASR set
– Recovery console
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Summary
• Regularly back up the system state data and
system protected data in case of emergencies,
such as a failed boot partition or volume
• Understand how to restore a failed volume,
including system state data and system
protected files, so you are prepared in advance
• Learn to regularly use Event Viewer as a
monitoring and troubleshooting tool
– Configure your event logs to match the needs of your
organization
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Summary
• Use the Security Configuration and Analysis tool
to troubleshoot security policy problems
• There are many tools for troubleshooting TCP/IP
connectivity problems at the server or on a client
– ipconfig
– ping
– nbstat
– netstat
• You can remotely administer a server using
Remote Desktop client or Remote Assistance

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