GIST: Windows Server “8” Administrative Experience

April 3, 2012 / No Comment

AUTHOR: Mark

CATEGORY: Headlines, PowerShell, Windows

There are several items that deserve highlighting from Erin Chapple’s post (via Jeffry Snover) titled, “Rocking the Windows Server “8” Administrative Experience”.  Here’s my gist:

• Administration designed for one a single-role centric view to a multi-server view of the environment.  The result is that rather than administer a role on a particular server you will now be able to administer a role that may span multiple servers.
• The PowerShell based Command-line Interface (CLI) for Windows administration is a both/and experience – both CLI and GUI.
• CLI automation increases reliability, auditability, and predictability – across multiple servers none-the-less.
• Server Core is the preferred deployment option but GUI still available both on server (as backward compatibility option) but more importantly on the server.
• SQL Server 2012 supported on Server Core.
• Remote Management (WinRM) and Windows PowerShell installed and enabled by default on all servers.
• .NET installed and enabled by default on all servers (given that PowerShell is there by default).
• A new Minimal User Experience option allows GUI applications to run on Server Core but without th desktop shell or Internet Explorer.
• As a fallback, it is possible to enable a metro style Start Screen experience.
• Gazillions (2,300) PowerShell cmdlets oriented at managing the server.
• A host of PowerShell ISE improvements including IntelliSense©, snippet support for an enhanced scripting UI experience, a Show Command window that allows administrators to search the cmdlets available, learn the syntax, and run or script the cmdlet.

Call to Action:

PowerShell is in your future, embrace it now.