Windows Server Administration/Application Servers

This lesson covers application servers, including Microsoft Exchange, SQL Server, SharePoint, and Forefront Threat Management Gateway. Activities include reviewing application server documentation, researching application server licensing costs, and downloading and experimenting with pre-built application server virtual hard drives.

Objectives and Skills

Objectives and skills for the Understanding Server Roles portion of Windows Server Administration Fundamentals certification include:^[1]

• Identify application servers: mail servers; database servers; collaboration servers; monitoring servers; threat management

Readings

1. Read Wikipedia: Application server.
2. Read Wikipedia: Microsoft Exchange Server.
3. Read Wikipedia: Microsoft SQL Server.
4. Read Wikipedia: Microsoft SharePoint.
5. Read Wikipedia: System Center Operations Manager.
6. Read Wikipedia: Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway.

Multimedia

1. Watch YouTube: Microsoft Exchange Overview.
2. Watch YouTube: What Is SQL Server 2012?.
3. Watch YouTube: What is SharePoint? - lynda.com overview.
4. Watch YouTube: Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2012 Overview.

Activities

1. Review Application Server. Identify the differences between the generic application server description from Wikipedia and Microsoft's application server implementation.
2. Review Microsoft Exchange. Using your preferred software vendor, identify costs for Microsoft Exchange Server server and client licenses.
3. Review Microsoft SQL Server. Using your preferred software vendor, identify costs for Microsoft SQL Server server and client licenses.
4. Review Microsoft SharePoint. Using your preferred software vendor, identify costs for Microsoft SharePoint server and client licenses.
5. Review Operations Manager. Using your preferred software vendor, identify costs for Microsoft System Center Operation Manager server and client licenses.
6. Review Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010. Using your preferred software vendor, identify costs for Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway server and client licenses.
7. Review Exchange Server 2010 SP1 VHD. Download the virtual hard drive and add it as a Hyper-V virtual machine. Follow the instructions to experiment with Exchange Server 2010.
8. Review SQL Server 2008 Enterprise Evaluation on Windows Server 2008 VHD. Download the virtual hard drive and add it as a Hyper-V virtual machine. Follow the instructions to experiment with SQL Server 2008.
9. Use the Discuss page to post comments and questions regarding this lesson.
10. Review the lesson summary, key terms, review questions and flashcards below.

Lesson Summary

• An application server can be either a software framework that provides a generalized approach to creating an application-server implementation or the server portion of a specific implementation instance.^[2]

• The Windows Application Server role includes Internet Information Services (IIS) to provide web server support, the .NET Framework to provide application support, ASP.NET to provide server side scripting, COM+ for application component communication, Message Queuing for multithreaded processing, and the Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) for application communication.^[3]

• Microsoft Exchange Server is a mail server, calendaring software and contact manager.^[4]

• Exchange Server supports SMTP for sending mail, POP3 and IMAP4 for accessing mail, and an HTTP/HTTPS interface known as Outlook Web Access for reading mail.^[5]

• Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system used to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications.^[6]

• SQL Server's primary query languages are T-SQL and ANSI SQL.^[7]

• Microsoft SharePoint is a web application platform for web-based content and document collaboration and management.^[8]

• SharePoint uses Microsoft SQL Server for its data storage.^[9]

• Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) is a cross-platform data center management system for operating systems and hypervisors. It uses a single interface that shows state, health and performance information of computer systems and may generate alerts based on availability, performance, configuration or security situations.^[10]

• Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway, formerly known as Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA Server), is a network router, firewall, antivirus program, VPN server and web cache that inspects and manages all network traffic that passes through it.^[11]

Key Terms

software framework

A universal, reusable software platform to develop applications, products and solutions.^[12]

Review Questions

Click on a question to see the answer.

1. An application server can be either _____ or _____.

   An application server can be either a software framework that provides a generalized approach to creating an application-server implementation or the server portion of a specific implementation instance.
2. The Windows Application Server role includes _____ to provide web server support, _____ to provide application support, _____ to provide server side scripting, _____ for application component communication, _____ for multithreaded processing, and _____ for application communication.

   The Windows Application Server role includes Internet Information Services (IIS) to provide web server support, the .NET Framework to provide application support, ASP.NET to provide server side scripting, COM+ for application component communication, Message Queuing for multithreaded processing, and the Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) for application communication.
3. Microsoft Exchange Server is a _____ server, _____ software and _____ manager.

   Microsoft Exchange Server is a mail server, calendaring software and contact manager.
4. Exchange Server supports _____ for sending mail, _____ and _____ for accessing mail, and _____ known as Outlook Web Access for reading mail.

   Exchange Server supports SMTP for sending mail, POP3 and IMAP4 for accessing mail, and an HTTP/HTTPS interface known as Outlook Web Access for reading mail.
5. Microsoft SQL Server is a _____ used to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications.

   Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system used to store and retrieve data as requested by other software applications.
6. SQL Server's primary query languages are _____ and _____.

   SQL Server's primary query languages are T-SQL and ANSI SQL.
7. Microsoft SharePoint is a web application platform for _____.

   Microsoft SharePoint is a web application platform for web-based content and document collaboration and management.
8. SharePoint uses _____ for its data storage.

   SharePoint uses Microsoft SQL Server for its data storage.
9. Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) is a _____. It uses a single interface that shows _____ of computer systems and may generate alerts based on _____.

   Microsoft System Center Operations Manager (SCOM) is a cross-platform data center management system for operating systems and hypervisors. It uses a single interface that shows state, health and performance information of computer systems and may generate alerts based on availability, performance, configuration or security situations.
10. Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway, formerly known as Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA Server), is a _____ that inspects and manages all network traffic that passes through it.

    Microsoft Forefront Threat Management Gateway, formerly known as Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA Server), is a network router, firewall, antivirus program, VPN server and web cache that inspects and manages all network traffic that passes through it.

Flashcards

• Test your understanding of this lesson.
• Test your understanding of the key terms.

See Also

• Microsoft Virtual Academy: Windows Server 2012 Technical Overview

References

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Resource type: this resource is a lesson.

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