I just installed a new server with Server 2008 Enterprise. It has been quite a long time since I did any Microsoft server install and here is the first of probably many basic questions I will have. When I click Administrative Tools, I have a very sparse list of options. I was particularly wishing to find Remote Desktop Services/Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration, so that I can allow more than 1 remote session at once. I don't see this in Admin Tools and I seem to remember there is an addon or something I need to install to get this and many other items that I currently don't see in Admin Tools, such as all the Active Directory items.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc731617.aspx Remote Desktop Session Host Configuration is only available in Server Manager if the Remote Desktop Services role is installed on the computer. Marco Adamo for ad tools you nedd to install features: To install Active Directory Domain Services Tools on a member server Open Server Manager. To open Server Manager, on the Start menu, click Administrative Tools, and then click Server Manager. In the console tree, right-click Features, and then click Add Features. In Features, expand Remote Service Administration Tools and Role Administration Tools: On a Windows Server 2008 member server, expand Active Directory Domain Services Tools, and then click Active Directory Domain Controllers Tools.On a Windows Server 2008 R2 member server, expand AD DS and AD LDS Tools, expand AD DS Tools, and then click AD DS Snap-Ins and Command-Line Tools. Click Next, review the installation information, and then click Install.

Wow! Thanks for the fast reply Addygol!! That leads me to another basic question. Everywhere I see Windows 2008 Server, I always see this R2 after it. I don't believe my version is the R2 version as when I followed your instructions above, the entries said Active Directory Domain Service Tools and not AD DS. When I look at properties of My Computer, it simply states Windows Server Enterprise Service Pack 2. What is R2 and is it something I can add for free or do I even need it?

Rockitman, Server 2008 R2 is an operating system independent of Server 2008. 2K8R2 shares the same code base as Windows 7, whereas plain 2008 shares the same code base as Vista. There are definitely some enhancements, but I'll let you decide. Check out this link for further reading.

I have the ability to download and install R2 if I want. The vendor (CDWG) has all the different flavors of Windows 2008 available for me to download. Since I just got started and haven't really configured the server yet, maybe I should backtrack and redo it with R2?

All things being equal, I can't see how that would be bad. Of course, I know nothing of your hardware so I can't speak to compatability! :D Further, I should ask, is this a deployment within a pre-existing environmnet? Are there any requirements that would make use of the (almost) latest and greatest unwise? I'm thinking something that must run on the server, or a critical system that wont integrate with WS2K8R2. If you are just installing for the lab experience, then by all means, go forward! :D Jason

All things being equal, I can't see how that would be bad. Of course, I know nothing of your hardware so I can't speak to compatability! :D Further, I should ask, is this a deployment within a pre-existing environmnet? Are there any requirements that would make use of the (almost) latest and greatest unwise? I'm thinking something that must run on the server, or a critical system that wont integrate with WS2K8R2. If you are just installing for the lab experience, then by all means, go forward! :D Jason