302 Networking: A Beginner’s Guide Exploring IIS Windows Server 2008 includes a set of Internet services that run as part of Internet Information Services (IIS). These include the following services: N Web IIS web services provide comprehensive web-hosting software. You can define multiple web sites with IIS, each one administered separately. For each site, you specify the directory in which the site’s files can be found, as well as security settings for the site and performance parameters to optimize the performance of the web site. N File Transfer Protocol (FTP) IIS FTP services enable you to set up an FTP site on a Windows Server 2008 computer. You define the FTP directory, as well as whether directory listings will be shown in UNIX or MS-DOS style formats. You can also set security settings to allow or disallow different client computers or client networks access to the FTP server, and specify whether you will permit anonymous FTP logins. Figure 19-2. Use the Routing and Remote Access MMC plug-in to administer remote access. 303 Chapter 19: Understanding Other Windows Server 2008 Services N Network News Transfer Protocol (NNTP) The NNTP server in IIS enables you to set up your own Usenet-style site using the NNTP protocol. Clients can connect to your NNTP server using tools such as Outlook Express or other Usenet news readers. N Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) The SMTP server allows SMTP connections to be formed between the system running IIS and remote SMTP mail systems. SMTP is the standard protocol for exchanging e-mail over the Internet. Each of these services can be started or stopped independently. IIS is administered through the Internet Services Manager program found in the Administrative Tools program group. Figure 19-3 shows the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager window. Figure 19-3. The Internet Information Services Manager provides a single place to administer Internet services. 304 Networking: A Beginner’s Guide Understanding Windows Terminal Services Windows Terminal Services is possibly one of the most powerful services discussed in this chapter. Using Terminal Services, you can set up a Windows Server 2008 almost as if it were a mainframe—where terminals can connect and all the work is performed on the central computer, which in this case would be a Windows Server 2008 computer. A client computer connects to a terminal server using a TCP/IP connection—over a dial-up or a local area network (LAN) or wide area network (WAN) connection—and logs in. From then on, the client computer is responsible only for displaying screens and accepting keyboard and mouse input—all of the work is actually being done on the terminal server through the creation of a virtual Windows machine on the server. A terminal server can create many virtual Windows machines, each one carrying out its own tasks and running its own programs. When would you use a Terminal Services connection to a network instead of a remote node connection, such as the remote node connections offered via RRAS? The answer depends on a number of factors, including the following: N Inadequate resources The remote computer doesn’t have adequate resources to run some application or perform some task. By running its programs on the terminal server, the remote computer can take advantage of the terminal server’s resources. For example, suppose that a particular application runs optimally only when it has 8GB of RAM with which to work. A Windows XP client with 1GB of RAM could connect to the terminal server (which has, say, 12GB of RAM) and run the application in question. Similarly, some applications might require many processors or direct access to large disk arrays or to some other centrally located resource to which the terminal server has access. N Low-bandwidth connections Over low-bandwidth connections, such as 33.6 Kbps modem connections, some applications work far more effectively using a remote control approach rather than a remote node approach (these approaches are explained in Chapter 10). Most remote access connections are low bandwidth, yet some applications need high bandwidth to work properly. Because a remote computer connected to a terminal server just needs to transfer display and input information, the application running on the terminal server can run much faster than it could over a remote node connection. N Demanding applications Some applications and tasks, such as administration of a Windows Server 2008, cannot be fully performed by another computer, even if it has a connection running at LAN speeds. Terminal Services allows a remote computer to run such applications if the computer has the appropriate permissions. For instance, suppose that your company has a remote network located somewhere in Asia, but the network is not large enough to justify a local administrator. Using Terminal Services, you could connect to that network over the company WAN and perform the necessary administrative tasks, such as configuring hard disks, shares, additional network protocols, and so forth. 305 Chapter 19: Understanding Other Windows Server 2008 Services Certain applications might require that you use Terminal Services. However, in any case, you might want to consider Terminal Services as an adjunct to your remote access services. If you have many remote users to support, you might find that some users have needs best served by remote node connections and some have needs best served by remote control connections. Running both services on your network will give you considerable flexibility in supporting remote users and solving any problems that they might encounter. CAUTION If you implement Terminal Services, make sure that you carefully review Microsoft’s license agreement and pricing models, which differ when you use Terminal Services. Chapter Summary The Windows family of servers, including Windows Server 2008, is perhaps the richest network operating system environment available today. While other products can perform all the tasks described in this chapter, none include all these capabilities out of the box; add-on purchases are required. Because of the richness with which Windows Server 2008 is packaged, you can more easily put together a server to meet nearly any need you may have. And because the various Windows Server 2008 services work so well together, you can easily implement nearly all these advanced services on just a single server! This out-of-the-box flexibility and ease of administration are two of the reasons the Windows family of network operating systems has gained a leading share of the market, and why it’s a safe bet Windows Server 2008 will continue this trend. Although Windows servers probably run most servers in most companies, another popular choice is servers that run Linux. In the following three chapters you learn about installing and administering Fedora Linux, as well as installing an Apache web server under a Fedora Linux installation. This page intentionally left blank . control approach rather than a remote node approach (these approaches are explained in Chapter 10). Most remote access connections are low bandwidth, yet some applications need high bandwidth to. popular choice is servers that run Linux. In the following three chapters you learn about installing and administering Fedora Linux, as well as installing an Apache web server under a Fedora Linux. has, say, 12GB of RAM) and run the application in question. Similarly, some applications might require many processors or direct access to large disk arrays or to some other centrally located