Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack Best practices

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Best practices

Check security requirements for each component

Always install help contents from the Windows Server 2003 operating system

  • The help content on a Windows Server 2003 operating system differs from Windows XP Professional Help. After you install the help content from a Windows Server 2003 operating system onto your computer running Windows XP Professional, you can switch between the different help content as often as you like, but you cannot use both simultaneously. To switch between different help systems, in Help and Support Center, click the Options menu. Under Options, click Install and share Windows Help, click Switch from one operating system's Help content to another, and then follow the instructions on the screen.

  • If you are administering servers running Windows Server 2003 from a computer running Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 or Windows XP Professional with hotfix Q329357, you should install the help content from the Windows Server 2003 operating system onto the computer running Windows XP Professional.

    For instructions, see Install Help content from a Windows Server 2003 server operating system onto a computer running Windows XP Professional.

Make sure that the firewall settings on the server you want to administer permit remote administration

  • With Windows Firewall enabled, you might need to make specific configuration settings in order to use or remotely administer technologies that ship with Windows Server 2003. For information about these settings, see Windows Firewall Settings.

Administering computers running Windows 2000 Server

  • Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack has been designed solely for use on servers running Windows Server 2003, Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 or later, and Windows XP Professional with QFE Q329357 installed. Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack will not run on computers running Windows 2000 operating systems. Windows 2000 operating systems can use only the Windows 2000 version of Administrative Tools.

    • Install Windows 2000 Administrative Tools onto a computer running Windows 2000 professional. For additional information, see Windows 2000 Help.

    • Use the Remote Desktop Connection from Windows XP Professional or Windows 2000 professional to the server running Windows 2000 and manage that server from the remote session. For more information, see Remote Desktop Connection.