GUI utility for Server Core

hetty

CoreConfigurator

Obviously not one for the exams but a nice tool for out in the field.

sthomas

Thanks for the link, that is good info. I wonder how many people are going to use the command line for Server 2008 vs. installing and using the GUI since Windows Server is usually asociated with a GUI. At least everyone I know who has installed Server 2008 to test has installed the GUI.

Thiassi

RSAT is now out as well which, I believe, has GUI tools for server core also.

hetty

if you look back at various blogs and articles, you will see that there is a repeating pattern: there is more-or-less predefined set of tasks that you need to do in order to get the installation of Server Core up and running (activation, IP and firewall configuration, domain join, feature installation, configuration of Remote Desktop and etc...). All the tasks are performed at command line, but there is no single utility/interface and for each task you need to know what command to use and what are the parameters required in order to complete the task.

I think the idea is that once youve installed server core, you use server core configurator to get the basics setup without the command line, install roles, reboot, then use RSAT.

The big plus is removing all those unnecessary updates, so I could see server core being quite popular. Just used for those core tasks AD, DNS, DHCP etc might get uptimes closer to unix boxes. Dont think youll see any all server core shops though.