Now that you’ve installed Windows Server 2022, it’s time for the fun to begin! As an administrator, your next task after installing the server operating system is to configure it to do what you want it to do.
Microsoft introduced the Server Manager feature in Server 2008, and it was updated heavily in Windows Server 2012 to support Remote Management, as well as multi-server management. Server Manager is your starting location for the majority of the configuration tasks that you need to accomplish on your server if you’re working on a server that has Desktop Experience.
If you’re working on a Server Core system, you won’t use Server Manager on the console. Instead, you’ll use the sconfig utility to do your initial configuration, assuming that you aren’t deploying Server Core images that are already configured for your environment. Of course, you can use Server Manager to administer your Server Core systems remotely, with a little setup initially to get things going. I cover that subject in my overview of the configuration process.
Understanding Default Settings
When Windows Server 2022 is first installed, there are some settings that are created or set by default. Typically, these are things that you’ll want to change, such as setting the server’s name, setting an IP address, joining the server to a domain, and so on. Table 4-1 covers these default settings and discusses what they’re set to out of the box to give you a better idea of what you’re starting with.
TABLE 4-1 Windows Server 2022 Default Settings
| Setting | Default Value | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Computer Name | WIN-<randomstring> | This will be a randomly generated name starting with WIN-. You should change the name based on your organization’s naming standards. When you change the name, you’ll be required to restart the system. |
| IP Address | Assigned by DHCP | By default, your brand-new server is using DHCP to automatically receive an IP address. If your organization uses DHCP to manage IP addresses, you’re good to go. If not, you may need to set a static IP address. |
| Domain or Workgroup | Workgroup named WORKGROUP | Windows Server 2022 begins life joined to a workgroup named WORKGROUP. If it’s going to be a standalone server, then that setting may work well for you. Servers in workgroups are not domain joined. If your server needs to be joined to a domain, you’ll want to change this setting. Doing so will require a reboot. |
| Windows Update | Automatic update download | Updates are downloaded automatically, but they aren’t installed until you allow them to be. |
| Microsoft Defender Firewall | Public and private profiles: On Core OS functionality: Allowed | In its default state Microsoft Defender Firewall has a public and a private profile. Core functionality needed for the operating system to function is allowed automatically. The domain profile will appear if the server becomes domain joined. |
| Microsoft Defender Antivirus | Real-time protection: On | Provides real-time virus/malware scanning. It prevents malware from installing and/or running on your server. Automatic sample submission is also enabled by default. This sends sample files to Microsoft for analysis. |
| Roles and Features | Some roles/features are installed | Some roles and features are enabled out of the box to allow the server basic functionality. It’s important to note that just because a role or feature is selected, that doesn’t mean that the role as a whole is installed. |
| Remote Management | Enabled | Allows the server to be managed by PowerShell remotely. Also allows applications or commands that require Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to manage the server. |
| Remote Desktop | Disabled | Allows users to connect to the desktop of the server remotely. Allowed users can be configured individually or by security groups. |
Getting an Overview of the Configuration Process
When you start with a freshly installed server, it isn’t configured to do much of anything. You’ll need to take some basic configuration steps. Some of these steps are the basics like setting the day and time; others are tasks that will allow you to manage your systems remotely.
Here’s the basic process:
Activate Windows Server 2022.
Set the date, time, and time zone.
Change the computer name.
Add to the domain (if there is one to join).
Configure the networking.
Configure the server to receive Windows updates.
Add roles and features.
Setup the Windows Server OS for remote administration.
Configure the Windows Server firewall.
You can find the specifics on how to do each of these tasks in the following section.
Providing Computer Information
When you’re deploying new servers, you have to perform certain tasks, such as activating the operating system with a valid Microsoft product key, setting the time zone, changing the name, and adding the server to the domain. In this section, I explain how to provide information for the server on both Windows Server 2022 with Desktop Experience and Server 2022 Core.
Windows Server 2022 with Desktop Experience
Many system administrators got their start with the graphical user interface (GUI) of a Windows Server operating system. Windows Server 2022 continues the tradition of the GUI with the Desktop Experience installation. Let’s take a look at what is involved with configuring Windows Server 2022 with Desktop Experience.
Activation
One of the first things that you do after installing the Windows Server operating system is activate it with a valid product key. You can do this through the desktop interface or through PowerShell.
In this section, I cover activating through the desktop interface. I cover activation