Tutorials

Tutorials

Windows Server troubleshooting

• Try these PowerShell networking commands to stay connected

  Ping has its place, but PowerShell gives you a way to dive deeper into a networking issue when a server drops its connection or starts to drop packets.  Continue Reading

• How to avoid the double-hop problem with PowerShell

  IT pros who manage with PowerShell will run into the double-hop problem and use CredSSP to work around it. This tutorial offers a more streamlined way to avoid that roadblock.  Continue Reading

• Hackers' guide to Windows file server security

  Many network hacks can quickly happen right under your nose. Learn to test your file servers from common attacks by taking on the mindset of a hacker.  Continue Reading

• Tests for securing the internal Windows network

  While hardening your network against hackers is important, it's also critical to look out for internal threats. Protect your environment from the inside with these security tests.  Continue Reading

• Windows Server Security Guide

  Take an in-depth look at Windows server security. This guide features information on common network vulnerabilities, server hardening best practices, security improvements with Windows Server 2008 and more.  Continue Reading

• Moving policies between domains with Windows Vista

  This excerpt from "Microsoft Windows Vista Management and Administration" breaks down the process of taking GPOs created in one domain and moving them to another.  Continue Reading

• Examples of useful GPOs in Windows Vista

  This excerpt from "Microsoft Windows Vista Management and Administration" takes a look at GPOs that can help admins deploy printers and standardize event logging on Vista clients.  Continue Reading

• How to use Microsoft's IIS Diagnostics Toolkit

  In this resource guide, contributor Tim Fenner offers an overview of the seven utilities in the IIS Diagnostics Toolkit and provides instructions on how to download and use them.  Continue Reading

• How to use Trace Diagnostics 1.0 to troubleshoot IIS issues

  Learn how to use the IIS Toolkit's Trace Diagnostics 1.0 utility to troubleshoot Internet Information Services (IIS) - related problems.  Continue Reading

• How to use AuthDiag 1.0 to troubleshoot IIS problems

  Learn how to use the IIS Diagnostic Toolkit's AuthDiag 1.0 utility to diagnose, check and monitor permission or security problems for Web and FTP requests.  Continue Reading

• A Windows administrator's guide to printer management

  This guide examines the printer management issues Windows admins commonly encounter and the tools and tactics that can help optimize printer performance.  Continue Reading

• How to use the IIS Diagnostics Toolkit's WFetch 1.4 utility

  Learn how to use the IIS Diagnostics Toolkit's WFetch 1.4 utility to troubleshoot connectivity issues between IIS and Web clients.  Continue Reading

• How to install the Microsoft IIS Diagnostics Toolkit

  In this excerpt from "Inside the IIS Diagnostic Toolkit," contributor Tim Fenner explains the ways Windows admins can install the Toolkit so they can use it to tackle IIS-related issues.  Continue Reading

• Five back-end tasks Windows administrators should automate

  Windows server administrators could put their time to better use simply by automating some common back-end administrative tasks. This guide examines five tasks that should be automated and offers tools and tactics to help with the automation process.  Continue Reading

• Managing Windows network access security tutorial

  Learn to control network access and get a comparison between NAQC and NAC in our network access control learning guide.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft network endpoint security tips and tactics

  Preventing hackers from entering your network through a Web interface or VPN hack is important, but what if they physically get their hands on a machine on your network? Securing network endpoints is imperative when protecting sensitive data. Learn ...  Continue Reading

• VPN security: Testing, troubleshooting and deploying

  In this section of our network access learning guide, learn how to test VPN security, troubleshoot VPN flaws and vulnerabilities as well as learn about VPN alternatives.  Continue Reading

• Remote access security measures for Windows users

  Learn how to secure Windows network remote access points and users in this section of the network access control learning guide.  Continue Reading

• How to perform a clean install of Microsoft Windows Vista

  This guide, excerpted from "Windows Vista Secrets," provides step-by-step instructions for installing Microsoft Windows Vista using Microsoft's Interactive Setup application.  Continue Reading

• Setting your Windows security assessment expectations, step by step

  Don't be caught off guard by changes made to your network without your knowledge. Keep security-related problems to a minimum in your Windows shop by setting security assessment expectations and allowing others to be aware of any scheduled network ...  Continue Reading

• USB devices: Fast fixes for USB device problems

  This technical guide reviews how administrators resolve the problems they commonly encounter when the use of USB storage devices increases in their companies.  Continue Reading

• Step 2: Sniffing the network for juicy info

  File servers hold much of an enterprise's sensitive data and are certainly a prime target of malicious hackers. Security testing expert Kevin Beaver says you'd be surprised how easy it is to attack these servers, from inside or outside the network. ...  Continue Reading

• Step 3: Stumbling across sensitive files

  File servers hold much of an enterprise's sensitive data and are certainly a prime target of malicious hackers. Security testing expert Kevin Beaver says you'd be surprised how easy it is to attack these servers, from inside or outside the network. ...  Continue Reading

• Step 3: Dig in deep to demonstrate the threat

  The abundance of wireless devices is making wireless networks -- both authorized and unauthorized -- more common. Attack your own wireless networks to find vulnerabilities before malicious hackers do. Security testing expert Kevin Beaver covers the ...  Continue Reading

• Step 1: Build your arsenal of tools

  The abundance of wireless devices is making wireless networks -- both authorized and unauthorized -- more common. Attack your own wireless networks to find vulnerabilities before malicious hackers do. Security testing expert Kevin Beaver covers the ...  Continue Reading

• Step-by-step guide: Network Access Quarantine Control

  Windows Server 2003's Network Access Quarantine Control (NAQC), part of the Resource Kit, prevents remote users from connecting to your network with machines that aren't secure. Contributor Jonathan Hassell provides step-by-step instructions on how ...  Continue Reading

• Step-by-step guide: Cracking network passwords

  Weak passwords can be a huge security vulnerability. You can mitigate this risk by attempting to find your weaknesses before a malicious hacker does. Contributor Kevin Beaver provides a step-by-step guide on how to crack your own network passwords.  Continue Reading

• Step 3: Password testing -- What good are your findings?

  Weak passwords can be a huge security vulnerability. You can mitigate this risk by attempting to find your weaknesses before a malicious hacker does. Contributor Kevin Beaver provides a step-by-step guide on how to crack your own network passwords.  Continue Reading

• Step 2: Tools you should use for Windows password testing

  Weak passwords can be a huge security vulnerability. You can mitigate this risk by attempting to find your weaknesses before a malicious hacker does. Contributor Kevin Beaver provides a step-by-step guide on how to crack your own network passwords.  Continue Reading

• Step 1: Ethical hacking methodology

  Weak passwords can be a huge security vulnerability. You can mitigate this risk by attempting to find your weaknesses before a malicious hacker does. Contributor Kevin Beaver provides a step-by-step guide on how to crack your own network passwords.  Continue Reading

• Step 5: Configuring the VPN server

  With wireless networks proliferating it is a good idea to understand what it takes to build a VPN for a wireless gateway. Contributor and Microsoft MVP Brien Posey details the necessary steps in this step-by-step guide.  Continue Reading

• Step 4: Configuring the authentication server

  With wireless networks proliferating it is a good idea to understand what it takes to build a VPN for a wireless gateway. Contributor and Microsoft MVP Brien Posey details the necessary steps in this step-by-step guide.  Continue Reading

• Step 6: Configuring wireless clients

  With wireless networks proliferating it is a good idea to understand what it takes to build a VPN for a wireless gateway. Contributor and Microsoft MVP Brien Posey details the necessary steps in this step-by-step guide.  Continue Reading

• Step 3: Setting up the certificate authority

  With wireless networks proliferating it is a good idea to understand what it takes to build a VPN for a wireless gateway. Contributor and Microsoft MVP Brien Posey details the necessary steps in this step-by-step guide.  Continue Reading

• Step 2: Server placement

  With wireless networks proliferating it is a good idea to understand what it takes to build a VPN for a wireless gateway. Contributor and Microsoft MVP Brien Posey details the necessary steps in this step-by-step guide.  Continue Reading

• Step 3: Secure your communications link

  Wireless laptops are a huge security risk, especially when they connect to public hotspots.Contributor Kevin Beaver provides a step-by-step guide for locking down your laptops using a variety of firewalls, encryption and security protocols.  Continue Reading

• Step 4: Security options may appeal next, specialization or not

  When it comes to pursuing Microsoft certifications, nothing beats well-rehearsed preparation and practice. Though the details involved in pursuing the Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA) certification differ somewhat from those involved...  Continue Reading