- Preplanning and Preparing a Server Installation
- Setting Up the Windows Server 2003 Operating System
- Upgrading to Windows Server 2003
- Using Alternative Methods of Installation
- Performing an Unattended Windows Server 2003 Installation
- Installing Windows Server 2003 from an Image
- Installing Windows Server 2003 with Group Policy and Systems Management Server
- Summary
- Best Practices
Best Practices
Verify that your hardware is supported.
Stick to using the recommended or better hardware and software requirements.
Make sure you document your server configuration information and perform a backup of any data that you want to keep.
Test your applications for compatibility before migration.
Use a consistent naming convention to name the servers and client machines.
Use only Internet-standard characters in your computer name. This would include the letters AZ (upper- and lowercase), the numbers 09, and the hyphen (-).
Periodically verify that system backups can be used to recover a system in a lab environment.
Use the regular formatting option to perform a true format.
Use NTFS to create an efficient and secured file system.
If you are not sure which licensing mode to use for your environment, select Per Server.
Rename the Administrator account, for the sake of security, after you complete the installation.
Automate installation by using deployment tools such as RIS, Sysprep, RIPrep, Unattend files, and Group Policy (with SMS).