Navigating in Windows Server 2012

So now we have Windows Server 2012 installed in your machine. If you don’t have it, check this post before proceeding.
What to do next? Well in this post we will see how to add servers and roles to Server 2012, where are the important tools and services, how to use Windows Server 2012, how to check system info, how to use MMC (Microsoft Management Console), where are all the applications and last but not the least, how to use Internet Explorer in Server 2012.

So lets start with the basics!

When you start Server 2012, you’ll come directly to the Desktop. Now Server 2012 has the new metro look, so it will be quite difficult to find services and tools, and everything will be confusing at first. But again, once you get through this you’ll have a pretty good server to play with.

1. Desktop
   This is the Desktop of Server 2012. Once you sign in, you’ll see this screen and the Server Manger will open automatically. You can also find it in the bottom left corner of the screen where usually the ‘Start’ button resides.
   

   Desktop and Server Manager

    

2. This is the main dashboard of Server Manager.
   You can directly start adding roles and features, or if you already have a server, you can add them servers to the existing one.
   

   Server manager dashboard

    

3.  On the left hand side below ‘Dashboard’ there is ‘Local Server’.
   This shows the properties of Server installed, Events occurred in the server, the services, performance, current roles and features of the server and many more things.
   

   Properties of Server

   

   Current services

   

   Performance and roles of server

    

4. After ‘Local Server’ is ‘All Servers’ which gives information about all the servers you have installed.
   Below it is ‘File and Storage service’. You can add new hard-disks, partition them, or manage storage pools and other stuffs from this section.
   

   File and storage services.

    

5. In the right top corner you’ll notice Tools.
   These are the tools you can use to configure your Server 2012 for networking purposes or to manage the server to according to your convenience.
   

   Tools menu

    

6. To the left of tools is ‘Manage’.
   In this menu you can either add existing servers, or add new roles and features (servers) or remove them.
   If you select ‘Add roles and features’, a new windows will pop up which will guide you through the installation process of adding new servers and other features.
   

   Manage menu

   

   Server roles

   

   Features

    

7. To go into the start menu, hover the cursor to the bottom left corner of the screen.
   Once you see the ‘Start’ box, you can right-click on it to see most used services and commands.
   You can also open ‘Computer Management’ from the right-click menu.
   

   Start button

   

   Right click on start

   

   Computer Management

    

8. Hover to the top right corner and you will get a new menu of three ‘S’s.
   Search, Start and Settings. You can reach Start from here or the bottom left corner. Settings has the basic settings, and BTW you can’t use Personalization, although it is in the options. You can check the server info from here.
   

   Settings and search menu

   

   Settings menu

   

   Server Information

    

9. You don’t have to forcibly switch off the server or sign out and use shut down.
   There’s an option for Shutdown and Restart in the settings.
   

   Shutdown and restart option

    

10. The search option is very powerful, similar to Windows 8 and Windows 8.1.
    For each search you’ll get Apps, Settings and Files which is quite useful! If you don’t find something just search for it here.
    

    Search

     

11. Microsoft Management Console.
    The tool that makes your life easier! Search for mmc and open it. Default mmc will have no snap-in. To insert, Click on File –> Add/Remove Snap-in. Select your Snap-in. Click Add, and select Ok.
    

    Search mmc

    

    Add snap in

    

    Select snap in you want to add

    

    mmc

     

12. This is the Start menu for Server 2012.
    By default only the most used components will be available. To view all the apps just right-click anywhere, and select ‘all apps’.
    

    Start menu

     

13. If your most used app is not in the start, just go in All apps and right-click on your app.
    Select pin it to Start.
    

    Right click on app to pin it to start menu

     

14. The Internet Explorer of Server 2012 is weird.
    Each time you try to reach any site, it warns you. You can however stop this warning from Local Server in Server Manager.
    

    Internet Explorer

    

    Warning when trying to access any site

    

    google