Assessment Task
Basic Server Installation
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Case Study: Small Business Intranet
You are an employee in the IT Task Management Department of a company ‘Small Business Intranet' (SBI). This department provides technical advice and network solutions for clients. They also run network simulations for clients who wish to test new network configurations, upgrades or disaster recovery in a controlled environment.
SBI management have requested an upgrade of their existing domain controller using a Windows 2008 Server Operating system by replacing the Windows NT 4 based system. This new system adheres closely to the company requirements, which has been modelled on the WIT-SIMIT IT Operational Plan.
You will need:
• 1 x computer capable of running Windows 2000/03/08 server operating system software.
• 1 x computer capable of running Windows 2000/XP Professional operating system software.
• Windows 2000/03/08 server service pack 1 available from Martin College.
• Norton's ghost (or similar product) to enable you to regularly backup your system. Nortons' AntiVirus or other personal virus software (optional).
• Windows server text (your choice) and internet access.
For online learners, you can use the following resources to complete this assessment task.
1. A host system and host operating system with the following minimum requirements:
Component Requirement
Processor CPU Intel Dual Core 2.2GHz or later or an
AMD Athlon 4200+ or later CPU
Memory 1 GB (Minimum), 2 GB or higher
(Recommended)
Disk Space At least 1GB free disk space is recommended for each guest operating system and the application software used with it
For installation, approximately 200MB free disk space is required on Linux and 250MB free disk space is required on Windows
Display Adapter 16-bit or 32-bit
Operating System Windows or Linux
2. Latest version of VMWare Player to be downloaded from www.vmware.com/go/downloadplayer
(NOTE: To learn how to use VMWare Player, please refer to the VMPLAYER Tutorial available in Study Smart.)
3. Online students should demonstrate their competency of the installation of the various tasks through step-by-step screenshots of the steps undertaken. The screenshots should be copied into a Microsoft word document and be accompanied by a written explanation of the step. Discuss with your facilitator prior to commencing these tasks. You will need to complete the following tasks:
Submission requirements
1. Task 1 - Define business requirements - Documentation
This task demonstrates that you are able to research the IT requirements of a business. Review the model IT operational plan and provide the following information in a report.
You have to write a memo to the Manager of the Task Management Department that details the information about the requirements of the domain controller. Your document should have the following sections.
• Outline the contents and purpose of the report.
• Initiate server specifications - consider if the specifications are enough to run the current version of Microsoft Server software? Can these minimum specs be matched to Microsoft's Hardware Compatibility List (HCL)?
• Identify the domain name and computer naming conventions to be used.
• Provide the list of server services (such as Active Directory, DNS etc.) that need to be installed.
• List the IP settings to be used for the computer's network configuration.
• Recommend the disk layout of the computer and partition type for each disk on the domain controller.
• Include a directory structure to be implemented on the server that will meet the needs of both user accounts and Small Business Intranet's storage requirements.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 2.
Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
2. Task 2 - Install system software
By completing you can demonstrate your ability to install an operating system which meets the specifications of a business. In this task you will install a server and a client on separate computers.
You need to do:
• Install the Windows Server operating system recommended by your facilitator and related services that follow the specifications you identified in Task 1.
• Use another machine/device, install the Windows 2000 or XP Professional operating system and related services for a client.
• install Norton's Antivirus (or similar) to the client PC.
• Test the domain installation by logging on as administrator on the client computer and join the server's domain.
• The system performance tool needs to be loaded and the event viewer to evaluate the status of the server's hardware. Any problems identified here should be discussed with your supervising facilitator.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 3.
Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
3. Task 3 - Active Directory - how to create and configure user accounts
This task demonstrates your ability to complete basic configurations in Active Directory on the Windows 2003 or 2008 server.
You are to:
• Create a new Organisational Unit (OU) in Active Directory called ‘test unit'.
• In the test unit OU, create a group policy with appropriate user account security (Group) policies (as found in the IT Operational Plan).
• Create a ‘test user' account within the test unit OU.
• Configure and test that the user has appropriate password/account properties, a home directory accessible through a drive letter, a roaming user profile, and a basic login script which all meet the requirements in the IT Operational Plan.
• Copy the profile information over the current ‘default user' profile so that all new users will inherit this profile.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting Task 4.
Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
4. Task 4 - System documentation
This task allows you to demonstrate your ability to document the configuration of the Windows server 2008.
You are to prepare a document that contains:
• A technical system specification of the actual server outlining the hardware configuration and drivers used. Include serial numbers for major components.
• The configuration of the OS services you installed.
• The name version and licence numbers of the software installed.
• The testing procedures used to verify that the system is working.
• The Active Directory structure you created.
• The test user's password security configuration.
It should be noted that you may supply a copy of the system ‘Rescue Disk' if the operating system supports this feature.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 5.
Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
5. Task 5 User documentation
This task allows you to demonstrate your ability to document the environment created for the template user called ‘test user'.
To prepare a document designed for new employees that has the following features, you have to do:
• Collect information about the basic features of the Small Business Intranet profile that loads when they login, including the desktop shortcuts.
• Find out the resources they have access to including relevant drive shares and printer information.
• The document should take the form of a PowerPoint, pdf file or similar electronic file.
• It should be added to the user's profile and loaded from a desktop shortcut.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 6.
Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
6. Task 6 - Design the server Directory structure - corporate file system
By following this task you can demonstrate your ability to create a directory structure which meets the needs of a business.
What you need to do:
• Identify the number of directories required by each department as outlined in the IT Operational Plan.
• Create a document which outlines each of the directories and their purpose.
• Create the directories and network shares on the domain controller to match the requirements you identified in task 1.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 8.
Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
7. Task 7 Importing users - create corporate users
This task allows you to demonstrate your ability to create multiple user accounts.
What you need to do:
• To create two user accounts based on the Accounting Department found in the staff list on the Small Business Intranet site. One account should be the manager of the department and the other should be an employee in the department.
• Repeat the previous step for each of the other departments in Small Business Intranet. You may either do this manually or use the batch user import utilities.
• Create a domain local and domain global security group for each department and allocate membership appropriately.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 8.
Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
8. Task 8 - Active Directory - corporate structure
This task allows you to demonstrate your ability to create an organisational structure to meet the needs of a business.
What you need to do:
• Create an Active Directory structure for the Small Business Intranet Company. The organisational units should reflect the company structure.
• Move the user accounts created in task 7 into each of the relevant OUs.
• Install the manager of each department as the manager of each relevant organisational unit.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 9.
Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
9. Task 9 Setting up Active Directory - security groups
This task allows you to demonstrate your ability to create appropriate security groups for user accounts.
What you need to do:
• Create a domain local and domain global security group for each department.
• Link the relevant global and local groups for each department through membership.
• Allocate membership to user accounts appropriately
• Allocate full permissions for each department's directories to the relevant groups.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 10. Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
10. Task 10 - Define the File system - NTFS permission
This task allows you to demonstrate your ability to create appropriate security settings for the non-user directories of the system.
System security planning is an important activity that supports the system development life cycle (SDLC) and should be updated as often. Any system is only as good as its security. It is important that users should be able to access data areas that relate to their position in Small Business Intranet. It is also important that they be restricted from accessing any areas they do not require. As administrator, you need to assign the relevant security permissions to the directory structure that you created earlier.
It is strongly recommended that you work on one group at a time, testing each group's security by logging on as a user from each group.
What you need to do:
• Find the default permissions of your operating system from the manufacturer's website or similar documentation.
• Test each user's access to the server's directory structure and identify areas where security permissions require modification.
• Modify the permissions for the local security groups created in step 9.
• Ensure that the administrator can access all profile directories, but cannot access home directories.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 11. Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
11. Task 11 - User configuration to user accounts
This task demonstrates your ability to complete configurations in Active Directory on the Windows server 2008 r2.
In your previous task 3 you created and configured the test user account. In task 7 you created multiple user accounts based on the test user account. You are now required to test that each of the user accounts from task 7 are correctly configured.
You are to check each user has a:
• Roaming profile as part of their user configuration.
• Separate Group Policy Object for their OU that runs a login script as part of their logon process.
• Home directory as part of their user configuration.
• Separate Group Policy Object for their OU which limits user interface so that it meets the requirements of the IT Operational Plan reviewed in task 1.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 12. Errors here can affect tasks in the assessment.
12. Task 12 - Active Directory resources - network printers
This task demonstrates your ability to recommend, install and configure hardware solutions that meet business requirements.
What you need to do:
• Research printers to find one that meets the Small Business Intranet guidelines for a network printer.
• Detail your recommendations, including supplier details, pricing and warranty, in a memo to the Manager of the Task Management Department.
• Identify the environmental requirements of the printer. These include temperature and humidity etc.
• Download the driver for the printer from the manufacturer's website.
• Create a series of printer queues, one for each department, all using the downloaded driver.
• Configure ach queue to be managed by the members of the relevant OU allowing them to view the queues and delete their jobs.
• Test the queues by logging in as a user and printing to the queue, deleting print jobs, pausing and resuming the queue.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 13 Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
13. Task 13 - System Backup - procedures
This task allows you to demonstrate your ability to complete a backup of the user data directories of the server.
What you need to do:
• Examine the Operational Plan for Small Business Intranet's backup requirements. Create a memo to provide feedback to your facilitator about the level of information found about the company's backup/disaster recovery policy.
• Create a working backup of the Domain Controller's data areas and test its restoration.
• Test the backup by restoring user data.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 14. Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
14. Task 14 - Technical documentation - system handover document
This task allows you to document the server's configuration.
You need to prepare a document called a Systems Handover Technical Reference that has the following sections.
• Identify the expected role of the server.
• Provide technical system information outlining hardware configuration.
• Identify the disk and directory information including share points. • Outline security groups and allocated permissions.
• Specify the Active Directory structure, login script details and group policy modifications.
• The system's data backup and restore procedures. Also include a sample form for recording the backup media details.
• Outline the new user tutorial created in task 5.
You should submit this task for approval prior to attempting task 15. Errors here can affect other tasks in the assessment.
15. Task 15 - System and OHS Demonstration - presentation
Using the system handover document as a basis, demonstrate the setup and configuration of your domain controller to your facilitator and other students. The presentation itself is not assessable, but the quality of your domain controller configuration and your depth of knowledge will contribute to the marks allocated for each task.
As part of your demonstration identify how you have prepared for work according to site-specific safety requirements and OHS processes and procedures.