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Remote Installation Services directory service planning

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Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Remote Installation Services directory service planning

The Remote Installation Services (RIS) environment relies on a well-designed and well-planned Active Directory architecture. Normally, determining the physical location of a server can be a challenge. This can become even more difficult when you must find and configure several servers that are located in different buildings, different offices, or on different floors. Using Active Directory, however, can simplify this process.

In a given domain, Active Directory provides organizational units or containers that you can use to organize users and resources into logical administrative groups. This makes it easier to locate and configure servers at multiple locations. For more information on planning Active Directory architecture, see Organizational units.

You can verify a RIS server using the Verify Server command, which is available only locally on a RIS server or by connecting to that server through Remote Desktop for Administration. The computer account object is located in the Computers container when the RIS server is a member server of a domain. For performance reasons, it is recommended that you install RIS on a member server, not a domain controller. For more information, see Verify the Remote Installation Services configuration.

To manage a RIS server from a computer running Windows XP, install the Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack on the computer running Windows XP. For more information, see Windows Server 2003 Administration Tools Pack.

To manage a RIS server from any remote computer, use Remote Desktop for Administration. For more information, see Using Remote Desktop for Administration for remote server administration.

Note

  • This topic does not apply to Windows Server 2003, Web Edition.