Why This Chapter Matters

Security is “job number one” at enterprises these days, and your ability to harden servers against attack or unintentional damage is critical for you and your network. This chapter presents the variety of security parameters that can be configured for a baseline security setting, and the settings that can be further modified and hardened based on servers’ roles. You will learn how to create a role-based security configuration using Active Directory directory service organizational units, Group Policy objects, and security templates. Understanding how to use these tools effectively can help you deploy and harden large numbers of computers on a network without having to configure each one manually. You will also learn how to test and deploy security configurations effectively to ensure a smooth process of security change management.