Manage Your Servers From Your Client
So Windows Server 2012 has launched, and you are all running out this month to upgrade all of your production servers immediately to that platform. Hoorray!
Ok, so maybe some of you are going to migrate over time, as compatibility tests are completed, as compliance mandates are written, as time permits, and even as your older servers warranties/leases/lifecycles expire. That’s fine. Maybe you have a couple or a hundred Windows Server 2012 machines in a test lab that you want to manage.
The Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview is now available. In other words, you can now manage your servers from your client, just as you were able to do previously in Windows 7. All you have to do is download the RSAT tools and you are ready to go! Here’s the link:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28972
Overview
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview includes Server Manager, Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins, consoles, Windows PowerShell cmdlets and providers, and command-line tools for managing roles and features that run on Windows Server 2012. In limited cases, the tools can be used to manage roles and features that are running on Windows Server 2008 R2 or Windows Server 2008. Some of the tools work for managing roles and features on Windows Server 2003.
System requirements
Supported operating systems: Windows 8 Release Preview
**Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview can be installed ONLY on computers that are running Windows 8 Release Preview.** Remote Server Administration Tools cannot be installed on computers with an Advanced RISC Machine (ARM) architecture, or other system-on-chip devices.
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview runs on both x86- and x64-based editions of Windows 8 Release Preview. Download and install the version that matches the architecture of the computer on which you plan to install the administration tools. If you are not sure whether your computer is x86- or x64-based, see How to determine whether a computer is running a 32-bit version or 64-bit version of the Windows operating system.
IMPORTANT: Remove all older versions of Administration Tools Pack or Remote Server Administration Tools—including earlier prerelease versions, and releases of the tools for different languages or locales—from the computer before you install Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview. Only one copy at a time of Remote Server Administration Tools can be installed on a computer.
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview includes support for remote management of computers that are running the Server Core installation option or the Minimal Server Graphical Interface configuration of Windows Server 2012, and in limited cases, the Server Core installation options of Windows Server 2008 R2, or Windows Server 2008. However, Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview cannot be installed on any versions of the Windows Server operating system.
Server Manager is included with Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8 Release Preview; GUI-based tools that are part of this release of Remote Server Administration Tools can be opened by using commands on the Tools menu of the Server Manager console. To use Server Manager to access and manage remote servers that are running Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2, you must install several updates on the older operating systems. For more information about requirements for using Server Manager to manage remote servers, see Manage multiple, remote servers with Server Manager.
…and just like that, you are ready to go! Have fun!
Note: The RSAT tools for Windows 8 RTM will only be available at General Availability… October 26th.
Comments
Anonymous
September 12, 2012
Link for the download is broken. "We are sorry, the page you requested cannot be found. The URL may be misspelled or the page you're looking for is no longer available."Anonymous
September 12, 2012
Thanks for the heads up, Brad! It's the right url, so I've got a call into the web team to see if we can't get it fixed.Anonymous
September 13, 2012
NOT fixed yet :-(Anonymous
September 13, 2012
The web team tells me the link will be back live by Friday. Hang tight, Brandon!Anonymous
September 13, 2012
Link is now working!Anonymous
September 13, 2012
Hi, does the RSAT version uploaded on 9/13/2012 support Windows 8 Enterprise, it seems to not be listed and thought it might be an oversight. System requirements Supported operating systems: Windows 8, Windows 8 ProAnonymous
September 14, 2012
Knuckle-Dragger The RSAT tool does support Enterprise Edition... not sure what that was overlooked! -MAnonymous
September 14, 2012
Hi Knuggle-Dragger (I feel like I need to apologize for calling you that!), There are only 2 editions of the x86 versions of Windows 8 - Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro. There is also Windows 8 RT. For more details see windowsteamblog.com/.../announcing-the-windows-8-editions.aspxAnonymous
September 14, 2012
Oops - yes, there is a Windows Enterprise for customers with an SA agreement. My understanding is that if it's supported for Pro, it'll be supported for Enterprise but I'll confirm.Anonymous
September 17, 2012
Just wanted to follow up on this - I've been able to confirm that RSAT will work on Windows 8 Pro and Windows 8 Enterprise. I've let the web team know that the information on the download page is incorrect.Anonymous
September 20, 2012
OK, so this is really bugging me. I downloaded and installed the tools but I can't see them or use them. The update doesn't show in installed programs but when I try to install again it says it's worked fine. Any ideas? Is the RTM version different from the Release Preview and hence won't work with this version of the tools? Arrrrrgggggghhhhhhh