Windows Server

Adding a Role in Windows Server 2008

Installing services in Windows Server has always been a straight forward affair.  In Windows Server 2008, much of the role addition is wizardly and provides administrators with a guided setup.  To get started, open Server Manager from Start -> Administrative Tools.  Then, click on Roles under the appropriate server in the side bar to the left of the screen.  Next, click on Add Roles and then after reading the Before You Begin screen, click on the Next button.

At the listing of available roles, click on the role you would like to install and highlight the checkbox for the role, clicking on the Next button once all roles that you are adding have been selected.  At each step along the way, Microsoft has provided you with a number of links.  If you see them, read them.  For each role you will have a number of role services.  These translate very much into the services you see listed in the Services screen of Server Manager.  Highlight and place a checkmark next to each of the services that you would like to install as a part of your role deployment and then click on the Install button.  If the operating system doesn’t have all of the files (ie – .cab) that are needed to install that role then you will be prompted to insert a disk into the drive.

Once the installation is complete you will more than likely need to reboot and then you will either be prompted for a wizard to configure the role or you will be able to access the appropriate mmc for the role in Administrative Tools.