Taupo Microsoft Consulting

Taupo consulting has proven expertise in the planning, deployment and verification of Microsoft Active Directory.

Active Directory design requires understanding of both business requirements and technical functioning of the directory service, for example, balancing ease of administration with group policy application. Or integration of Active Directory into HR processes for end-to-end identity management.

Microsoft Windows Server 2003 provides significant advance in Active Directory operations over Windows 2000 and the with the availability of version 2 of the Active Directory Migration Toolkit (ADMT), migration from the Windows NT4 platform has become far simpler.

Taupo consultants are particularly skilled in planning and implementation of the following current Microsoft server products:

  • Windows Server 2003 R2
  • Windows 2000 Server
  • Virtual Server 2005 R2
  • Internet Information Server
  • Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 & 2003
  • Microsoft Operations Manager 2000 & 2005
  • Windows Server 2003 automated deployment services
  • Windows XP automated deployment
  • Windows x64 & Itanium based computing

Taupo can also provide experienced consultants who have worked with Microsoft server products for a number of years and can equally consult on previous Microsoft product sets such as:

  • Windows NT Server 3.51 & 4.0
  • Microsoft Cluster Services
  • Exchange Server 5.x
  • SQL Server 6.5 & 7.0
  • Proxy Server 2.0
  • Systems Management Server 2.0

To demonstrate our depth of experience working with Microsoft operating systems and to provide a useful resource to the Windows support community, Taupo Consulting has developed the following guides:

These guides are provided as-is without warranty and will be maintained over time. If you have additions, corrections or any suggestions about this guide, we welcome feedback at the email address toolsguide@taupoconsulting.co.uk.

Operating System Security

Taupo consultants are very aware of the need for security when designing & implementing infrastructure solutions. However, we advise caution when clients seek a "secured solution" as it has often been said that there is no such thing as a secure system, only good security administrators! To assist our clients with adoption of security processes Taupo consultants can provide

  • Definition of security processes & procedures
  • Physical security advice & policy
  • Password policy definition
  • Active Directory group policy security
  • Messaging security
  • Certificate Authority & smart card authentication
  • Antivirus policy & solution design
  • Network transport protocol security e.g. IPSec policy
  • Vulnerability identification
  • Application-layer firewall filtering

Messaging Security

Taupo consultants are able to advise, plan & deploy messaging security solutions, from enabling native features of Exchange Server 5.5, 2000 & 2003 to the installation & configuration of 3rd party perimeter and integrated solutions such as

  • GFI Software Mail Essentials
  • Clearswift MailSweeper
  • Sybari Antigen for Exchange
  • CA Innoculan for Exchange

In addition, client-side messaging security advice can be given relating to Outlook security settings for attachments, email signing and encryption.

 

High Availability Solutions

Microsoft clustering can provide effective high availability solutions when implemented as part of a complete high availability architecture. Often however, Microsoft clustering is deployed without adoption of a systems management practise to ensure high availability.

Taupo Consulting can provide expertise both in the planning of high availability Microsoft solutions as well as the technical implementation according to Microsoft best practise. Taupo Consulting has industry experience of implementation of

  • Windows 2000 & 2003 Clustering
  • SQL Server 7 clustering
  • SQL Server 2000 & 2005 clustering
  • Exchange Server 2000 clustering
  • Exchange Server 2003 clustering

The term clustering can also be applied to Windows Network Load Balancing (NLB), whereby up to 32 nodes can provide a common service, for example load balanced Internet Information Server.

Standard Server Builds

Organisations often wish to standardise upon a particular server hardware vendor. Taupo consultants are most experienced with HP Proliant (and formerly Compaq) server hardware but have also worked extensively with IBM xSeries & Dell PowerEdge server hardware.

Taupo has HP Proliant Server hardware & software experience in:

  • Full Server scripted deployment using server Scripting Toolkit
  • HP SmartStart installation & configuration
  • HP Insight Manager 7
  • HP Standard Build Framework
  • HP Rapid Deployment Pack
  • HP Array Controller configuration
  • HP Remote Insight Board configuration (RILOE I&II)
  • HP Integrated Lights Out Edition (iLO)

 

Desktop OS Standard Build Authoring

With a proven track record in developing automated deployments of Windows NT 4 Workstation, Windows 2000 Professional and Windows XP Professional, Taupo Consulting have the accumulated experience to ensure your desktop deployment will be predictable, on-time and on-budget.

We are experienced in Windows XP Professional deployment using

  • Microsoft Sysprep in conjunction with disk imaging toolsets
  • Fully scripted builds (Batch & VBScript)
  • Windows 2000 Remote Installation Services
  • Altiris Deployment Server

Windows Server 2003 / 2003 R2

  • Active Directory design & management
  • DNS design
  • Group policy design, test & implementation
  • File & print services
  • Remote Installation Services
  • DHCP, DNS & WINS configuration
  • LDAP integration
  • Kerberos integration
  • Visual Basic scripting for logon/off scripts
  • Visual Basic scripting for administrative automation

Exchange Server 2000 & 2003

  • Upgrade planning from Exchange Server 5.5
  • Migration planning
  • Storage planning
  • Installation & configuration
  • Messaging security (perimeter & integrated)
  • Troubleshooting
  • Forms design & workflow solutions

SharePoint Portal Server 2000 & 2003

  • Design
  • Installation & configuration
  • Dashboard customisation
  • Integration with Content Management Server

Microsoft Operations Manager 2000 & 2005

  • Design
  • Installation & configuration
  • Scripting
  • Reporting
  • Tivoli Enterprise Integration

Microsoft SQL Server 2000/2005

  • Administration
  • Disaster Recovery Planning
  • Installation, configuration

 

Why the name Taupo?
Microsoft Infrastructure
VMware Infrastructure - B2V
Taupo Guide to VMware
Links
Contact

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t:+44 131 466 3466

 

Please email info@taupoconsulting.co.uk for more information.