Overview
This lecture covers the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and several essential Windows utilities that can be managed through it, emphasizing centralized administration and practical usage.
Microsoft Management Console (MMC)
- MMC is a Windows utility that acts as a unified interface for various system management tools.
- Launch MMC by searching for "Microsoft Management Console" or running mmc.exe.
- The console starts empty, and users add "snap-ins" to customize it with needed utilities.
- Snap-ins are added via the File menu > Add/Remove Snap-in option.
Common Snap-ins and Utilities
- Event Viewer: Centralized log viewer for Windows; add as a snap-in or run eventvwr.msc.
- Disk Management: Manages storage devices and partitions; add as a snap-in or run diskmgmt.msc.
- Task Scheduler: Schedules scripts or tasks to run at specific times; add as a snap-in or run taskschd.msc.
- Device Manager: Manages hardware devices and drivers; add as a snap-in or run devmgmt.msc.
- Certificate Manager: Manages digital certificates for security; add as a snap-in or run certmgr.msc.
- Local Users and Groups: Manages user accounts and group memberships; add as a snap-in or run lusrmgr.msc.
- Performance Monitor: Tracks system performance metrics and generates reports; add as a snap-in or run perfmon.msc.
- Group Policy Editor: Manages Windows security and configuration policies; add as a snap-in or run gpedit.msc or gpmc.msc.
User and Group Management
- Administrator accounts have full OS control; guest accounts are highly restricted and often disabled.
- Regular users have permissions assigned by the administrator.
- Groups help admins assign permissions or roles to multiple users at once.
Key Terms & Definitions
- MMC (Microsoft Management Console) — A customizable Windows interface for managing system tools via snap-ins.
- Snap-in — A modular utility that adds specific management functionality to MMC.
- Event Viewer — Tool for viewing and analyzing system, application, and security logs.
- Disk Management — Utility for managing hard drives and partitions.
- Task Scheduler — Utility for automating tasks based on schedules.
- Device Manager — Interface for managing hardware devices and their drivers.
- Certificate Manager — Tool for handling digital security certificates.
- Local Users and Groups — Utility for managing user accounts and groups.
- Performance Monitor — Tool for monitoring and reporting on system performance metrics.
- Group Policy Editor — Tool for configuring security and administrative settings in Windows.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice launching MMC and adding various snap-ins discussed.
- Review how to run each utility both inside MMC and as standalone applications.
- Prepare backups before making changes with Disk Management or other critical system tools.