I’ve previously written articles on how to install Windows Server 2008 Server Core, how to install server roles on Server Core and how to create a system state backup in Server Core.

In this article, I will walk you through the steps to remotely connect to an installation of Windows Server 2008 Server Core. As you probably already know, Server Core is meant to be administered remotely via Windows 7, Vista, or Windows Server 2008.

You can manage Server Core in multiple ways including Microsoft Management Console, Remote Server Administrator Tool (RSAT) or via Remote Desktop.

Also, you have to configure the Windows Firewall to allow remote desktop connections. To add an exception to the Windows Firewall in Server Core, you can run the following command:

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group= “Remote Desktop” new enable=yes

That will go ahead and enable remote desktop on Server Core. If you want to go a bit further, you can actually add another exception so that you can manage the firewall from a remote machine using the MMC console. Here is the command:

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group= “Windows Firewall Remote Management” new enable=yes

Simply create a new custom MMC console to manage the firewall on the Server Core machine. This is a lot easier than using netsh commands!

Once you have enabled the firewall, you can now enable remote desktop in Server Core. To do this, run the following command:

cscript scregedit.wsf /ar 0

Note that using a value of 1 will disable remote desktop. Also, note that if you are using the latest version of remote desktop, v 6.x, then you can increase network security by using a more encrypted connection. To enable this, type the following command:

cscript scregedit.wsf /cs 1

If you are running Windows XP and want to connect to Server Core, you need to make sure it has Service Pack 3 installed.

Now that you know how to remotely manage the computer via Remote Desktop and through the MMC, we can also enable the Computer Management console to remotely manage the machine.

netsh advfirewall firewall set rule group= “Remote Administration” new enable=yes

On another machine, type mmc in the Run dialog box, then add the Computer Management snap-in and choose the computer name or IP address of the Server Core machine.

This is all great, but if you really want to manage every aspect of the Server Core installation, you need to install the Remote Server Administration Tools.

Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 7

Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows Vista

Once installed, you’ll be able to access snap-ins like Active Directory Users and Computers, Storage Manager, DHCP, DNS, etc, etc. With these tools, you will have complete server control and access.

You may have to manually enable some of the new features by going to Control Panel, Programs and Features and then Turn Windows Features On or Off. Find the entry for Remote Server Administration Tools, expand it, and then check any of features that you desire.

If you have any problems connecting to a Server Core 2008 machine, post a comment here and I will try to help. Enjoy!