Lesser Known Optimization Tweaks for Windows Server 2008

July 14, 2016

Windows Server 2008 has a faithful niche of users who will never trade it for anything else and these fans would argue that Windows Server 2008 is the most flexible, customizable and upgradable server OS. So if you are one of the many faithful followers of Windows Server 2008, here are some hacks, tweaks and […]

2008 logo windows server 2008

Windows Server 2008 has a faithful niche of users who will never trade it for anything else and these fans would argue that Windows Server 2008 is the most flexible, customizable and upgradable server OS. So if you are one of the many faithful followers of Windows Server 2008, here are some hacks, tweaks and tricks.

Optimization Tweaks for Windows Server 2008
Optimization Tweaks for Windows Server 2008
  1. Adjusting Server Response

Server does not usually run any form of applications from its console. Hence it is possible best to modulate all server properties and functions in a way which gives priority to all the background applications.

  1. Reset the power plan

If you plan to provide a heavy load on your server on a regular basis, then it is possibly wise to go for a new power plan which allows heavy load bearing. Although many “experts” may try to dissuade you since the Windows Server 2008 power plan is pretty balanced in itself, we have had our best engineers and experts test the theory out.

Even the best balanced power plan needs timely upgrades. You need to make sure that your power plan matches all kinds of workload changes.

Here are some configurations known to increase throughput and performance.

  1. Host configuration for remote desktop sessions

Either go to the Start-Admin Tools-Remote Desktop Services Menu or simply run tsconfig from command prompt. This will give you instant access to all the remote desktop connections to your server. You can reset color depth, printer, drive and com port redirections via the RDP client setting.
<olstart="4">

You need to turn the SuperFetch option of your Windows Server on since it is disabled in Windows Server 8 by default. Turning it on makes the OS faster and responsive to changes by tracking its own behavior patterns.

Simply follow these steps to turn your SuperFetch on

  1. Disable your Internet Explorer enhanced security configuration

Turning your Internet Explorer enhanced security configuration off helps in making necessary changes to the Windows Server 8 OS. Internet Explorer and Windows Server 8 are very tightly coupled together and downloading other necessary software like Chrome, Firefox and drivers become really easy when you turn it off.

Simply go to the Server Manager Console – Configure Internet Explores Enhanced security Configurations – off.

These following internet options are recommended by our experts for an enhanced performance.

The task of tracking the purpose of all the system reboots and shutdown processes becomes superfluous while working on Windows Server 2008. So you can get rid of another unnecessary accessory which deters the shutdown process.

Start – Run – gpedit.msc

This directs you to the Group Policy editor where you expand the option of Admin Templates on your left panel. Click on System. On the right double click on the Display Shutdown Event Tracker to disable the same.

  1. Optimum configuration for remote desktop sessions host

Go to a command prompt and run tsconfig. You may as well search for the same in the Start –Admin tools – remote desktop services menu. Here you can re-configure all the remote desktop options. The settings help you to reset the color depth, drive, printer and com port settings on the remote desktop connected to your server.

Some tools could help optimize Windows Server 2008 performance

  1. The secrets of Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer

Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer is one of the many verified tools which enhance the performance of Windows Server 8. Multiple trials and studies have shown that including the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer to your server improves functionality of the same. It also helps in identifying multiple misconfigurations in server security settings. The latest version of the Microsoft Baseline Security Analyzer is the MBSA 2.1 which has been optimized for functioning with Windows Server 8.

Besides the few steps mentioned here you can employ a NTFS file system and refrain from running any 16-bit applications on your system to preserve the fast response rate of your Windows Server. A 64-bit Windows system does not naturally support a 16-bit application and thus does not provide the best possible performance.

At the same time you can employ at least one Server Monitoring System which will allow you to measure the output of your server’s performance. There are multiple monitoring systems which give you a real-time evaluation of your server’s volume of business, workload, CPU usage and storage utilization. There are special systems which are solely dedicated to read the performance of your server under heavy usage and the sudden spikes of activity.

Author: Rahul Sharma

By Team FileCloud