Breaking News: Remote Server Admin Tools (RSAT) for Windows Vista SP1 are RTW!

(RTW=Released to Web)

KB Article 941314 This is huge!   Now finally you can administer your Active Directory.. your DHCP, DNS, NPS... Group Policy (again) .. all from a Windows Vista workstation.

The RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools) are already a part of Windows Server 2008.  They're the set of administration tools that you can install under "features" in the Server Manager.  So.. if you want to administer Active Directory from a member server, you install the Active Directory Administration feature.  And now, finally, we can install the tools we need to do the very same remote administration from our a workstation.

It works a little differently in Vista.  You install the update, and then the features are available for you to install.  Just running the update won't give you the tools.

From the download page:

"Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) enables IT administrators to remotely manage roles and features in Windows Server 2008 from a computer running Windows Vista SP1. It includes support for remote management of computers running either a Server Core or full installation option of Windows Server 2008. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer."

There are two downloads:

Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows Vista SP1 for x86-based Systems

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9ff6e897-23ce-4a36-b7fc-d52065de9960&DisplayLang=en

Microsoft Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows Vista SP1 for x64-based Systems

https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=d647a60b-63fd-4ac5-9243-bd3c497d2bc5&DisplayLang=en

And here is some more about it.

Check out my screen capture of the Windows Features I can now install on my Vista workstation (Click to see the whole picture)

RSAT

"Hey Kevin.. I noticed that Hyper-V wasn't listed. Can't I manage Hyper-V installations using RSAT?"

Well... no.  But.. GOOD NEWS!  We also announced today a downloadable MMC that will do just that!

You can find the Hyper-V Manager MMC here:

Vista x64 Edition: https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=450931F5-EBEC-4C0B-95BD-E3BA19D296B1&displaylang=en

Vista x86 Edition: https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=BC3D09CC-3752-4934-B84C-905E78BE50A1&displaylang=en

Check out the Virtualization Team's blog post about it.