![]() ![]() Check Server UptimeĬheck server uptime to determine that resources are consistent and reliable. Accounts that are not being used and are still active are a security concern. Scan for inactive user accounts in Active Directory and disable them. ![]() Account SecurityĪudit your user/admin accounts regularly, especially those with passwords that must be set to never expire. Also, download the manufacturer’s software, if available, to monitor your UPS remotely. If possible, unplug the UPS to truly test its performance. Perform a self-test on the UPS if it has one. Check UPSĬheck battery utilization and voltage on UPS equipment. Also, consider using Microsoft LAPS which will set a unique password for each local administrator account. If you use local administrative accounts, consider resetting passwords on a monthly or quarterly basis. The Nessus scanner is a great tool for vulnerability management and works with Windows servers and Linux operating systems. There are several software solutions on the market to help identify vulnerabilities in your infrastructure. Scan servers and networks for vulnerabilities monthly. Always verify with the software vendor that your Windows Server version, including service packs, is compatible with the newer version. Not only are Windows Updates critical for your server, but upgrading and patching 3rd party software that is installed on a Windows server is crucial. ![]() ![]() You can automate patching using Windows Server or there are a ton of third-party software solutions to help you automate installing patches. They address security vulnerabilities as well as software updates. These patches are critical for your servers. Microsoft releases patches on the second Tuesday of every month, also known as Patch Tuesday. Scan servers regularly for missing Microsoft patches. Monthly Server Checklist Windows Security Updates It is also a good idea to test restoring a VM to a sandbox environment each week. You should check them daily and also do a weekly review. Yes, I have backups listed multiple times in the checklist. If you have a large server infrastructure, consider implementing a centralized logging server and a log analysis tool. Also, review privileged and sensitive groups for any changes in access. Review security logs for logon failures, bad password attempts, and account lockouts. Check DHCP logs for failed leases or depletion of IP pools. If you are using Active Directory, check DNS logs to monitor for any suspicious activity or latency. Recommended tools to monitor server resources.Ĭhecks logs in Event Viewer including application, security, and system logs for any critical errors. You should review the following server resources: This is especially critical for high-availability server infrastructures. To ensure the best performance and to avoid outages, check resource usage weekly. Weekly Server Checklist Check Server Resources AD replication issues can cause all kinds of weird authentication issues so it is critical that replication is working without errors. You can check replication health by using the repadmin command. If you utilize Active Directory, check logs and replication often. You can monitor in real-time to ensure high availability and to address issues quickly.Ĭheck for hardware errors on critical server infrastructure including network equipment. Investing in server and network monitoring software helps with being proactive in supporting your infrastructure. If your infrastructure is cloud-based, monitor resource consumption. Monitor Server ServicesĪctively monitor your servers and network. Perform backup integrity checks whenever possible. The two onsite should be on different forms of media. Two of these can be onsite and one offsite. The 3-2-1 backup strategy means having at least 3 copies of your data. Create alerts in your backup software to send you an email if a backup fails.Ĭonsider implementing the 3-2-1 backup strategy. Backups are critical in insuring that you can recover in case of a failure. If you perform nightly, weekly, or monthly backups, verify your backups are successful. Most antivirus software has a GUI management tool to review clients that are not updating. You can check on this daily or weekly, but verifying your antivirus or EDR software is updating on a regular basis is very important. Daily Checklist Antivirus & EDR SoftwareĪntivirus is a critical security component for your Windows Server. Download the excel checklist at the end of this post. Use our server maintenance checklist to maintain a healthy and reliable Windows Server infrastructure. There are tasks that should be performed on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to keep everything up and running. Ensuring you have a healthy server infrastructure is a full-time job. ![]()
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