Windows Web Server 2008

[Carlo Gambino]

Hello all.

I came to this forum lurking and joined when I started seeing what I was missing with Windows XP, and started learning. I'm here now because I have been given the task at work of being the project manager for a team that will design and build both the server and web pages for this project. The administration has provided us with Windows Web Server 2008.

We have successfully built the machine and have loaded the OS. We are successfully connected to our AT&T T1 connection through a Cisco 2600 router. I started playing with the setup for the server and seem to have installed IIS Manager, Microsoft SQL Server 2008 express, Windows installer 4.5, .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, and PowerShell 1.0. Now aside from some very minor surfing, we have done nothing online and the group is ready to load the files onto the server to start testing the prototype of the website.

Here is where I get nervous. I recently had a terrible introduction to the current Malware in the wild and I want to ensure that this machine is as protected as possible.

Can anyone point me in the direction of some quality learning materials on securing and configuring Windows Web Server 2008? Also, I presume we should put some enterprise edition AV on it, but the guy who set our router up said there is no need for a firewall because he will configure the one on the router. Does anyone have a suggestion of the "best" AV for this situation, and are there any thoughts on not running a software firewall?

I'm not a fan of Vista, which this seems to be built around. Extremely un-user-friendly, I have taken to doing as much as I can via command line (what can I say, linux is my preference). Perhaps it will grow on me like a fungus. Regardless if I like it or not, I have a job to do and would like to think that I'm doing it well.

Thanks for letting me ramble and for your opinions.

[Hb_Kai]

Something I have always wondered... Is Win Web Server an Operating System like XP, Vista, NT etc... or an actual online server? I've only heard of it, never used it and when I have the chance to look it up I forget.

(I'd do it now but scans are slowing my laptop down quite badly.)

Anyway...

Nod32 is apparently good but I can't remember if it's an AV or Firewall.

What I like to do when it comes to Anti-Virus protection is to download a manager or something to watch the process in the background of the PC which I would recommend.

WinPatrol will monitor the processes on your PC and make sure nothing in your registry changes, the way a program works, changes, startup programs changes, etc....

Spybot S&D is good for malware, TrendMicro is a good scanner, AVG is good but only if you have the RAM for it. Can't think of any more

Would having an firewall on your router conflict with a firewall on your PC?

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

If you have a firewall configured on the router, there is really no need for a software firewall on the server.

As for AV software, I have successfully used McAfee VirusScan Enterprise for many years. As long as the virus definitions are updated daily (auto update), your server should be pretty safe.