Update: Windows 8 RSAT RTM is now online.
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) enables IT administrators to do Windows Server management remotely. Since Windows Server 2008, RSAT has been a free download for Windows client-based operating systems. RSAT is the evolution of the Administrative Tools pack (also known as Admin Pack) that was available to manage roles on Windows Server 2003. Going forward, RSAT is always going to be released the same time as Windows client.
RSAT for Windows 8 enables IT administrators to manage roles and features that are installed on computers that are running Windows Server 2012 from a remote computer that is running Windows 8. RSAT for Windows 8 includes Server Manager, Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins, consoles, Windows PowerShell cmdlets and providers, and command-line tools for managing roles and features that run on Windows Server 2012. In limited cases, the tools can be used to manage roles and features that are running on Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003. You can find a complete table of all tools and what versions of roles and features they will manage on the TechNet Wiki.
We recommend using RSAT to remotely manage your servers. One of the benefits is to use the GUI to manage servers that run the Server Core installation option of Windows Server. All tools and features in RSAT for Windows 8 can be found in Windows Server 2012. Basically, we pick the tools from Windows Server 2012 and package them to be installable on Windows 8. Users should expect minimal differences between remotely managing roles and features from another server running Windows Server 2012 and from computers running Windows 8 with RSAT installed. In Windows Server 2012, we make Server Manager a great tool to manage multiple servers remotely. For more information about Server Manager, please refer to the Introduction to Server Manager in Windows Server 2012 blog post from my colleague, Wale Martins.
Based on your feedback, we’ve changed the installation experience of RSAT for Windows 8. Instead of a two-step installation process where you ran the installer, and then manually picked and enabled tools to use, as in RSAT for Windows 7, all features and tools in RSAT for Windows 8 are installed and enabled by default, after the installer is finished running. After RSAT installation, “Server Manager” and “Administrative Tools” shortcuts are pinned on the Start screen.
All RSAT tools are found in the Administrative Tools folder. They can also be launched from the “Tools” menu in Server Manager. This can make the “Tools” menu long and difficult to use. My colleague, Kriti Jindal, has posted a blog entry on how to customize the Tools menu in Server Manager.
Please refer to the download page for RSAT for Windows 8 for more information about installing and uninstalling the tools. RSAT for Windows 8 is designed to work best when managing roles and features that are installed on computers that are running Windows Server 2012.
We love feedback. Do you have any things you’d like to see in the RSAT package going forward?
Stephen LiuProgram ManagerWindows Server 2012
Windows update and better way to set time, date and timezone.
Compatibility Issue Found - After editing a GPO using Windows 8 RSAT RTM, I cannot edit the same GPO using Server 2008 R2 GPMC or from Windows 7 RSAT.
An error message reads:
Windows has detected that this policy was created by a more recent version of Windows.
You will not be able to edit this policy on this version of Windows.
This GPO is for Windows 7 Wireless Settings
I am trying to install the NIS tools on RSAT for Windows 8 so I can manage UIDs and GIDs, and Unix Attributes. I am not finding the method to install this tab. Can you please help.
Thanks
Rick
Thanks for information……Useful for my current research on the topic <a href="www.consolepark.com/.../">Remote Device management</a>
Per Microsoft design, starting in Server Core 2012 and Windows 8, RSAT can not remotely access Device Manager. Sad but true.
@Bill in San Diego
> Per Microsoft design, starting in Server Core 2012 and Windows 8, RSAT can not remotely access Device Manager
...not quiet. We cannot use RSAT to manage these OS' device managers. But we can use RSAT ON these OS' to manage other computers' device managers. I just did from WIN8.
Very Frustrating.
Can't manage Server 2012 with RSAT 7.
Windows 8 is half baked.
Back to Server 2008 R2....I guess.
I installed the packages Windows6.2-KB2693643-x64 and I not see the server Manager why ??