Specifications
Failover Clustering with Windows Server 2008 R2 CHAPTER 4 71
The Windows Server 2008 R2 Best Practices Analyzer
Another tool available in Windows Server 2008 R2 is a server management tool referred to
as the Best Practices Analyzer (BPA). The BPA determines how compliant a server role is by
comparing it against best practices in eight categories: security, performance, conguration,
policy, operation, pre-deployment, post-deployment, and BPA prerequisites. In each catego-
ry, the effectiveness, trustworthiness, and reliability of a role is taken into consideration. Each
role measured by the BPA will be assigned one of the following three severity levels: Non-
compliant, Compliant, or Warning. A server role not in agreement with best practice guide-
lines is labeled as Noncompliant, and a role in agreement with best practice guidelines is
labeled as Compliant. Server roles inherit the Warning severity level when a BPA scan detects
compliance but also a risk that the server role will fall out of compliance.
Database administrators nd this tool instrumental in achieving success with their failover
cluster setup. First, the Windows Server 2008 R2 BPA can help database administrators reduce
best-practice violations by scanning one or more roles installed on a server running Windows
Server 2008 R2. On completion, the BPA creates a report that itemizes every best-practice
violation, from the most severe to the least severe. It is also possible to customize a BPA
report. For example, database administrators can omit results they deem unnecessary or
unimportant. Last, administrators can also perform BPA tasks by using either the Server Man-
ager GUI or Windows PowerShell cmdlets.
Running the Best Practices Analyzer
The BPA is installed by default on all editions of Windows Server 2008 R2 except the Server
Core installation option. If BPA is installed on your edition, run it in Server Manager. Follow
these steps:
1. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then select Server Manager.
2. Open Roles from the navigation pane. Next, select the role to be scanned with BPA.
3. Open the Summary section in the details pane. Next, open the Best Practices Analyzer
area.
4. Click Scan This Role to initiate the scan.
5. When the scan is complete, review the results in the Best Practices Analyzer results
window.