Microsoft Management Console
You are probably noticing that a number of these tools look very similar. That's because Microsoft now uses a standard approach for management tools called MMC (Microsoft Management Console). This defines both the technical architecture of these tools and the look and feel. These will take some time to get used to, but they can be very powerful.

Within the MMC, you can combine a number of component "snap-ins" which have a .MSC file extension and are the actual tools you run within the MMC. You can add them as they're needed and then save the console for later use. For example, you can build your own console to manage the resources you're interested in, such as the local Windows 2000 Server or any Windows 2000 Server you have access to manage.

In order to create your own consoles, start the MMC.EXE program. This gives you a basic console with no snap-ins, as seen in Figure A.

FIGURE A

Here you see the MMC with no snap-ins configured. Click picture for a larger image.

Then, from the Console menu, select the Add/Remove Snap-In option. You then select the Add button and are presented with a list of snap-ins, as seen in Figure B. Some of these tools allow you to select the machine that the tool will manage, whether it be the local computer or another specified computer.

FIGURE B

Choose from the list to add snap-ins to a custom MMC console. Click picture for a larger image.

Figure C shows a completed console that contains a number of snap-ins. This console is saved with a .MSC extension. You can then create a Windows shortcut to it on your desktop to start it when needed.