One of the most powerful new tools included with Windows 2000 Server is the Routing and Remote Access (RRAS) tool. The capabilities included with RRAS include the ability to configure Windows 2000 as a basic router (running routing protocols such as RIP and OSPF), a demand-dial router (via a standard dial-up or ISDN interface), a traditional remote access server (using dial-in PSTN or ISDN connections), a VPN server (allowing PPTP or L2TP connections), or a combination of the above. The remote access capabilities in RRAS are the focus of this article, with routing functionality to be covered in the next article in the series. This article will also cover some of the more advanced remote access capabilities, including the ability to configure remote access policies (which allow a much more granular way of granting access).
Prior to configuring Routing and Remote Access in Windows 2000, you will need to ensure that the service is both installed and enabled. Use the RRAS administrative tool to enable Routing and Remote Access.
Choosing ‘Configure and Enable Routing and Remote Access’ will open the Routing and Remote Access Wizard, which allows you to easily configure your services for any of the services listed below, while still offering you the ability to configure the services manually (the last option). Note that the downwards-pointing red arrow designates that the service is not running.
While the wizard provides a quick and easy way to get RRAS up and running, I suggest that you also attempt the manual configuration of the services to get a better idea of what is involved in setting each up.
