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Build a custom Microsoft Management Console

Computer Management, Event Viewer, and most of the other administrative tools are implemented

as Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-ins. This means that one Windows 2000

management tool looks and works much like any other. But perhaps what's even more useful is

that the MMC's modular architecture lets you create custom MMC consoles that integrate the

tools you use most often into a single console.



To create a custom console, click Start | Run and enter MMC in the Run dialog box. After the

MMC opens, choose Console | Add/Remove Snap-In. Click Add to display the Add Standalone

Snap-In dialog box, and choose the snap-in you need. Some of the snap-ins prompt you to select the

focus for the snap-in. For example, when you add the Group Policy snap-in, you can focus it on the

local computer or a remote computer.



There are a couple of snap-ins you might consider adding to any custom console. The Folder

snap-in doesn't add a disk folder, but instead adds a container to the console. You can use folders to

organize the snap-ins, for example, creating a folder named Local Computer and another named

Remote Computers. You would then add snap-ins to the folders focused on the respective targets.



The Link To Web Address snap-in is also handy and all-purpose. This lets you add a quick link in

the console to any URL. For example, you might add a link to a Web site that provides monitoring

or configuration data for servers on the network. This gives you quick access to the site right from

your custom console. You can also add non-HTML URLs. For example, you can specify an FTP site

or the absolute or Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to a folder. When you click the link in

the console, the target contents appear in the right pane

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