Introduction
You cannot install RSAT on computers that are running Home or Standard editions of Windows. You can install RSAT only on Professional or Enterprise editions of the Windows client operating system. Unless the download page specifically states that RSAT applies to a beta, preview, or other prerelease version of Windows, you must be running a full (RTM) release of the Windows operating system to install and use RSAT. Although some users have found ways of manually cracking or hacking the RSAT MSU to install RSAT on unsupported releases or editions of Windows, this is a violation of the Windows end-user license agreement.
Installing RSAT is similar to installing Adminpak.msi on Windows 2000-based or Windows XP-based client computers. However, there is one major difference: On Windows Vista and Windows 7, the tools are not automatically available after you download and install RSAT. You must enable the tools that you want to use by using Control Panel. To do this, click Start, click Control Panel, click Programs and Features, and then click Turn Windows features on or off. (See the following figure.)
In the RSAT releases for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 8, tools are again all enabled by default. You can open Turn Windows features on or off to disable tools that you don't want to use. In RSAT for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 8, you access GUI-based tools on the Tools menu from within the Server Manager console.
For RSAT on Windows Vista and Windows 7, you must enable the tools for the roles and features that you want to manage after you run the downloaded installation package. (See the following screen shot.)
Note You don't have to do this for RSAT on Windows 8 or later versions.
If you have to install management tools on Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, or Windows Server 2012 R2 for specific roles or features that are running on remote servers, you don't have to install additional software. Start the Add Features Wizard in Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2 or the Add Roles and Features Wizard in Windows Server 2012 and later versions. Then, on the Select Features page, expand Remote Server Administration Tools, and then select the tools that you want to install. Complete the wizard to install your management tools. (See the following screen shot.)
Download locations for RSAT
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 8.1
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 8
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 7 with SP1 (both x86 and x64)
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows Vista 32-bit (x86)
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows Vista 64-bit (x64)
More Information
RSAT for Windows 10 Platform and Tools Support Matrix
| Remote Server Administration Tools Technology | Description | Manages technology on Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 | Manages technology on Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview, WS12 R2, and WS12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) Tools | AD CS Tools includes the Certification Authority, Certificate Templates, Enterprise PKI, and Online Responder Management snap-ins. | √ | √ |
| Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) Tools and Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) Tools | AD DS and Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) Tools includes Active Directory Administrative Center, Active Directory Domains and Trusts, Active Directory Sites and Services, Active Directory Users and Computers, ADSI Edit, Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell; plus tools such as DCPromo.exe, LDP.exe, NetDom.exe, NTDSUtil.exe, RepAdmin.exe, DCDiag.exe, DSACLs.exe, DSAdd.exe, DSDBUtil.exe, DSMgmt.exe, DSMod.exe, DSMove.exe, DSQuery.exe, DSRm.exe, GPFixup.exe, KSetup.exe, KtPass.exe, NlTest.exe, NSLookup.exe, W32tm.exe. |
| √ |
| Best Practices Analyzer | Best Practices Analyzer cmdlets for Windows PowerShell | √ | √ |
| BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities | Manage-bde, Windows PowerShell cmdlets for BitLocker, BitLocker Recovery Password Viewer for Active Directory | √ | √ |
| DHCP Server Tools | DHCP Server Tools includes the DHCP Management Console, the DHCP Server cmdlet module for Windows PowerShell, and the Netsh command line tool. | √ | √ |
| DirectAccess, Routing and Remote Access | Routing and Remote Access management console, Connection Manager Administration Kit console, Remote Access provider for Windows PowerShell, Web Application Proxy | √
| √
|
| DNS Server Tools | DNS Server Tools include the DNS Manager snap-in, the DNS module for Windows PowerShell, and the Ddnscmd.exe command line tool. | √ | √
|
| Failover Clustering Tools | Failover Clustering Tools include Failover Cluster Manager, Failover Clusters (Windows PowerShell cmdlets), MSClus, Cluster.exe, Cluster-Aware Updating management console, Cluster-Aware Updating cmdlets for Windows PowerShell | √ | √ GUI tools support Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview and Windows Server 2012 R2. Only PowerShell tools work on Windows Server 2012. |
| File Services Tools | File Services Tools include the following: Share and Storage Management Tools, Distributed File System Tools, File Server Resource Manager Tools, Services for NFS Administration Tools, iSCSI management cmdlets for Windows PowerShell; Work Folders Management Tools - Distributed File System Tools include the DFS Management snap-in, and the Dfsradmin.exe, Dfsrdiag.exe, Dfscmd.exe, Dfsdiag.exe, and Dfsutil.exe command line tools and PowerShell modules for DFSN and DFSR - File Server Resource Manager Tools include the File Server Resource Manager snap-in, and the Dirquota.exe, Filescrn.exe, and Storrept.exe command line tools. | √ | √ The Share and Storage Management snap-in is deprecated after the release of Windows Server 2016. Storage Replica is new in Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview, and won't work on WS12 R2 and WS12. |
| Group Policy Management Tools | Group Policy Management Tools include Group Policy Management Console, Group Policy Management Editor, and Group Policy Starter GPO Editor. | √ | √ Group Policy has some new features in Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview that are not available on older operating systems. |
| Hyper-V Tools | Hyper-V Tools include the Hyper-V Manager snap-in and the Virtual Machine Connection remote access tool. | Hyper-V tools are not part of Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10. These tools are available as part of Windows 10. You do not have to install RSAT to use the tools. The Hyper-V Manager console for Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview doesn’t support managing Hyper-V servers running Server 2008 or Server 2008 R2. | Hyper-V in Windows 10 can manage Hyper-V in Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012. |
| IP Address Management (IPAM) Management Tools | IP Address Management client console | √ IPAM tools in Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10 cannot be used to manage IPAM running on Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012. | √ IPAM tools in Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10 cannot be used to manage IPAM running on Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2012. |
| Network Adapter Teaming, or NIC Teaming | NIC Teaming management console | √ | √ |
| Network Controller | Network Controller PowerShell module | Not available | √ |
| Network Load Balancing Tools | Network Load Balancing Tools include the Network Load Balancing Manager, Network Load Balancing Windows PowerShell cmdlets, and the NLB.exe and WLBS.exe command line tools. | √ | √
|
| Remote Desktop Services Tools | Remote Desktop Services Tools include the Remote Desktop snap-ins, RD Gateway Manager, tsgateway.msc, RD Licensing Manager, licmgr.exe, RD Licensing Diagnoser, lsdiag.msc. Use Server Manager to administer all other RDS role services except RD Gateway and RD Licensing. | √ | √ |
| Server for NIS Tools | Server for NIS Tools includes an extension to the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in, and the Ypclear.exe command line tool | These tools are not available in RSAT for Windows 10 and later releases. |
|
| Server Manager | Server Manager includes the Server Manager console. Remote management with Server Manager is available in Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2012. | √ | √
|
| SMTP Server Tools | SMTP Server Tools include the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) snap-in. | These tools are not available in RSAT for Windows 8 and later releases. |
|
| Storage Explorer Tools | Storage Explorer Tools include the Storage Explorer snap-in. | These tools are not available in RSAT for Windows 8 and later releases. |
|
| Storage Manager for Storage Area Networks (SANs) Tools | Storage Manager for SANs Tools include the Storage Manager for SANs snap-in and the Provisionstorage.exe command line tool. | These tools are not available in RSAT for Windows 8 and later releases. |
|
| Volume Activation | Manage Volume Activation, vmw.exe | √ | √
|
| Windows System Resource Manager Tools | Windows System Resource Manager Tools include the Windows System Resource Manager snap-in and the Wsrmc.exe command line tool. | √ WSRM has been deprecated in Windows Server 2012 R2, and tools for managing WSRM are not available in Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8.1 and later releases of RSAT. |
|
| Windows Server Update Services Tools | Windows Server Update Services Tools include the Windows Server Update Services snap-in, WSUS.msc, and PowerShell cmdlets. | √ | √ |
Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8.1 platform and tools support matrix
| RSAT technology | Description | Manages technology on Windows Server 2008 | Manages technology on Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Directory Certificate Services Tools | Active Directory Certificate Services Tools includes the Certification Authority, Certificate Templates, Enterprise PKI, and Online Responder Management snap-ins. | √ | √ |
| Active Directory Certificate Services Tools | Active Directory Certificate Services Tools includes the Certification Authority, Certificate Templates, Enterprise PKI, and Online Responder Management snap-ins. | √ | √ |
| Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) Tools and Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) Tools | Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) Tools includes Active Directory Administrative Center; Active Directory Domains and Trusts; Active Directory Sites and Services; Active Directory Users and Computers; ADSI Edit; DCPromo.exe; LDP.exe; NetDom.exe; NTDSUtil.exe; RepAdmin.exe; Active Directory module for Windows PowerShell; DCDiag.exe; DSACLs.exe; DSAdd.exe; DSDBUtil.exe; DSMgmt.exe; DSMod.exe; DSMove.exe; DSQuery.exe; DSRm.exe; GPFixup.exe; KSetup.exe; NlTest.exe; NSLookup.exe; W32tm.exe. Server for NIS Tools includes an extension to the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in, and the Ypclear.exe command line tool. | √ Windows PowerShell and ADAC remote management require the Active Directory Web Service download package. | √ Identity Management for UNIX, which includes Server for NIS, is deprecated in Windows Server 2012 R2, and tools for managing these features are no longer available in RSAT for Windows 8.1. |
| Best Practices Analyzer | Best Practices Analyzer cmdlets for Windows PowerShell | Can run on WS08 R2 when the Windows Management Framework 3.0 package or a later version is installed on WS08 R2. No BPA models are available for WS08. | √ |
| BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities | Manage-bde, Windows PowerShell cmdlets for BitLocker, BitLocker Recovery Password Viewer for Active Directory | Not available | √ |
| Cluster-Aware Updating | Cluster-Aware Updating management console, Cluster-Aware Updating cmdlets for Windows PowerShell | Not available | √ |
| DHCP Server Tools | DHCP Server Tools includes the DHCP Management Console, the DHCP Server cmdlet module for Windows PowerShell, and the Netsh command line tool | √ Windows PowerShell module does not run on WS08 and WS08 R2. | √ |
| DirectAccess, Routing and Remote Access | Routing and Remote Access management console, Connection Manager Administration Kit console, Remote Access provider for Windows PowerShell | Not available | √ |
| DNS Server Tools | DNS Server Tools include the DNS Manager snap-in, the DNS module for Windows PowerShell, and the Ddnscmd.exe command line tool. | √ | √ |
| Failover Clustering Tools | Failover Clustering Tools include Failover Cluster Manager, Failover Clusters (Windows PowerShell cmdlets), MSClus, Cluster.exe | √ Failover Cluster Manager runs only on Windows Server 2012. The Windows PowerShell cmdlet set supports Windows Server 2012 and WS08R2. MSClus and Cluster.EXE support Windows Server 2012, WS08R2, and WS08. | √ |
| File and Storage Services Tools | File Services Tools include the following: Share and Storage Management Tools; Distributed File System Tools; File Server Resource Manager Tools; Services for NFS Administration Tools; iSCSI management cmdlets for Windows PowerShell. Distributed File System Tools include the DFS Management snap-in, and the Dfsradmin.exe, Dfsrdiag.exe, Dfscmd.exe, Dfsdiag.exe, and Dfsutil.exe command line tools. File Server Resource Manager tools include the File Server Resource Manager snap-in, and the Dirquota.exe, Filescrn.exe, and Storrept.exe command line tools. Share and Storage Management Tools include the Share and Storage Management snap-in. | √ iSCSI cmdlets for Windows PowerShell can be used to manage iSCSI on Windows Server 2012 only. | √ |
| Group Policy Management Tools | Group Policy Management Tools include Group Policy Management Console, Group Policy Management Editor, and Group Policy Starter GPO Editor. | √ | √ |
| Hyper-V Tools | Hyper-V Tools include the Hyper-V Manager snap-in and the Virtual Machine Connection remote access tool. | Hyper-V Manager console doesn’t support managing Hyper-V servers that are running Server 2008 or Server 2008 R2. | Hyper-V tools are not part of Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8. They are available as part of Windows 8. You do not have to install RSAT to use these tools. The Hyper-V Manager console for Windows Server 2012 does not support managing Hyper-V servers that are running Server 2008 or Server 2008 R2. Managing Hyper-V running on Windows Server 2012 by using Windows PowerShell tools available in RSAT for Windows 8.1 works but is not supported officially. Likewise, using RSAT for Windows 8 to manage Hyper-V on Windows Server 2012 R2 works but is not supported officially. |
| IP Address Management (IPAM) Management Tools | IP Address Management client console | Not available | √ IPAM tools in RSAT for Windows 8.1 cannot be used to manage IPAM on Windows Server 2012. |
| Network Adapter Teaming, or NIC Teaming | Network Adapter Teaming management console | Not available | √ |
| Network Load Balancing Tools | Network Load Balancing Tools include the Network Load Balancing Manager, Network Load Balancing Windows PowerShell cmdlets, and the NLB.exe and WLBS.exe command line tools. | √ | √ |
| Remote Desktop Services Tools | Remote Desktop Services Tools include the Remote Desktop snap-ins; RD Gateway Manager, tsgateway.msc; RD Licensing Manager, licmgr.exe; RD Licensing Diagnoser, lsdiag.msc. Server Manager should be used for the administration of all other RDS role services except RD Gateway and RD Licensing. | √ | √ |
| Server Manager | Server Manager includes the Server Manager console. Remote management with Server Manager is available in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012. | Available for WS08 R2 and later versions but not for WS08. | √ |
| SMTP Server Tools | SMTP Server Tools include the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) snap-in. | √ | The tools are not available in RSAT for Windows 8 and later versions. |
| Storage Explorer Tools | Storage Explorer Tools include the Storage Explorer snap-in. | √ | The tools are not available in RSAT for Windows 8 and later versions. |
| Storage Manager for Storage Area Network (SAN) Tools | Storage Manager for SAN Tools include the Storage Manager for SAN snap-in and the Provisionstorage.exe command line tool. | √ | The tools are not available in RSAT for Windows 8 and later versions. |
| Volume Activation | Manage Volume Activation, vmw.exe | The tool can be used to manage volume activation on remote servers that are running WS08 or WS08 R2. But it cannot run on those operating systems. | √ |
| Windows System Resource Manager Tools | Windows System Resource Manager Tools include the Windows System Resource Manager snap-in, and the Wsrmc.exe command line tool. | √ | √ WSRM was deprecated in Windows Server 2012 R2. Therefore, tools for managing WSRM are not available in Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 8.1. |
| Windows Server Update Services Tools | Windows Server Update Services Tools include the Windows Server Update Services snap-in, WSUS.msc. | √ | √ |
References
Description of Windows Server 2008 Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows Vista Service Pack 1
RSAT Released for Windows 7
Remotely managing your Server Core using RSAT
Screencast: How to Install and Enable Microsoft RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools) for Windows Vista
Using MMC Snap-ins and RSAT