Windows 2000 RAS Dial-Up Profile Management

Microsoft Windows 2000 manages dial-up networking profiles through Remote Access Service (RAS) by utilizing standardized phone-book files, specialized architectural APIs, and integrated administration tools like the Connection Manager. This system centralizes configuration parameters—including phone numbers, tunneling protocols, and credential caching—while allowing administrators to deploy, secure, and govern remote access either locally on the client machine or across the enterprise using Active Directory and Remote Access Policies.

Phone-Book Files and Storage

In Windows 2000, individual dial-up profiles (often called connectoids) are stored as entries within Remote Access Phone-Book (.pbk) files. These text-based configuration files contain technical connection properties, such as server phone numbers, modem configuration strings, framing protocols (primarily PPP), and IP address assignment settings.

Windows 2000 splits profile storage into two primary locations:

  • User-Specific Profiles: Stored in %UserProfile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Connections\Pbk\rasphone.pbk, accessible only by the logged-in user.
  • All-User Profiles: Stored in %AllUsersProfile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Network\Connections\Pbk\rasphone.pbk, allowing any user on the local workstation to initiate the connection.

Core Architectural Components

Windows 2000 handles profile execution and state tracking through a modular architecture:

  • Network and Dial-up Connections Folder: Replaced the legacy Windows NT 4.0 RAS client interface, integrating dial-up connections directly into the Windows Explorer shell.
  • Remote Access Connection Manager (RASMAN): A background system service responsible for opening ports, executing modem commands (via TAPI), and managing the physical or logical link.
  • RASAPI32.DLL: The standard programming interface that applications and the operating system use to create, edit, enumerate, and invoke dial-up entries stored in the .pbk files.
  • Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) Engine: Handles link negotiation, compression, and authentication protocols (such as PAP, CHAP, MS-CHAP v1/v2, and EAP) defined by the profile settings.

Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK)

For enterprise-level deployment, Windows 2000 provides the Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK). CMAK enables network administrators to generate customized dial-up profiles packaged as self-installing executable files.

These tailored profiles can include:

  • Pre-configured Point of Presence (POP) phone-book files that update automatically.
  • Custom graphics, help files, and user interface elements.
  • Pre-connect and post-connect scripts that automate route table alterations, proxy server adjustments, or application launches.

Security and Policy Integration

Profile enforcement and access control are tied directly to Windows 2000 security features:

  • Active Directory Integration: User accounts specify dial-in permissions under the "Dial-in" tab in Active Directory Users and Computers, determining whether an account can use a dial-up profile to authenticate.
  • Internet Authentication Service (IAS): Windows 2000 allows dial-up RAS servers to evaluate inbound profile requests against Remote Access Policies, verifying parameters like group membership, time-of-day restrictions, and required encryption levels before granting connection access.