Failover Clustering
The improvements to failover clusters in Windows Server 2008 are aimed at simplifying clusters, making them more secure, and enhancing cluster stability.
Identity and Access
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 expands on the Microsoft Identity and Access foundation with several new features and technologies that help organisations improve operational efficiency, reduce IT costs, simplify compliance, and strengthen security.
Internet Information Services 7.0
One of the most exciting new technologies delivered in Windows Server 2008 is Microsoft's latest Web server, Internet Information Services 7.0 (IIS7). IIS7 is really more than just a Web server-it is a security-enhanced, easy-to-manage platform for developing and reliably hosting Web applications and services. IIS7 is also the backbone that supports and unifies the next generation of Windows Web platform technologies, including ASP.NET 2.0, Windows Communication Foundation Web services, and Windows SharePoint Services.
Microsoft Windows Deployment Services in Windows Server 2008
Microsoft Windows Deployment Services is the next version of Microsoft Remote Installation Services (RIS). Windows Deployment Services provides for storing, managing, and deploying images. It uses the Pre-Boot eXecution Environment (PXE) boot process to install the operating system, including new computer installations.
Network Access Protection and Enforcement
Network Access Protection (NAP) is the policy enforcement platform built into the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 operating systems that helps protect and maintain system health in your organisation. Learn more about NAP features, including policies to validate computer health and restrict access to network resources by non-compliant computers.
Platform Networking
Updates made to the platform networking features represent some of the most significant innovations offered in Windows Server 2008.
Remote Infrastructure
Microsoft Windows Server 2008 provides several new enhancements that help reduce management costs, increase security and provide agility for your remote infrastructure.
Server Core
Server Core is a new installation option for selected roles that includes only the necessary components and subsystems without a graphical user interface, to provide a highly available server that requires fewer updates and less servicing.
Server Manager
Server Manager is a new feature that is included in Windows Server 2008. It is a "one-stop shop" designed to guide Information Technology (IT) administrators through the end-to-end process of installing, configuring, and managing server roles and features that are part of Windows Server 2008. Server Manager replaces and consolidates a number of features from Microsoft Windows Server 2003, such as Manage Your Server, Configure Your Server, and Add or Remove Windows Components.
Storage and Print Features
In Microsoft Windows Server 2008 the printer subsystem includes a new printer architecture that provides users with better printer and print server performance and provides a new foundation for future applications. The new print architecture not only maintains compatibility with existing applications and printer drivers but also gives existing applications the ability to use features that can only be found in the new XPSDrv printer drivers.
Terminal Services
Learn more about key enhancements and new features in Terminal Services (TS) -TS RemoteApp, TS Gateway, TS Easy Print, TS Session Broker, and TS Web Access-that will be delivered as part of the 2008 release of Windows Server.
Windows PowerShell
Microsoft Windows PowerShell is a new command-line shell and task-based scripting technology that is ideally suited for the automation of new Windows Server 2008 features. The Windows PowerShell gives IT administrators comprehensive control and automation of system administration tasks and helps administrators be more productive.
Windows Server Virtualisation
The virtualisation platform that provides the greatest flexibility because of dynamic, reliable and scalable platform capabilities combined with a single set of integrated management tools to manage both physical and virtual resources.
Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008-Better Together
When organisations install both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, they can achieve more efficient management and faster communication.
Web Benefits
- Simplified Web server management with Internet Information Services 7.0, which is a powerful Web platform for applications and services. This modular platform provides a simplified, task-based management interface, greater cross-site control, security enhancements, and integrated health management for Web services.
- Task based interface simplifies common management Web server tasks.
- Cross-site copy allows you to easily copy Web site settings across multiple Web servers without additional configuration.
- Delegated administration of applications and sites so you can give control to different parts of the Web server to those who need it.
Virtualisation
- Built-in virtualisation to virtualise multiple operating systems-Windows, Linux and others-on a single server. With virtualisation built into the operating system and with simpler, more flexible licensing policies, it's now easier than ever to take advantage of all the benefits and cost savings of virtualisation.
- Centralised application access and seamless integration of remotely published applications. Improvements also add the ability to connect to remote applications across firewalls and without the use of a VPN, so you can quickly respond to the needs of your users, regardless of their location.
- New deployments options to provide the most suitable method for your environment.
- Interoperability with your existing environment.
- Robust and vibrant technical community to provide a rich experience throughout the product life cycle.
Security
- Protection of your server with security innovations that reduce attack surface area of the kernel, resulting in a more robust and secure server environment.
- Protection of your network access with Network Access Protection that gives you the power to isolate computers that don't comply with security policies you set. The ability to enforce security requirements is a powerful means of protecting your network.
- Enhanced solutions for intelligent rules and policies creation to increase control and protection over networking functions, allowing you to have a policy-driven network.
- Protection of your data to ensure it can only be accessed by users with the correct security context, and to make it available when hardware failures occur.
- Protection against malicious software with User Account Control with a new authentication architecture.
- Increased control over your user settings with Expanded Group Policy.
Solid Foundation for Business Workloads
- Increased dependability with advanced reliability enhancements to reduce loss of access, work, time, data, and control.
- Simplified management of your IT infrastructure by using new tools that provide a one-stop interface for server configuration and monitoring, as well as the ability to automate routine tasks.
- Streamlined installation and management of Windows Server 2008 by installing only the roles and features you need. The customisation of the server configuration simplifies ongoing maintenance by minimising the attack surface area and reducing the need for software updates.
- Effectively pinpointing and resolving trouble spots with powerful diagnostic tools that give you ongoing visibility into your server environment, both physical and virtual.
- Increased control over servers located in remote locations, such as the branch office. With optimised server administration and data replication, you can provide users with better service while reducing management headaches.
Why Upgrade?
Server Consolidation and Resource Optimisation—Hyper-V
Most servers operate at far below their capacities, with as much as 80 to 90 percent of their processing power unused, on average. With Hyper-V, the Windows Server 2008 virtualisation solution, a single physical server can host the workloads of multiple Line of Business servers. Hyper-V helps organisations to achieve optimal use of their hardware resources and provides the agility needed to adapt to changing IT needs. New management tools simplify the deployment process and allow IT departments to manage virtual servers with the same familiar tools that they use to manage the physical servers in the network.
Flexible Application Access for Remote Users—TS RemoteApp
Windows Server 2008 provides improvements and innovations to Terminal Services with solutions, like Terminal Services RemoteApp (TS RemoteApp), that allow users to access individual applications, instead of a computer desktop in a Terminal Server session. These applications run on the host computer and send only the application windows to the user, requiring fewer resources on the client side, and reducing administration and deployment costs.
Modular, Minimal Installation—Server Core
Many network servers perform specific dedicated and mission-critical roles within the network. The new Server Core installation option provides a minimal environment for running specific server roles. This helps improve reliability and efficiency, giving the IT department the ability to better utilise existing hardware. It also simplifies ongoing administration and patch management requirements by reducing the need to update unneeded files and functionality.
For network servers that perform specific network infrastructure roles, the new Server Core installation option offers a highly reliable and efficient platform. Because Server Core loads the fewest operating system components required to run core infrastructure roles, patch requirements are reduced. This provides higher reliability and security for core network infrastructure roles.
Delivering Rich Web Content and Applications—IIS 7.0
As Web content gets richer and the Web becomes a viable platform for delivering business applications, the Web server is moving to the center of many networks. IIS 7.0 delivers solutions for today's demanding content, including streaming media and Web applications in Active Server Pages and PHP. With an updated interface that makes administration easier, the new modular design of IIS 7.0 enables administrators to minimise the attack surface of the Web server by installing only the needed components.
Improved Network Performance and Control—New TCP/IP Stack
The efficient use of bandwidth has a direct impact on the productivity of users working in remote locations that rely on WAN connections to the organisation’s central servers. The redesigned “next generation" TCP/IP included in Windows Server 2008 provides vastly improved performance in a remote location scenario, offering faster throughput and more efficient routing of network traffic. Using the combination of Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista in a branch office scenario can provide as much as a threefold improvement in throughput over the WAN connection.
Preventing Unhealthy Devices from Connecting to the Network—NAP
With the increasing number of mobile users and corporate partners that must connect to an organisation’s network, protecting the security of that network from outside threats is an ongoing challenge. Network Access Protection (NAP) in Windows Server 2008 helps prevent non-compliant computers from accessing an organisation’s network. NAP can verify the health of connecting computers and enforce compliance with an organisation’s security standards.
Supporting Business Continuity for Demanding Workloads—High Availability Features
Windows Server 2008 provides increased scalability for the most demanding business solutions and helps keep businesses operating through unplanned downtime with high availability features. With support for failover clusters, Network Load Balancing, dynamic hardware partitioning, robust storage options, and advanced machine-check architecture, Windows Server 2008 helps safeguard against single-point-of-failure problems. Simplified deployment and management help organisations of all sizes take advantage of these features to improve availability and reliability.
Enabling Secure Collaboration—Active Directory Federated Rights Management
Companies need to share information with partners and clients without losing control over that information. Rights Management Services enables organisations to control how documents are used—including who can view them, whether they can be printed, even whether they can be forwarded or deleted—both internally and externally.
Connecting Heterogeneous Environments
Windows Server 2008 includes Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications (SUA), a multi-user UNIX environment that supports more than 300 UNIX commands, utilities, and shell scripts. Users can maintain one user name and password for Windows domains and UNIX systems, synchronising the credentials automatically when one changes. SUA runs on Windows-based servers without any emulation, providing for native UNIX performance and enabling UNIX applications to leverage Windows APIs and components.
Enabling Top-Shelf Service and Support for Remote Sites
Remote sites, such as branch offices, can be an IT challenge. Often, there is no local IT staff, making the deployment of software and security updates expensive and time-consuming. It can be difficult to enforce security and IP standards in a remote site. Windows Server 2008 enables remote management that's almost as good as being physically located onsite, allowing administrators to correct many problems using remote management. The new Read-Only Domain Controller provides a safer way to provide Active Domain administration in the remote infrastructure.
Easing Administration, Management, and Automation—Server Manager and PowerShell
The Server Manager Console provides a single, unified console for managing a server’s configuration and system information, displaying server status, identifying problems with server role configuration, and managing all roles installed on the server. Built on the Service Modeling Language (SML) platform, Server Manager allows administrators to complete tasks with fewer clicks without having to navigate between multiple tools and interfaces. Server Manager also interfaces directly with PowerShell, the command-line shell and scripting language for automation. All Server Manager functions that can be used in the interface are available to PowerShell scripts. The interface even helps write those scripts, showing administrators exactly what commands are behind each button and control, and allowing administrators to record actions in the UI and save a script based off of those actions.
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise delivers an enterprise-class platform for deploying business-critical applications. Improve availability with clustering and hot-add processor capabilities. Improve security with consolidated identity management features. Reduce infrastructure costs by consolidating applications with virtualisation licensing rights. Windows Server 2008 Enterprise provides the foundation for a highly dynamic, scalable IT infrastructure.
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter
Windows Server 2008 Datacenter delivers an enterprise-class platform for deploying business-critical applications. Help improve availability with clustering and dynamic partitioning capabilities. Help improve security with consolidated identity management features. Reduce infrastructure costs by consolidating applications with virtualisation licensing rights. Windows Server 2008 Datacenter provides a foundation on which to build enterprise-class virtualisation and scale-up solutions.
Windows Server 2008 Standard
Windows Server 2008 is the most robust Windows Server operating system to date. With built-in, enhanced Web and virtualisation capabilities, it is designed to increase the reliability and flexibility of your server infrastructure while helping save time and reduce costs. Powerful tools give you greater control over your servers and streamline configuration and management tasks. Plus, enhanced security features work to harden the operating system to help protect your data and network and provide a solid, highly-dependable foundation for your business.
Windows Web Server 2008
Designed to be used specifically as a single-purpose Web server, Windows Server 2008 Web delivers on a rock solid foundation of Web infrastructure capabilities in the next generation Windows Server 2008. Integrated with the newly re-architected IIS 7.0, ASP.NET, and the Microsoft .NET Framework, Windows Web Server 2008 enables any organisation to rapidly deploy Web pages, Web sites, Web applications, and Web services.
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems
Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems is optimised for large databases, line of business and custom applications providing high availability and scalability up to 64 processors to meet the needs of the most demanding and mission critical solutions.