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Windows Sever 2008 - Site Map

Windows Server 2008 - Site Map

The idea of this page is to help those whose fingers slip and they type Sever when they mean Windows Server 2008. This page acts as a site map for Windows Server 2008.

Windows Server 2008 - Review of Topics

Improvements in Microsoft's Windows Server 2008

Five years is a long time in computing. Perhaps the 32bit verses 64bit debate is a good bellwether for the changes. In W2K3 most servers were 32bit with 64bit an options, whereas for Windows 2008 almost every server will be 64bit.

Let us remember that Windows 2008 is a server, not a fancy-dance desktop workstation. While Windows Server 2008 shares some code and features with Vista it has been designed by a different team. From what I can gather by reading blogs, and with a little inside information, the server team are seasoned professionals, who pride themselves on building a rock solid operating system. Thus we aren't going to see the glitches with Server 2008 that we saw with Vista.

Server Manager goes right back to NT4. However, in Windows Server 2003 it took a back seat as Configure your Server or Manage your Server. Yet in Windows Server 2008 the Server Manager is central to configuration; this is the place to install roles and features and check that they are working correctly.

Windows Server 2008 also introduces Hyper-V (V for Virtualization) but only on 64bit versions. More and more companies are seeing this as a way of reducing hardware costs by running several 'virtual' servers on one physical machine. To get started make sure that you buy an edition of Windows Server 2008 that includes Hyper-V, then seek the Server Manger, add Roles.

While servers have always been more secure and less flashy than clients, Microsoft have made security their number one priority for Windows Server 2008. To gain maximum benefits I have always preached match clients and server, thus XP an W2K3 and now, Windows Server 2008 and Vista. Perhaps the killer reason for the latter association is DHCPv6 and IPv6. Windows Server 2003 does not support DHCPv6 for IPv6.

As Windows Sever 2008 gains in speed, efficiency and security over W2K3, so there will be knock-on improvements for their clients, particularly for Vista. Talking of Vista, features such as BitLocker and UAC are as relevant for Windows Server 2008 as they are for Vista.

Another trend of the Windows family of servers has been improved scalability, the desire to take on jobs previously carried on by main frame databases. For this high-end role, Windows Server 2008 has better support for failover clustering.

Although Microsoft have more GUIs than ever, it is perceived to be easier, to configure Server 2008 from the command line using PowerShell. The vision behind PowerShell is to provide cmdlets (scripts) which automate repetitive tasks, much like UNIX administrators use BASH in their UNIX shells.

You have to think that Microsoft have had plenty of time to build on Windows Server 2003 (even on R2 of W2K3). Again the reverse is hardly more palatable, customers never forgive product which is rushed out, even if it catches up later.

New Vista-like Features

Here are 'Longhorn' features found in Vista, which are incidental to Windows Server 2008, but nevertheless useful.

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New Technologies Related to Windows Server 2008

Most of these 'code words' transformed into more recognisable features of Windows Sever 2008. However a few have been abandoned, or placed on the back-burner.

Avalon Display System
Palladium the name for Generation Secure Computing Base (NGSCB)
Indigo to provide secure communication
Viridian = Windows Virtualization
WinFx = Windows Frameworks, now called .NET Framework 3.0
WinFS = Windows Future Storage

Train Signal has now released their Windows Server 2008 Training Course. As an MCT trainer, I am a huge advocate of Train Signal’s products. What particularly impresses is me is the demonstrations. If you are looking for a complete DETAILED coverage of Windows Server 2008, then I highly recommend that you give this course a try. I have reviewed their 6 hours plus of videos myself, and I guarantee that you will not be disappointed!

Watch a Windows Server 2008 Training Video Demo.

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Topics:

• Server 2008 Home • Overview • What's New? • Migration Advice • Install • Editions

• AD DC • Roles • Features • Hyper-V • UAC • IPv6 • GP Preferences • ipMonitor

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