Overview

Microsoft Windows Server 2008, with built-in web and virtualization technologies, is designed to provide organizations with increased reliability and flexibility for their server infrastructure. New virtualization tools, web technologies, and security enhancements help save time, reduce costs, and provide a platform for a dynamic datacenter. Powerful new tools like Internet Information Server 7.0 (IIS7), Windows Server Manager, and Windows PowerShell, offer more control over servers and streamline web, configuration, and management tasks. Advanced security and reliability enhancements like Network Access Protection and the Read-Only Domain Controller harden the operating system and protect the server environment to help create a solid foundation on which to build businesses.

Solid Foundation for Business Workloads

Windows Server 2008 is the most flexible and robust Windows Server operating system to date. With new technologies and features such as Server Core, PowerShell, Windows Deployment Services, and enhanced networking and clustering technologies, Windows Server 2008 provides the most versatile and reliable Windows platform for all workload and application requirements. Server Manger integrates server role and feature addition, removal, and configuration into a single Microsoft Management Console (MMC). Windows Deployment Services (WDS) is a suite of components that work together on Windows Server 2008 to provide a simplified, secure and rapid Windows operating system deployment to clients and servers. WDS uses network-based installation, without the need for an administrator to work directly on each computer, or install Windows components from CD or DVD media. The Windows PowerShell command-line shell and scripting language helps IT Professionals automate common tasks and more easily control system administration and accelerates automation, even in remote locations such as branch offices. PowerShell leverages existing investments by retaining compatibility with existing scripting solutions. Server core is a new installation option for selected roles that includes only the necessary subsystems required for those roles. Server core can create a more reliable and secure server that requires less patching and servicing. Windows Server 2008 includes a new implementation of the TCP/IP protocol stack known as the Next Generation TCP/IP stack. The Next Generation TCP/IP stack meets the connectivity and performance needs of today’s varied networking environments and technologies through a complete redesign of the TCP/IP stack. A failover cluster (formerly known as server clusters) is a group of independent computers that work together to increase the availability of applications and services. In Windows Server 2008, the improvements to failover clusters simplify clusters, making them easier to secure, and more stable.

Web

Windows Server 2008 is a powerful Web Application and Services Platform that provides organizations with the ability to deliver rich web-based experiences efficiently and effectively. The release of Internet Information Server 7.0 (IIS7) as part of Windows Server 2008 offers improved administration and diagnostics, better development and application tools and lower infrastructure costs. It is also a completely modular, extensible Web server with expanded application hosting, while retaining excellent compatibility and solving key customer challenges. Windows Server 2008 includes Windows SharePoint® Services 3.0, a collaboration technology that helps organizations improve business processes and enhance team productivity. With a robust set of features and tools that give people browser-based access to workspaces and shared documents, Windows SharePoint Services helps people work with others across organizational and geographic boundaries. Microsoft Windows Media Services is an industrial-strength platform for streaming live or on-demand audio and video content over the Internet or an intranet. Windows Media Services provide the ultimate fast-streaming experience and dynamic programming for on-the-fly and personalized content delivery, on a platform that offers ease-of-administration, customization, and scalability.

Virtualization

With its built-in server virtualization technology, Windows Server 2008 enables organizations to reduce costs, increase hardware utilization, optimize their infrastructure, and improve server availability. Windows Server virtualization (WSv) uses a 64-bit hypervisor-based platform for increased reliability and scalability. WSv helps organizations optimize their hardware resources through server consolidation. WSv also leverages components of the Windows Server 2008 platform like failover clustering to provide high availability and Network Access Protection (NAP) to quarantine unhealthy virtual machines. Another form of virtualization is Presentation Virtualization, which is the ability to detach the application presentation layer, or the user interface, from the host operating system. In Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services Gateway and Terminal Services RemoteApp™ provide centralized application access with integration of remote applications on client computers and easy access to these same remote programs using a Web browser. Terminal Services also provide a means to access remote terminals and applications across firewalls.

Security

Windows Server 2008 is the most secure Windows Server ever. Its hardened operating system and security innovations, including Network Access Protection, Federated Rights Management, and Read-Only Domain Controller, provide unprecedented levels of protection for an organization’s data. Windows Server 2008 includes security and compliance enhancements, more advanced encryption, and tools that improve auditing and secure startup. It helps organizations to prevent data theft with Rights Management Services, BitLocker, and Group Policy technologies. Windows Service Hardening helps keep systems safer by preventing critical server services from being compromised by abnormal activity in the file system, registry, or network. Security is also enhanced in the Windows Server 2008 operating system by means of Network Access Protection (NAP), Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC), Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) enhancements, a new Windows Firewall with improved filtering, and next-generation cryptography support. Windows Server 2008 delivers a fully-integrated Federated Rights Management Services solution. This allows organizations to easily extend their Rights Management framework, allowing critical information to be securely shared with partners without the overhead of maintaining additional user accounts for users outside the organization.

Benefit Summary

Windows Server 2008 will provide customers with:

• A rock-solid server foundation that is secure, manageable, responsive, interoperable, and compatible

• A platform that supports rapid development and delivery of smart and connected applications

• Agility, to increase operational efficiency and IT effectiveness

• Policy-based networking, improved branch management, and enhanced end-user collaboration

• An application platform that provides flexible solutions, connected systems, and rich user experiences

• A platform that provides a more secure and reliable IT infrastructure, to help organizations meet project objectives on time and within budget, allowing staff to focus on priorities important to the company

Why Upgrade to Windows Server 2008?

Windows Server 2008 is a next-generation server operating system that helps IT maximize control over their infrastructure, while providing unprecedented availability and management that leads to a significantly more secure, reliable, and robust server environment. Windows Server 2008 builds on the success and strengths of the award-winning Windows Server® 2003 operating system, as well as on the innovations delivered in Service Pack 1 for Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 R2. However, Windows Server 2008 is far more than a refinement of preceding operating systems. Windows Server 2008 delivers exciting, valuable new functionality and powerful improvements to the core operating system to help organizations of all sizes to increase control and manageability, provide high availability, and have more flexibility for their changing business needs.