Microsoft Windows Server 2008

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 is the latest Microsoft operating system oriented server. It is the successor to Windows Server 2003 released 5 years earlier. An update is under development and will be called Windows Server 2008 R2. This version has been officially presented to the French public (world exclusive) at TechDays 2008 which took place from 11 to 13 February 2008 in Paris. The international release of the product in turn was held February 27, 2008.

Like Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 is based on the kernel (core) Windows NT version 6.0. This product has been known by the codename “Windows Server Longhorn” until May 16, 2007, when Bill Gates announced its official title (Windows Server 2008) during his keynote session of WinHEC. The first official beta release dated July 27, 2005, the second beta was announced and published May 23, 2006 at WinHEC 2006 and the third beta was made public April 25, 2007. The Release Candidate 0 (RC0) has been made available to the public September 24, 2007 and Release Candidate 1 (RC1) has been made publicly available December 5, 2007. The RTM (Release to Manufacturing) version of Windows Server 2008 was February 4, 2008 with the announcement of the official release World February 27, 2008.

Windows Server 2008 Features

Windows Server 2008 is based on the same code base as Windows Vista and therefore they both share the same architecture and same features. Since the code base is common, Windows Server 2008 contains by default the most technical features, security, management and administrative features new to Windows Vista such as the rewritten networking stack (native IPv6, wireless connectivity native , improved security and speed), improved deployment, retrieval and installation based on a source image, improved diagnostic tools, monitoring, event logging and reporting, providing new features security such as BitLocker and ASLR; improved Windows Firewall with secure default configuration;. NET Framework 3.0, specifically Windows Communication Foundation (WCF), Microsoft Message Queuing and Windows Workflow Foundation, improving also the nucleus of the memory management and file system.

Processors and memory components are defined as Plug and Play devices, to enable “hot-plug” (Hot Plug) thereof. This allows system resources to be partitioned dynamically using Dynamic Hardware Partitioning Module (literally: “Management of Dynamic Partitioning”), each with its own partition of memory, processor and host bridge I / O independent of each other.

Server Core Installation

It is probably the feature most significant Windows Server 2008 is the possibility of installation called Server Core. Server Core installation reduced to a minimum layer where no Windows Explorer is installed. The configuration and maintenance are performed entirely through the user interface of Windows command line, or by connecting remotely to the machine using a Microsoft Management Console (Microsoft Management Console). However, Notepad and some components of the control panel such as the locale, are still available.

The Core Server does not. NET Framework, Internet Explorer or any other functions unrelated to the core functionality. A Server Core machine can be configured for several basic roles: Domain Controller / Active Directory Domain Services, ADLDS (ADAM), DNS Server, DHCP server, file server, print server, Windows Media Server, Terminal Services Easy Print , TS Remote Programs, and TS Gateway, IIS 7 and Windows Server Virtual Server Virtualization. This role is expected to be made available no later than 180 days after the worldwide release of Windows Server 2008.

Windows Server Active Directory Roles

Active Directory now includes identity services, licenses and digital rights management. Until Windows Server 2003 Active Directory enabled network administrators to centrally manage the computers interconnected to define strategies for a set or group of users, and centrally deploy new applications to multiple computers. The basic role of Active Directory has been renamed as Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS).

A number of new services were added as Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS), Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS – originally known as the Active Directory Application Mode or ADAM), Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS), and Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS). Services Certificate of Identity and allow administrators to manage user accounts and digital certificates that allow them access to certain services and systems.

Federation management services (FMS) enables companies to share authentication data with partners and trusted client, allowing a consultant to use his own user account and password to log onto the network client. Identity Integration Feature Pack is included with Active Directory Meta-directory Services (ADMS). Each of these services represents a server role.

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