Microsoft argues that Windows Server 2008 is the "most advanced and reliable server operating system" ever released them. And although here and difficult to compare, I believe that Windows Server 2008 has many new features, such as system administrators to help large and small companies.

Let's get the same impression and the feeling of using Windows Server 2008.
New impression and the feeling of using Windows Server 2008 First, the users will note that Server 2008 is a new feeling and impression of the use of Windows Server 2008. If you use Windows Vista, you notice how they are similar to one another.

This is a new feeling and impression requires some effort to adjust. As Windows systems administrators, we are accustomed to go the same path time after time to perform certain tasks. Because of this, at first, you may feel some loss with Windows Server 2008.

For example, one of the first features I noticed was that the team lacked Run in the Start Menu "." Now you just need to click on Start Search area of the Start menu "and" you need to enter the command (Figure 1)

Figure 1. New impression and the feeling of using Windows Server 2008

Also icon has been removed "Add-Remove Programs" in the control panel. These are just some of the things which need to be used when using Windows Server 2008.

This is better or worse? In my opinion, this is simply "something different".

Improved reliability features in Windows Server 2008 According to the Microsoft, Windows Server 2008 is the "most reliable" server operating system ever created by them, and I want to spend a minute to slightly affect the properties of security in Windows Server 2008. Here's my list:

Active Directory Federation Service (Active Directory Service Association) - enables administrators to easily establish relationships with partners in the association.
Read-Only Domain Controllers (Domain Controllers read-only) - These domain controllers will be used in environments where you need a blast furnace controller, but you can not guarantee the physical safety of the server.
Server Core Installation (Installation of the server kernel) - a new type of installing Windows Server 2008, which will allow you to install in the usual Windows infrastructure network services - DHCP, DNS, shared files and functions of a domain controller. For most administrators great change is that if you choose to use the installation "server core," there will not be a local GUI interface for the OS.
Password and account lockout policy improvements (improving policies passwords and locking accounts) - offers an opportunity to have multiple passwords and locking politician accounts in the same domain.

Windows BitLocker Drive Encryption-allows you to encrypt all hard drives on the server. This will prevent the ability to view data in the event of theft or disk server.
The new and improved Web server Server 2008 - IIS 7.0 We must remember that the operating system Windows Server 2008 includes many other applications. One such is the Internet Information Server. In Windows Server 2008 IIS upgraded to version 7.0. This improvement IIS 7.0 is easier to manage because of its improved interface. Interface offers an opportunity to perform routine tasks quickly, as well as to improve security, information on the status of the web server to implement the delegation of administration, etc. With IIS 7.0 access to the diagnostic information and information about the problems and their solution is much easier and faster (Figure 2).

Rapid deployment of client operating system using WDSWDS (Windows Deployment Service - Service Deployment Windows) is a new function Server 2008, which allows you to deploy Windows client machines on the network. New service WDS faster as using TFTP. WDS offers custom installations performed using either ScheduleCast or AutoCast.

ScheduleCast represents a deployment schedule while AutoCast. -- is "always available" deployment, using Multicast. Because AutoCast Multicast uses, you can remain in the bandwidth all the customers that share the same data flow through the network.

Protect your network from unreliable client PC using Network Access ProtectionNAP (Network Access Protection - Protection of access to the network) from Microsoft - it's a new policy, which can be placed in a certain place, requiring customers perform certain specific requirements before they can connect to the server.



If they do not meet the requirements, customers can be placed in quarantine, or they may be denied access. Even more so if the computer does not meet the requirements, Windows 2008 Server can deploy all necessary updates.

Using NAP, you can protect not only local computers, but also home computers and computers that are trying to connect to your network from your LAN or via the Internet through the VPN.

Improving the Windows terminal services, Windows Terminal Services had improved in Windows Server 2008. Here are some key new features:

RemoteApp-like published in the Citrix applications; RemoteApp will allow you to share the application with the workstation, but not with the entire Windows desktop. It is assumed that there is a homogeneous integration with client PCs, so that customers will see only the icon in the "Start" menu or desktop and thumb to run its applications.
Terminal Services Gateway - allows remote users working out of the office to connect to terminal services. This will help get rid of the need for remote VPN access for some users.
Terminal Services Web Access - offers users the opportunity to connect to a remote terminal services, using only a web browser. With its use of remote PCs trying to connect to terminal services, the client does not necessarily have remote access, or VPN.
All three of these properties are very similar to existing properties Citrix Metaframe.

Management server using the Server ManagerWindows Server 2008 Server Manager - it's a new console, pomeschayuschaya every snap, you need to manage the server, in one place, simplifying and accelerating the server administrators managing Windows 2008 Server.

New properties virtualization Windows ServerWindows Server Virtualization (Windows Server Virtualization) - a new feature that allows you to virtualize any operating system on a single server. This feature will also allow you to combine several servers on a single server. This also allows you to easily create a test environment and the development environment, without using too many resources.

Using this feature, Microsoft expects to distract from VMware virtualization market. Although Microsoft lagging far behind VMware on the soundness of its virtualizatsionnyh proposals, the proposal Microsoft already built-in Windows, represents a serious step toward providing its case virtualizatsionnyh funds in the hands of the end user.

Because we do review only versions of Microsoft Hypervisor virtualization in the recently released Windows Server 2008 OS RC0 is too early to say how good virtualizatsionny propose a set of Microsoft. I invite you to view it on their own.

Windows Server 2008 made cosmetic repairs, changed his appearance and the feeling of it. Of course, there are people who will like fresh appearance Windows Server 2008, and people who are not interested. In any case, a long list of properties prodelaet long way to encourage system administrators to try a new server OS. In addition, there are now many new key security features that make the server more reliable. But whether these properties will make the work more reliable in reality, or are they just complicate this work? Will Windows 2008 most secure and best server operating system, Microsoft released? Only testing its IT system administrators show how good is Windows Server 2008.