Windows Server 2003 - the operating system from Microsoft, Windows NT family, the primary purpose of which - work on servers. Release on 24 April 2003. At this point, Windows Server 2003 is the main server operating system of Microsoft.

In Windows NT product lineup, the system is number 5.2 (Windows 2000 - 5.0, Windows XP - 5.1). Windows Server 2003 thanks to technology developed by Windows XP and Windows Server 2000. But at the core of the product is the development of Windows 2000 Server.

The first notable feature of Windows Server 2003, as opposed to Windows 2000 Server - preinstalled shell. NET Framework, which allows the platform to support Microsoft. NET. Microsoft originally planned to call the new product "Windows. NET Server". But this name was later dismissed.

The level of security in Windows Server 2003, much higher than previous products. For example, the system is now installed in the most limited way, without any additional services and applications, thus reducing the risk "of attack." Later, the company issued a Microsoft service pack, which is completely designed to improve the safety of the system and also includes a number of additional features protect against attacks.

In Windows Server 2003, a host of administration and management teams. Also in the new OS for the first time included Shadow Copy Service. It automatically save previous versions of files and custom in the case to return to them.

This product is available in four editions. All publications are available in 64 - bit versions of technologies to support IA-64 and AMD64, which allows the use of the large address space and increases productivity. Here's the list of descriptions:

1) Wed Edition. "Lite" version of Windows Server 2003. Targeted for use on web servers. This publication does not contain some opportunities other publications, but also costs less.

2) Standard Edition. It is a publication that targets use in the middle and small businesses. It not only contains the opportunities which the Microsoft needed only for large enterprises. The other possibility is Windows Server 2003 edition supports.

3) Enterprise Edition. Targeted at large and medium enterprises. Plus, the possibility Standard Edition, it lets you use up to 1 terabyte of memory, support for up to 8 processors at the same time, the addition of memory "on the fly" and clustering.

4) Datacenter Edition. Targeted for use in large organizations. This edition also empowers the previous edition.

In 2007, Microsoft had planned to release the next server operating system, which will be replaced by Windows Server 2003. Name upcoming OS - "Windows Longhorn Server".