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.
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 has 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 has 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 has 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.
Guy's Challenge - Download
this free device backup utility
(CatTools)
Kiwi CatTools is a free program for backing up configuration settings on
hardware devices. Here is Guy's challenge. If you
download CatTools, then it will not only take care of backups, but
also it will show you something new about the hardware on you
network. I could give you a money back guarantee - but CatTools is
already free! Thus, I just make a techie to techie challenge, you
will learn more about your network if you:
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.
Guy Recommends:
SolarWinds' NPM - Network Performance Monitor
SolarWinds' performance monitor is designed for detecting network outages,
making it easy to see what's working, and what needs your attention.
This utility guides you through creating network maps; it also helps
identifying whether the
root cause is faulty equipment, or resource overload. Give NPM a try.
