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NEWSLETTER - NEW FEATURES OF WINDOWS SERVER 2008

Windows Server 2008 is the most advanced Windows Server operating system yet. Designed to power the next-generation of networks, applications and Web services, it enables organisations to:

• Develop, deliver and manage rich user experiences and applications
• Provide a highly secure network infrastructure
• Increase technological efficiency and value within an organisation

It builds on the success and strengths of its predecessors while delivering valuable new functionality and powerful improvements to the base operating system. New Web tools, virtualisation technologies, security enhancements and management utilities help save time, reduce costs and provide a firm platform for your IT infrastructure.

 

Solid foundation

 

Windows Server 2008 provides a reliable infrastructure for all server workload and application requirements while being easy to deploy and manage. Hallmark Windows Server reliability and enhanced high availability features help ensure critical applications and data are available when needed.

 

Initial Configuration Tasks moves interactive elements of setup to after installation, eliminating the need for the administrator to interact with the installation of the operating system. While Server Manager, the expanded Microsoft Management Console (MMC), provides a one-stop interface for server configuration and monitoring with wizards to streamline common server management tasks.

 

Other new features include:

• Windows PowerShell - is a new optional command-line shell and scripting language that enables administrators to automate routine system administration tasks across multiple servers
• Windows Reliability and Performance Monitor - provides powerful diagnostic tools to give ongoing visibility into the server environment, both physical and virtual, to pinpoint and resolve issues quickly
• Optimised server administration and data replication - for increased control over servers located in remote locations, such as a branch office
• Componentised Server Core installation option - allows minimal installations where only the server roles and features needed are installed, reducing maintenance needs and decreasing the available attack surface of the server
• Windows Deployment Services (WDS) - provides a simplified, highly secure means of rapidly deploying Windows operating systems to computers by using network-based installation
• Failover clustering wizards - making it easy for even IT generalists to implement high-availability solutions, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is now fully integrated and geographically dispersed cluster nodes no longer need to be on the same IP subnet or configured with complicated Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs)
• Network Load Balancing (NLB) - now supports IPv6 and includes multiple dedicated IP address support which allows multiple applications to be hosted on the same NLB cluster
• Windows Server Backup - incorporates faster backup technology and simplifies data or operating system restoration

Web

 

Windows Server 2008 includes improved Web administration, diagnostics, development and application tools with Internet Information Services 7.0 (IIS 7.0), a major upgrade from IIS 6.0. It unifies the Microsoft Web publishing platform, including IIS 7.0, ASP.NET, Windows Communication Foundation and Windows SharePoint Services. New features include:

 

• Modular design and installation options - allow installation of only the features needed, reducing attack surfaces and making patch management easier
• IIS Manager - a new task-based management interface, plus a new appcmd.exe command-line tool make administration easier
• Cross-site deployment - allows easy copying of Web site settings across multiple Web servers without additional configuration
• Delegated administration of applications and sites - gives control of different parts of the Web server to those who need it
• Integrated Web server health management - with comprehensive diagnostic and troubleshooting tools allow easy visibility and tracking of requests running on the Web server
• Enhanced application pool isolation - keeps sites and applications isolated from each other for greater security and stability

Security

 

The Windows Server 2008 operating system is hardened, integrates several identity and access technologies and includes multiple security innovations. These enable you to more easily deploy a policy-driven network that helps protect server infrastructure, data and your business. New features include:

• Security Configuration Wizard (SCW) - helps administrators configure the operating system for the server roles being deployed to reduce the attack surface area, resulting in a more robust and more secure server environment
• Integrated Expanded Group Policy - enables efficient creation and management of Group Policies while expanding the number of areas that can be securely managed with policy
• Network Access Protection - helps ensure the network and systems are not compromised by unhealthy computers, isolating and/or remediating those computers that do not comply with the security policies set
• User Account Control - provides new authentication architecture for protection against malicious software
• Cryptography Next Generation (CNG) - Microsoft's new core cryptographic API, provides better cryptographic flexibility by supporting standard as well as customer-defined cryptographic algorithms
• Read Only Domain Controller (RODC) - allows a more secure method for local authentication of users in remote and branch office locations using a read-only replica of the primary AD database
• Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) - enables trust relationships to be more easily established between partners with different identity and access directories running on different networks, enabling secure single sign ons (SSOs) to each other's networks
• Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) - delivers several enhancements to the Windows Server 2008 PKI
• Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) - together with RMS-enabled applications helps safeguard a company's digital information from unauthorised users more easily
• BitLocker Drive Encryption - provides enhanced protection against data theft and exposure of server hardware if lost or stolen and it provides more secure data deletion when servers are eventually decommissioned

More about the new virtualisation features of Windows Server 2008 can be found in article about virtualisation in this newsletter.

 

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