It hardly seems possible that Windows Server 2003
is already four years old and about to be replaced
by Longhorn Server. Four years is a long time in the computer industry, and Microsoft has used that time to
add a plethora of important features to Longhorn Server.
Here's my list of Longhorn Server's 10 most important new
features and enhancements.
10. Hypervisor-based virtualization—Microsoft has found a way to incorporate virtualization—one of the hottest technologies
in IT—into the Windows OS. Hypervisor
support will let Longhorn Server take advantage of the
virtualization capabilities of the new generation of Intel
and AMD processors. The result is improved performance
for virtual machines and no need for additional virtualization software.
9. New backup and recovery tools—Longhorn
Server's backup and restore technology is a welcome change for Windows 2003 and Windows
2000 Server administrators struggling with the old,
hard-to-use NTBackup. Longhorn Server uses Microsoft
Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS) to perform block-level
backups and can also back up to DVD.
8. Updated Windows Firewall—Like Windows
Vista, Longhorn Server will include the updated
Windows Firewall. The new version lets you filter
both incoming and outgoing traffic and can be
configured using Group Policy or Microsoft Management
Console 3.0.
7. Windows SharePoint Services 3.0—Longhorn
Server will include Windows SharePoint Services3.0, which features an updated administration
model that lets you delegate SharePoint administrative tasks. SharePoint Services 3.0 also provides a
multistage recycle bin and support for VSS for improved
recoverability.
6. IIS 7.0—Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 has a new modular architecture that provides more granular control over which features
are installed on the Web server. IIS 7.0 also sports
an administration UI that lets you manage both Web server
and ASP.NET properties. Editing and backing up configuration data is easy because IIS 7.0's configuration settings are
stored in an XML file.
5. New Server Manager—Acting like a combination
of the Windows 2003 Manage Your Server Wizard
and the Security Configuration Wizard, Longhorn
Server's Server Manager provides a role-based
management interface. Server Manager lets you add and
change server roles and features, monitor server health,
and manage user accounts and services.
4. WDS—Longhorn Server revamps Microsoft
Remote Installation Services and renames it Windows Deployment Services (WDS). WDS supports
Microsoft's new image-based deployment using
the Windows Imaging Format. WDS is built using Windows
Preinstallation Environment and supports bare-metal and
network installations for Vista and Longhorn Server.
3. Enhanced Terminal Services—Based on the new
RDP 6.0, Terminal Services support in Longhorn
Server lets users share a single remote application
rather than an entire desktop. From the remote
system's perspective, using Terminal Services to run an
application looks just like executing a local application. For
example, you can start remote programs by double-clicking
an icon, menu option, or associated file extension.
2. NAP—The long-awaited Network Access Protection (NAP) security feature lets you create a
customized health policy that a networked client
must comply with before being granted network
access. For example, you might require the client to have
antivirus software, specific firewall settings, and certain
updates to software. Clients that don't comply will have
restricted network access until the problems that cause
them to be noncompliant are corrected.
1. Server Core—Longhorn Server's
biggest enhancement is a new type
of server installation called the Server
Core. The Server Core doesn't provide
a graphical UI, requiring system configuration and management to be performed either through the command
line or remotely, and doesn't include
application-oriented features such as the Microsoft .NET
Framework or Microsoft Internet Explorer. The Server
Core can act as a domain controller, a DNS server, a
DHCP server, or a file server.