Microsoft Windows Server Enterprise 2008 25 Client Features

Features

Windows Server 2008 Enterprise delivers an enterprise-class platform for deploying business-critical applications. Help improve availability with clustering and hot-add processor capabilities. Help improve security with consolidated identity management features. Reduce infrastructure costs by consolidating applications with virtualization licensing rights. Windows Server 2008 Enterprise provides the foundation for a highly dynamic, scalable IT infrastructure.

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 is the most advanced Windows Server operating system yet, designed to power the next-generation of networks, applications, and Web services. With Windows Server 2008 you can develop, deliver, and manage rich user experiences and applications, provide a secure network infrastructure, and increase technological efficiency and value within your organization.

Windows Server 2008 builds on the success and strengths of its Windows Server predecessors while delivering valuable new functionality and powerful improvements to the base operating system. New Web tools, virtualization technologies, security enhancements, and management utilities help save time, reduce costs, and provide a solid foundation for your information technology (IT) infrastructure:

Built for the Web

• Windows Server 2008 comes with Internet Information Services 7.0 (IIS7), a Web server and security-enhanced, easy-to-manage platform for developing and reliably hosting Web applications and services. A major enhancement to the Windows Web platform, IIS7 includes a componentized architecture for greater flexibility and control. IIS7 also provides simplified management, powerful diagnostic and troubleshooting capabilities that save time, and comprehensive extensibility.

• Internet Information Server IIS7 together with the .NET Framework 3.0 provide a comprehensive platform for building applications that connect users and data, enabling them to visualize, share, and act on information. Additionally, IIS7 plays a central role in unifying Microsoft's Web platform technologies--ASP.NET, Windows Communication Foundation Web services, and Windows SharePoint Services.

Virtualization Built In

• Microsoft Windows Server Hyper-V, the next-generation hypervisor-based server virtualization technology, allows you to make the best use of your server hardware investments by consolidating multiple server roles as separate virtual machines running on a single physical machine. You can also efficiently run multiple operating systems--Windows, Linux and others--in parallel on a single server. With virtualization built into the Windows Server 2008 operating system and simple licensing policies, it's now easier than ever to take advantage of the cost savings of virtualization.

• Applications can also be efficiently virtualized using Windows Server 2008 centralized application access technologies. Terminal Services Gateway and Terminal Services RemoteApp allow easy remote access to standard Windows-based programs from anywhere by running them on a terminal server instead of directly on a client computer--without the need for a complicated VPN. Security
• Windows Server 2008 is the most secure Windows Server yet. The operating system has been hardened to protect against failure and several new technologies help prevent unauthorized connections to your networks, servers, data, and user accounts. Network Access Protection (NAP) helps ensure that computers that try to connect to your network comply with your organization's security policy. Technology integration and several enhancements make Active Directory services a potent unified and integrated Identify and Access (IDA) solution. And Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC) and BitLocker Drive Encryption allow you to more securely deploy your AD database at branch office locations.

A Solid Foundation for Your Business Workloads

• Windows Server 2008 provides a solid foundation for all of your server workload and application requirements while being easy to deploy and manage. The all-new Server Manager provides a unified management console that simplifies and streamlines server setup, configuration, and ongoing management. Windows PowerShell, a new command-line shell, enables administrators to automate routine system administration tasks across multiple servers. Windows Deployment Services provides a simplified, secure means of rapidly deploying the operating system via network-based installations. And Windows Server 2008 Failover Clustering wizards, and full IPv6 support plus consolidated management of Network Load Balancing, make high availability easy to implement even by IT generalists.

• Finally, the new Server Core installation option of Windows Server 2008 allows for installation of server roles with only the necessary components and subsystems without a graphical user interface. Fewer roles and features means minimizing disk and service footprints while reducing attack surfaces. It also enables your IT staff to specialize according to the server roles they need to support.

• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 is the next generation of the Windows Server operating system that helps information technology (IT) professionals maximize control over their infrastructure while providing unprecedented availability and management capabilities, leading to a significantly more secure, reliable, and robust server environment than ever before. Windows Server 2008 delivers new value to organizations by ensuring all users regardless of location are able to get the full complement of services from the network. Windows Server 2008 also provides deep insight into the operating system and diagnostic capabilities to allow administrators to spend more time adding business value.

• Windows Server 2008 builds on the success and strengths of the award-winning Windows Server 2003 operating system and on the innovations delivered in Service Pack 1 and Windows Server 2003 R2. However, Windows Server 2008 is far more than a refinement of predecessor operating systems. Windows Server 2008 is designed to provide organizations with the most productive platform for powering applications, networks, and Web services from the workgroup to the datacenter with exciting, valuable new functionality and powerful improvements to the base operating system. Benefits of Windows Server 2008 Windows Server 2008 delivers benefits in four primary areas:

Web

• Windows Server 2008 gives you the ability to deliver rich web-based experiences efficiently and effectively, with improved administration and diagnostics, development and application tools, and lower infrastructure costs.

• Simplified Web server management with Internet Information Services 7.0, which is a powerful Web platform for applications and services. This modular platform provides a simplified, task-based management interface, greater cross-site control, security enhancements, and integrated health management for Web services.
• Task based interface simplifies common management Web server tasks.
• Cross-site copy allows you to easily copy Web site settings across multiple Web servers without additional configuration.
• Delegated administration of applications and sites so you can give control to different parts of the Web server to those who need it.
• Deliver flexible and comprehensive applications that connect users to each other and their data, enabling them to visualize, share, and act on information.

Virtualization

• With its built-in server virtualization technology, Windows Server 2008 enables you to reduce costs, increase hardware utilization, optimize your infrastructure, and improve server availability.
• Built-in virtualization to virtualize multiple operating systems--Windows, Linux and others--on a single server. With virtualization built into the operating system and with simpler, more flexible licensing policies, it's now easier than ever to take advantage of all the benefits and cost savings of virtualization.
• Centralized application access and seamless integration of remotely published applications. Improvements also add the ability to connect to remote applications across firewalls and without the use of a VPN, so you can quickly respond to the needs of your users, regardless of their location.
• New deployments options to provide the most suitable method for your environment.
• Interoperability with your existing environment.
• Robust and vibrant technical community to provide a rich experience throughout the product life cycle.

Security

• Windows Server 2008 is the most secure Windows Server ever. Its hardened operating system and security innovations, including Network Access Protection, Federated Rights Management, and Read-Only Domain Controller, provide unprecedented levels of protection for your network, your data, and your business.
• Protection of your server with security innovations that reduce attack surface area of the kernel, resulting in a more robust and secure server environment.
• Protection of your network access with Network Access Protection that gives you the power to isolate computers that don't comply with security policies you set. The ability to enforce security requirements is a powerful means of protecting your network.
• Enhanced solutions for intelligent rules and policies creation to increase control and protection over networking functions, allowing you to have a policy-driven network.
• Protection of your data to ensure it can only be accessed by users with the correct security context, and to make it available when hardware failures occur.
• Protection against malicious software with User Account Control with a new authentication architecture.
• Increased control over your user settings with Expanded Group Policy.

Solid Foundation for Business Workloads

• Windows Server 2008 is the most flexible and robust Windows Server operating system to date. With new technologies and features such as Server Core, PowerShell, Windows Deployment Services, and enhanced networking and clustering technologies, Windows Server 2008 provides you the most versatile and reliable Windows platform for all of your workload and application requirements.

• Increased dependability with advanced reliability enhancements to reduce loss of access, work, time, data, and control.
• Simplified management of your IT infrastructure by using new tools that provide a one-stop interface for server configuration and monitoring, as well as the ability to automate routine tasks.
• Streamlined installation and management of Windows Server 2008 by installing only the roles and features you need. The customization of the server configuration simplifies ongoing maintenance by minimizing the attack surface area and reducing the need for software updates.
• Effectively pinpointing and resolving trouble spots with powerful diagnostic tools that give you ongoing visibility into your server environment, both physical and virtual.
• Increased control over servers located in remote locations, such as the branch office. With optimized server administration and data replication, you can provide users with better service while reducing management headaches.