Windows Server Two Thousand Three

WindowsServerTwoThousandThree is the first DotNet Server. When MicrosoftDotNet was released in 2002, WindowsTwoThousand was the only server product around, and it was not used extensively because companies had not figured out how to configure and use ActiveDirectory well.

Well, maybe. In fact the applications like CommerceServer?, BizTalk and ContentManagementServer? were presented as part of the DotNet server range (although in practice there was little or no DotNet technology in them)

Typical of MicrosoftCorporation, they issue a grand master plan, slot in the products, and deliver them in stages. BizTalk was first mentioned when DistributedInternetArchitecture was revealed, but product availability is a year or so later. WindowsServerTwoThousandThree came out earlier than BizTalk2004 because otherwise the benefits of using AspDotNet would be much diminished.

Again, maybe. Lots of people are quite successfully using ASP.Net on Windows 2000 - we have a number of clients doing that. Windows 2003 has IIS6, which is a useful improvement, but using Windows 2000 is hardly "much diminished" in comparison -- AnonymousManagedServicesProvider? :)

217.64.226.106 do you know whether AspDotNet 1.1 can be run on the WindowsTwoThousand server? If I understand things correctly, a lot of MicrosoftDotNet shops have already converted over to using v1.1 of the framework. And maybe WindowsServerTwoThousandThree is a requirement for that setup?

MicrosoftSecurity improvements is the major advantage introduced in WindowsServerTwoThousandThree. It also has a new DotNet version of InternetInformationServer.

Next time we expect a major MicrosoftCorporation MicrosoftWindowsServer release would be around one or two years after client versions of WindowsLonghorn relase. As at mid 2004 that date is expected to be 2007.

Compatibility concerns

when SP1 (server version) is installed, it changes default settings for a number of packages and users may have to make changes to their server configuration to accommodate SP1s new tools and other features.

Microsoft warned users that they might have make changes to the way they configure Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2004 and Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003. Fixes for the problems are listed on the Microsoft website.

From http://www.computerweekly.com/articles/article.asp?liArticleID=138057&liArticleTypeID=1&liCategoryID=1&liChannelID=4&liFlavourID=1&sSearch=&nPage=1

Scalability of Server platform

May05 info: Whereas SmallBusinessServer? is intended for up to 75 users, MS is considering a next-size up version for up to 250 PCs. See http://informationweek.com/shared/printableArticle.jhtml?articleID=164301324

A "Corporate Cluster Edition" (former name is High Performance Computing Edition) for large companies is also expected in 2006. This is a product that targets LampPlatform environments running high end unix machines. See article at http://www.betanews.com/article/print/Microsoft_Delays_Windows_for_Clusters/1112890936

Branded under the "Common Engineering Criteria", renewed initiatives are to achieving the aims of "Windows Server System". See http://www.rednova.com/modules/news/tools.php?tool=print&id=154864

SecurityManagement concerns

Tutorial on the builtin security config wizard at http://www.computerworld.com/securitytopics/security/story/0,10801,99418,00.html

R2 (2006) version

Sep05 Paul Thurrott in an article made these comments on a Server2003 R2 article that caught my attention.

Important features withdrawn: Terminal Services (Bear Paw) and Network Access Protection
MicrosoftServicesForUnix may no longer be free soon, and that include expected enhancements to interoperability between ActiveDirectory and UNIX via RFC2307

Without experience in server data centre admin, I have ignored his followup Sep05 part2 article at http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Print.cfm?ArticleID=47712 for now

Jun05 article on the beta is at http://www.enterpriseitplanet.com/networking/features/article.php/3511481

http://www.rednova.com/modules/news/tools.php?tool=print&id=154864

CategoryMicrosoft, CategoryEnterpriseComputingConcerns