Microsoft Windows 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. With Windows Server 2008, your customers can:

Develop, deliver, and manage rich user experiences and applications. Provide a secure network infrastructure. Increase technological efficiency and value within their organisation. Core features within this release include, Hyper-V, advanced Terminal Services, IISv7, NAP, High Availability and simplified administration with Windows PowerShell. Windows Server 2008 provides a solid foundation for all of your server workload and application requirements while being easy to deploy and manage. Hallmark Windows Server reliability and enhanced high availability features help ensure your critical applications and data are available when you need them.

Windows Server 2008 Unleashed: Crouching Robot

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.

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.

Windows PowerShell, a new optional command-line shell and scripting language, enables administrators to automate routine system administration tasks across multiple servers

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 you need 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 make it easy for even IT generalists to implement high-availability solutions, Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) is now fully integrated.


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.

Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0: More than a Web server, IIS 7.0 provides a secure, easy-to-manage, highly modular platform for developing and reliably hosting Web applications and services.

Windows® SharePoint® Services: Windows SharePoint Services helps organisations increase productivity by creating Web sites where users can collaborate on documents, tasks and events, and easily share contacts and other information.

Windows Media® Services: This provides the ultimate fast-streaming experience, dynamic programming for on-the-fly and personalised content delivery, and an industrial-strength platform that ensures ease of administration, customisation, and scalability.

Virtualisation

With its built-in server virtualisation technology, Windows Server 2008 can help you reduce costs, increase hardware use, optimise your infrastructure, and improve server availability.

With Windows Server Hyper-V™ virtualisation technology*, your customers can better use their server hardware investments by consolidating multiple server roles as separate virtual machines running on a single physical machine. Your customers can also efficiently run multiple operating systems in parallel on a single server.

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 virtual private network (VPN).

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 customers’ network, data and business.

Network Access Protection (NAP) prevents unhealthy computers from accessing and compromising an organisation’s network. NAP is used to configure and enforce client health requirements and to update, or remediate, non-compliant client computers before they can connect to the corporate network.

Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC) increases security for branch office domain controllers where physical security cannot be guaranteed. RODC provides local authentication to branch office users without deploying a full, writeable copy of the Active Directory® database, which might be subject to corruption or compromise.

Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) provides a highly extensible and secure identity access solution that can operate across multiple environments. Using ADFS allows browser-based clients, both inside and outside the network, to access protected, Internet-facing applications, even when user accounts and applications are located in different networks or organisations. With this ADFS access, organisations can securely collaborate using their existing user account infrastructure.

Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) provides a comprehensive solution that persistently protects and controls access to sensitive information – such as documents and e-mail messages – both during and after their delivery into authorised hands. Authors of information can define exactly how the recipient can use the information, such as who can open, modify, print, forward, and/or take other actions.

Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) provides an integrated public key infrastructure that enables the secure exchange of information. With strong security and easy administration across the Internet, extranets, intranets, and applications, AD CS provides customisable services for issuing and managing the certificates used in public key technologies. Together with Microsoft Identity Lifecycle Manager 2007 (ILM), AD CS provides the foundation for strong authentication and certificate life-cycle solutions that are effective, easy to manage and simple to deploy.