Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
the user interface and is performance-tuned to run desktop applications. Windows Server 2008,
on the other hand, deemphasizes many of Vista's user interface bells and whistles in favor of a
less flashy and less resource-intensive user interface. In addition, Windows Server 2008 is
performance-tuned to run background processes so that client computers can access network
services faster. Speaking of network services, most Windows Server 2008 editions can run the
following, among others:
• File and Printer Sharing
• Web Server
• Routing and Remote Access Services (RRAS)
• Domain Name System (DNS)
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Server
• Active Directory
• Distributed File System (DFS)
• Fax Server
1
Of these services, Windows Vista supports only File and Printer Sharing, Web Server, and
FTP Server and in a limited capacity. Windows Vista is restricted to only 10 network connec-
tions, whereas network connections to a Windows Server 2008 computer are limited only by the
number of purchased licenses and available resources. In addition, because a server is such a crit-
ical device in a network, Windows Server 2008 includes a number of fault-tolerance features,
such as redundant array of independent drives (RAID), load balancing, and clustering, none of
which are standard features in Windows Vista or other Windows desktop OSs. Windows Server
2008 is also capable of supporting up to 32 processors compared with Vista, which supports a
maximum of 2.
Microsoft has developed a number of Windows Server 2008 editions, discussed in the fol-
lowing section, so that businesses can choose the best solution for their size and the services
they require.
In the realm of server OSs, Microsoft has an edition for all types of businesses, large and small.
From a simple Web server to a massive application server, Windows Server 2008 has it covered.
The Windows Server 2008 editions remain the same as those in Windows Server 2003:
• Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition
• Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition
• Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition
• Windows Web Server 2008
Two Windows server products targeted toward small and medium busi-
nesses are currently in development: Windows Small Business Server 2008
and Windows Essential Business Server.
Why the need for several editions? One size doesn't fit all is the short answer. For example, a
small organization with a few users up to a few hundred users who mainly need a centralized
network logon along with file and printer sharing can probably use Standard Edition. A large
company or one that needs a robust application server might opt for Enterprise Edition. A com-
pany that needs to host a gargantuan database requiring lots of processors, storage, and memory
might need Datacenter Edition. As server virtualization has become an essential part of the
Server 2008 family of products, there are important differences in editions for licensing the new
Search WWH ::
Custom Search