Category: Windows Server

Windows Storage Server 2008 with the Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.2 available on MSDN and TechNet

Jose Barreto posted a few weeks ago about Windows Storage Server 2008 and the MS iSCSI software target being available on TechNet and MSDN.  I can’t say I remember it being available like this but I could be wrong.  Normally this was OEM only.  A few of us were lucky enough to get the iSCSI bits directly from contacts in MS for testing and blogging purposes.

With this OS, you can create a storage server that can give you an economic shared storage solution for testing clustered services, e.g. SQL or even Hyper-V.

Credit: Tim Berk

Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 RTM

I’ve just been updating the blog and I noticed that Windows Server 2008/Windows Vista SP2 has been released to manufacturing.  Yes, it’s the same service pack for both platforms.  That’s why W2008 RTM was actually SP1 to match up with Vista.  The following downloads are available:

I’m guessing more ISO’s will be released but the links haven’t been posted yet.

Some resources have been posted:

Release Notes, Hot fixes and Security Updates:

Evaluate:

Deploy:

SP2 Support

Get Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Resources

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 Release Candidates

The RC (final test) builds of Win7 and W2008 R2 are officially available via MSDN and TechNet as of this morning (a day earlier than expected).  They’ll be available to the general public next week (probably).

I said “the” release candidates.  Looks like there won’t be a second RC release.  If an RC lasts for around 2 months then when would MS RTM?  There’s a big conference in July in New Orleans: WPC 2009.  After that you have TechEd EMEA in Berlin in November.

Migration Guidance For Windows Server 2008 R2 (Beta)

There’s a beta portal for planning your migration to Windows Server 2008 R2.  Making that move to wW2008 R2 will be interesting because it is the first time ever that there will not be a 32bit or x86 release of Windows Server in as long as I’ve been dealing with it (NT 3.51).

There is also a TechNet Flash video on the subject.

Windows Server 2008 Foundation Edition Announced

A new OEM only version of Windows Server has been announced.  Foundation Edition is aimed at giving people a cheap way of deploying Windows servers.

“Windows Server 2008 Foundation is licensed by user accounts. Each license of Windows Server 2008 Foundation is limited to a maximum of 15 user accounts. Moreover, a user account can be assigned to only one distinct user at a time.

Because Windows Server 2008 Foundation is licensed in this way, you do not require Windows Server client access licenses (CALs). This also makes Windows Server 2008 Foundation much more cost effective for small businesses. Although Windows Server 2008 Foundation does not require Windows Server CALs, TS CALs or Rights Management CALs are required to use those server roles on a Windows Server 2008 Foundation–based server”.

What can you use it for?

  • Core Infrastructure: Windows Server Foundation is an excellent option for use with single or multiple workloads, such as file sharing, print sharing, networking, Terminal Services, remote connections, and other common server roles. Also, Windows Server Foundation can be used for Internet Web services and as a Web server platform for intranets and extranets where user authentication is required.
  • Active Directory: Windows Server Foundation can be used as an Active Directory server or domain controller (within Active Directory domains that are running Windows Server Foundation only).
  • Terminal Services (Remote Desktop): Windows Server Foundation is also ideal for multiple-user computing, such as sharing Microsoft Office or using Terminal Services.
  • Line of Business Applications: Your line of business applications that are built for the Windows Server 2008 family can be deployed on your server. If they have the “Certified for”, or “Works with” accreditation for Windows Server 2008 Standard, then they will be supported on Windows Server Foundation, as well as being able to deploy many third party software which is currently available for Windows Server 2008.

This isn’t going to be something medium/large business look at but it might be something of interest to candidates for SBS/EBS to add additional servers to their network.

Windows 2008 R2 Failover Clustering and Hyper-V Host Clustering Online Sessions

Virtual World has posted the subjects, times and dates of a series of online events MS is running on the subject of Windows Server 2008 R2 failover clustering and how it impacts Hyper-V.  Even if you’re not using Hyper-V, there’s a chance you’re using Windows failover clustering.  These sessions vary from level 100 (introductory) to level 300 (fairly advanced).

Understanding W2008 DFS

Jose Barreto of MS has written a long article on the basics of Windows Server 2008 Distributed File System.  I’m amazed how many people don’t know anything about DFS Namespace or DFS Replication (DFS-R).  I was using DFS back in Windows 2003 for the namespace.  It meant our logon scripts only had to map one drive even if we had shares all over the place.  It also made it easy to move file shares around or even fail over to a DR file server without users even knowing.  We also used DFS-R’s predecessor, FRS (File Replication Service) for replicating static data like RIS images and MSI packages.  It was flaky!  DFS-R is a complete re-write and gives block level replication.  It can even do some de-duplication if you throw a single Enterprise edition server into the mix via cross-file replication.

What’s New in Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2008 R2 Beta

“This document describes changes in Remote Desktop Services (formerly Terminal Services) functionality that are available in this Beta release of Windows Server 2008 R2, including changes to the names of role services and management tools. Remote Desktop Services provides technologies that enable users to access session-based desktops, virtual machine-based desktops, or applications in the datacenter from within a corporate network or from the Internet”.

EDIT #1

It’s a quick read and worth looking at if you’re interested in either Terminal Services or VDI.