Feature comparison: Windows NT, Windows 2000, and the Windows Server 2003 family

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

Feature comparison: Windows NT, Windows 2000, and the Windows Server 2003 family

The following tables provide a feature comparison based on your upgrade path. For example, if you upgrade from Windows NT 4.0, select the "Windows NT 4.0 to the Windows Server 2003 family" option below. For links to more information about the features in this release, see New Features.

The tables, which are categorized by feature area, display information about improved features that were introduced in earlier operating systems, as well as features that are new to this release.

Some features are not available on some of the products in the Windows Server 2003 family. For more information, click the links in the following tables. For information about Windows Server 2003, Web Edition, see Overview of Windows Server 2003, Web Edition.

Click the option that describes your upgrade path:

  • Windows NT 4.0 to the Windows Server 2003 family

  • Windows 2000 to the Windows Server 2003 family

Windows NT 4.0 to the Windows Server 2003 family

Feature area Features that were added since Windows NT 4.0 and are updated in this release Features that are new to the Windows Server 2003 family

Server reliability

  • Improved memory management

  • Robust system architecture

  • Diagnostic tools

  • Safe Mode start

  • Recovery Console

  • Windows File Protection

  • Enhanced Backup utility

  • Automated System Recovery (ASR)

  • Compatibility Mode

Server availability

  • Server clusters

  • Network Load Balancing clusters

  • Fewer server restarts

  • Plug and Play

  • Start from mirrored volumes

  • User State Migration Tool

  • Emergency Management Services

Server scalability

  • Hardware scalability

  • I2O support

  • Symmetric multiprocessing enhancements

  • Network Load Balancing

  • Server clusters

  • Enterprise Memory Architecture

  • Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0

Server manageability

  • IntelliMirror

  • Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

  • Remote Installation Services (RIS)

  • Manage Your Server

  • Remote Desktop for Administration

  • Remotely administered server support

  • User State Migration Tool

  • Emergency Management Services

  • Resultant Set of Policy (RSOP)

  • Authorization Manager

Performance and tuning features

  • Winsock Direct

  • I2O support

  • CPU throttling for Web applications or sites

  • Process Accounting for Web applications or sites

  • Predictable, end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS)

  • Network Load Balancing

  • New performance tools

  • Disk Defragmenter

  • Event Tracing enhancements

  • Performance Options

  • New command-line utilities for System Monitor

Authentication and smart card support

  • Full support for the Kerberos V5 protocol

  • Public key infrastructure (PKI), Certificate Services, and smart cards

  • Virtual private networking

  • Flexible, secure authentication and authorization

  • Internet Authentication Service (IAS)

  • Routing and Remote Access

  • Stored User Names and Passwords

  • Smart card access through Terminal Server

Additional security features

  • Encrypting File System (EFS)

  • Internet Protocol Security (IPSec)

  • TCP/UDP port ownership

  • Software restriction policies

Remote management

  • Microsoft Management Console (MMC)

  • Scripting with Windows Script Host

  • Remote Installation Services (RIS)

  • Remote Desktop for Administration

  • Remote assistance

  • Web Interface for Remote Administration (Windows Server 2003, Web Edition only)

Maintenance and product updates

  • Windows Update

  • Does not apply

Internationalization features

  • Multilingual support

  • Multiregional support

  • New Phonetic Input Method Editor (IME) for Traditional Chinese

Active Directory

  • Simplified user and network-resource management

  • Flexible, secure authentication and authorization

  • Directory consolidation

  • Directory-enabled applications and infrastructure

  • Scalability without complexity

  • Use of Internet standards

  • A powerful development environment

  • Replication and trust monitoring

  • Message Queuing distribution lists

Disk and file management features

  • Disk Management

  • Disk quota support

  • Distributed File System

  • Distributed Link Tracking

  • Distributed Authoring and Versioning (DAV)

  • High-performance content indexing

  • Encrypting File System (EFS)

  • Removable Storage and Remote Storage

  • Remote document sharing

  • Command-line support for disk management

  • GUID partition table (GPT). Available on all versions of Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and on all versions of Windows Server 2003, x64 Edition.

  • Shadow copies of shared folders

Printer and protocol support

  • Printers published in Active Directory

  • Broad device and protocol support

  • Plug and Play

  • Internet Printing Protocol

  • Printer management features

  • Network printing features

  • New command-line support for printing

  • Easier printer driver installation on server clusters

Internet and e-mail services and features

  • Active Server Pages (ASP)

  • Windows Media Services

  • Web Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV)

  • Application recycling

  • Microsoft .NET Framework components

  • Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0

  • Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) Services

  • E-mail services (POP3, SMTP)

  • Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Provider

Features for collaboration

  • Windows Media Services

  • Predictable, end-to-end Quality of Service (QoS)

  • Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)

  • Microsoft .NET Framework

  • Audio Acceleration on the remote access server

Support for existing systems(see also Application support)

  • Industry standards

  • Support for existing server applications

  • Integration with existing operating systems

  • Compatibility Mode

  • Program Compatibility Wizard

Application support

  • Widest range of turnkey applications

  • Comprehensive Internet application services

  • Microsoft Active Accessibility

  • TAPI 3.1

  • Transaction services

  • Message Queuing

  • Component Services

  • Job objects

  • Host data integration

  • Compatibility Mode

  • Web gardens in Internet Information Services (IIS)

Management and deployment

  • Change and configuration management with Group Policy

  • Directory consolidation in Active Directory

  • IntelliMirror

  • Remote Installation Services (RIS)

  • Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI)

  • Side-by-side component sharing

  • Add or Remove Programs

  • Windows Installer

  • Application management

  • Remotely administered server support

  • Resultant Set of Policy (RSOP)

Terminal Server features

  • Centralized deployment of programs

  • Remote access to applications

  • Single application access

  • Terminal Services Manager

  • Remote control

  • Audio redirection

Development support

  • Visual Studio .NET

  • Multilingual technology

  • Automatic generation of link IDs

  • Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

Network protocols and technologies

  • Winsock Direct

  • DHCP with DNS and Active Directory

  • Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)

  • Network Address Translation (NAT)

  • Virtual private networking

  • Routing and Remote Access

  • Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM)

  • Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)

  • Fibre Channel support

  • Automatic configuration for multiple networks

  • Web Digital Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) redirector

  • Internet Authentication Service (IAS) as RADIUS proxy

  • Wireless networking

  • IP version 6 (IPv6)

Windows 2000 to the Windows Server 2003 family

Feature area Features that were added in Windows 2000 and are updated in this release Features that are new to the Windows Server 2003 family

Server reliability

  • Does not apply.

  • Automated System Recovery (ASR)

  • Compatibility Mode

Server availability

  • Storage area network (SAN) and network access server (NAS) support

  • Network Load Balancing enhancements

  • User State Migration Tool

  • Emergency Management Services

Server scalability

  • Network Load Balancing enhancements

  • Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0

Server manageability

  • Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) improvements

  • Remote Installation Services (RIS) improvements

  • Remote Desktop for Administration

  • Remotely administered server support

  • User State Migration Tool

  • Emergency Management Services

  • Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP)

  • Authorization Manager

Performance and tuning features

  • System Monitor enhancements

  • Performance Logs and Alerts improvements

  • Performance Options

  • New command-line utilities for System Monitor

Authentication and smart card support

  • Subordinate certification authority (CA) improvements

  • Stored User Names and Passwords

  • Smart card access through Terminal Server

Additional security features

  • Encrypting File System (EFS) improvements

  • Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) monitoring improvements

  • TCP/UDP Port Ownership

  • Software restriction policies

Remote management

  • Remote Installation Services (RIS) improvements

  • Remote Desktop for Administration

  • Remote assistance

  • Web Interface for Remote Administration (Windows Server 2003, Web Edition only)

Maintenance and product updates

  • Windows Update enhancements

  • Does not apply

Internationalization features

  • Improved Japanese Input Method Editor (IME)

  • Improved Korean IME

  • Improved Simplified Chinese IME

  • New Phonetic IME for Traditional Chinese

Active Directory

Disk and file management features

  • File management improvements

  • Remote document sharing

  • Command-line support for disk management

  • GUID partition table (GPT). Available on all versions of Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and all versions of Windows Server 2003, x64 Edition.

  • Shadow copies of shared folders

Printer and protocol support

  • Easier print driver installation on server clusters

  • New command-line support for printing

Internet and e-mail services and features

  • Does not apply

  • Microsoft .NET Framework

  • Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0

  • Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) Services

  • E-mail services (POP3, SMTP)

  • Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Provider for IIS

Features for collaboration

  • NetMeeting enhancements

  • Microsoft .NET Framework

  • Audio Acceleration on the remote access server

Support for existing systems(see also Application support)

  • Does not apply

  • Compatibility Mode

  • Program Compatibility Wizard

Application support

  • Does not apply

  • Compatibility Mode

  • Web gardens in Internet Information Services (IIS)

Management and deployment

  • Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) improvements

  • Scripting support

  • Remote Installation Services (RIS) improvements

  • Remotely administered server support

  • Resultant Set of Policy (RSOP)

Terminal Server features

  • Resolution and color enhancements

  • Group Policy integration

  • Audio redirection

Development support

  • Does not apply

  • Automatic generation of link IDs

  • Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS)

Network protocols and technologies

  • Connection Manager improvements

  • Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)

  • Fibre Channel support

  • Automatic configuration for multiple networks

  • Web Digital Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) redirector

  • Internet Authentication Service (IAS) as RADIUS proxy

  • Wireless networking

  • IP version 6 (IPv6)