Forget the "Super Bowl", Windows Server 2008 has RTM'd!!! 

Today we announced that Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista SP1 released to manufacturing. In this release of Windows Server 2008 we are delivering a world-class Server product, which has got high level of praise throughout the industry.   To see the Ch9 interview with the Server 2008 program manager (Alex Henrichs) on RTM and how it happens, check it out here.

There are numerous technologies which are ground breaking in the release and you tend to forget how far we have come. Here are just a few:-

  
• Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 – Modular architecture, high levels of administration
  
• .NET 3.0 - Highly productive Application Platform, with key features such as Windows Communication Foundation and Windows Workflow built-in to the latest version of the .NET Framework as part of the Application Platform Server role.
  
• Server Core – Low footprint with no GUI version of the OS to drive appliance type functions in the enterprise
  
• Server Manager – ONE console to setup roles and features for the server machines
  
• Terminal Services Gateway – Allows access to apps without the need for a RAS client
  
• Network Access Protection – keep network safe from un-healthy clients by placing them in quarantine until tested to corp policy.
  
• PowerShell - Object based scripting host which is taking the world by storm.
  
• Failover Clustering – Improved cluster management as you have seen in my posts on edge
  
• Next Generation Net Stack – Super fast and reliable networking stack
  
• Read-Only Domain Controller – Provides a safe solution for domain controllers residing in branch offices which would not be compromised if stolen
  
• Hyper-V Beta – server virtualization.  Hyper-V RTM in 180 days    

So if you are an ITPRO, where do you go to get hold of all this? Well if you have TechNet or MSDN subscriptions or access through Connect you can download it from these sites today. For people that do not, you have two options. 1) Wait until the end of the month when it can be downloaded from the Microsoft site as eval or 2) Purchase the base TechNet+ subscription which will get you the bits.

Secondly, where do I get the information I need about. The best place is the TechNet Windows Server Center.

Finally, enjoy the ride......we will be back over the next few weeks with many screen casts on certain areas of the product. 

Tags: Windows Server 2008 , English , Articles , Neil Hutson , TechNet Edge , Articles