Windows Server 2008 Glossary - W

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

For more Windows Server terms, see either the Windows Server 2008 R2 Glossary or the Windows Server 2003 Glossary.

Glossary - W

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WAN

A communications network connecting geographically separated computers, printers, and other devices. A WAN enables any connected device to interact with any other on the network.

Web services

Protocols that enable computers to work together by exchanging messages. Web services are based on the standard protocols of XML, SOAP and WSDL, which allow them to interoperate across platforms and programming languages, including the ability to manage federated identities and security.

Web Services Security

A series of specifications that describe how to attach signature and encryption headers to Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) messages. In addition, WS-Security describes how to attach security tokens, including binary security tokens such as X.509 certificates and Kerberos tickets, to messages. In Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS), WS-Security is used when Kerberos signs security tokens.

WER

The Windows technology that collects data on system crashes or hangs and sends it to Microsoft.

wide area network

A communications network connecting geographically separated computers, printers, and other devices. A WAN enables any connected device to interact with any other on the network.

Windows AIK

A Microsoft suite of tools designed to help original equipment manufacturers, system builders, and corporate IT professionals customize, automate, and deploy Windows Vista operating system onto new hardware.

Windows Automated Installation Kit

A Microsoft suite of tools designed to help original equipment manufacturers, system builders, and corporate IT professionals customize, automate, and deploy Windows Vista operating system onto new hardware.

Windows DS

Software services that allow an administrator to set up new client computers remotely, without having to visit each client. The target clients must support remote booting.

Windows Error Reporting

The Windows technology that collects data on system crashes or hangs and sends it to Microsoft.

Windows NT token-based application

A Windows application that relies on a Windows NT token to perform authorization of users.

Windows Resource Protection

A feature in Windows that attempts to block the replacement of necessary system files to improve reliability and security.

Windows Security Health Agent

Windows system health agent (SHA) for Network Access Protection (NAP). Windows Security Health Agent provides status of system health components that are monitored by Windows Security Center, such as the status of Windows Firewall, antivirus applications, and Windows Update.

Windows Security Health Validator

Windows system health validator (SHV) for Network Access Protection (NAP). Windows Security Health Validator verifies status of system health components that are received in a statement of health (SoH) from NAP client computers that have the Windows Security Health Agent installed.

Windows Setup

The program that installs or upgrades the Windows operating system.

Windows Update

The API platform, user interface, and Web service for delivering Windows updates and applications. Users can check for and install updates, view the update history for the computer, and turn on or change automatic updating settings. Windows Update can be used by consumers through the Windows Update Web service or by corporate customers who use Windows Server Update Services to control distribution within their organization.

witness disk

For a failover cluster, a disk in the cluster storage that is designated to hold a copy of the cluster configuration database. A failover cluster has a witness disk only if this is specified as part of the quorum configuration.

witness file share

For a failover cluster, a file share in the cluster storage that is designated to hold information about the cluster configuration database. A failover cluster has a witness file share only if this is specified as part of the quorum configuration.

WRP

A feature in Windows that attempts to block the replacement of necessary system files to improve reliability and security.

WS-F PRP

An implementation of the WS-Federation specification that proposes a standard protocol for how passive clients (such as Web browsers) apply the federation framework. Within this protocol, Web service requestors are expected to understand the new security mechanisms and be capable of interacting with Web service providers.

WS-Federation

A specification that defines a model and a set of messages for brokering trust and the federation of identity and authentication information across different trust realms. The WS-Federation specification identifies two sources of identity and authentication requests across trust realms: active requestors, such as Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP)-enabled applications, and passive requestors, which are defined as Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) browsers that can support broadly supported versions of HTTP, for example, HTTP 1.1.

WS-Federation Passive Requestor Profile

An implementation of the WS-Federation specification that proposes a standard protocol for how passive clients (such as Web browsers) apply the federation framework. Within this protocol, Web service requestors are expected to understand the new security mechanisms and be capable of interacting with Web service providers.

WSHA

Windows system health agent (SHA) for Network Access Protection (NAP). Windows Security Health Agent provides status of system health components that are monitored by Windows Security Center, such as the status of Windows Firewall, antivirus applications, and Windows Update.

WSHV

Windows system health validator (SHV) for Network Access Protection (NAP). Windows Security Health Validator verifies status of system health components that are received in a statement of health (SoH) from NAP client computers that have the Windows Security Health Agent installed.

WS-Security

A series of specifications that describe how to attach signature and encryption headers to Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) messages. In addition, WS-Security describes how to attach security tokens, including binary security tokens such as X.509 certificates and Kerberos tickets, to messages. In Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS), WS-Security is used when Kerberos signs security tokens.