Evaluate Windows Server 2008

Applies To: Windows Server 2008

Use the following documentation to evaluate technologies in Windows Server® 2008.

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Find information by browsing to technology sections.

Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS)

Active Directory Certificate Services Overview

Discover how Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) provides customizable services for issuing and managing public key certificates used in software security systems that employ public key technologies.

Active Directory Certificate Services Role

Learn about changes in AD CS functionality from previous versions that are available in Windows Server 2008.

Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)

Active Directory Domain Services Overview

Learn how to create a scalable, secure, and manageable infrastructure for user and resource management with AD DS.

What's New in AD DS in Windows Server 2008

Find out about new features in AD DS for Windows Server 2008.

Read-Only Domain Controllers Application Compatibility Guide

Discover the applications that are compatible with AD DS read-only domain controllers, which allow you to easily deploy a domain controller in locations where physical security cannot be guaranteed.

Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)

What's New in AD FS in Windows Server 2008

Learn about the improvements to AD FS in this release of Windows Server.

Active Directory Federation Services Overview

Find out how AD FS allows you to create a highly extensible, Internet-scalable, and secure identity access solution that can operate across multiple platforms, including both Windows and non-Windows environments.

Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS)

Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services Overview

Learn how to provide directory services with AD LDS for directory-enabled applications without incurring the overhead of domains and forests and the requirements of a single schema throughout a forest.

Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS)

Active Directory Rights Management Services Overview

Gain insight into AD RMS with this overview topic.

What's New in AD RMS in Windows Server 2008

Find out what's new in AD RMS in Windows Server 2008.

Application Server

What's New in Application Server in Windows Server 2008

Discover changes in functionality and new features in Application Server for Windows Server 2008.

Application Server Role

Find out more about Application Server as a server role in Windows Server 2008.

Application Server: Frequently Asked Questions

Learn more about Application Server with answers to common questions.

Authorization Manager

What's New in Authorization Manager

Find out about changes in Authorization Manager.

Backup and Recovery

Backup and Recovery Overview for Windows Server 2008

Learn about backup and recovery new and updated features to help you create backups and, if needed, perform a recovery of your operating system, applications, and data.

BitLocker Drive Encryption

BitLocker Drive Encryption Technical Overview

Learn more about Windows® BitLocker™ Drive Encryption (BitLocker), which is a data protection feature available in Windows Vista® Enterprise and Windows Vista® Ultimate for client computers, and in Windows Server® 2008. BitLocker addresses the threats of data theft or exposure from lost, stolen, or inappropriately decommissioned personal computers by providing a closely integrated solution in Windows Vista.

Domain Name System (DNS)

DNS Server Overview

Explore the overview of DNS in Windows Server 2008.

What's New in DNS in Windows Server 2008

Find out about changes in functionality and new features in DNS for Windows Server 2008.

Failover Clusters

What's New in Failover Clusters in Windows Server 2008

Learn about changes in functionality for failover clusters in Windows Server 2008.

Network Policy and Access Services (NPAS)

Network Policy and Access Services

Gain an understanding of the NPAS server role.

Network Policy Server (NPS)

NPS Fast Facts

Get a quick overview of NPS, Microsoft's implementation of the Remote Authentication Dial-In User Service (RADIUS) protocol and a key NAP component, with fast facts.

Routing and Remote Access service (RRAS)

What's New in Routing and Remote Access in Windows Server 2008

Learn about how to deploy RRAS using a test lab environment.

Security Configuration Wizard

What's New in the Security Configuration Wizard

Explore changes in the Security Configuration Wizard in Windows Server 2008.

Server Security Policy Management

Server Security Policy Management in Windows Server 2008

Find out more about using tools to manage the security policies on your servers.

Software Restriction Policies Technical Overview

Discover improvements that have been made to software restriction policies.

Streaming Media Services

Release Notes for Windows Media Services 2008

Discover key information from release notes for Streaming Media Services.

Terminal Services

Terminal Services Overview

Find out about the Terminal Services server role in Windows Server 2008, which provides technologies that enable users to access Windows-based programs that are installed on a terminal server, or to access the full Windows desktop. With Terminal Services, users can access a terminal server from within a corporate network or from the Internet.

What's New in Terminal Services for Windows Server 2008

Learn about changes in functionality and new features for Terminal Services.

Web Server

Learn About IIS 7

Explore resources for Internet Information Services 7.0.

Windows Deployment Services

Windows Deployment Services Deployment Guide

Obtain an overview of Windows Deployment Services.

Windows Deployment Services Getting Started Guide

Learn about deploying Windows Deployment Services in a test lab environment.

Windows Deployment Services: Frequently Asked Questions

Discover answers to frequently asked questions for Windows Deployment Services.

Windows Deployment Services: What's New

Find out about changes in functionality and new features questions for Windows Deployment Services.

Windows Firewall with Advanced Security and IPsec

Introduction to Windows Firewall with Advanced Security

Windows® Firewall with Advanced Security is a stateful, host-based firewall that blocks incoming and outgoing connections according to the rules configured by an administrator.

Introduction to Server and Domain Isolation

By using the Windows operating systems, you can mitigate some of the risks associated with unauthorized and potentially unfriendly access to your network and its resources by creating an isolated network. By using Active Directory® Domain Services and Group Policy settings, you can isolate both your domain and servers that store sensitive data, thus limiting access to only authenticated and authorized users.

Server Isolation with Microsoft Windows Explained

This topic provides a detailed overview of server isolation. It explains how server isolation protects isolated servers and the benefits of deploying server isolation. It also provides a brief overview of how to deploy server isolation.

Domain Isolation with Microsoft Windows Explained

This white paper provides a detailed overview of domain isolation. It explains how domain isolation protects domain member computers and the benefits of deploying domain isolation. It also provides a brief overview of how to deploy domain isolation.