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Windows 2003 Server New Feature Guide & Review
Who says Winbeta is just about sharing betas with the world? We present to you definitive proof that we do actually use this software. Covering everything from the differences between 2003 and Windows 2000 Servers, to an overview of the new features included in Windows 2003. You'll find a basic review and feature list in the following article. Although tweaks and tips weren't the focus, you will find a compelling argument to upgrade from the Windows 2000 series servers. Enjoy.
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Installation
Before you begin, please review the system requirements for the version you will be using. Once you start the installation, it is really similar to the Windows 2000 Server install with very few changes. The biggest difference in the install is at the beginning. When you select or create the partition you wish to use for the installation, you have two new selections for formatting. NTFS (Quick) and FAT (Quick). While these options can save you time, Microsoft recommends the normal setting which can take minutes to hours depending on the size of the partition. Personally, I would stay with the regular setting as the (Quick) option does save time, but does not verify the integrity of the drive. This can lead to slow performance and even data loss. As all new versions of Windows, Windows Server 2003 is no different; its driver base has expanded yet again including more support for storage and network technologies. Out of the box it has support for: Wi-Fi, SATA, gig Ethernet, hardware RAID controllers, and iSCSI. This makes initial configuration more possible without embedding your custom drivers to get it installed right from the cd.
Welcome to Windows
As with Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 employs the 'new' start menu style. Yet that is where the similarites stop. With a nod towards system resources and speed, all of the 'eye candy' that can be found in XP's interface has been disabled by default.
You may have also noticed a window that pops up by default, Manage Your Server. This shows you the different parts of the Windows Server that can be setup and configured.
Task Manager has also changed for Windows 2000; it now has 2 additional tabs. The Network and User tabs can be beneficial to track network usage and also check if additional users are logged into the server.
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Also like Windows XP, Windows Servers 2003 incorporates Microsoft?s new technology to prevent piracy, Windows Product Activation. Retail and OEM versions will require Activation, however Volume Licenced copies will not.
My Computer has also changed a bit, by default it is set to Detail view.
As a later Windows Update, Windows 2000 had Automatic Update, the new version has an ?Automatic Updates? feature like Windows XP. The major difference with the server version is that later builds of Windows Update will allow an administrator to designate a server to be an internal Software Update Server (SUS) to distribute the updates within a domain. This enables a large network to save time and money in wasted internet bandwidth, distributing patches over the entire network from one source. To be able to use the SUS system you must have a Windows Domain and set the Domain Policy to use the server for updates.
This just scratches the surface of the capabilites of SUS. Check out more here
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000...us/default.asp
Internet Explorer
Key integration in to Windows makes this a major factor in the way Windows works. For this Microsoft had to implement new features and enhanced security. Windows Servers 2003 is the first operating system from Microsoft to include the new ?Internet Explorer Enhanced Security Tool.? This is critical in a secure environment as more and more security threats can be found by simply viewing unsecured sites. This tool allows you to maintain a security list of secure and insecure sites by even blocking known, but not trusted sites.
The close integration into Windows can be seen here as the build matches the build of the Windows Kernel. Internet Explorer 6 and above also have integrated 128bit encryption to improve secure web transactions. Version 5 had it as an optional component and the 5.5 Service release later incorporated the beefed up security.
Server Management
Key to managing the server or group of servers is the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). The MMC can support just about every function of server management with plug-ins that are added to the system as you enable and configure system components. You can access the MMS snap-ins several ways: right click My Computer and select Manage, From the Start Menu->Programs->Administration Tools, or from the Run line: ?mmc? and hit OK. All three ways yield different results. If you right click My Computer and select Manage, you get basic local system tasks. The second approach through the start menu is possibly the best as it shows most of the snap-ins available to you. The last way from the run or command prompt will open the MMC without any snap-ins loaded. You will have to add the snap-ins that you want to use, the advantage of this is you can configure custom views and save them for later use.
The first major change to the Administration Tools is in the Default Domain Policy or in Local Policy. By default, Windows Servers 2003 require more cryptic passwords and require users to change them. It also tracks past passwords ensuring users do not cycle between a few favorite passwords. Password Complexity is also enabled to make sure users do not you easy word strings and have numbers and symbols in the new passwords.
This next MMC snapin requires no introduction; however, it may take extra explanation. The new IIS console has changed in appearance and in functionality.
As you can see from the picture above, sites and security are separated. The Web Services portion controls access and script functionality on the Web services part of windows. This by default this is disabled, for obvious security reasons. As you add functionality to different sites and services you may have to enable certain parts. The good change about this is the default settings, as secure as it gets, the server allows only basic read access to all sites unless you change it. This drastically cuts down on security vulnerabilities to the Web Services that has plagued IIS in the past. Site properties have remained virtually unchanged from the top level.
Finally another property of each site is gaining attention for site management. Each site has had some part of the properties pane devoted to site throttling, however IIS 6 is the first Web Service from Microsoft to be able to actually use site throttling. In previous versions, registry modifications and IIS modifications had to be made to accommodate these settings.
The next major change to web hosting on IIS 6 is the new control for Server Extensions. Now at version 2002, once the site has the extensions added to it, all management is from the Server?s Share Point Services Administration Site.
This allows for greater control and user administration privileges. Also for better site performance tracking and site performance tweaking.
This next MMC is a great addition that was left out of Windows 2000 Servers and was resurrected from older Windows NT Servers. The POP3 and SMTP Services finally have more use for larger originations.
You can now assign unlimited Domains or organizations to a server.
Users can also be added from Active Directory or from the Local machine. When a User is added, the wizard asks if you would like it to create the user in Active Directory. If you choose not to add the user to AD, it then creates the user in the mail domain but not in the Local User/Group or. As with most E-Mail systems you can disable and micro manage users on space and E-Mail control options.
The Remote Desktops tool is one of the best ways to admin a server or even a group of servers that you do not have physical access to. It allows you to create and add an unlimited number of machines to its address book, which with a simple click you can connect to. Another feature of this tool is its ability to let the user connect to Windows Servers 2003 system Console. When you Remote a machine or server with the built in RDP utility it connects you to the machine, but not the console which can contain additions messages and privileges on the server.
The Services MMC has had a few changes too. It now gives a more detailed view and a brief description of the highlighted service on the left side of the console. NOTE: If you have a sound card in your system, you should enable the Windows Audio service.
The Terminal Services Configuration is important if you plan to allow your users to access your server for applications or if you plan to administrate you servers via remote. From you can enable or disable access to resources and video quality.
From the Terminal Services Manager you can control and aid your users. From here you can: view who is connected, send text messages, remote control, and force logoff. Quite a handy feature for diagnosing workstation issues remotely.
While we are on the topic of remote control to servers, let?s take a look at the windows Remote Desktop Connection Client. From the client you can set certain settings as long as they are allowed by Policy from the Terminal Services Configuration.
The newly revised RDP protocol used on Windows Servers 2003 version allows for up to 24bit color which was introduces with the Windows XP client. The 2003 client is more than that, it allows for faster recovery of broken connections, allows drive mapping, and reduced bandwidth on greater color depth.
With Windows 2000 Servers there was an option for an Advanced Terminal Server Client, now with the new version of Windows is already integrated in. The new web client allows for all the same settings that the built-in RDP client does. With some very basic modification to the html file for the site, you can enable all of the features supported on the new Terminal Server.
UDDI services are also making an entry into the new version of Windows. Designed to allow easier Web Services integration, XML breaks the barrier in communications between two dissimilar networks.
Another feature sure to be a hit is the Web Administration Site. From this SSL secured site you can monitor and maintain your server. With features such as: Event Viewer, Web Sites, Network Interfaces, and Users and Groups. Another nice feature of this interface is the ability to embed other services or applications into this feature set. Programs like Veritas Backup Exec 9 can incorporate there interface into this management portal.
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Windows Media Server also got a new look with a few additional features. The getting started wizards make basic setup easier.
You can also place better control on cache hit and proxy support to reduce server load in reduce latency.
With new publishing points you can scale your content with a wider range in bandwidth from audio at 14kbps to HD in the multi-megabyte range.
Not new, but defiantly better is the new web interface for Windows Media Sever. Almost directly like its MMC counterpart, you can configure the same settings without having to logon to the server.
Extended Windows Features
Microsoft has added some new features for those of us who run larger networks with more clients and complexity in networking. Looking ahead, Internet Protocol version 6 may not be that far away. Support for such items is included, the DNS service supports AAAA host with IPv6 addresses as well as built in support on the network interface.
Increased file support is also among the list of improvements, with folder quotas. You can ensure that certain users or groups do not exceed there resources and that file management is in place.
Also just in time for file servers, Shadow Copy, can save just about any user when they accidentally hit the wrong button at the wrong time. Shadow Copy allows the administrator to scan a drive at a designated time or times for file system changes and revisions. By doing this, Windows can track changes to files and folders at the preset times.
Shadow Copy works in conjunction with the Previous Versions add-on to windows. This add-on allows you to access the information gathered by Shadow Copies. If you save a file in the afternoon and a co worker deletes your file the next day. No problem, as long as Shadow Copy was set to run in the night.
Conclusion
These are just some of the new improvements to the newest version of Windows Servers 2003. While there are many more too numerous to cover, these are some of the larger, more noticeable changes. Having watched the platform evolve from Windows XP Server, I will note that it has been the most thoroughly tested operating system ever created. Being in Beta for nearly 3 years, the time and quality truly shows through. Windows Server 2003 indeed offers a whole host of reasons for cash strapped and budgeted IT departments to make a case for upgrading.
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