SEATTLE – Microsoft plans this summer to offer special licenses to users who want to run the Beta 2 version of the Longhorn Server operating system in specific roles within their networks.
The company said last week at its annual Windows Hardware Engineering Conference that it would offer Go Live licenses for Longhorn Server Beta 2 to subscribers of the Microsoft Developer Network and TechNet. The licenses would let those users run Longhorn Server Beta 2 and Internet Information Server (IIS) 7.0 in production. (Microsoft’s beta licenses usually forbid testers from running the code in production environments.)
The company also detailed hardware error-checking features and security features, and said Longhorn would have a Beta 3 early next year. It did not say how the Go Live licenses would be constructed or what the cost would be, but it plans to restrict the rollouts to certain server functions or roles.
Microsoft is attacking the server operating system market from bottom to top with versions of Longhorn designed for everything from small businesses to data center deployments. The company says it hopes Longhorn will help continue 15 consecutive quarters of revenue growth in its server and tools business.
Longhorn has a new feature called Server Manager that lets administrators configure servers with only the components they need for specific tasks, such as file servicing, Web serving, DNS or DHCP. Server Manager includes 17 roles.
“In Beta 2 almost all the roles are enabled, but not all the pieces are there for every role,” said Jeff Price, senior director for Windows Server Product Management. “Testers put the server through its paces for the deployment scenarios they want, but they can’t go to production because of our licenses.” Price said Microsoft is still working through what roles will be released first and would reveal more details at the company’s annual TechEd conference scheduled for the week of June 12.
In addition to the Beta 2 rollout, Microsoft said the first release of Longhorn Server, slated for the second half of 2007, would be the last that comes in a 32-bit version. Starting with Longhorn Server R2 in 2009, the server will only ship in a 64-bit version. Microsoft is converting most of its application servers to the 64-bit platform, with SQL Server and Exchange 2007 leading the way. Price added that Microsoft was not revealing what features are planned for Longhorn R2.
Beta 3 of Longhorn will be released in the first half of 2007 and will include the new Terminal Server Gateway Server, according to Microsoft. The company also plans to release within 180 days of Longhorn Server its hypervisor virtualization technology code-named Viridian. It previously said Viridian would ship after Longhorn but did not provide a definitive time frame.
Analysts say Microsoft is pulling out its Go Live licensing for Longhorn to get real-world exposure for the server.
“Part of Go Live is to signal that real testing is starting,” said Michael Cherry, an analyst with independent research firm Directions on Microsoft. “If this stuff is not in production, how do you get valuable feedback? The server people need to stress this stuff.”
Cherry also said coupling the server with IIS 7.0 is likely a move to encourage usage of ASP.Net.
Microsoft has offered Go Live licenses for other technology, including SQL Server and .Net.
“For customers that need some features sooner and can participate with Microsoft this is a win-win situation,” said Tyson Hartman, CTO of systems integrator Avanade, which is a joint venture between Microsoft and Accenture. “Certainly it speaks to the quality and stability of the product.”
Even so, Microsoft’s Price said he does not expect mass rollouts of Longhorn Beta 2.
“We are taking the time to make sure we get this right because we want to make sure Longhorn is a clear step forward from Windows Server 2003,” said Bob Muglia, senior vice president of Microsoft’s server and tools division.
In addition to the surprise announcement on production deployments, Microsoft began to detail other features it plans to include in Longhorn.
Addressing errors
The company is adding a new infrastructure within the operating system called the Windows Hardware Error Architecture, which is designed to provide a standard way to handle system hardware errors in server hardware that supports WHEA.
WHEA lets users manage potential error sources such as processor, memory, cache and I/O bus. Hardware vendors will stipulate certain attributes to be managed on each hardware component. WHEA will not cover such components as fans and will not support PCI Express in the first version of Longhorn, according to Microsoft.
Microsoft also plans to include its BitLocker technology in Longhorn. The file encryption technology is a highlight of the Vista client operating system.
In the server, BitLocker will be used to protect servers by preventing malicious software or users from executing a boot sequence that is different than what is stored in BitLocker. The technology, which relies on a Trusted Platform Module installed in the hardware, is the first hint at Microsoft’s Next Generation Secure Computing Base technology code-named Palladium.
In addition, Microsoft showed the BitLocker technology was a good way to secure branch-office deployments of the server but stopped short of saying Longhorn would include a specific branch-office version.
Also in the security area, Longhorn will include integration of digital rights management with the identity federation technology, Active Directory Federation Services, which is part of Windows Server 2003 R2.
Muglia also said Windows Small Business Server R2 would ship sometime this summer and Windows Server Compute Cluster Edition would ship by year-end. Microsoft’s mid-market server bundle code-named Centro is scheduled to ship in 2008. Centro brings together Longhorn, Exchange Server and security technologies for midsize companies.
