* Online education for Windows Server 2003 R2
Windows Server 2003 R2 is going to be shipping soon. As we’ve reported, it’s more than just a roll-up of service packs and bug fixes – there’s new functionality built in, also. To help you get ready for R2, Microsoft is hosting a series of Webcasts that will give an overview of the new release as well as look in depth at certain new features and functions. Don’t wait too long to register, though, as they begin, well, tomorrow (Tuesday, Oct. 4). But they will be archived for you to view at a future time.
Today’s Webcast is “Introduction to Windows Server 2003 R2.” This is an overview section, the so-called “40,000 foot” view of R2. It covers the Windows Server release cycle, the product roadmap, and the perceived business benefits of the new release. It will also look at the new Windows Server 2003 R2 scenarios: branch management, identity access and management, and storage management.
Coming up next week (Oct. 11) is “Windows Server 2003 R2 End-to-End”. This looks in greater depth at the three scenarios first presented in the introductory session: branch office, storage management, and Active Directory Federation Services. The “scenarios” suggest ways to use the server, but also highlight what needs to be installed (and what isn’t needed).
In the following weeks, each of those scenarios and the associated technologies will get a session of their own to really drill down into what the benefits of Windows Server 2003 R2 are. There will be one presentation each week on Oct. 13, 20 and 27, the three sessions are:
* “Web Single Sign-On and Identity Federation with Active Directory Federation Services” – an overview of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Active Directory Federation Services, a component that enables Extranet single sign-on and identity federation, technology aimed at more secure sharing of identity information across security boundaries.
* “Branch Office Benefits in Windows Server 2003 R2” – a look at the new technologies included in R2, such as the Distributed File System and Print Management Console, which can enable efficient WAN file replication and better remote management of branch offices.
* “Efficient Storage Management in Windows Server 2003 R2” – this session provides an in-depth look at the new tools in R2 that aim to simplify many of the tasks for setting up an efficient storage environment for the Windows platform. The Webcast will explore the new quota management and storage-area network management features.
You do have to register for these sessions, and time is getting short, so follow the links and register today.
