Getting you ready for Windows Server 2003

I’m sure you’ve all taken my advice and gotten your advance preview copy Windows Server 2003 (a.k.a. .Net Server), set it up in the lab and are putting it through its paces. I’ll bet you’re surprised at all the new features and have one or two absolute favorites. Of course, you’re sad about some things that you’d grown accustomed to that are no longer available but work arounds are surely possible – and you may already have discovered a few that you’d be willing to share.

Nevertheless, there are likely one or two of you who haven’t gotten that far yet. Perhaps you’ve been too busy with other things to give full attention to the new server operating system. So for you folks, I’ll spend the next few newsletters outlining some of the new features (and lamenting some no longer available ones) of the long awaited operating system.

Windows Server 2003 should start shipping sometime next month if all goes well, but no later than 90 days or so from now. By year-end, Windows Server 2003 will begin to get established on production networks, users will be clamoring for the new services available and you had better be ready to either install them or have good reasons for delaying.

We’ll look at the new operating system in 10 specific categories:

* Active Directory.

* Application Services.

* Clustering Services.

* File and Print Services.

* Internet Information Services.

* Networking and Communications.

* Security Services.

* The Microsoft .Net Framework

* Terminal Services.

* Windows Media Services.

Some of these are old friends, while some (Windows Media Services, for example) were introduced after Windows 2000 shipped. Each area has new features and functionality – or is simply an entirely new technology.  Some will make your job easier. Some, of course, will require you to work harder to maintain your networking standards. A few of the new features may be undesirable in many networks – it’s best to be forewarned about those.

If you’ve got your preview copy installed, let me know which features you particularly like and don’t like. Then follow along, testing your system as we go. If you haven’t installed your copy yet, get cracking – you’ve got all weekend. But if there are still a few who haven’t ordered the preview, then head over to https://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/preview/default.mspx right now and do so. Better plan on downloading it, rather than ordering the CD, so you won’t be left too far behind. I won’t be giving a test, but your users will surely be testing you on your knowledge of the new system. Be prepared.