Server 2008 – What’s your favorite feature?

I was asked this week to give a seminar on some of the new features of Server 2008 and when I asked my boss what feature he wanted me to talk about he said, “Just pick your favorite thing and talk about that”. Unfortunately, that didn’t narrow things down for me a whole lot; there is actually a lot that I like about 2008, but here are some of the subjects that I ended up choosing. First off, I really like the Server Core installation of 2008. Back when Windows Server 2003 was being released there was a hint that a ‘headless’ version of the OS would be introduced at the same time. This would allow you to use a lot less resources on the server and because there was less of the OS installed the attack footprint would be reduced making the computer more secure. Well that did not come to fruition with Server 2003, but as you know, 2008 can be installed without any type of user interface code, but just the necessary server components (thus the name ‘Server-Core’). As I mentioned because there is less overall code, the computer is more secure and also, there is more resources available for everything else that is running on that computer like…virtualization. I have enjoyed using Virtual PC and Virtual Server since they were introduced a number of years ago and have been interested to see where Microsoft was going to take these products next; now I know. I really think that virtualization is going to change the way that networks are designed and implemented in the same way that SANs changed network storage. Now as the needs change for our servers, more RAM here, another processor there, we have the flexibility to add the resources where they are needed. With virtualization we also have an ability to take a ‘snapshot’ of the server at a given time to improve our disaster recovery options if (god forbid) we ever need them. I am going to limit myself to three things in this post so I am having trouble writing this last paragraph; should the honor go to Network Access Protection (how can you say no to an option that is going to help maintain the stability of your network), or should I go with the changes to Terminal Services (all of you Citrix guys are going to recognize a lot of the changes)…I don’t know, I guess I’ll just mention them both and save the rest for another post. So for all of you that have been working with, or looking into Server 2008, what is your favorite new feature, is it something that I already mentioned or do you have one of your own. Take a second to take the poll to let me know what you like.