Hands On: Windows Server 2003

However, there is so much new and different in WS03 that VARs have a steep learning curve ahead of them. Savvy VARs know this creates lots of opportunities for those willing to venture up what sometimes appear to be forbidding slopes. This is especially true for intrepid outfits willing to invest in training, study and experimentation to make sure they can navigate the territory to best effect.

Microsoft has created several noteworthy tools and packages that will help VARs convince customers to take the new operating system seriously, most notably in the areas of security, Web services, and remote installation and management. WS03 does a great job of making nearly all the new functionality found in its various new consoles and other GUI utilities available through the command line as well (using either special command-line invocation or equivalent command-line tools).

Showing some understanding of marketplace realities this time around, Microsoft even offers a migration tool that converts Windows 4.0 servers into equivalent WS03 installations, which can help save time and effort during the upgrade process. Surprisingly, Windows Server 2003 hardware requirements do not differ greatly from those for Windows 2000. While this means that you probably won't need to upgrade your hardware with an upgrade from Windows 2000, you'll probably need new hardware when upgrading from NT.

WS03 comes in six different versions: Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, Web and two 64-bit versions designed for Itanium processors (see our flowchart on page 23 for the CPU and RAM requirements of the various versions of the product).

On the security front, Windows Server 2003 offers lots of capabilities that should be of interest to customers of all sizes and scales of operation. With the addition of more than 200 new security-related Group Policy Objects (GPOs) to Active Directory, users will find Windows Server 2003 much more powerful and capable than previous versions. In fact, Active Directory is an area that is worth specializing in for VARs because of the many sales and service opportunities it represents. VARs will find that installing WS03 is a bit more complex, because many of the defaults in Windows 2000 have been changed. For example, password complexity and length has been increased, and the Windows Web Server IIS is not installed by default.

Powerful new security tools such as the Group Policy Management Console (GPMC), enhanced security templates, improved roaming profiles and IntelliMirror tools, plus software-restriction policies that block installation of unauthorized software, can ease administrative burdens and improve control over systems and networks. VARs should be able to add value by customizing and creating security templates for their customers, particularly by helping them to map security policy into equivalent WS03 implementations.

The Web Edition is offered specifically for use as a Web server. It does not include functionality necessary to act as a domain controller or to take other Active Directory server roles (such as the global catalog server), but is available at a lower price point. It can be used for Web-hosting applications (where multiple domains share a single box), or as a full-featured standalone Web server for a single domain. Out-of-the box security defaults are now set conservatively rather than optimistically, and the overall offering is more ready for commercial use than any previous release of Windows and Internet Information Server (IIS 6.0, in this case). Other enhancements include improved performance and load-balancing, as well as stronger services and application-security measures. VARs will find that the Web Edition does not support UDDI and database services. The Enterprise Edition is recommended to run these services.

On the remote installation and management fronts, WS03 has a lot of new tricks and capabilities to offer. The Remote Installation Services (RIS) is improved and expanded, and offers multiple methods to install and configure systems across network and Internet connections. A new OS Choice Wizard makes it possible for remote installation to complete without human intervention, and the new RIS supports all editions of Windows 2000, Windows XP Professional, Windows 2003 Server Standard and Web editions with equal facility. Once installation and configuration are completed, WS03 also offers improved remote-management and control capabilities, leveraging on Terminal Server remote-access and remote-control tools. Software Update Services also provide mechanisms for administrators to control release of updates within an organization, and to drive timely installation of service packs, critical updates and hot-fixes under their direct control.

With proper preparation and the right knowledge and skillsets, VARs will find that Windows Server 2003 offers interesting and exciting sales opportunities.

Ed Tittel ([email protected]) is a writer with LANWrights, a division of iLearning.