News
Windows Server 2008 R2 Available on TechNet, MSDN
Microsoft has made the new R2 version of its Windows Server 2008 server operating system available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers.
The release comes about a week after Windows 7 was pushed to both sites. Manufacturers received the RTM versions in July, and the releases were made available to volume licensing customers earlier this month.
According to Microsoft's release schedule, Gold and Certified partners will have access to the software Wednesday, and a 180-day evaluation version of Windows Server 2008 R2 will be made available to the general public (what Microsoft calls "technical enthusiasts") Thursday. The software will become available via retail channels Sept. 14, although the company's "launch date" for both software releases is currently scheduled for Oct.22.
Windows Server 2008 no longer supports 32-bit processors but does support 64-bit and can support 256 logical processors. It also offers numerous new features in a variety of areas. In the virtualization space, Windows Server 2008 R2 includes Hyper-V 2.0, which now features "live migration." Other improvements include hot storage swapping, scalability upgrades, and an update of System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008.
New management features for the rest of Windows Server 2008, according to Microsoft, include a new integrated management console, PowerShell 2.0, new Active Directory and Group Policy features, and a best practices analyzer.
Other additions include IIS 7.5, ASP.NET on Server Core, and improved "componentization," letting administrators install only the parts of the operating system they plan to use.
A detailed list of what's new is available here. Systems requirements are available here.
More information on the Windows Server 2008 download can be found here.
About the Author
Becky Nagel is the vice president of Web & Digital Strategy for 1105's Converge360 Group, where she oversees the front-end web team and deals with all aspects of digital strategy. She also serves as executive editor of the group's media websites, and you'll even find her byline on PureAI.com, the group's newest site for enterprise developers working with AI.
