Windows Server 2008 Forum

Windows Server 2008 Forum - Blogs http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/ Windows Server 2008 Forum is a forum to discuss and get help with your install of Windows Server 2008. We also provide forums for Windows Vista, Windows XP and all Microsoft desktop operating systems. en Sat, 11 Oct 2008 20:43:49 GMT vBulletin 60 http://windows2008forum.com/images/eyeeasy/misc/rss.jpg Windows Server 2008 Forum - Blogs http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/ Virtualization Products Launch September 8 http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/17-virtualization-products-launch-september-8.html Sun, 13 Jul 2008 15:59:27 GMT Adding to Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/virtualization-consolidation.aspx), two additional products... Adding to Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, two additional products that support virtualization will launch September 8: System Center Virtual Machine Manager (SCVMM) 2008 and Microsoft Application Virtualization (formerly SoftGrid). The announcement was made at Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) 2008.

Developers and ISVs are interested in these products from two points of view. First, it's important that their products run under Application Virtualization and Hyper-V so customers can deploy applications effectively. And second, to use them in development and testing efforts. You can build multiple versions of your code for both servers and clients, test deployment, and mange them within Virtual Machine Manager without having to dedicate individual computers for each end user or server.

System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2008

Virtual Machine Manager (VMM) 2008 supports managing Virtual Server 2005 R2, Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V, and VMware ESX from a single console. The latest version adds Performance and Resource Optimization (PRO), which dynamically tunes virtual infrastructure, simplified virtual host cluster support, and other improvements and enhancements.

You can download the beta version of VMM 2008 and learn more at Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager: Future Version.

Application Virtualization 4.5

Application Virtualization separates the application configuration layer from the OS. Your applications to run on clients – including desktops, servers and laptops – without being installed, and to be administered from a central location. The public beta includes new capabilities designed to help IT Pros support:

Large-scale virtualization implementations across more sites and enable multiple delivery options.
Globalization that lets users work in localized environments with localized applications.
Dynamic Suite Composition allows administrator-controlled virtual application combinations
Compliance with Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing and Secure by Default initiatives.

For more information and a link to download the beta, see Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.5 Beta – What’s New.

Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V

Server virtualization enables multiple operating systems to run on a single physical machine as virtual machines (VMs). With server virtualization, you can consolidate workloads of underutilized server machines onto a smaller number of fully utilized machines. Fewer physical machines can lead to reduced costs through lower hardware, energy, and management overhead, plus the creation of a more dynamic IT infrastructure.

Hyper-V is shipping for Windows Server 2008. You can find it at Update for Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition (KB950050).

ISVs can now receive a special Hyper-V designation to support the Certified On or Works-With certifications for Windows Server 2008 applications. For more information, see Hyper-V Designation Added to Windows Server 2008 Certifications.

Source: MSDN Blogs ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/17-virtualization-products-launch-september-8.html <![CDATA['Important' Fixes To Come in July Patch Cycle]]> http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/16-important-fixes-to-come-in-july.html Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:14:15 GMT IT pros will come back from the holiday weekend to face a possible four patches (http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms08-jul.mspx) in... IT pros will come back from the holiday weekend to face a possible four patches in Microsoft's July patch rollout, according an advance announcement issued by the company. The patches, arriving Tuesday, won't contain "critical" or "moderate" items, but all four will be deemed "important."

Microsoft will address a mix of exploit risks with the July patch, including two elevation-of-privilege vulnerabilities, one spoofing security risk and one remote code execution (RCE) exploit. The infamous RCE problem continues to be a concern as the software giant's 2008 hotfix cycle passes its half-way point.

The first important fix addresses an elevation-of-privilege problem in SQL Server. Hackers can gain back-door access into the database and change fields to configure user access parameters, giving themselves superuser or unlimited access to run amok on a network.

In the last week of June, Redmond issued a security advisory pertaining to certain components of SQL Server, citing a recent "escalation in a class of attacks targeting Web sites" and using the database application as an incursion vector. This new SQL patch is far reaching as it touches several releases of the database and server software program, including SQL Server 7.0 Service Pack 4, SQL Server 2000 for Itanium systems and all versions of SQL Server 2005 SP2.

Also included as part of this fix are Microsoft Data Engine 1.0 SP4, SQL Server 2000 Desktop Engine SP4, SQL Server 2005 Express Edition SP2 and SQL Server 2005 Express Edition with Advanced Services SP2.

The SQL patch affects Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 and Windows Server 2003 (SP1 and SP2), including 64-bit editions. Windows Internal Database (WYukon) is also affected as the patch relates to all versions of Windows Server 2008 except for Itanium-processor-based systems.

The second fix blocks potential RCE exploits in all versions of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/16-important-fixes-to-come-in-july.html Updated Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 to Support Windows Server 2008 http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/15-updated-microsoft-virtual-server-2005-to.html Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:15:32 GMT This update also fixes the other issues that were not previously documented in a Microsoft Knowledge Base articles: * You cannot use VMRC to... This update also fixes the other issues that were not previously documented in a Microsoft Knowledge Base articles:

You cannot use VMRC to connect to Virtual Server through a proxy server - The Virtual Machine Remote Control (VMRC) client does not support connection to Virtual Server through a proxy server. To connect to Virtual Server, you must be running the Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server firewall client on the local computer, or you must have a direct Internet connection.
Cluster options are not available for Virtual Server on Windows Server 2008 - Cluster options for Virtual Server are available on Windows Server 2003. However, cluster options for Virtual Server are not available on Windows Server 2008.
Floppy disk access from a guest operating system is not supported on Windows Server 2008 - When you use Virtual Server on Windows Server 2008, the guest operating system cannot access the physical floppy disk on the host operating system.
A physical media change is not reflected in the guest operating system - When you use Virtual Server on Windows Server 2008, the guest operating system may be unable to reflect the change in the physical media. To resolve this issue, you have to reassign the CD or the DVD to the virtual machine from the Administrator Web site.
You experience issues with the VHDMount.exe tool on virtual hard disks that are configured as dynamic disks on Windows Server 2008 - In Windows Server 2008, you mount a virtual hard disk (VHD) that is configured as a dynamic disk. The dynamic disk contains one or more volumes that are spread across multiple disks. However, the dynamic disk or the volumes do not appear online. In some scenarios, mirrored volumes may be broken into

To download the update go here: VS2005R2 SP1 update ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/15-updated-microsoft-virtual-server-2005-to.html Windows Server 2008 Enterprise - Server Core Installation http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/11-windows-server-2008-enterprise-server-core.html Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:29:48 GMT With the launch of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 on February 2008, I want to show you a feature I am fond of in this new operating system. With... With the launch of Microsoft Windows Server 2008 on February 2008, I want to show you a feature I am fond of in this new operating system. With Windows Server 2008, you have the option of performing a Windows Server Core installation, which provides you with the minimum set of tools to run Windows.You are provided with a kernel and a command line to manage the server. It is slim and bare bones and allows you to configure Windows concisely. This type of installation is perfect for a datacenter.

When you first run through the installation of Windows Server 2008, you have two options for installation. They are:

Windows Server 2008 Enterprise (Full Installation)
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise (Server Core Installation)

Here you walk through the installation of Windows Server Core which take approximately ten minutes to install.

Download Windows Server 2008 Enterprise - Server Core Installation [PDF] ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/11-windows-server-2008-enterprise-server-core.html <![CDATA[What's New With Windows Firewall?]]> http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/10-whats-new-with-windows-firewall.html Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:28:01 GMT The Windows Firewall was first introduced with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), and was later added to Windows Server 2003 as part of Service Pack 1... The Windows Firewall was first introduced with Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), and was later added to Windows Server 2003 as part of Service Pack 1 (SP1). The Windows Firewall was a big improvement over its predecessor, which had no built-in, host-based firewall at all. This initial release was very basic and included only the most fundamental functionality. With the advent of Vista and Windows Server 2008, the Windows Firewall has been given a substantial makeover and is now known as Windows Firewall with Advanced Security (WFAS). Keep reading for a description of the new features in WFAS as well as a step-by-step configuration example.

Here is a list of some of the most important new features in WFAS:

WFAS is enabled by default in Windows Server 2008
The firewall now supports both incoming and outgoing rules
There is a new Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-for WFAS and in this new interface the firewall configuration has been merged with Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) configuration
Command line interface changes
Configuration of rules/exceptions is much more powerful
New profile options

Read the rest at Enterprise Networking ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/10-whats-new-with-windows-firewall.html Microsoft Hyper-V Leaves Linux Out In The Cold http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/9-microsoft-hyper-v-leaves-linux-out.html Mon, 24 Mar 2008 02:23:18 GMT Microsoft has announced their new Hyper-V as feature-complete. Unfortunately the list of supported systems... Microsoft has announced their new Hyper-V as feature-complete. Unfortunately the list of supported systems is disappointingly short.

Quote:

"No offense to SUSE Enterprise Server crowd, but only providing SUSE support in Hyper-V is a huge mistake. By not supporting Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS, and BSD, Microsoft is telling us Hyper-V is a Microsoft only technology. More Mt. Redmond, Microsoft center of the universe thinking. That's disappointing. Sure, if you are a Microsoft only shop, Hyper-V will be an option for virtualization. But so will VMware and XenServer. But if you run a mixed shop, Hyper-V won't solve your problems alone — you'll have to also add VMware or Xen to your virtualized data center portfolio. Or just go with VMware and Xen and forego Hyper-V."

]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/9-microsoft-hyper-v-leaves-linux-out.html Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008 Upgrade Information http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/8-windows-server-2003-to-windows-server.html Thu, 20 Mar 2008 21:26:38 GMT *Information and resources to use when you plan to upgrade Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008* Microsoft has revised the upgrade guidance... Information and resources to use when you plan to upgrade Windows Server 2003 to Windows Server 2008

Microsoft has revised the upgrade guidance that begins with the Windows Server 2008 SKUs. This guidance reflects the best practices that customers typically follow when they upgrade to a new server operating system.

The improved features and capabilities of Windows Server 2008 require significant changes to the upgrade process. Therefore, Microsoft provides the following guidance to help you upgrade to Windows Server 2008.

Note In this article, third-party software is defined as any software or software component, role, or function that is not included with Windows Server or that is not delivered to Windows Server when you use Windows Update. This definition also includes Microsoft utilities and applications.

We recommend that you perform a clean installation of Windows Server 2008 whenever possible.
There are supported upgrade paths to upgrade to Windows Server 2008. We recommend that you follow the steps in this article before you upgrade to Windows Server 2008. This includes researching the software or hardware manufacturers' support policy for upgrading to Windows Server 2008.
Before you upgrade to Windows Server 2008, we recommend that you remove any installed third-party software that is not supported by the software manufacturer for upgrade to Windows Server 2008. When you upgrade to Windows Server 2008 without removing the installed third-party software that is not supported, the third-party software may not function correctly.

This guidance applies to Windows Server 2003 operating systems that you want to upgrade to Windows Server 2008. Microsoft will provide technical support for the operating system, for Windows-delivered software, and for Microsoft applications to comply with your organization's technical support agreement and with Microsoft Customer Support Services.

Note Scenarios may exist in which upgrading a Windows Server component, role, or function is not supported. The Compatibility Report lists these scenarios during the Windows Server 2008 setup process.

Read the rest at Microsoft Support Site. ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/8-windows-server-2003-to-windows-server.html How MSIT Uses Terminal Services as a Scalable Remote Access Solution http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/7-how-msit-uses-terminal-services-as.html Sat, 15 Mar 2008 18:24:19 GMT Like many large organizations, Microsoft has a geographically dispersed work force. With more than 78,000 employees in 78 countries worldwide,... Like many large organizations, Microsoft has a geographically dispersed work force. With more than 78,000 employees in 78 countries worldwide, Microsoft faces continual challenges with making corporate information easily available to workers from remote locations and with ensuring that important internal company information is as secure as possible.

Although the vast majority of Microsoft employees have individual personal computers available from which to access company resources, the following two situations frequently occur at Microsoft:

Staff members need to access internal company resources from home or from a remote location.
Staff members who are involved in meetings or presentations at remote locations require quick access to internal company resources.

These resources may include any of the following:

Documents that are located on internal servers at Microsoft.
Internal business programs that are available only from inside the corporate network.
Personal workstations that contain important files or programs. For example, developers at Microsoft often need to connect to their individual workstations from remote locations to access programming tools or code.

To meet these requirements, Microsoft maintains a Windows® Terminal Services environment. This environment enables staff members to log on to the Microsoft corporate network and then access terminal servers that are running various internal business applications.

With the development of Windows Server® 2008, the Microsoft Information Technology (Microsoft IT) department wanted to test the new features and functionality of the Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services component to determine whether these features could meet the requirements of a large corporate environment.

Read the rest of the article at Microsoft Technet. ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/7-how-msit-uses-terminal-services-as.html Zend PHP to run on Windows Server 2008 http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/6-zend-php-to-run-on-windows.html Tue, 04 Mar 2008 22:15:33 GMT PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) tools company Zend Technologies is announcing this week that its Zend Core product will run on the Windows Server 2008... PHP (Hypertext Preprocessor) tools company Zend Technologies is announcing this week that its Zend Core product will run on the Windows Server 2008 platform, providing parity between Windows Server and Linux in running PHP. Zend Core is Zend's certified PHP distribution; version 2.5 is certified for Windows Server 2008. "The certification means that customers who choose to use it on Windows Server 2008 know that it will work as it should," said Andi Gutmans, CTO and co-founder at Zend.

Microsoft and Zend have been collaborating to enable PHP applications to run on Windows. Microsoft has a feature called FastCGI intended to enable PHP to run reliably on Microsoft's platform, said Gutmans. Users also need Microsoft Internet Information Server to run PHP on Windows, he said.

"Now that Zend and Microsoft delivered the technology, we're going to be working with customers on adoption. We're also going to be targeting some of the hosting companies," to entice them to use the product, said Gutmans. All Zend products are to support Windows Server by the end of the year, he said.

News source: InfoWorld ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/6-zend-php-to-run-on-windows.html Windows Server 2008 Released To Public http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/5-windows-server-2008-released-to-public.html Wed, 27 Feb 2008 23:08:18 GMT Today is the day. Windows Server 2008 is available to everyone. One new feature that is still in beta is the virtualization software Hyper-V.... Today is the day. Windows Server 2008 is available to everyone. One new feature that is still in beta is the virtualization software Hyper-V. However, companies that adopt Windows 2008 will get a beta copy of Hyper-V.

Quote:

Both Window Server 2008 and Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 are currently available; however, businesses will receive a beta version of Hyper-V, the company's virtualization software.

You can read the whole story at TechNewsWorld. ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/5-windows-server-2008-released-to-public.html Microsoft Windows Server 2008 to Challenge Adopters http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/4-microsoft-windows-server-2008-to-challenge.html Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:46:45 GMT Windows Server 2008, due for release next week, will present a number of challenges to users looking to migrate, experts say.

Microsoft's Windows Server 2008 will present a number of challenges, including application compatibility concerns, to users looking to migrate given its palette of new components, APIs, and feature upgrades, experts say.

Some issues will be familiar to those who rolled out Vista, including user-account control, which restricts user privileges, and the Windows Firewall, which is turned on by default. Vista also has an ongoing issue with application compatibility that is not cleared up in the pending release of Vista Service Pack 1. Other issues unique to Windows Server 2008, such as new, clustering APIs, will require application testing and some recoding of applications, according to Microsoft.

The server also will present issues for in-place upgrades and upgrades to servers running Exchange 2007.

Read the rest at PCWorld. ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/4-microsoft-windows-server-2008-to-challenge.html <![CDATA[Windows Server 2008: It's The Security That Makes it Great]]> http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/3-windows-server-2008-its-the-security.html Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:42:20 GMT *Of the nearly 800 IT decision-makers polled by CDW Corp., 49 per cent cited security features as the benefit of most interest to their company,... Of the nearly 800 IT decision-makers polled by CDW Corp., 49 per cent cited security features as the benefit of most interest to their company, school or government agency.

Better security is the biggest draw of Windows Server 2008, the newest server operating system from Microsoft Corp., but worries about first-version bugs top their list of IT professionals' concerns, according to a recent survey.

Of the nearly 800 IT decision-makers polled by CDW Corp., 49 per cent cited security features as the benefit of most interest to their company, school or government agency. Other perceived benefits of Windows Server 2008, according to the survey, included faster setup and configuration (cited by 41 per cent of the respondents), easier administration (40 per cent) and the operating system's new integrated virtualization (35 per cent).

"Security ranked No. 1, both here and in the three surveys we did on Windows Vista," said David Cottingham, director of product and product management at the Vernon Hills, Ill.-based computer and software reseller. "It's [because] Microsoft's been effective in getting its message across," he said, referring to the security drum that the developer has pounded for both Windows Vista and Server 2008. "They spent a lot of time talking about security.

Read the rest at itWorldCanada ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/3-windows-server-2008-its-the-security.html Install Windows Server 2008 Features with servermanagercmd http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/2-install-windows-server-2008-features-with.html Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:05:15 GMT Although Microsoft continues to expand PowerShell with more capability, the trusty traditional command prompt has not been left behind in Windows... Although Microsoft continues to expand PowerShell with more capability, the trusty traditional command prompt has not been left behind in Windows Server 2008. In fact, with this latest Windows Server release, the command prompt gains some capability, including a tool that allows administrators to add features to a Windows Server 2008 installation.
This command line tool, called servermanagercmd.exe, replicates some of the functionality from the Windows Server 2008 Server Manager. Through the use of various command line options, you can quickly and easily add or remove features and roles to or from your server.

The command requires a parameter indicating the action that you wish to perform and, for some parameters, additional information such as which features you want to manage. The list below outlines some of the parameters available with servermanagercmd.

Read the rest at TechRepublic ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/2-install-windows-server-2008-features-with.html Windows Server 2008 Review http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/1-windows-server-2008-review.html Mon, 25 Feb 2008 16:48:09 GMT Microsoft's slimmer and stronger server OS, bolstered by virtualization, networking, and security advances, is an upgrade that IT can't refuse, a 200-pound gorilla that eats commercial Linux

A standing complaint about Windows Server is its resource footprint. Those in IT just take as rote that it requires lots of memory, lots of CPU, and lots of disk to put any substantial services on the air with Windows Server 2003. I think it's safe to say that the typical x86 rack server's characteristics reflect the requirements of Windows Server. Microsoft's big OS has always been designed under the presumption that it will have a full physical server to itself.

Read the full review at InfoWorld ]]> BSchwarz http://windows2008forum.com/blogs/bschwarz/1-windows-server-2008-review.html