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As Windows Server 2008, formerly code-named Longhorn, makes its final way out of Microsoft's corral this week, our Test Center inspected the beast and was surprised.

"You who have followed Tom [Yager's] somewhat tepid Longhorn coverage may be shocked to discover that his in-depth review of Windows Server 2008 holds the new OS in high esteem," editor-in-chief Eric Knorr points out, in A long, long look at Windows Server 2008.

Thanks in no small part to a smaller resource footprint that brings a host of capabilities, including virtualization, enhanced security and better networking, Microsoft’s 64-bit OS, Windows Server 2008, is what Tom Yager calls an upgrade that IT can't refuse.

"Microsoft has executed Windows Server 2008 in a way that makes commercial Linux far less appealing," Yager explains in Product review: Windows Server 2008 is the host with the most and the perfect guest. "In those places where Linux might be seen as a good fit for its performance and small footprint, any Windows Server 2008 SKU ... all but slams the door shut on Linux in a Windows shop."

While Longhorn's features are already known to the public, Sean McCown shares Secrets of Windows Server 2008, those being what you need to know now, as well as "the actual impact that Longhorn will have on your organization." These include restartable ActiveDirectory Domain Services, NTFS enhancements, Server Core, Read-only domain controllers, and the list goes on.

New found at InfoWorld.