Windows Server 2008 R2 Features

Windows Server 2008 R2 is the latest server second release from Microsoft and it is not supported in 32 –bit machine. Server machine requires more hardware power than the client OS like Windows Vista or Windows 7. It requires lot of services to be launched while loading the Server OS. Server OS is used for application deployment, to manage the client server model, Multi user environment, Networked applications like SQL Server.

What is New in Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008 includes many new features, Scalability, flexibility, Reliability and management enhancement compared to previous Server operating and as well as Windows Server 2008 from Microsoft. Server tools such as Hyper-V platforms, Windows power shell, IIS 7.5 for web deployment are part of the Windows Server 2008 R2 gives increased productivity and flexibility to IT professionals.

Hyper-V 2.0

Hyper-V 2.0 is known as Windows Server Virtualization previously. A Hyper-V technology must have a parent partition which will run in Windows 2008 server R2 and it can access the Server system hardware directly. You can create child partition which is called virtual partition which cannot access the hardware like processor directly instead it will run in a Guest Virtual Address. Child partition request will go to the parent partition and it will access the Hardware. Here the parent partition acts as Virtualization Service Provider and child partition will act as Virtualization Service Client. Hyper-V can be installed in Windows 2008 R2 standard, enterprise or datacenter edition.

Virtual Hard Disk

Virtual Hard Disk is something new in Windows 7 and Windows 2008 Server R2. VHD will allow us to install the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 from the VHD file without installing the OS to the Physical drive. It will be useful when you want to test or deploy the application with different environment. Using vdisk command you can create the virtual hard disk and the OS can be installed in virtual disk. Windows 7 can be in the real hardware and the Windows Server 2008 R2 can be installed in VHD and anytime you can delete the VHD file will remove the OS which is installed in VHD.

Remote Desktop Services

Terminal service of previous version is enhanced and renamed as Remote Desktop Services. It includes both VDI (Virtual Desktop Infrastructure) and virtualization. It will allow us to store the data in a centralized storage which enables us to either work from the office network or from the home to store the data with data security.

RDS will separate the applications from the desktop where it is installed and can be used remotely which also allows any client to run the applications or operating system. RDS provides simplified publishing of the web applications, Remote applications can connect to the remote desktop using Desktop connections and RemoteApp

Dynamic Memory

Dynamic memory concept is new in Windows Server 2008 R2 and it will be available in SP 1 and it will allow for memory on machines that are running virtually. It will automatically adjust the memory based on the work load of the virtual machine. In Windows Server 2008 the virtual machines are allocated with static memory and the disadvantage is that we need to reboot all the software if additional memory is required for the Virtual machines.

Server Core Installation

Server core Installation is a new Windows Server 2008 installation option that will enable us to provide minimal required environment to run the server roles which includes Active Directory Domain Services, DHCP server, Active Directory Lightweight Directory Service, Hyper-V, Files services and many more services which can maintained using Server core. Server core will reduce the Disk space, maintenance and management.

Many more new features and enhancements are available in Windows Server 2008 R2 and in the Service pack 1 which is going to be released in next year includes more features.

Check the below link for more information about Windows Server 2008 R2 SP 1 features

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2010/03/18/microsoft_win2008r2sp1_citrix_vdi/

What is new in Windows Server 2008 R2