Windows Server 2008 Family
The Windows Server 2008 family takes the best of previous Windows Server technology and makes it easier to deploy, manage, and use. The result: a highly productive infrastructure that helps make your network a strategic asset for your organization.
The Windows Server 2008 family builds on the proven reliability, scalability, and manageability of Windows 2003 Server while improving essential services. Now with enhanced security and better performance, the Windows Server 2008 family offers the best server infrastructure for increasing IT efficiency, developing applications quickly, and enhancing productivity.
Windows Server 2008 includes all the functionality customers need today from a Windows server operating system to do more with less, such as security, reliability, availability, and scalability. In addition, Microsoft has improved and extended the Windows server operating systems to incorporate the benefits of Microsoft® .NET for connecting information, people, systems, and devices.
Server Roles
Windows Server 2008 is a multipurpose operating system capable of handling a diverse set of server roles, depending on your needs, in either a centralized or distributed fashion. Some of these server roles include:
- File and print server
- Web server and Web application services
- Mail server
- Terminal server
- Remote access and virtual private network (VPN) server
- Directory services, Domain Name System (DNS), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server, and Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS)
- Streaming media server