Microsoft’s long-awaited Windows Server 2003 R2, the update to Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1, is finally generally available, the company said on Feb. 1. This widespread availability follows the December 2005 release to manufacturing of the final code for this server software. Microsoft customers will now be able to buy Windows Server 2003 R2 pre-installed on hardware through companies such as Dell, Hewlett-Packard and IBM, and Microsoft’s enterprise Software Assurance customers will get their Windows Server 2003 R2 updates in the near future.
Has anyone used this yet? I haven’t seen any reviews yet.
We reviewed it at eWEEK: http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,1908728,00.asp
It’s not a big change from the initial 2k3 release, but I was impressed by the steps they’ve taken toward better interop with Linux/Unix.
what is the difference between this and windows 2003 server sp1 ?
i just did a windows update on my win2k3 server and nada.
any ideas anyone ? the article was more a sales pitch than news
cheers
anyweb
This is not a Service Pack. It is a new release of the Windows Server OS that you will have to pay for unless you have already paid for software assurance on your server OS.
Windows Server 2003 R2 adds the following…
Better Branch Office Management
Active Directory Federated Services
File Server Resource Manager
Storage Manager for SANs
A new version of the .NET Framework
UNIX Interoperability
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/R2
– Some “Unix co-op” stuff, like a reamped posix sub and NFS client/server. No unix tools included.(e.g. not even a simple shell).
– Server role wizard which are supposed to help quick configuration for w2k3 for specific task.
– New logo that add “R2” in the “About Windows” dialog. Text within the logo actually looks more aliased and uglier than normal w2k3.
R2 come with 2 cd. Disc 1 is identical to w2k3+sp1(same build number). Only difference is the EULA text in text mode setup is updated. Disc 2 is the R2 feature pack. Disc 1 only install is identical to w2k3+sp1.
IMO unix-coop stuff is pretty useless. SFU is superior to that. An admin knowing what he is doing don’t need wizard as well. Pretty pointless to upgrade to R2 if one is already at sp1, unless you want the upgraded logo…….
Or the ADFS, or the Storage Manager, or the Branch Office Management, etc…
There is more to it than unix-coop stuff.
As far as I know, R2 comes with a new and much-improved SFU. SFU has always contained boatloads of UNIX utilities, including an NFS server and client.
And this was moded down why? Someone doesn’t want to hear that R2 isn’t as bad as they think it is?
Well when an individual becomes a strict ideologue, unable to discuss the different facets of certain stories they usually gain enemies. You shouldn’t be so surprised, your username is a large target. Now I would actually want to hear from you on Windows related topics, since you’ve been very informative and even handed in that area. Perhaps that next “Linux” related post that comes up, you could give a broader analysis, instead of the usual “worst. OS. Eva”, I’m sure people would respect you more then.
PS: I didn’t mod you down, just giving a theory on why you were modded down.
Appreciated.
I’ll take you up on that suggestion.
Does anyone know if this will be a free update to 2k3sp1?
No, it will not be free unless you have purchased software assurance. It is an interim release of the Windows Server OS filling the gap between Windows Server 2003 and Windows Loghorn Server. You will have to pay for it the same as a regular Windows Server OS.
Now you can run up to 4 VM instances inside one machine paying only one license. This is HUGE!
I used win2003 for a while as a workstation. How about this new release? Should it be good advice using this as a workstation replacing my xp install?
http://www.msfn.org/win2k3/