Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Release Candidate has been released in both 32bit and 64bit systems. Some release notes here.
Windows Server 2003 SP1 Release Candidate, Other
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RC1 home page.
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/serv…
A technical overview of the release here.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/d/8/5/d850add9-0a38-45bd-a0b…
The short verson of features can be found in the FAQ
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/downloads/servicepacks/s…
Top 10 Reasons to Install Windows Server 2003 SP1:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/downloads/servicepacks/s…
Windows Server 2003 SP1 includes additional refinements to protect the network. With Outlook Express you can now open mail in plain-text mode, preventing HTML messages from running malicious code
Correct me if i’m wrong but wasn’t this feature allready included in w2k?
you are indeed correct it’s switchable after sp4 as i recall (no doubt i will stand corrected if wrong 😉 )
1/ It’s free for 6 months. Yo ucan try before you buy.
2/ The machine requirements are quite low.(P200 correct me if I am wrong)
It is actually the first time I try an OS from Microsoft and I can’t find anything really wrong with it
It gives a new lease of life to your PC, it’s relatively secure, the code is pretty clean.
Hope they don’t screw anything up with RC1
Phil
I think I’ll wait to see if others report any breaks before I apply this to a server.
Why? The application of this SP may or may not break something. On production servers that serves over 1400 students on 120 clients, just in my area, I don’t want to upset the learners, staff, and faculty.
It also breaks the system administrator’s first principle: “Simplify Things”. If a solution makes things more complicated then something has gone terribly wrong.
I think I’ll wait to see if others report any breaks before I apply this to a server.
You are right, without a doubt. Most system administrators think like that, and I too will probably wait several months after the release of SP-1 before I apply it.
That said, I welcome this first SP. As Phil pointed out, w2k3 is more decent made than any OS made before by Microsoft. Let’s hope they don’t break it.
“That said, I welcome this first SP. As Phil pointed out, w2k3 is more decent made than any OS made before by Microsoft. Let’s hope they don’t break it.”
Agreed, they have somewhat redeemed themselves w/ 2003. I manage Gentoo and Win2003 servers as well as develop on both and so far, the Windows machine hasn’t been any less secure or stable than the Gentoo servers.
However, I’m wary of MS service packs, given the history. I probably won’t bother with this for at least 6 months, once it’s a final release.
I installed SP1 RC on a non-production server today just to see how it went.
Random Thoughts:
Huge download at 300+ mgs, more or less replaces every file within the entire OS, can be un-installed if need be, updates the version of IE to a build apparently not available on any other platform, tightens security a good deal by turning off some items, asked me if I would like to reboot now, or do it manually later. Took about 30 mins or bit better to install.
Apparently didn’t break anything, however it will take a few days to determine if that is fact or simply an early impression.
For an RC my conclusion is things went nearly too well.
I think I’ll wait to see if others report any breaks before I apply this to a server.
Why? The application of this SP may or may not break something. On production servers that serves over 1400 students on 120 clients, just in my area, I don’t want to upset the learners, staff, and faculty.
If you’re responsible, you won’t wait to see if it breaks things on other people’s systems, you’ll install it into your test environment (you do have a functional duplication of your production environment to test in, right ?) and see if it breaks anything there.
Someone else’s systems breaking is usually not reliable evidence your systems will break, likewise someone else’s system working is usually not reliable evidence your systems will work.
If you’re responsible, you won’t wait to see if it breaks things on other people’s systems, you’ll install it into your test environment (you do have a functional duplication of your production environment to test in, right ?) and see if it breaks anything there.
Important data is very well backed these days and very fast accessible.An update should only applied if it would close a security threat which could be to risky to ignore.Otherwise there isn’t any reason to update if you don’t want to add additional fucntionality or would like to install needed software which wouldn’t install or work without that particular patch.