Windows Server 2003 R2 Goes to Beta 2

by Alex Woodie

Microsoft last week came one step closer to meeting its delivery target for Windows Server 2003 Release 2 (R2) when it posted the second public beta version of the operating system on its Web site. Whereas recent updates to Windows Server 2003 have concentrated on security and supporting new X64 processors, R2 will bring improvements in identity management, controlling remote servers, and storage.

Microsoft says R2 will bring new features that simplify the remote management of geographically dispersed Windows servers from a central location. Specifically, R2 will ship with new tools for minimizing local administrator tasks , such as back-ups. It will also feature faster data replication, the company says.

In terms of identity management, Microsoft plans enhancements to Active Directory to promote working with partners in a safe and secure manner. This includes new single sign-on (SSO) capabilities to cut down on the number of passwords users must remember, and more centralized administration of applications, as well as the ability to delegate user management to trusted partners, Microsoft says.

Better identity management also means better security, and in R2, this means a new "shut-off" capability that automatically disables a user's Active Directory account, and more extensive logging of user access rights in partner applications, specifically those running on Unix operating systems.

In terms of storage management, Microsoft plans to deliver new storage utilization reports that provide a higher level of detail. The company also plans better monitoring of disk space usage, and the capability to control the use of disk space through directory quotas. New file screening capabilities will prevent certain types of files from being stored on R2, Microsoft says, and it will also be easier to configure storage area networks (SANs) with this release.

One of the features that you won't find in R2 is Network Access Protection (NAP), which provides a framework for boosting security by ensuring that outside users have a fully patched and protected PC. If the NAP facility found that a user was not running a fully patched version of Windows, the NAP service would prevent that user from gaining access. Microsoft pulled NAP from R2 last fall, and pushed it back into the Longhorn release, which is still on course for a holiday 2006 delivery. Whether it's the difficulty in coordinating the NAP framework with partners, or the slow (or slower than expected) uptake of Windows XP SP2 that prompted Microsoft to axe NAP from R2, we may never know.

While Microsoft nixed NAP from the R2 train, the operating system group has done a commendable job of hitting its release targets since the Windows XP SP2 delays. In barely the course of a month, we've had two significant Windows Server releases, including Windows Server 2003 SP1, which became available in early April, and Windows Server 2003 X64 Editions, which Microsoft launched at WinHEC two weeks ago.

R2, like the X64 Editions, is based on Windows Server 2003 SP1, and will support the same extended 64-bit servers as the X64 Editions. Microsoft says R2 will be available in Standard, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions, which are the same editions available on the X64 versions of Windows Server 2003. Once again, there will be no R2 update for the Web edition.

Microsoft plans to issue at least one release candidate following the second R2 beta test. Samm DiStasio, director of product management for Windows Server, says there will be a release candidate during the July-September timeframe.

For more information on Windows Server 2003 R2 or to download the beta, go to http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/R2.