PXE from the WDS service and 2008 or Vista on both ends of the Windows Server and compares well
kick off a new installation. connection; otherwise, Windows to VMware’s ESX Server and Citrix
Performance Server 2008 or Vista will negotiate Systems’ XenEnterprise virtualiza- down to SMB 1.0. tion products.
windows server 2008 ships with Microsoft has designated the ver- an overhauled TCP/IP stack and a Management sion of Hyper-V that ships with
new version of its SMB file-sharing one of windows server 2008’s Windows Server 2008 as a preview
service, which together can deliver most recognizable features is the edition, with a final release prom-significant performance gains in Server Manager, an outgrowth of ised within six months. eWeek Labs
file-sharing scenarios, specifically the “configure my server” dialog will conduct further tests of Hyper-over high-latency connections. that launches by default on Win- V—formerly knownas Viridian—as
Unlike previous versions of Win- dows Server 2003 machines. How- we approach that time frame.
dows Server, which bound network ever, rather than serve only as a In addition, Windows Server 2008
adapterstoasingleprocessor, Windows starting point to configuring new ships withnoteworthyimprovements
Server 2008 can spread processing roles, the new Server Manager gath- to what Microsoft has taken to calling
for incoming network traffic presentation virtualization—
across multiple processors. or Terminal Services.
Another enhancement to One Terminal Services
Windows Server’s TCP/IP enhancement, which Micro-stack is the Receive Window soft calls RemoteApp, enables
Auto Tuning feature, which administrators to publish indi-determines the optimal vidual applications as opposed
amount of data to be sent to remote desktop sessions. I
over a connection at once by tested RemoteApp with the
measuring the latency of the Firefox Web browser, the
connection. Onhigh-latency GIMP image editing appli-links, larger amounts of cation and VMware’s Virtual
data can be sent efficiently at Infrastructure client. From a
one time, but as connection Windows XP or Vista client,
After a couple of Windows Server 2008 instances and an appro-
latency grows, Windows priate server role were installed, the new system was able to boot these applications appeared
Server sends less data per up on the network from WDS and kick off a new installation. as if running locally, complete
transmission window. with resizable windows.
In previous versions of Windows, ers together pretty much all of the administrators could adjust this set- operations you’d want to conduct IIS 7.0
ting themselves by manipulating on your server. the modular design exhibited
registry values. However, Windows I used the Server Manager to add in Windows Server 2008’s stripped-
Server 2008’s knack for automatically new roles to my test machines; for down Server Core configuration car-
adjusting these values will make this roles I’d already installed, the Server ries over to Microsoft’s Web server,
optimization available to a broader Manager presented me with control IIS 7.0, which consists of more than
range of sites. panels containing all the pertinent 40 modules that administrators can
Microsoft’s SMB 2.0 file services action and information related to install as needed. This modularity
protocol boosts performance over high- those roles. I could see right away, for helps limit IIS 7.0’s attack surface
latency links by reducing the “chatti- instance, whether the services com- and keeps patching requirements
ness” of the protocol. Rather than wait prising these roles were running. minimal.
for receipt acknowledgments before Also noteworthy in IIS 7.0 is the sending more data, SMB 2.0 supports Virtualization server’s move to XML-based text files
sending multiple SMB commands one of windows server 2008’s most for configuration, which can help
per packet. This more parallel method promising features is its support simplify configuration tasks. ´
of operation can deliver substantial for hypervisor-based virtualization.
speedups that grow more dramatic as The feature, which Microsoft calls eWEEK Labs Executive Editor Jason
connection latency lengthens. Hyper-V, lets administrators host Brooks can be reached at jbrooks@
SMB 2.0 requires Windows Server x86 or x86-64 operating systems on eweek.com.
