Overview of Windows Server 2003 – Data Center Edition

by Daniel Petri - January 8, 2009
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Designed for businesses that demand the highest levels of scalability, availability, and reliability, Windows 2003, Datacenter Edition, lets you deliver mission-critical solutions for databases; enterprise resource planning software; high-volume, real-time transaction processing; and server consolidation. Windows 2003, Datacenter Edition, is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions through original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partners.

In addition to getting support through the usual Microsoft channels, customers of Windows 2003, Datacenter Edition, can join the Windows Datacenter High Availability Program. This program provides an integrated hardware, software, and service offering, delivered by Microsoft and qualified Datacenter Service Providers, such as OEMs.

Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, provides support for:

• 64-way symmetric multiprocessing (SMP) in 64-bit versions and 32-way SMP in 32-bit versions.
• Eight-node clustering.
• 64 gigabytes (GB) of RAM in 32-bit versions and 512 GB of RAM in 64-bit versions.

Built for Dependability

Run Your Business on the Most Solid Server Microsoft Has Ever Released Organizations expect technology to provide business value in the form of systems that are always up, always responsive, and that provide a level of security that meets today's challenges. Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, includes new features and improvements that make it the most dependable, enterprise-ready server operating system Microsoft has ever created—and its emphasis on security is a reflection of the Microsoft commitment to trustworthy computing.

Technologies introduced in Windows 2000 Server have been improved, such as network load balancing, server clusters, and the Active Directory® service. In addition, Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, introduces new technologies, such as a common language and the Windows System Resource Manager (WSRM).

Microsoft has also made leaps forward in the area of security with new and improved security for Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0, public key infrastructure (PKI), and Kerberos, as well as support for smart cards and biometrics.

Active Directory performance and flexibility is now faster and more robust over unreliable wide area network (WAN) connections due to more efficient synchronization and replication, as well as caching of credentials in branch office domain controllers.

The Windows Datacenter High Availability Program Microsoft developed the Datacenter High Availability Program to provide customers with a list of qualified server configurations that have been thoroughly tested and proven to be highly reliable. The Datacenter High Availability Program provides the support you need to ensure maximum uptime for your applications. Microsoft qualifies only OEMs whose hardware has passed rigorous compatibility tests. Only then can they license and support Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition.

Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, is available preinstalled on an OEM system. It cannot be acquired separately from Microsoft or through the standard software channels.

The Datacenter High Availability Program offers:

• A single point of contact for support, provided by a joint support team comprised of both OEM and Microsoft personnel.
• Rigorous system testing and qualification of hardware and software to ensure they perform optimally together.
• Coordinated maintenance and change control for hardware and software updates.
• Strict reliability assurance through new Microsoft Certified Support Center (MCSC) requirements designed for this program.

In contrast to proprietary systems offered by some vendors, Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, is available from a wide variety of vendors that sell high-end, Intel-based systems that are able to run your organization's existing applications. These vendors provide a range of platforms and services to help you meet your specific requirements.

The Datacenter High Availability Program includes a qualification process and the Enterprise Catalog, which extends and enhances the current hardware compatibility requirements from Microsoft. Through this process, all server components are tested together in a high-stress environment, assuring that the overall system will operate without hardware or software conflicts among components of the configuration.

The Role of Windows Hardware Quality Labs Windows Hardware Quality Labs (WHQL) ensure that OEMs produce quality hardware and software that interact efficiently and optimally with Microsoft products and technologies. OEM products must pass appropriate hardware compatibility tests. If successful, they are listed in the Enterprise Catalog and receive the "Designed for Windows" logo.

The Windows logo on hardware and software products lets customers know the products meet Microsoft standards for compatibility with Windows operating systems. Hardware intended for use with Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, must be designed to the specifications of the Hardware Design Guide.

Customers who receive servers validated by the Windows Datacenter High Availability Program know they are receiving a complete configuration that has been rigorously tested with all hardware components and kernel-level software products. Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, can be sold only by OEMs who are willing to do this extra testing and configuration control.

The testing that OEMs must undertake helps ensure that the following components will work together smoothly on servers running Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition:

• All hardware components.
• All hardware drivers.
• All software that works at the kernel level, including virus software, disk and tape management, backup software, and similar types of software.

High Availability Resolution Queue The High Availability Resolution Queue (HARQ) for Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, is staffed with the most senior and expert Microsoft support personnel. They ensure tight collaboration between a hardware vendor and Microsoft. This team of experts supports the most business-critical solutions. The HARQ has access to all OEM Datacenter Hardware Compatibility List hardware configurations and Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, source code to enable rapid problem reproduction, isolation, and resolution.

Built for Productivity

Improve IT Effectiveness and Employee Communication and Collaboration Across Your Business Organizations want computing technology to improve productivity for information workers, who want powerful tools that are easier to use, as well as for administrators, who want services that are quicker to deploy and easier and more flexible to manage.

Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, and other members of the Windows Server 2003 family share many features that help make your organization and employees more productive. Windows Server 2003 enables greater productivity for both IT administrators and users through its enhanced capabilities in system management and storage. Microsoft has made great strides in evolving manageability. The new task-based design in the Windows Server 2003 family makes it easier to carry out common tasks. Improvements to the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and Active Directory improve performance and make remote system and domain management easier.

The Windows Server 2003 family contains several important new automated management tools, including Microsoft Software Update Service (SUS) and server configuration wizards, to help automate deployment. Managing Group Policy is easier with the new Group Policy Management Console (GPMC), which enables more organizations to better use the Active Directory service and take advantage of its powerful, cost-saving features. In addition, command-line tools let administrators perform most tasks from the command console.

Other new management and administration features in the Windows Server 2003 family include domain renaming, cross-domain and cross-forest management, and Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) options. Enhanced Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) providers and command-line tools give administrators greater granular control of server tasks.

Windows Server 2003 also makes storage and backup easier, while significantly reducing the demands on system administrators. The Volume Copy Shadow Service, which provides point-in-time backups of networked shares, is one of many new and improved file services.

File and print services have also been improved by the addition of the Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) remote document sharing technology, while enhancements to the Distributed File System (DFS) and Encrypting File System (EFS) allow for powerful, flexible file sharing and storage. Support for 64-bit printing and print clusters has been added in Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition.

To support processor- and memory-intensive applications, Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, supports 64-bit computing on certified hardware platforms, including support for the Intel Itanium and Itanium2 processors.

Built for a Connected World

Securely Connect with Your Customers Today's networks are connecting intranets, extranets, and the Web. More and more companies are using the Internet to communicate with their customers and partners everyday. Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, and other members of the Windows Server 2003 family share many features that help your organization and employees stay connected.

Networking improvements and new features in the Windows Server 2003 family extend the versatility, manageability, and dependability of network infrastructures. The Windows Server 2003 family makes it easier than ever for users to stay connected to their infrastructure from anywhere and on any device. Microsoft has built significant networking enhancements in Windows Server 2003, including Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPoE), and Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) over network address translation (NAT).

Microsoft Windows Media® Services in Windows Server 2003 provide a reliable, scalable means to deliver and manage dynamic content quickly in a cost-effective way. Windows Media Services make Windows Server 2003 an ideal platform for distributing streaming audio and video over corporate intranets and the Internet.

In addition, optimized, native support of Microsoft® .NET and XML Web services in Windows Server 2003 provide the ideal platform for developing, distributing, and hosting XML Web services.

Built for Best Economics

Maximize Business Value by Leveraging the Largest Partner Solution Ecosystem PC technology provides the most cost-effective chip platform, a considerable economic incentive for adopting Windows Server 2003. But that is only the beginning of the story. Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, is a cost-efficient choice for both scale-up or scale-out purposes. With multiple essential services and components already included in Windows Server 2003, organizations can quickly benefit from an integrated platform that is easy to deploy, manage, and use.

When you adopt Windows Server 2003, you become a part of the global network that has helped make the Windows platform so productive. This network of global services and support provides the following benefits:

• Extensive ISV ecosystem.  Microsoft has a huge number of independent software vendors (ISVs) worldwide who support Microsoft applications and build certified custom applications on the Windows platform.
• Worldwide services.  Microsoft is supported by over 450,000 Microsoft Certified Systems Engineers (MCSEs) worldwide, plus vendors and partners. Microsoft also partners with a range of service providers, such as system integrators, in various programs. To learn more about Microsoft partner programs, visit the Partnering With Microsoft Web site.
• Training options.  Microsoft offers a wide range of IT training, enabling IT staff to continue developing their skills at a reasonable price. As a result, enterprises benefit from a large pool of qualified technical staff. In addition to technology training, Microsoft offers training in frameworks for IT operations.
• Certified solutions.  Windows has thousands of qualified hardware drivers and certified software applications from third-party independent hardware vendors (IHVs) and ISVs, making it easy to add new devices and applications. In addition, prescriptive guidance from Microsoft Solutions Offerings (MSOs) helps organizations build proven solutions that help solve difficult business challenges. For example, the Microsoft systems architecture for the Enterprise Data Center is now available, at no charge, from the Microsoft TechNet Web site.

This ecosystem of products and services delivers a low total cost of ownership (TCO), while helping your organization become more productive and efficient.

XML Web Services and .NET

Microsoft .NET is deeply integrated into the Windows Server 2003 family. It enables an unprecedented level of software integration using XML Web services, those discrete, building-block applications that connect to each other—as well as to other, larger applications—via the Internet.

Integral to the the Microsoft platform, the .NET Framework provides the ability to build, host, deploy, and use secure and connected solutions through XML Web services. The Microsoft platform provides a suite of developer tools, client applications, XML Web services, and servers necessary to participate in this connected world.

These XML Web services provide reusable components built on industry standards that invoke capabilities from other applications independent of the way the applications were built, their operating system or platform, or the devices used to access them.

With XML Web services, developers can integrate applications inside enterprises and across network boundaries with partners and customers. This advance in computing—opening the door to federated collaboration and more efficient business-to-business and business-to-consumer services—can have a significant potential impact on revenue. Millions of others can use these components in varied combinations to produce highly personal, intelligent computing experiences.

Other .NET benefits in the Windows Server 2003 family help application developers to:

• Leverage their existing investments. Existing Windows-based applications continue to run on Windows Server 2003 and can be easily repackaged as XML Web services.
• Write less code and use the programming languages and tools they know. Application services are built into Windows Server 2003, such as ASP.NET, transaction monitoring, message queuing, and data access.
• Use process monitoring, recycling, and built-in instrumentation to provide reliability, availability, and scalability for their applications.

All of these benefits are in the improved application platform in Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition.

Key Features

Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, includes the features from Windows 2003, Standard Edition, and Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition. It also offers the following extra features and capabilities:

• Expanded physical memory space.  On 32-bit Intel platforms, Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, supports Physical Address Extension (PAE), which extends system memory capability to 64 GB of physical RAM. On 64-bit Intel platforms, memory support increases to an architectural maximum of 16 terabytes. The maximum memory capability supported by Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, on 64-bit Intel platforms, is 512 GB, which has been thoroughly tested.
• Intel Hyper-Threading support.  Intel Hyper-Threading Technology allows a single physical processor to execute multiple threads (instruction streams) simultaneously, potentially providing greater throughput and improved performance.
• Non-Uniform Memory Access (NUMA) support.  System firmware can create a table called the Static Resource Affinity Table that describes the NUMA topology of the system. Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, uses this table to improve the efficiency of the operating system by applying NUMA awareness to application processes, default affinity settings, thread scheduling, and memory management.
• Cluster service.  Server clusters provide high availability and disaster tolerance for mission-critical database management, file sharing, intranet data sharing, messaging, and general business applications. With Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, and Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, cluster service size has increased from four-node clusters to eight-node clusters. This provides increased flexibility for adding and removing hardware in a geographically dispersed cluster environment, as well as providing improved scaling options for applications. Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, also allows server clusters to be deployed in a variety of different configurations, in particular:
  • Single cluster configurations with dedicated storage.
  • Multiple clusters on a storage area network (SAN)—potentially with other Windows servers or operating systems.
• 64-bit support.  Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The 64-bit version is optimized for intensive memory or computational tasks, such as mechanical design, computer-aided design (CAD), professional graphics, high-end database systems, and scientific applications. The 64-bit version includes support for Itanium-based processors.
• Multiprocessor support.  The 32-bit product version supports systems with up to 32-way SMP, and the 64-bit version supports up to 64-way SMP. To support more than 32 processors, the 64-bit version is required. For support of 128-processor systems, Microsoft offers a 128-way version of Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition. However, the largest partition supported is 64 processors.
• Direct access for SANs with Windows Sockets.  Windows Sockets applications that use Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) can now obtain the performance benefits of SANs without making application modifications. The fundamental component of this technology is a Windows Sockets layered service provider that emulates TCP/IP semantics over native SAN service providers.
• Terminal Services Session Directory.  Terminal Services Session Directory is a load balancing feature that allows users to easily reconnect to a disconnected session on a server farm running Terminal Services. Session Directory is compatible with the Windows Server 2003 load balancing service, and is supported by third-party, external load balancer products.
• Windows System Resource Manager.  In Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, and Windows Server 2003, the Datacenter Edition, the Windows System Resource Manager (WSRM) feature enables an administrator to allocate CPU and memory utilization on a per-application basis. This is a useful tool for server consolidation.

Summary

Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, offers significant reliability, scalability, and manageability improvements compared to Windows 2000 Datacenter Server. Microsoft designed this edition of the operating system to support mission-critical workloads in enterprise data centers. The result is a highly productive infrastructure optimized for running the most demanding applications and services.

The key element distinguishing Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, from other editions of the Windows Server 2003 family is the strong community of OEMs, IHVs, and ISVs. These experts work together to ensure that Windows 2003, Datacenter Edition, is the most robust, reliable, secure, available, manageable, and supportable platform possible. These companies are actively involved with customers of Windows 2003, Datacenter Edition, and are committed to partnering with them over the lifetime of their systems. This partnership makes Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition, unlike any other platform solution available today.

Links

Windows 2003 Homepage

Overview of Windows Server 2003, Data Center Edition