Network Changes Affect Windows Server 2012

New and improved networking features in Windows Server 2012 (formerly Windows Server 8) include significant changes to the Server Message Block (SMB) file and print-sharing protocol and network interface card (NIC) support. In addition to improving server performance and reliability, the primarily network-focused changes also impact data storage and contribute to an organization’s ability to host more server applications or virtual machines (VMs) on the same physical server. However, the benefits may require an organization to upgrade to Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012, acquire new hardware, and redesign existing networks to fully utilize the new capabilities.

SMB Protocol Improvements

The SMB protocol has been Microsoft’s primary file- and print-sharing technology since MS-Net and LAN Manager, the earliest Windows networking technologies. SMB supports connecting computers on a network using software called a redirector that runs on the SMB client computer to create and manage sessions with an SMB server. SMB servers share resources, such as files and printers. Users and applications running on the SMB clients use Universal Naming Convention (UNC) paths (in the format \computernamepathname) to access the shared files and printers.