• Chart: Windows Server 2003 Edition Differences
• Illustration: Web Edition as Application Front-end

Windows Server 2003, available in Apr. 2003, will add a new low-cost Web Edition licensed exclusively for use as a Web server to the traditional Standard, Enterprise (Advanced), and Datacenter Editions. Organizations and service providers will find that Web Edition is the least expensive way to deploy sites built on Microsoft technologies such as Internet Information Server (IIS) and ASP.NET, but the product contains no server or deployment features that are not part of other Windows server editions.

With its low cost, Web Edition also seems designed to provide a relatively inexpensive alternative to open-source Web server technologies, sometimes referred to as LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP).

Competitive Price, Restricted Usage

Web Edition is primarily designed as a low-cost alternative for all organizations, regardless of their size, that host their own sites, or for service providers that need to deploy many Web servers. Microsoft is promoting Web Edition as particularly well suited for organizations that want to host ASP.NET applications, and more specifically as the user interface tier of n-tier applications built with Microsoft technology. (See the illustration "Web Edition as Application Front End".)

With its attractive US$399 price, which is US$800 less than Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, customers may be tempted to use Web Edition in traditional server roles, such as for file and print services. But licensing restrictions specify that Web Edition can only be used for the deployment of Web pages, Web sites, Web applications, and Web services using a Web server (IIS) or Web farm management software (such as Application Center); or as a Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) or Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) mail server. Additionally, Microsoft prohibits using Web Edition for a fax, file and print, media, terminal, or routing and remote access server.

(For a brief summary of the differences between Web and Standard Edition, see the chart "Windows Server 2003 Edition Differences".)

These licensing restrictions are somewhat complex in practice. If the Web site is merely hosting Web pages for anonymous users, then no Client Access Licenses (CALs) are required. However, if the Web site or service requires users to be authenticated, then the appropriate CALs or External Connector Licenses are needed. (For more information on Windows Server 2003 pricing and licensing, see "Windows Server 2003 Pricing".)

The licensing terms for Web Edition allow it to host a database engine such as the Microsoft Desktop Engine (MSDE), but not to host SQL Server, Exchange, SharePoint Portal Server, or business applications such as enterprise resource planning (ERP) on the same server. Web Edition will actually block the execution of database servers, including SQL Server, IBM's DB2, and Oracle; and messaging servers, such as Exchange and IBM's Lotus Notes. Web Edition can be an Active Directory member server but cannot be a domain controller.

In addition, Microsoft is restricting the distribution of Web Edition—it will not be available through retailers or under an Open agreement, but only from OEMs and system builders, hosting organizations (such as Network Service Providers), and under Enterprise and Select Agreements.

Quick Web Deployment

Web Edition is the only version of Windows Server 2003 that completes setup of the server with IIS installed and configured to support static Web pages and the Web-based administration user interface (UI). This differs from other editions, where IIS is turned off by default for security purposes, because the main function of Web Edition is hosting Web sites or services.

Web Edition includes the Web-based administration UI originally developed as part of the Windows Embedded Server Appliance Kit. This Web-based UI allows administrators to manage and provision the server from a browser using HTTP.

Although licensing restrictions prohibit Web Edition from being used as a file server, 10 simultaneous file service connections can be made (without any requirement for a CAL) so administrators can publish content. This can be easier than using a File Transfer Protocol (FTP) connection. Likewise, to facilitate administration, administrators can use Remote Desktop for Administration for simultaneous access from two devices, and a single virtual private network (VPN) connection (per media type) to manage the server.

In addition to out-of-the-box support for Windows technologies such as IIS and ASP.NET for Web hosting, Network Load Balancing (NLB) can be used to create a Web farm and spread request load over all Web servers in the farm. Web Edition allows installation of agents for the Application Center or Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) management products. Some OEMs and system builders may choose to ship Web Edition as part of a headless server configuration.

ASP.NET Key Feature

In the competition against the open-source LAMP alternative, Windows Server 2003 Web Edition still faces challenges. Open-source Web products are not restricted from serving functions such as file or print, or even hosting alternative database engines such as Oracle or DB2.

By turning IIS on during installation and providing for Web-based administration, Web Edition may offer lower cost of ownership. But because LAMP products are generally cheaper or free, low cost won't be enough—rather, the acceptance of the company's popular ASP.NET Web development technology will be necessary to tip more Web hosting business Microsoft's way.

Resources

For more information on IIS 6.0, see "Rewritten IIS Anchors Windows .NET Server" on page 3 of the July 2002 Update.

For more information on ASP.NET and multitier applications, see the Dec. 2002 Research Report, "Windows .NET Server: Microsoft’s Application Server."

For information on Windows Server 2003, see www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003.

For information on Windows Server 2003 Web Edition, see www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/evaluation/overview/web.mspx.

For information on the Web UI from the Server Appliance Kit, see www.microsoft.com/windows/Embedded/sak/evaluation/overview/default.asp.