• Sidebar: New R2 Label Signals Minor Release
• Illustration: DFS and Branch Offices

The next release of Windows Server, code-named Windows Server 2003 R2 and currently available in a technology preview, offers improved support for branch offices, particularly when used for file or print servers. Improvements to the Distributed File System (DFS) and File Replication Service make it easier to publish files to branch offices, replicate files from branch offices, or support loose document collaboration between offices; a new management console allows administrators to view and manage all the printers in an organization from any server using the new OS.

Along with other improvements, such as identity federation and better support for storage area networks (SANs), these improvements are designed to encourage customers to upgrade and deploy the latest version of Windows Server. However, organizations will have to evaluate them carefully to ensure that they work within the confines of their IT infrastructure and business processes.

(The term "R2" is explained in the sidebar "New R2 Label Signals Minor Release".)

Branch Offices

Microsoft defines a branch or remote office as a site that provides specific support for one or more business functions and uses an IT infrastructure that is managed from a central or hub site. Many organizations use this basic structure to distribute business functions and the IT resources those business functions need. For example, a bank will often have a main office and several branch offices to serve customers in different parts of a city or state.

Microsoft says that branch offices account for nearly 25 percent of installed x86-based servers in the United States. These branch office servers provide basic infrastructure services, such as file storage and printing, e-mail and collaboration, and line-of-business applications and services. Organizations deploy servers in branch offices to provide better performance than they can get when using clients in a branch that are connected by WANs to central office computers.

The main problem with deploying servers in branch offices is that branches seldom have dedicated IT staff. Instead, the central IT staff usually attempts to support the branch servers and applications remotely, which often requires either working with an ad hoc or undertrained administrator at the branch site or sending a trained administrator or technician to the branch.

Windows Server 2003 R2 contains a number of improvements to help it perform better in branch offices without dedicated IT staff.

File Server Role Improvements

Changes to DFS and the replacement of the File Replication Service with DFS Replication are the most important branch-office improvements in Windows Server 2003 R2.

DFS Provides Shared Folders

Organizations currently use the Windows Server DFS to create a group of shared folders that are presented to users as a virtual tree of folders called the "DFS namespace." These DFS namespaces allow the following functions:

Simplified access to files and folders. The DFS namespace makes file paths transparent to users—for example, changing the name of a file server does not affect how users or applications access data.

Simplified maintenance. Because the DFS namespace eliminates machine name dependencies, it is easier for IT to consolidate file servers or to migrate data between servers, again without affecting how users or applications locate their data.

Increased savings. DFS can reduce storage expenses by more efficiently utilizing existing resources.

Fault-tolerant file access. DFS can transparently and efficiently (using a performance cost-based algorithm) route users to an available server should the server closest to them fail, even if the available server is in a different physical location.

High availability and performance. DFS can distribute computing loads, making data highly available. In environments where multiple servers have thousands of users, file server response is enhanced.

R2 Enables Multisite DFS

With previous versions of Windows, DFS was typically used within a single site or with servers connected with a very high bandwidth link, such as a LAN, due to problems with how files were replicated.

To overcome these limitations, Windows Server 2003 R2 replaces the existing File Replication Service with a new multimaster service that replicates changes on one server to other servers. This new DFS Replication Service uses a Remote Differential Compression (RDC) protocol to analyze changes to the data, including insertions, removals, and updates, and then replicates only the changes (deltas) to minimize use of bandwidth. (For more details on how files are replicated, see the illustration "DFS and Branch Offices".)

These replication improvements make DFS more practical for branch office scenarios, such as replicating critical branch office data to the central site or providing access to a central site server if the server in a branch office fails, by ensuring that the replication of changes does not overwhelm the available network bandwidth.

Other Improvements for Branches

In addition to the changes to DFS, changes to the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) make it easier for administrators in central offices and less sophisticated administrators in branches to manage branch servers.

The MMC is a tool that administrators use to create, save, and open administrative tools or snap-ins that in turn manage the hardware, software, and network components of the Windows OS.

MMC 2.1, a new version slated for inclusion in Windows Server 2003 R2, includes the following improvements:

Action pane. A new pane at the right side of the MMC console lists the actions the administrator can perform on the currently selected items. Previously, administrators often struggled to know which tasks they could perform on various items displayed in the MMC.

Snap-in dialog box. Improvements to the MMC snap-in dialog box make it easier for administrators to add, organize, and remove snap-ins from the console.

Improved error handling. Administrators receive better error messages from failing snap-ins and have more options with how to handle any errors.

New Snap-In Aids Printing

Although the MMC by itself does not perform administrative functions, it hosts the tools or snap-ins that do.

One new snap-in is the Print Management Console (PMC), which provides administrators with a single interface for managing all the printers connected to all print servers within an organization, rather than having to connect to each individual print server. By allowing one-to-many remote management, the PMC makes it easier for IT departments to manage branch servers configured for the print server role.

With the PMC, administrators can monitor printer errors, deploy printer connections to clients, automatically find and install printers in a local branch, and run configuration scripts. The PMC provides up-to-the-minute details such as the queue status, printer name, the number of jobs, driver name, and server name. Administrators can set custom views with the PMC's filtering capability—for example, an administrator could view only printers in a particular error state or only printers in a specific branch office that have more than one job in the queue. In cases in which a printer has an internally generated printer management Web page, the PMC can display troubleshooting details, such as exactly where a paper jam is happening or the printer's toner level.

Other Help for Branch Offices

Although Windows Server 2003 R2 contains several improvements for supporting branch offices, successful deployment of IT infrastructure and line-of-business applications to branch offices requires careful planning.

To help organizations manage the deployment of IT resources in branch offices to ensure efficient and standardized use of hardware, software, and administration resources, and faster and more complete recovery of data in the event of a disaster, Microsoft has developed prescriptive architectural guidance and created a set of tools known as the Branch Office Infrastructure Solution (BOIS), which can be downloaded for free.

The BOIS provides conceptual information to help companies define and deploy a streamlined branch office infrastructure, as well as prescriptive guidance and best practices for implementing a complete, lab-validated single-server solution for the branch office using included automated deployment tools.

In addition to improving branch office support in Windows Server 2003 R2 and releasing guidance, Microsoft is improving branch office support in other Windows Server System products, such as Systems Management Server (SMS) and Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM). For example, at TechEd in June 2005, Microsoft announced that its Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server would support Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) caching in the future to facilitate the transfer of software updates to branch offices. This suggests a drive to convince customers to deploy the latest version of Windows and other products at branch offices.

Availability and Resources

Windows Server 2003 R2 is currently available as a technology preview. The product is expected to ship before the end of 2005.

Windows Server 2003 R2 requires Windows Server 2003 SP1.

To use the DFS, Active Directory (AD) schema must be updated by running the AD Preparation program (adprep.exe) to include the new DFS objects, and the servers that will participate in the DFS must run Windows Server 2003 R2. The DFS must be installed on all the member servers, and all member servers in a replication group must be in the same AD forest.

Antivirus software may have to be upgraded to be compatible with DFS.

A server must be configured for the Print Server role in order to install the PMC.

A preview of Windows Server 2003 R2 can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/r2/default.mspx.

A reviewer's guide outlining the new and updated features is at www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/R2/overview/revguide.mspx.

Information on Microsoft initiatives targeting branch offices is at www.microsoft.com/branchoffice.

The Branch Office Infrastructure Solution (BOIS) can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5624f3a5-b379-41c1-80f6-df3228cb2622&displaylang=en.