Executive Summary

Contributing analysts: Greg DeMichillie, Rob Helm, Rob Horwitz

Windows Server 2008 is an important update to Microsoft’s server OS. It continues efforts to harden the OS against attacks and to make the OS more manageable in branch offices. It also introduces a new network security technology (called Network Access Protection) that could protect organizations against compromised computers. However, Windows Server 2008 does not yet deliver Microsoft’s new Hyper-V virtualization technology, which is a critical improvement for server consolidation that will come about six months after the OS release. Windows Server 2008 customers will also have to test the OS carefully for application and hardware compatibility, and upgrade some of Microsoft’s own applications to run them on the new OS.

This report outlines improvements of Windows Server 2008 in the following areas:

• Server and security configuration and tools for managing server configurations
• The Active Directory user identity and computer