New Server Release on Windows Roadmap

Improved remote access and simpler installation of existing capabilities are among the goals of a Windows Server 2003 release code-named R2 and planned for 2005. R2 introduces some important new capabilities for hosting extranets and business-to-business Web services, and it could raise the visibility of Windows Server’s capabilities for portal and team Web site hosting, document security, and much more. Microsoft has also added at least two years to the Mainstream support phase of Windows XP, from the end of 2006 to at least the end of 2008, and has added three years of Extended support to Windows 2000. These changes, and the announcement of R2, could have important implications for companies currently running Windows NT 4.0 and 2000.

(See the illustration “Future Windows Releases“.)

Update to Windows Server in 2005

An update to the current version of Windows Server is planned for late 2005. The update will add some new features and roll together several of the numerous feature packs that add capabilities to Windows Server. Following R2 will be a major release of the server OS that will support the next full Windows client release, Windows Longhorn Client, and bring together the Windows client and server code bases.