New Storage Management Features in Windows Server 2003 R2

Two new storage management tools will be included in the next release of Windows Server, code-named Windows Server 2003 R2—a minor update due in late 2005. File Server Resource Manager (FSRM) helps system administrators control the amount and types of data that can be stored in various directories, and Storage Manager for SANs (storage area networks) makes it easier for them to configure SAN disk arrays compliant with Windows Server 2003’s Virtual Disk Service.

File Server Resource Manager

FSRM is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 3.0 snap-in plus several new background services. FSRM allows system administrators to manage disk storage quotas on R2 servers, control what kinds of files are permitted to be stored on them, and generate reports on disk usage. The FSRM management console includes context-sensitive Action panes that guide administrators through various configuration tasks, exploiting a new capability in MMC 3.0 (For an illustration, see “File Server Resource Manager“.)