Windows 7 Integrates with Windows Server 2008 R2

To give organizations compelling reasons to upgrade servers and client PCs at the same time, Microsoft is integrating key features of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Organizations that upgrade both clients and servers simultaneously could benefit from new features such as DirectAccess, which helps remote users connect to their organization’s internal network, and BranchCache, which reduces network file server traffic between the main and branch offices. But getting access to these integrated features comes at the cost of deploying the Enterprise edition of Windows 7.

New Integrated Features

DirectAccess and BranchCache are available when Windows 7 clients are used with Windows Server 2008 R2 servers.

DirectAccess

Many organizations use a virtual private network (VPN), which enables the creation of a private network on top of an exposed network, such as the Internet, to support remote users connecting to an internal corporate network. Typically, a VPN connection requires that the user initiate the session, and in some cases, it may even require a specialized VPN client application.