Things we like or dislike about Server 2008

[Dos_Box]

Just a quick place to put any comments about Server 2008 new features and things you have noticed.

To start off I like the speed of it. With the new kernel it is quite nippy on a machine that Vista ran like a dog on (3.0Ghz Pentium D, 2GB DDR II RAM). This may bode well for Vista SP1 when it get the new kernel.

[Dos_Box]

Mind you, NetSupport Managers remote CTRL-ALT-DEL doesn't work on it

Even on the latest NSM release (10.20.07).

[mattx]

Give me a chance, I have not had a chance to load it yet !!

[localzuk]

I don't like how the whole network settings part has been rearranged. It is a clunky system now, with too many sub windows to get to things.

[Dos_Box]

Yup. They've gone down the Vista route of trying to steer peope away from things that they don't want people to play with. With a server OS playing with its fiddly settings is the point!

[localzuk]

Oh, another thing is the fact that you can't activate server core if you use a proxy, as it requires internet explorer to be installed to do that.

 

And that to activate, you have to go in search of the activation link to actually do it, rather than being prompted.

[Geoff]

What? No. Surely you can use SLMGR to activate it?

[localzuk]

According to the MSDN documentation you can't...

[Nick_Parker]

I'm actually having some problems updating mine, do I REALLY have to setup a KMS whatsit server just to activate it?

[localzuk]

I'm actually having some problems updating mine, do I REALLY have to setup a KMS whatsit server just to activate it?

 

No, if you can log in to the microsoft licensing site, you can install it using a MAK key - which you can request via the site.

[Sylv3r]

I've had a quick play with it and not noticed anything worth mentioning as of yet.

 

But have just watched the latest http://www.itidiots.com video on Terminal Services on Windows 2008 and looks really interesting and worth a play.

[kingswood]

I like Server 2008 a lot. I have been playing around with it for about a year now, and watched it mature nicely. Just this past hour I have made my Server 2008 machine the new DC for my test domain, and successfully transferred all users and settings etc over to it. The forest and adprep went really well (after I forced replication on the 2003 Servers) and subsequent configuration through the new management console made it quite easy to navigate through all the roles and things that I needed to add and configure.

 

For me, then, Server 2008 wins on a number of fronts:

 

1. New MMC tools make configuring a breeze and consolidate a lot of tools that we had separately in 2003/2000 Server (even though you could make your own, some of the additional tools in Server 2008 on the MMC are better).

 

2. Terminal Services are superb- after having watch itidiots demonstrate this service on the OS I decided to give it a shot. It really is good!

 

3. Improved security- NAP- and other improvements (some found in Vista). Things like shrinking a volume on a dynamic disk when you need to without using DISKPART or some other tool is handy.

 

4. Server Core. Fantastic. Enough said.

 

5. Speed and stability: I have never had Server 2008 crash on me in a year- even with debug code loaded to the edge of it. It's now even faster since they took that stuff out, and even with Aero on it still runs nicely :-)

 

I could go on. But I think this is something you have to try for a few weeks to get a feel for it. Slap it into a VM or two and have a play.

 

Cons:

 

I agree that the network configuration tools are bad. Really bad. Bring back the ease of management of 2003 Server there I say (for Vista and 2008 Server). The overall interface too needs a bit of work- some of the interface elements seem really archaic when compared with the Vista Aero interface; if you turn on the Aero look it actually seems more streamlined. I guess some will like it and some won't. Having Aero on a server though adds another attack vector that we could do without though.

 

Just some thoughts from the trenches...

 

Paul

[CyberNerd]

Does the new terminal services RDP (rdp 7?) work in legacy mode

Is there compatibility with linux/OSX/JAVA clients, or is this MS's way of squashing citrix and ensuring windows apps can only run on windows clients? (judging by citrix website they seem to have ditched TS in favour of xen)

 

Is TS on non-MS platforms dead with 2008 server?

Also whats the state of legacy (16bit) applications on 2008 server?

[localzuk]

Does the new terminal services RDP (rdp 7?) work in legacy mode

Is there compatibility with linux/OSX/JAVA clients, or is this MS's way of squashing citrix and ensuring windows apps can only run on windows clients? (judging by citrix website they seem to have ditched TS in favour of xen)

 

Is TS on non-MS platforms dead with 2008 server?

Also whats the state of legacy (16bit) applications on 2008 server?

 

My guess on the 16bit question would be that they won't work - like in Vista, as 2008 Server is built on the vista codebase. But then, as Server 2008, and Vista are the last 32 bit OS's that are going to be made by Microsoft, this isn't surprising.

[CyberNerd]

Could cause problems for schools, we still have legacy apps on our TS.

any Idea about the new rdp running on linux, OS or win2000/XP(pre sp3)

[Nick_Parker]

Oh good, how many times can I use the MAK key tho?

[Sylv3r]

Could cause problems for schools, we still have legacy apps on our TS.

any Idea about the new rdp running on linux, OS or win2000/XP(pre sp3)

 

Im sure on the itidiots show it was mentioned that it will only work on XP SP3 or Vista.

[CyberNerd]

but is there a legacy mode on TS2008 that works without the citrix style published applications?

[localzuk]

Oh good, how many times can I use the MAK key tho?

 

It has assigned me with 50 MAK validations. So I don't really know how it works it out, as I'm only licensed for 5 copies of Windows Server.

[john]

Must admit Ive also enjoyed it, yes its Vistaised but that will do us good and get us used to that quicker and sooner so we feel happy with Vista soon Its only like XP was all over Server 2003, its the same "big" change as it were and no doubt we will soon be used to it.

[john]

It has assigned me with 50 MAK validations. So I don't really know how it works it out, as I'm only licensed for 5 copies of Windows Server.

Surely thats 10 activations per key then if you have 5 Licences and 50 goes.

[kingswood]

Must admit Ive also enjoyed it, yes its Vistaised but that will do us good and get us used to that quicker and sooner so we feel happy with Vista soon Its only like XP was all over Server 2003, its the same "big" change as it were and no doubt we will soon be used to it.

 

That's very true!

 

I think with NAP and other cool things that can happen between Vista and 2008 Server it will make it more compelling for businesses to upgrade. At the moment I think Microsoft have put themselves in an extremely strong position again in the server market. I wish Apple would take a leaf out of their book as far as Server development goes!!

 

Paul

[localzuk]

but is there a legacy mode on TS2008 that works without the citrix style published applications?

 

When you first install Terminal Services as a role it asks you if you wish to use Network Level Authentication or not. I am pretty sure that this means that you can only use the old style TS if you choose not to.

 

One of the things I am going to be investigating is the use of NAP + TS to publish applications for users to use at home, rather than using a VPN, as this would take forever and a day to organise...

Edited February 20, 2008 by localzuk

[Oops_my_bad]

I dont like network drives - they dont appear to other programs and only show up in my computer (eg I am trying to install a SIMS client to be used within terminal services, which requires an S: drive). SIMS and other applications cannot see this:(