Dustin Hannifin, a Systems Engineer with Crowe Chizek and Company, LLC, who attended TechEd 2006 at the Boston Convention Center last week gives us some insights of the new Longhorn Server features. It's basically a summary of presentation called Ten Reasons to Prepare for Windows Server Code Named "Longhorn" given by Ward Ralston, Sr. Technical Product Manager, Microsoft and Nuo Yan, Microsoft MVP - Windows Shell/User.1. Security Improvements
BitLocker is a much anticipated Vista client feature, however Ward explains BitLocker can be used to better secure servers in branch offices where servers are sometimes placed in low security areas. Longhorn server also will verify integrity of all OS protected files. Longhorn server will give adminstrators the ability to block new device installs on their servers to keep people from plugging in those pesky USB drives. The coolest part of this feature is that it’s granular enough that you can specify what you want to allow to be installed.
2. Network Access Protection
Nuo gave an quick drill-down of the Network Access Protection (NAP) feature. This is one of the features I personally see as one of the biggest benefits of Longhorn Server. NAP will allow you to create system health policies for your organization. If clients do not meet those requirements they can be placed into a restriced VLAN to remediate the problem. Afterwhich the client will be placed into the corporate LAN. This can be enforced through DHCP, VPN including Microsoft and 3rd party VPN solutions, 802.1X, and IPsec. NAP will work with both Vista and XP clients without additional client installation.
3. Terminal Services
Several new capabilities have been added to the Terminal Services feature suite. A new Terminal Service gateway will allow you to encapsulate RDP inside of an HTTPS session for external access to internal Terminal Servers. Terminal Services Remote programs brings a feature from the Citrix world that provides published application type functionality. This will give the user only a window displaying a particular application, not the entire OS interface.
4. Complete Redesign of TCP/IP
Longhorn server includes both the IPv4 and IPv6 installed. Ward explained a lot of in-depth information related to network improvements too lengthy to explain in this post. Stay tuned for more information on this topic.
5. Directory Services Improvements
Longhorn now provides a "restart-able" Active Directory to give you the ability to restart AD just like any other service. Read only domain controllers (RODC) will also provide you the ability to better secure those Branch Office (BO) DCs. You can place a non-writeable DC in remote locations. RODC’s do not store the full AD credentials but only those needed for that office.
6. Server Core
Only the AD, DNS, DHCP, and File System features are installed. Server Core is a 500MB install and can be administered from other servers as it is only command line capable. This keeps a server very bare-bone for those 4 roles.
7. Improved Unix Interoperability
Microsoft continues to include more features to better work with Unix/Linux environments including password synchronization. You will be able to emulate and port linux apps on windows servers.
8. Reliability and Performance
Longhorn now includes a new performance and diagnostic console. This is one of the few features I have had time to check out and this task manager replacement provides tons of great info about your system. You can also use the reliability monitor to get a wholistic view of what’s going on with your server.
9. New Application Server Features
The most impressive part of this feature is the new IIS 7 capabilities. Ward presented a high-level overview of IIS 7. Several other sessions present IIS 7 more in-depth.
10. Management Improvements
Install now just requires product key and location you want to install. No more 50 prompts that you have to step through for the install. You will be able to select key and path for install and go grab coffee. Longhorn server includes the new Server Manager to do most all tasks within the Server OS. This interface provides a great view into the different roles of the server.
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