Windows Server 2008 RTM available for download to TechNet Plus Subscribers!

Just like Windows Vista was available to us earlier than anywhere else, Windows Server 2008 Gold (Release To Market) is now available for download to TechNet Plus subscribers!

Go get your bits folks ... this is the real McCoy!

Microsoft TechNet Site.

From the TechNet Download Page:

Description

This file contains the following:

• Windows Server 2008 Datacenter: Windows Server® 2008 Datacenter delivers an enterprise-class platform for deploying business-critical applications. Help improve availability with clustering and dynamic partitioning capabilities. Help improve security with consolidated identity management features. Reduce infrastructure costs by consolidating applications with virtualization licensing rights. Windows Server 2008 Datacenter provides a foundation on which to build enterprise-class virtualization and scale-up solutions.
• Windows Server 2008 Enterprise: Windows Server® 2008 Enterprise delivers an enterprise-class platform for deploying business-critical applications. Improve availability with failover clustering. Improve security with consolidated identity management features. Reduce infrastructure costs by consolidating applications with virtualization licensing rights. Windows Server 2008 Enterprise provides the foundation for a highly dynamic, scalable IT infrastructure.
• Windows Server 2008 Standard: Windows Server® 2008 is the most robust Windows Server operating system to date. With built-in, enhanced Web and virtualization capabilities, it is designed to increase the reliability and flexibility of your server infrastructure while helping save time and reduce costs. Powerful tools give you greater control over your servers and streamline configuration and management tasks. Plus, enhanced security features work to harden the operating system to help protect your data and network and provide a solid, highly-dependable foundation for your business.

How to Install

During setup, select the operating system you want to install, and a Full or Server Core installation. A Server Core installation provides a minimal environment for running specific server roles, which reduces the maintenance and management requirements and the attack surface for those server roles. For additional information on Server Core installation, and the server roles supported by Server Core, see http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/editions/core.mspx.

Both x86 and x64 editions are available for download.

If you do not have a TechNet Plus membership, they come in a variety of flavours with the least expensive being the download only version.

We have a DVD subscription because some downloads do not remain around for ever and we like to have archived versions of everything without soaking our bandwidth.

Also, for some geographical areas, search around and see if there are some discount codes available for you.

Time to open the brain sponge ... there is lots to learn in this one. And, keep in mind that any foretaste of Windows Server 2008 that we get now will prepare us for Cougar which is not too far around the corner.

For those of us that deal with Branch Office scenarios, like us Canucks with such a huge geography, Server Core will be the "killer app". Check it out.

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

*All Mac on SBS posts are posted on our in-house iMac via the Safari Web browser.