We do not have a computer where we are staying, so I am posting via my UTstarcom connected via wireless. [At least I thought I was. IE on the UT did not allow me to hit the Blogger Post button! :(]
The TechNet - Future of the Server Room tour was jam packed with Longhorn/Server 2008 roles, features, tools, and demos.
I can see a lot of potential in Microsoft's new server OS. While Microsoft has been touting Longhorn for quite a while, from what I was hearing yesterday at the conference,it is only in the new Beta 3 that we are seeing what will be close to the final form.
Look to the new version of Terminal Services with TS hosted applications to be a "killer app". One will not need to log onto a dedicated TS desktop in this case. One will be able to run, say, a TS hosted Word session on the local desktop client with minimal fuss. Talk about potential for recycling old systems as dumb terminals.
Us SBSers will be familiar with the new method of connecting to the TS App server too: RPC over HTTPS. Talk about removing a bandwidth bottleneck by eliminating the VPN connection.
Neat!
Another set of Longhorn features that will be totally relevant to us SBSers is Server Core - a command line only extremely small footprint version of the OS that can run on very low end hardware like say a P IV 1.6 GHz with 512 MB of RAM. And, it will handle all of the local network Active Directory, file sharing, and more without breaking a sweat.
As far as that Branch Office Active Directory is concerned, it can be Read Only with cached credentials. Set everything up in the main office, and send the box over to the branch to be plugged in and turned on. Local users will then authenticate against the already cached credentials hosted on the Core box.
Talk about an important step for the Branch Office scenario.
Branch box get stolen? There are management features in Active Directory to immediately reset all of the relevant accounts along with the now gone Core server.
I am hoping that our application to be on the SBS Cougar beta test will be accepted. Based on what I Have been seeing, SBS Cougar is going to really ROCK!
We received a DVD of Beta 3 which is nice as it will save us somewhere north of 4 GB of download bandwidth.
As soon as I have a bit of time, I will be installing LH/W2K8 Beta 3!
Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists
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