Windows Server 2008 R2 - Top ten reasons to upgrade

Here are the Top Ten reasons to upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2

1. Powerful Hardware and Scaling Features

R2 is the first Windows Server operating system to move solely to a 64-bit architecture. It also has several CPU-specific enhancements:

• it expands CPU support to enable customers to run with up to 256 logical processors.
• it supports Second Level Translation (SLAT), which enables R2 servers to run with much improved memory management.
• Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008 R2 can now access up to 32 logical CPUs on host computers—twice Hyper-V’s initial number of supported CPUs.

2. Reduced Power Consumption

Windows Server 2008 R2 enhances Server 2008’s power saving feature by adding Core Parking and expanding on power-oriented Group Policy settings. Control over power management on client PCs is enhanced in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7 to provide even more precise control in more deployment scenarios for even greater potential savings.

3. Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008 R2 also holds the new Hyper-V, designed to augment both existing virtual machine management as well as to address specific IT challenges, especially around server migration.
Hyper-V is an enabling technology for one of Windows Server 2008 R2’s marquee features, Live Migration. Moves between physical targets can now happen in milliseconds, which means migration operations become invisible to connected users. The new Hyper-V also has core performance enhancements.

4. Reduce Desktop Costs with VDI

Windows Server 2008 R2 contains enhanced Virtual Desktop Integration (VDI) technology, which extends the functionality of Terminal Services to deliver certain business programs to their employees’ remote desktops.

5. Easier and More Efficient Server Management

Features in the management oriented consoles include:

• Improved data center power consumption and management,
• Improved remote administration, including a remotely-installable Server Manager
• Improved identity management features
• Windows Server 2008 R2 also improves on the popular PowerShell feature, which includes more than 240 new pre-built cmdlets. The new GUI includes colored syntaxing, new production script debugging capabilities, and new testing tools.

6. Managing Data, Not just Managing Storage

Windows Server 2008 R2 gives IT administrators the tools for managing data as well as storage with the new File Classification Infrastructure (FCI), which builds an extensible and automated classification mechanism on top of existing shared file architectures.

7. Ubiquitous Remote Access

Windows Server 2008 R2 introduces a new type of connectivity called DirectAccess—a powerful way for remote users to seamlessly access corporate resources without requiring a traditional VPN connection and client software. With DirectAccess, every user is considered remote all of the time. IT professionals retain precise access control and full perimeter security, helping to ease both desktop security and management headaches on both sides of the connection.

8. Improved Branch Office Performance and Management

Windows Server 2008 R2 introduces a feature called BranchCache, which reduces WAN utilization and improves the responsiveness of network applications. With BranchCache, clients who request access to data on the organization's network are sent directions to the file on the local (branch office) network if the file has ever been requested there before. If the file is stored locally, those clients get immediate high-speed access.

9. Simplified Management for SMBs

R2 provides SMB and mid-market customers with a rich landscape of Microsoft product offerings, from Small Business Server up to Windows Essential Business Server and now Windows Server 2008 Standard. All SKUs are being outfitted with new management tools to make SMB IT pro life easier. Active Directory’s new Active Directory Administration Center is one example—all those disparate management GUIs now hosted in a single interface and all based on PowerShell. Additionally, there are the Best Practice Analyzers, and the Windows Server Backup utility, now upgraded.

10. The Strongest Web and Application Server to Date

Windows Server 2008 R2 includes many updates that make it the best Windows Server application platform yet, but one of the most important is the new Internet Information Services 7.5 (IIS 7.5).

Windows 2008 R2 – Your Next Step

Principal IT is here to help you make the right decision. Please phone 0333 240 8130 for further information