Shivaram_MS: Hello everyone

DeepakG[MS]: Hello Everyone...

DeepakG[MS]: Today we have with us Shivaram Venkatesh

DeepakG[MS]: He works with Microsoft as a Technical Specialist, and today he'll share with us what is new in the upcoming Windows.NET Server

DeepakG[MS]: Over to you Shivaram

Shivaram_MS: Hello everyone, what would you like to know about Windows.NET server

Shivaram_MS: since there are no questions so far, let me start with a brief intro to the new variant of the Windows powerhouse

Shivaram_MS: Windows.NET server is the latest (upcoming) version of the Windows server. It offers many new features apart from increasing raw server performance

Shivaram_MS: the new features are in the web server (IIS 6.0), Active Directory, the .NET framework and CLR and we also have a new version of the server now purely for web serving only

Shivaram_MS: we also have a 64 bit version which is slated to be released along with the 32 bit version

DeepakG[MS]: (Ayesha): Well I have some questions for you. Could you tell me something about server roles?

Shivaram_MS: well now in Windows.NET server, we have specific 'roles' for the server. When you install Windows.NEt server, you are asked which role do you want it to perform: Terminal server, Ad, DNS only, file server, web server etc.

Shivaram_MS: this helps to optimize the performance and restrict the activity of the server to specific roles in the organization hierarchy

Shivaram_MS: i'm done with the roles question

DeepakG[MS]: (Anand_MVP): Is it necessary to install VS.NET in Windows.NET Server. Will it be installed automatically

Shivaram_MS: I am assuming that you mean the CLR in Windows.NET server. If this is what you meant, then NO, the CLR comes installed with Windows.NEt server

Shivaram_MS: VS.NEt is s separate product altogether.

DeepakG[MS]: (Ayesha): Thanks Shivaram. Now, in Win2K when I connect to a terminal server, if the server goes down my session goes down too. Is there any way you can take care of this?

Shivaram_MS: Yes in Windows.NET server, Enterprise edition, we have something called a 'session directory' which maintains information about a user's active session and which server he is currently connected to. So in the rare case of a failure of the TS, the session d

Shivaram_MS: This session directory can also be optimized to work over a cluster if required...

DeepakG[MS]: (AnandN_MVP): How much RAM is required to install Windows.NET server - to run smoothly ?

Shivaram_MS: Regarding the amount of RAM for Windows.NET server, it is generally a subjective question. But 256 MB of RAM would be good to run Windows.NET server in its basic configuration.

Shivaram_MS: However, you should also note that 'optimum' RAM is always dependent on the application being run on that server

DeepakG[MS]: (Ayesha): Thanks for yr reply. What's new on Active Directory

Shivaram_MS: Active directory now is highly optimized for large enterprises. You can have more number of objects per container(no limit), you can rename your domain (under drastic circumstances), cross-forest trusts are possible, better optimization for branch domain

Shivaram_MS: both for developers and system admins, AD now offers better management, easier configuration, more tools and of course now cross forest trusts as I said earlier

Shivaram_MS: i'm done with Active Directory question

DeepakG[MS]: (AnandN_MVP): can I install products like office 2000 and officexp in Windows .NET

Shivaram_MS: yes you can, both on single user mode and on the terminal server mode (application mode)

DeepakG[MS]: (Ayesha) How is IIS 6 improved over IIS 5? What are the new features?

Shivaram_MS: well, that is a question which requires a lot of space !. But here are the salient differences

Shivaram_MS: 1: Greater very high security. Everything in IIS 6.0 comes locked down, the administrator has to decide clearly what features and functions require to function

Shivaram_MS: 2: Application now are highly isolated. The new ode for this is the default isolation mode. Hence when 1 app breaks, it does not interfere with other apps on the same IIS box

Shivaram_MS: 3: More web sites per server

Shivaram_MS: 4: https.sys runs now in kernel mode, better performance and higher throughput

Shivaram_MS: 5: Lastly, very high performance when compared to IIS 5.0

DeepakG[MS]: (AnandN_MVP): Can I install Windows.NET and Windows 2000 professional on a single system - as a dual boot

Shivaram_MS: well, the true answer to that question is why would you dual boot a production server? If you are using it purely for test, then yes, nothing will stop you from dual booting the server

Shivaram_MS: I'm done with both the IIS and the dual boot questions...

DeepakG[MS]: (Ayesh): Does the .NET Server provide any new security features and improvements?

Shivaram_MS: good question: Let me answer this again in points

Shivaram_MS: 1: Firstly, blank passwords are NOT permitted on the server. This is something that will definitely help

Shivaram_MS: 2: PKCS algorithms now support NIST standards for cryptography - basically means higher security for hashed stuff

Shivaram_MS: 3: IPsec over NAT is something which would definitely help many organizations. This is very highly optimized and secure now in Windows.NET server

Shivaram_MS: IIS 6.0 is also very secure now and any scripts that run, will always have to be explicitly allowed before they execute

Shivaram_MS: 5: Lastly, all applications run in much more secure environments within their boundaries than previously done.

Shivaram_MS: I'm done with the security questions

DeepakG[MS]: (AnandN_MVP): Will there be new versions of IE and OE along with Windows .NET?

Shivaram_MS: No, they are basically version 6

DeepakG[MS]: (AnandN_MVP): Can I execute classic asp files With windows.net AnandN_MVP: Can I execute classic asp files With windows.net

Shivaram_MS: yes there is no reason why you should not be able to...

DeepakG[MS]: (Ayesha): Well Shivaram, how about the media services?

Shivaram_MS: well now with the new media encoder, media player series 9 and the addition of more capture cards by the WHQL, media services now really rocks both in Unicast and multicast station broadcasts/streams

Shivaram_MS: with the 64 bit version of Win.NET server, you should see tremendous response from the media streaming web server to all broadcast points and publishing stations

DeepakG[MS]: WHQL - Windows Hardware Quality Labs - they check all the new cards for compatibility and driver quality with Windows.NET

DeepakG[MS]: (Vishal): What are new features for storage management on .net server?

Shivaram_MS: well there are plenty of features, but one of them really stands out "Volume shadow copy" This feature lets you take snapshots of your shared drives/folders/files/databases at a point in time and then lets you either back it up at schedules

Shivaram_MS: this enables the administrator to take snapshots of huge volumes of data EVEN when the applications using those files/data are online and writing to them!

Shivaram_MS: this feature works in conjunction with the VSS (volume copies services)

Shivaram_MS: we also now have a new storage manager to co-ordinate all storage activity and journal them

Shivaram_MS: I'm done with the storage question

DeepakG[MS]: (AnandN_MVP): Can I install java (JDK) on Windows .NET

Shivaram_MS: yes surely , why not?

DeepakG[MS]: (Ayesha): Can you tell me something about the enhanced clustering support the .Net server provides?

Shivaram_MS: yes, cluster support has been greatly enhanced in Windows.NET server. We now support upto 8 nodes in a cluster in the Enterprise edition and data center edition. much improved over the 2 node and 4 node in Win adv svr and Win2K data center server

Shivaram_MS: apart from that, we also now let the admin password etc be changed while the cluster service is online. This is useful when you have multiple nodes etcc. in a cluster

Shivaram_MS: we also now support bi-directional affinity for ISA clusters, SAn devices arbitration for lesser resets in the SAn cluster

Shivaram_MS: the 8 nodes cluster support also covers NLB (network load balancing) by the way

Shivaram_MS: we have tremendously enhanced terminal server support in Windows.NEt server

Shivaram_MS: more users per server, session directory, cluster support etc.

Shivaram_MS: we now also have a mail service for POP3. Windows.NET server now supports POP3 users who can use POP3 clients and download their mails from the server

DeepakG[MS]: (AnandN_MVP): What's after Windows .NET - Any idea

Shivaram_MS: well well, keeping confidentiality intact, it will be a revolutionary Windows system, the likes of which I am sure you will look forward to.

Shivaram_MS: but that is all I can say about that now !

DeepakG[MS]: Last Question.. we'll wind off after this...

DeepakG[MS]: (Ayesha): Shivaram, could you throw some light on "XML Web Services"

Shivaram_MS: well, with the new .NET framework and clr in place XML is really the way .NET server will communicate and also help web services applications to work efficiently in ASP.NET

Shivaram_MS: with .NET server, you are now ready for actually deploying XML web services

Shivaram_MS: so if you plan to develop web services and deploy web services, you have the right platform

Shivaram_MS: I'm done with the last question

Shivaram_MS: thanks everyone for participating in this chat

DeepakG[MS]: Thanks Shivaram for taking time for this chat off your hectic schedule..

DeepakG[MS]: For those of you who are new these chats..

DeepakG[MS]: we have these chats every week!

DeepakG[MS]: where one of the Microsoft experts answers your questions

DeepakG[MS]: Next week's chat is on SQL Server 2000 Replication...

DeepakG[MS]: it will be taken by Saptak Sen, he works as an application development consultant for Microsoft India

DeepakG[MS]: It will be at same time 4:00 - 5:00 PM IST on next Friday

DeepakG[MS]: you can keep a tab on upcoming chats at http://www.experiencedotnet.com/

DeepakG[MS]: looking forward to seeing everyone next week!

DeepakG[MS]: bye!