Introducing Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008

Microsoft has issued new versions of two of its key servers, and both have features that should interest the NHS. 


The Windows Server series is the IT workhorse of many organisations worldwide. Now there is a new version - Windows Server 2008 – with features to simplify deployment, meet increasingly stringent security needs and enable virtualisation.

Meanwhile, a new version of Microsoft’s data management server, SQL Server, has also been issued. Here we look at some of the key features of both releases - and why NHS IT managers should be interested in them.

Playing a role: easy server management

One of the key features of Windows Server 2008 is Server Core. This provides high-availability server functions, yet requires fewer components and updates and less servicing – Microsoft promises up to 50 per cent fewer updates than a full installation.

This means less management overhead. On the security front, it also means fewer inroads for attackers. Each deployment is managed through a simple configuration and maintenance console, called Server Manager. “With Windows Server 2008, we’re driving towards a more predictable, secure and manageable infrastructure, where machines are configured uniformly and comply with an organisation’s information governance rules.”

“Health organisations use the rich functionality of Windows Server for many different purposes,” says Microsoft technology strategist and UK healthcare team member Nick Umney.

“Server Core is about applying server ‘roles’ to each machine. Knowing exactly what is running on every machine helps reduce management overhead by eliminating the need to patch as many things.”

Mr Umney says the role-based deployment of servers is key to this release. “Server Manager helps you better understand what roles your servers have, add or remove roles, and manage them.

“With Windows Server 2008, we’re driving towards a more predictable, secure and manageable infrastructure, where machines are configured uniformly and comply with an organisation’s information governance rules.”

Added security

Another feature to please those responsible for information governance is the Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC). This allows administrators to deploy servers in locations where their physical security cannot be guaranteed; in the NHS, this might mean community clinics or GP practices.

“Trusts can configure domain controllers in remote sites to store only the credentials of users at those sites, mitigating the risk from a stolen or compromised server,” says Mr Umney.

“Prior to this release, healthcare staff who needed to authenticate from a remote clinic or surgery without adequate physical security, had to do so over a wide area network (WAN) – generally an ineffective solution.”

Security is clearly never far from any NHS IT manager’s mind and Windows Server 2008 is Microsoft’s most secure yet. As well as internal server security, there is new policy-based functionality to improve security across a network estate.

For an example of how this might help the NHS, consider mobile devices. NHS trusts often struggle to police the growing volume of mobile PCs and other devices roaming their networks.

Network Access Protection allows IT managers to isolate computers that don't comply with security policies and either deny access or apply other restrictions.

“It’s like a health policy overlay you can implement across your trust to establish a minimum set of requirements for PCs to join your network,” says Mr Umney. “It’s ideal for trusts whose users constantly move between sites.” “If I’ve got five servers across my organisation, I now only need install SQL on one and replicate that across the others. Again, there’s a consistent policy, both for server deployment and building applications.”

The Web and virtualisation

The new release also takes account of the massive growth in Internet and Intranet usage. In fact, Mr Umney says: “Since NHS trusts typically deploy many web servers, we’ve gone to great lengths to make Windows Server 2008 the best platform for them.”

Virtualisation functions are also built in, making it easier for trusts and other businesses to leverage the benefits and cost savings of this emerging technology. “The new version makes virtualisation easy to manage and deploy. It’s now simple to run multiple operating systems and their applications on a single server.”

Windows Server 2008: identify your killer feature

Mr Umney says Windows Server 2008 is already delivering tangible business value to early adopters worldwide. “NHS IT departments will benefit by reducing the time staff spend managing servers,” he says. “As trusts begin to expand into new functionality, healthcare staff will begin to benefit from the many new features.”

Gartner technology analyst John Enck agrees that there is a buffet of potential benefits. “Windows Server 2008 contains features that are of keen interest to specific-use models,” he says. “For example, organisations with remote locations may regard RODC as a killer feature.

“Gartner encourages organisations to read Microsoft's improvement list to identify any potential killer features [for them].”

SQL Server 2008 gets the easy admin treatment

The launch of Windows Server 2008 has coincided with a similar revision to Microsoft’s data management unit, SQL Server - SQL Server 2008.

SQL is designed to unlock data from multiple sources and put it in front of the right people at the right time - and few organisations need more accurate and actionable information than the NHS. "Windows Server 2008 is already delivering tangible business value to early adopters worldwide...NHS IT departments will benefit by reducing the time staff spend managing servers..."

However, it's the administration features of the latest SQL Server that will reduce the daily grind for IT staff. For instance, it allows administrators to set one database or application policy across all their servers, instead of having to do so for every instance of a database.

As with its Windows counterpart, SQL Server 2008 aims to simplify server configuration and deployment. “If I’ve got five servers across my organisation, I now only need install SQL on one and replicate that across the others,” says Mr Umney. “Again, there’s a consistent policy, both for server deployment and building applications.”

Business Intelligence

"The business case for SQL Server 2008 is compelling in terms of its ability to reduce the cost of data management,” says Daniel Wakefield, sales director at Microsoft partners 21C. “The information governance issues it addresses through its new security features also fit perfectly with the requirements of our NHS customers.

“The most exciting thing for me, however, is the benefit trust end-users will see immediately through the improved visualisation tools and the ability to write back to the data warehouse using tools we’re developing.

“As the range of data sources in the NHS increases, moving these data flows from the ad-hoc to the routine becomes more difficult. The ability to write back effectively is becoming essential to operations – so the ability to retrieve your data via powerful visual tools is a huge benefit."

Greater interoperability

Mr Wakefield believes SQL Server 2008 will enable NHS trusts to expand reach and empower more users through close integration with other Microsoft products.

“It offers a rich, personalised experience, enabling more users across a healthcare organisation to make faster judgments, thanks to powerful reporting in Microsoft Office and interoperability with other Microsoft products.”

IDC tech analyst Carl Olofson concurs: "SQL Server is designed with Windows Server 2008, Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET framework all blended together. That to me is the big selling point.”

Mr Umney concludes “Both Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 underline Microsoft's stated mission to make its products increasingly interoperable and easier to use with other applications.”

Flexibility is certainly a priority - but Windows Server and SQL Server 2008 won’t sacrifice security, and thanks to policy-based administration tools, IT staff should get an easier ride too.

Further Reading

- Find out more about Windows Server 2008

- Find out more about SQL Server 2008

Read more on the NHS Resource Centre: Columns introducing Windows Server 2008 and some of its management and security features can be found by searching this site using the tag “windows server” or the tag for their author, “Gareth Hall.”

Reference: The Gartner report mentioned in this feature is: Windows Server 2008: Why You Should Care by John Enck.