Windows Server 2003 R2 Extends Business Infrastructure to the Web
Published: January 18, 2006 | Updated: February 3, 2006
With Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2, extending business infrastructure over the Web and controlling development and management costs just got better.
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Introduction
Organizations expect their Web infrastructure to provide and support business-impacting applications built in a collaborative online workplace. As of today, this has not become a reality for many organizations. While online collaboration exists to make distributed work groups more efficient, often contributors find it limited by who, what, where, and how the system connects. In addition, current Web applications may not be compelling to the user or customer, or they do not meet or scale with the organization’s ever-changing needs. Extending this infrastructure to support line-of-business applications may also be difficult because the infrastructure is too rigid or contains too many legacy components, or the maintenance costs are too prohibitive.
Windows Server 2003 R2 provides the underlying technologies needed to deliver a security-enhanced, scalable Web platform. Windows Server 2003 R2 enables businesses to extend their infrastructure over the Web while reducing development and management costs through the enhancements delivered with Service Pack 1, 64-bit capabilities, Windows SharePoint Services, .NET Framework 2.0, and Internet Information Services 6.0.
With Windows Server 2003 R2 you can:
| • | Enable efficient collaboration across organizational boundaries. |
| • | Make Web services and applications easier to develop deploy, configure and manage. |
| • | Reliably extend business infrastructure with a security-enhanced, high-performance Web server. |
Windows Server 2003 R2 Web Platform Features
1. | Windows SharePoint Services | • | Windows SharePoint Services has many team collaboration features for improving team communication and execution. WSS includes event calendars, contacts, Web links, discussions, issues lists, and announcements. WSS also provides document libraries where users can store and retrieve documents while taking advantage of rich features such as check-in and check-out, version history, custom metadata, and flexible, customizable views. | | • | Windows SharePoint Services is simple to install and deploy. Administrators can install directly from the Configure Your Server or Manage Your Server wizards. | | • | Windows SharePoint Services can be easily customized using application templates tailored to address the needs and requirements of organizations of any size. The applications are the first out-of-the-box custom scenarios for the Windows SharePoint Services platform, though they also provide a starting point for partners and developers looking to build deeper Windows SharePoint Services solutions. |
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2. | NET Framework 2.0 | • | ASP.NET applications are now simpler to deploy and manage. A new configuration API in ASP.NET 2.0 allows administrators to write scripts that automate provisioning, deployment, and management. Additionally, a new Microsoft Management Console plug-in integrated with IIS 6.0 enables GUI-based administration of all ASP.NET configuration settings. | | • | ASP.NET 2.0 introduces a number of new features for implementing high-performance Web solutions. Web sites can now be precompiled to enhance performance and responsiveness or to protect intellectual property by deploying with source code stripped away. There is also an enhanced logging framework and built-in automated security and database caching, which allow developers to build self-managing, self-healing applications on the DSI (Dynamic Systems Initiative) model. | | • | New ASP.NET 2.0 services and built-in features enable more productive development of richer application scenarios. For example, 45 new security, data, navigation and Web parts controls allow developers to write up to 70 percent less code for faster development of rich Web sites and applications. |
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3. | Internet Information Services 6.0 with Service Pack 1 and 64 bit | • | Service Pack 1 adds tools to IIS 6.0 that improve IT efficiency. The Security Configuration Wizard augments IIS 6.0 security lockdown with a GUI interface that walks information technology (IT) professionals through a thorough hardening of the Web server. New troubleshooting tools with powerful log and trace capabilities simplify debugging defective applications or improper configurations. | | • | 64-bit support in IIS 6.0 improves reliability and performance. IIS 6.0 on 64 bit reduces errors and downtime by increasing virtual memory available to 32-bit applications by 100 percent. IIS 6.0 on 64 bit also runs on significantly lower CPU resources and supports twice as many connections, which creates significant IT savings. |
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Additional Resources
| • | Webcast: Overview of Windows Server 2003 R2 as a Web Application Platform (level 200)
Learn how Web technologies delivered in Windows Server 2003 R2 enable collaboration across organizational boundaries, fast development of rich line-of-business applications, and efficient administration of Web infrastructure.
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| • | Web Platform Demo
Observe how Windows Server 2003 R2 enables rapid deployment of a custom Windows SharePoint Services Web solution and improved Web site troubleshooting with logging and trace functionality added to the Web Platform in ASP.NET 2.0 and IIS 6.0.
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