Windows Server 2003 Technical Overviews

Technical overviews

The Windows Server 2003 family is built around core technologies that deliver the next generation of Microsoft's server operating system. These technical overviews give IT professionals, developers, and technical decision makers a detailed look at what's new in each core technology area of the Windows Server 2003 family. See how new and enhanced features make Windows Server 2003 an ideal platform for organizations of any size.


Other technical overviews on this page include a look at the entire Windows Server 2003 family and an article on tools that can ensure your applications will work smoothly with Windows Server 2003.


Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Documentation Survival Guide

Use this one-page guide to quickly find the documentation resources and other technical information you need to evaluate, plan, deploy, maintain, and support Windows Server 2003.

Index of Windows Server 2003 Technical Articles

See the complete list of all technical articles you'll find on the Windows Server 2003 Web site, organized by technology.

Active Directory

The basic concepts in Active Directory are explained in this TechNet article, which also provides technical details about new features and improvements.

Application Services

This white paper introduces the Application Server in Windows Server 2003 and explains the role of the .NET Framework, COM+ 1.5, Internet Information Services 6.0 (IIS 6), Enterprise UDDI Services, MSMQ 3.0, and security.

Clustering Services

Clustering improvements help organizations achieve high availability and scalability. This article explains how Microsoft clustering technologies increase availability while minimizing single points of failure and reducing costs.

File Services

Improved file services can lower costs and help boost user productivity. This article explains new and improved features including the Virtual Disk Service and the Volume Shadow Copy service.

Internet Information Services 6.0

Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0 delivers a fast, reliable Web platform that is both scalable and secure. This article explains improvements in application server management, availability, reliability, security, performance, and scalability.

Management Services

Improved change and configuration management solutions help lower TCO. This article explains Microsoft IntelliMirror® management technologies and related management tools and services.

Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003

Microsoft Identity Integration Server 2003 (MIIS) enables the integration and management of identity information across multiple repositories, systems, and platforms. This white paper details the improvements and many new features being made available with MIIS 2003 that make it a strategic component of any identity management solution.

Networking and Access Technologies

Networks are easier to set up, configure, deploy, and manage. This article explains major improvements including better network access connectivity, device support, and new capabilities for wireless local area networks (LANs).

Print Services

Improved print services deliver enterprise-grade reliability, manageability, security, and agility. This article explains how greater print performance and better print server manageability can lead to lower total cost of ownership (TCO).

Security Services

New features and improvements help ensure reliable, secure, and dependable computing. This article explains how Windows Server 2003 delivers important security benefits to organizations deploying Windows.

Server Roles: Application Services

The Microsoft .NET Framework, Microsoft Message Queuing, COM+, and other Application Server options give developers and administrators an integrated toolbox that enhances productivity.

Terminal Services

Terminal Services helps deliver Windows-based applications to virtually any computing device. This article explains how Terminal Services can help organizations better deploy software and manage their infrastructure.

Whitepaper: UNIX Interoperability in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2

New features in Windows Server 2003 R2 support the integration and migration of UNIX-based systems, offering UNIX-compatible file-sharing and directory protocols and enabling you to run UNIX applications in order to simplify the deployment of UNIX-compatible Windows servers.

Windows Media Services 9 Series

Microsoft Windows Media Services 9 Series is an optional component in Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, and Datacenter Edition. This article describes the latest features of Windows Media Services 9 Series.

Windows SharePoint Services

Microsoft Windows SharePoint™ Services provides team services and sites to Microsoft Office and other desktop applications and also serves as a platform for application development.

Windows System Resource Manager

Windows System Resource Manager (WSRM), which runs with with Windows Server 2003 Enterprise and Datacenter Editions, facilitates consolidation and tracking of server usage.

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