Windows Server 2008 Enterprise helps provide unprecedented levels of system uptime, the latest security advances, and the scalability to support the growth of mission-critical applications. It also provides a cost-effective way to realize the benefits of virtualization. Windows Server 2008 Enterprise is an optimal operating system for servers running applications such as networking, messaging, inventory, databases, and customer service systems. The clustering functionality, coupled with medium levels of virtualization capabilities, makes Windows Server 2008 Enterprise ideal for all of your physical workloads.
Key scenarios that Windows Server 2008 Enterprise helps address are:
High Availability
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise helps keep vital server workloads available to customers, partners, and employees around the world and around the clock.
Failover clustering that supports up to 16 nodes
Geographically dispersed clustering that spans network subnets
Seamless, real-time operating system memory backup
Hot Add Memory
Cost-Effective Virtualization
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise helps businesses to realize the cost savings and high availability options presented by server virtualization.
Each Windows Server 2008 Enterprise license assigned to a physical host server allows a business to run up to four additional instances of Windows Server in guest virtual machines on that server.
Quick migration couples the failover clustering of Windows Server 2008 Enterprise with Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V to move virtualized server workloads from one host server to another with minimal disruption. This maintains the availability of virtualized servers in the event of both planned and unplanned downtime.
Increased Scalability
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise scales to meet large-scale business IT needs.
Support for up to 8 processors
Support for up to 2 terabytes of RAM (64 GB on 32-bit systems)
Support for an unlimited number of virtual private network (VPN) connections
Authentication and authorization for an unlimited number of network connection requests
Security
Windows Server 2008 Enterprise delivers advanced identity and access management features that help maintain employee productivity while enhancing security of IT operations.
Federated access to internal resources for external users and partners through Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)
Better management of certificates and smart card enrollment with Advanced Certificate Management Services (AD CS) for more security
Windows Server 2008 helps you support your mission-critical applications such as e-mail and databases to prevent downtime that affects productivity:
Use Windows Server 2008 with Microsoft SQL Server for database applications where scalability and high availability are important.
E-mail is considered a mission-critical application as any downtime affects productivity. Implementing high availability solutions with Microsoft Exchange Server is important. Scalability is also important, enabling you to provide more mailboxes or increase the mailbox size with a lesser server footprint.
Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 provides the platform for collaboration which is a key enabler for better response or speed to market. The AD FS-based Identity Management features are critical for making collaboration secure across employees, vendors, and partners. At the same time, the high-availability scenario for SharePoint Server 2007 supported by the high-end editions of Windows Server makes cross-team collaboration effective and productive.
