Windows Server 2008 UNIX Interoperability Components

UNIX Interoperability components in Windows Server 2008 R2 allow you to reduce costs by integrating UNIX and Microsoft Windows systems to deliver a complete solution. The interoperability of security and directory services, file and printer sharing, and re-use of UNIX code and IT skills across platforms delivers a simplified infrastructure and allows UNIX or Windows IT staff to manage both systems from one place.

Windows Server 2008 R2 UNIX interoperability components help you:

Leverage existing skills, with either Windows or UNIX, to manage both platforms.
Integrate applications to maximize existing investments while extending UNIX-based applications to Windows systems.
Migrate applications from UNIX to Windows using a phased approach, reducing risk and expensive down time.

Windows Server 2008 R2 helps you integrate UNIX and Windows systems, including custom and legacy UNIX-based applications, security and directory services, file and printer sharing, and application and management scripts. The UNIX interoperability components included with Windows Server 2008 R2 include the following:

Installation and Activation

SUA is a source-compatibility subsystem for compiling and running custom UNIX-based applications on a computer running Windows Server 2008 R2. Because SUA provides an operating system for POSIX (Portable Operating System Interface for UNIX) processes, administrators can compile and run their applications in SUA with little or no change to their original source code.

SUA also supports case-sensitive file names, job control, compilation tools, and the use of over 300 UNIX commands, utilities, and shell scripts. The Web download contains many SVR-5 utilities and a software development kit (SDK) for creating or porting applications to run on SUA. Administrators can also port or download many UNIX/Linux utilities to run on SUA. This allows UNIX administrators to re-use existing skills and even scripts to manage applications, security permissions, and user passwords.

SUA also supports connectivity to Oracle and Microsoft SQL Server from database applications through the Oracle Call Interface (OCI) and the Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) standard. Finally, SUA is available on both the 32-bit and x64 versions of Windows Server 2008 R2. SUA on x64 delivers scalable 64-bit support for greater performance and greatly enhanced memory support: up to 1 terabyte (TB) of physical memory.

Active Directory Services

Windows Server 2008 R2 also includes the capability to integrate UNIX security and directory services. The optional Active Directory schema update includes NIS schema and Kerberos authentication extensions that enable customers to synchronize the Network Information Service (NIS) with Active Directory. Additionally, the Identity Management for UNIX (IDMU) is a complete solution for managing UNIX identity and security, including administration components, password synchronization, and a Windows-based server for NIS.

File and Print Services

Microsoft Services for the network file system (NFS) in Windows Server 2003 R2 includes everything you need to share files between UNIX and Windows systems, manage file security from Windows using Active Directory accounts, and manage file and print services across Windows and UNIX platforms. The following components are included:

Mapping Server
NFS AdminUI
NFS client
NFS server
Portmap
Server for NFS authentication
RpcXdr

Evaluate Windows Server 2008 R2

Start your tailored evaluation

Product Details

Overview
What's New
Why Upgrade
FAQ
System Requirements
Interoperability
- Better Together
- Supported Applications
- Third-Party Applications
- Support for UNIX
Roadmap

Additional Resources

Accelerate your deployment

Find a Windows Server 2008 R2 Partner