Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 – Features

Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 is a dedicated file and print server that has all functionality unrelated to file serving removed, increasing reliability and lowering the overhead on the device CPU. Built-in hardware redundancies are included in most solutions to provide a fully redundant architecture.

Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 makes possible the creation of high availability solutions with native support for multiple node (up to eight) failover clustering. With support for MPIO from host to storage, high availability solutions at the data transport level can also be implemented. Combining these features with the Distributed File System (DFS) can help ensure availability at the file and physical device level.

Using the Shadow Copy of Shared Folders feature, you can restore deleted or corrupted files within minutes, instead of the hours it can take to restore from tape. Built on VSS, this feature can store up to 64 point-in-time copies per volume and allows end users to recover previous versions of files.

Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 allows you to increase data availability and provide disaster recovery by creating multiple copies of data on remote servers over local area networks (LANs) or wide area networks (WANs) using an integrated technology solution.

Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 includes heterogeneous support for protocols such as SMB, NFS, AppleTalk, and Netware, allowing data to be shared among different platforms. In addition, native integration with the Active Directory directory service avoids any need to make network changes when deploying Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 storage devices.

Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 is fully compatible with server management tools such as Microsoft Systems Management Server, Tivoli, and HP OpenView, as well as popular antivirus software, allowing you to get the most out of current investments. The hardware also integrates natively with Active Directory, enabling the use of Group Policy objects, Kerberos authentication, and Encrypting File System (EFS) to preserve data security.

A Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 device can integrate with a SAN by acting as a gateway to the SAN. Support for SANs in Windows Server 2003 includes remote boot, flexible volume mounting, and an enhanced driver model to support SAN deployment scenarios.

Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 supports the iSCSI protocol, making it easy to integrate with IP data transport environments.

Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 makes possible some of the lowest cost per gigabyte solutions in the industry. These solutions can be deployed in minutes, and with the plug-and-play NAS solution, it is simple to to connect to the network, join an Active Directory domain or local workgroup, add users, create shares, or select file sharing protocols.

Consolidating multiple file servers onto a single device reduces server management overhead and associated IT staff costs. Devices can be remotely managed using a Web-based user interface, simplifying maintenance and providing centralized control of processes like backups, restores, and upgrades.

Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 enables IT administrators to easily manage growing amounts of data and to take advantage of high scalability to expand storage capacity as needed. With this scalability, a “pay as you grow” strategy can be implemented to ensure the efficient use of storage hardware resources.