Microsoft releases Windows Server 2003 R2

Strauss writes "Windows Server 2003 R2 was launched. Press coverage by eWeek and BetaNews. [Insert here some FUD/funny question about Microsoft Windows future]"

Comments

What is it?

[Anonymous Coward]

I can't seem to see where it says exactly what it is? What does it do that Server 2003 doesn't?

Re:What is it?

[toleraen]

My guess is that:
Windows 2k3R2 is to Windows 2k3, as Windows 98se is to Windows 98.

Re:What is it?

[DanteLysin]

From an old eWeek article:

"R2, which is due later this year, would bring features such as Services for Unix, the WS-Management standard, along with the next generation of the management console, MMC 3.0. "Closing the loop between developers and operational systems still has a long way to go, but delivering MMC 3.0 is the first deliverable in that regard," Muglia said.

"With R2, we'll also deliver the first version of Active Directory Federation Services (ADFS) to make it easier for developers to build federated Web applications. In the Windows Vista timeframe, we will deliver WinFX and the 'InfoCard' user experience," he said.

Next month: Microsoft announces security vulnerability in MMC 3.0.

Re:What is it?

[MindStalker]

And of course I still havn't figure out. Is the upgrade from regular 2003 free or is this going to cost you a new base license or new base and cals? Whats the story I can't find any info.

Re:What is it?

[Anonymous Coward]

It costs money, at least for SBS customers. They're happy to inform me, as an SBS customer without "software assurance", I can pick up an upgrade via retail channels. Thanks, Microsoft!

Re:What is it?

[dtfinch]

That's terrible. It's comparable to being asked to pay $299 to upgrade from XP SP1 to XP SP2. People won't pay full non-upgrade retail price for the upgrade when the servers they already have work fine.

Maybe there is some sort of discount or upgrade pricing that they've failed to mention, but I like to assume the worst case until I find more info or someone corrects me. It's the safest assumption, and in some cases it's a good way to get a more complete version of the truth out of marketing people.

People are getting cynical

[Otter]

[Insert here some FUD/funny question about Microsoft Windows future]"

I always feel vaguely dirty when I include the Obligatory Stupid Question at the end of my story submissions and usually compensate by overdoing the Stupid to hint at the Obligatory. I like this guy's approach better.

*ahem*

[Anonymous Coward]

*Donning my best boxer announcer voice*

lets get reaDY TO ROLL-BACK!!!!!

Re:*ahem*

[moro_666]

keep these rollbacks for a sec, i need to auction some "stuff" on ebay at first ...

new microsoft release, new exploits to sell , woohoooo

Windows Server EnterpriseEd. 2003 in shrinkwrap

[ubiquitin]

I wonder what this means for the value of the Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition that I was received almost exactly one year ago at OracleWorld. For the record, it has 25 CALs and is still in shrinkwrap, and I'd be willing to part with it. The box says "not for resale" but it doesn't say "not for trade." Any takers?

Heh, slashdot as ebay? Imagine the mod system in place of buyer/seller ratings. +1 good-deal? -1 expensive-shipping? heh.

Re:Windows Server EnterpriseEd. 2003 in shrinkwrap

[Anonymous Coward]

"Not for resale" clauses on shrink-wrapped software have already been tested in court and have been thrown out. Unless you signed an agreement and/or otherwise had an prior agreement with Microsoft, the doctrine of first sale generally applies and you are free to do what you wish with the package (ie: sell, trade, give away, etc).

From the Article

[Rac3r5]

Anyone notice anything strange with this pic...
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/images/ homepage/62785_left.jpg

Re:From the Article

[crimoid]

Yes, I did actually. iBook anyone?

Re:From the Article

[devfsadm]

Yeah it's gone now.. Dam Macintosh's --- Oppsie.

Free Upgrade?

[MindStalker]

It seems like this upgrade will cost you a new license. Hopefully the Cals upgrade for free.. Anyone with any information?

Okey guys...

[AnXa]

Okey guys. Let's squeese some bugs for microsoft... where's my bug spray?

2K3, yeah, we just dumped it

[Anonymous Coward]

Frankly, 2K3 was a pig for us, can't imagine SP2 would make that much difference. I didn't set the servers up (consultants did before I arrived) and the performance was rotten and this was for a small company. We had three servers (dual Xeon boxes) to provide basic e-mail, print and file services. Reliability was poor as was performance. I built a small test Fedora server on a P4 2.0Ghz box and it performed so well we switched our small group of users over. It is doing everything the 2K3 servers were doing and more. Best of all, it plays nice with our mixture of clients. Of course, the Windows users have grumbled a bit because they couldn't use Outlook any more since calendaring now runs of webdav but thunderbird is a better mail client anyway. The calendar still needs work but it is OK. Anyway, at least I get to convert the old servers over to Linux now. Mostly the transition has been very smooth and performance and reliability are substantitally better. Oh, and all this talk of CALs. That was what did it for management, we looked at the costs as we grew and realised that switching now rather than later would make the switch much easier and allow us to scale up without constantly paying MS to use hardware we already bought just because we wanted more users. MS got where it is by being the cheap guy. I guess they realised why IBM and co were so expensive in the end, you have to keep raising your prices so it still looks like you are growing when you have in fact matured into a saturated market.