Microsoft Server 2008 Gets Virtualization Boost

[WebMaster]

Microsoft is updating the server version of its Windows operating system to give the OS more virtualization capabilities.


The company has posted a release candidate, a post-beta-but-not-yet-production-ready version of Service Pack 1 for Windows Server 2008 R2. The service pack can also be applied to Windows 7 as well. This service pack is a compilation of previously released updates, as well as, in the case of Windows Server, a number of new features.

The new Windows Server Service Pack will feature a number of new technologies to help organizations virtualize both their servers and desktop OSes. Virtualization allows administrators to run multiple virtual servers on a single physical server, as well as stream a desktop operating system to a user machine instead of maintaining it on the local machine.

For the client side, the service pack offers RemoteFX, Microsoft's next-generation remote desktop protocol. Based on Microsoft's Hyper-V hypervisor, RemoteFX can be used to serve graphics-intensive applications and USB support to thin clients or desktop computers.

On the server side, SP1 includes Dynamic Memory, which should allow servers to more efficiently manage how memory is allotted out to the virtual machines they run.

"With Dynamic Memory, IT administrators are able to pool available memory on a physical host and then dynamically dole that memory out to virtual machines running on the host, based on current workload needs," explained the Microsoft Web page where the service pack can be downloaded.

Source: Microsoft Server 2008 Gets Virtualization Boost - PCWorld Business Center

[scottpotterr]

Virtualization allows to run multiple virtual servers on a single physical server, also allows to stream a desktop OS to a user machine.
However for better remote management, it provides a new version of Power-Shell, version 2.0, that will allow administrators to run multiple scripts simultaneously on a single machine, or even across multiple machines. Moreover it has many effective power management features. Also SP1's Dynamic Memory allows servers for more efficient memory allocation.