Windows Server 2008 R2 is a multi-purpose server designed to increase the reliability and flexibility of your server or private cloud infrastructure, helping you to save time and reduce costs. It provides you with powerful tools to react to business needs faster than ever before with greater control and confidence.
The latest release of Service Pack 1 (SP1) for Windows Server 2008 R2 delivers many improvements for you to implement a robust datacenter and desktop virtualization plan. Whether you want to consolidate servers, build a private cloud, or offer Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI), the features of Windows Server 2008 R2 enable you to take your datacenter and desktop strategy to a new level.
Server and Desktop Virtualization
Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 provides both server and client virtualization, enabled by Hyper-V and Remote Desktop Services (RDS).
Hyper-V
Hyper-V is Microsoft’s hypervisor which provides you with a scalable, reliable, and highly available virtualization platform included in the Windows Server 2008 R2 operating system. SP1 introduces new features to Hyper-V for creating dynamic virtual data centers and private clouds. These improvements provide you with increased availability and performance, improved management, and simplified methods for deployment including live migration. When combined with System Center, you are able to build out a dedicated Microsoft private cloud environment to transform the way you deliver IT services to the business.
Dynamic Memory, a new feature of Hyper-V introduced in the SP1 release enables you to better utilize the memory resources of Hyper-V hosts by balancing how memory is distributed between running virtual machines. Memory can be dynamically reallocated between different virtual machines in response to the changing workloads of these machines. Likewise, Dynamic Memory enables more efficient use of memory while maintaining consistent workload performance and scalability. Implementing Dynamic Memory means that higher levels of server consolidation can be achieved with minimal impact on performance. Dynamic Memory also means that you can have a larger number of virtual desktops per Hyper-V host for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) scenarios. The net result for both scenarios is more efficient use of expensive server hardware resources, which can translate into easier management and lower costs.
Remote Desktop Services
Remote Desktop Services allows your users to access applications, data, and even an entire desktop running in the datacenter over the network. It provides you with both the features and the robustness of a proven solution giving your users flexible access to their data and applications. To expand the Remote Desktop Services deployment scenarios, Microsoft has been investing in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, also known as VDI. VDI is a centralized desktop delivery architecture, which enables Windows and other desktop environments to run and be managed in virtual machines on a centralized server.
In addition to the new virtualization features, the Windows Server 2008 R2 OS contains several updates over the previous version to the tools you are most familiar with.
Improved Management
Windows Server 2008 R2 helps reduce the amount of effort you expend managing your physical and virtual data centers by providing enhanced management consoles and automation for repetitive day-to-day administrative tasks.
Improved Web Application Platform
Windows Server 2008 R2 gives you the ability to deliver rich web-based experiences efficiently and effectively, with improved administration and diagnostics, development and application tools, and lower infrastructure costs.
Increased Scalability and Reliability
Windows Server 2008 R2 has been specifically designed to support increased workloads while utilizing fewer resources.
Integrated Experience with Windows 7
Windows Server 2008 R2 includes technology improvements designed with Windows 7 enterprise users in mind, augmenting the network experience, security, and manageability.
