|
|
Windows Server 2003 is an impressive evolutionary step forward rather than a revolutionary leap into the future of operating system nirvana. The role of the administrator remains central to its successful deployment and maintenance. It builds on the Windows NT and Windows 2000 foundation with significant expansion to support the brave new world of Web-based services. From an administrative perspective, these changes represent both challenges and opportunities. In this book we seek to familiarize you with the many refinements afforded by the Windows Server 2003 product line. If you are moving from a Windows 2000 environment, the changes should be welcome and easy to embrace. If your orientation is still Windows NT-centric, then the learning curve might be substantial but not overwhelming. In this case, the same basic mindset that was required for Windows 2000 migration applies to Windows Server 2003. However, if you are an administrator unfamiliar with the Windows server platform, a serious shift in your approach will be necessary. For example, UNIX administrators with skills in developing character-based scripts in order to facilitate operating system (OS) management may find the graphical approach very different. For those of you in this category, take heart...Windows Server 2003 makes a number of positive accommodations that will permit both standard graphical and character-based, script-oriented management.
This chapter is an overview of the Windows Server 2003 components from an administrative perspective. The pure breadth and depth of Windows Server 2003 suggests that a concise view from 30,000 feet will be valuable to those with little knowledge of the operating system. For those with a baseline knowledge of Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003, subsequent chapters will have greater value. This chapter explores several topics:
Windows Server 2003 from a historical perspective
The Windows Server 2003 product family
The implications of key features to system administration
 |
|
|
| Top |