Linda Chong's Blog

Windows Server 2008 Roles

Windows Server 2008 eases the task of managing and securing multiple server roles in an enterprise with the new Server Manager console. Server Manager in Windows Server 2008 provides a single source for managing a server's identity and system information, displaying server status, identifying problems with server role configuration, and managing all roles installed on the server.

Server Manager is an expanded MMC that allows IT Professionals to view and manage virtually all of the information and tools that affect their server's productivity. Commands in Server Manager can be used to install or remove server roles and features, and to augment roles already installed on the server by adding role services.

A server role describes the primary function of the server. Administrators can choose to dedicate an entire computer to one server role, or install multiple server roles on a single computer. Each server role can include one or more role services, best described as sub-elements of a role. The following server roles are available in Windows Server 2008, and can be installed and managed by using Server Manager.

First set of roles...

1. Active Directory Certificate Services: Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) enables creation and management of digital certificates for users, computers, and organizations as part of a public key infrastructure.
2. Active Directory Domain Services: Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) stores information about objects on the network and makes this information available to users and network administrators. AD DS uses domain controllers to give network users access to permitted resources anywhere on the network.
3. Active Directory Federation Services: Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS) provides simplified, encrypted identity federation, and Web single sign-on (SSO).
4. Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services: Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS) provides a store for application-specific data.
5. Active Directory Rights Management Services: Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS) can help protect information from unauthorized use. Active Directory Rights Management Services is information protection technology that works with Active Directory Rights Management Services applications to help safeguard digital information from unauthorized use. Content owners can define exactly how a recipient can use the information, such as who can open, modify, print, forward, or take other actions with the information. Organizations can create custom usage rights templates, such as "Confidential—Read Only" that can be applied directly to information such as financial reports, product specifications, customer data, and e-mail messages.
6. Application Server: Application Server provides central management and hosting of high-performance distributed business applications, such as those built with Enterprise Services and .NET Framework 3.0.

Second set of roles...

1. DHCP Server: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server enables the central provisioning, configuration, and management of temporary IP addresses and related information for client computers.
2. DNS Server: Domain Name System (DNS) Server translates domain and computer DNS names to IP addresses. DNS is easier to manage when it is installed on the same server as Active Directory Domain Services.
3. Fax Server: Fax Server sends and receives faxes and allows you to manage fax resources such as jobs, settings, reports, and fax devices on this computer or on the network.
4. File Services: File Services provides technologies for storage management, file replication, distributed namespace management, fast file searching, and streamlined client access to files.
5. Network Policy and Access Services: Network Policy and Access Services provides support for routing LAN and WAN network traffic, creating and enforcing network access policies, and accessing network resources over VPN and dial-up connections.
6. Print Services: Print Services manages and provides access to network printers and printer drivers.

Third set of roles...

1. Streaming Media Services: Windows Media Services delivers a continuous flow of digital audio and video content to clients across a network.
2. Terminal Services: Terminal Services provides technologies that enable access to a server running Windows-based programs or the full Windows desktop. Users can connect to a terminal server to run programs, save files, and use network resources on that server.
3. UDDI Services: Universal Description, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) Services organizes and catalogs Web services and other programmatic resources. A UDDI Services site consists of a UDDI Web Application connected to a UDDI Database.
4. Web Server: Web Server provides a reliable, manageable, scalable Web application infrastructure and support for HTML Web sites. It can also provide support for ASP.NET, classic ASP, and Web server extensions.
5. Windows Deployment Services: Windows Deployment Services (WDS) provides a simplified, secure means of rapidly deploying Windows operating systems to computers by using network-based installation, without the need for an administrator to work directly on each computer, or install Windows components from CD or DVD media.
6. Windows® SharePoint® Services: Windows SharePoint Services helps organizations increase productivity by creating Web sites where users can collaborate on documents, tasks, and events and easily share contacts and other information.