Chapter 1. Windows Server 2008 Architecture

Any server operating system version upgrade involves changes to nearly every subsystem, and Windows Server 2008 is no exception. There have been kernel changes to allow for better processor virtualization, driver model changes to make drivers more stable and secure, a completely new TCP/IP protocol stack for better performance, a new graphics engine, and very significant changes to the Windows Class Libraries that give access to the Windows .NET Framework and Network Class Library. To a user learning Windows Server 2008, these changes underpin all of the new procedures that differentiate Windows Server 2008 and Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) from the previous versions of Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP. So in order to provide a framework for our discussions in future chapters, this first chapter explains the Windows Server 2008 architectural model, along with the changes that they portend.

There have been enormous changes in the Windows Server architecture for this release of Microsoft's flagship product. As Microsoft's desktop OS and Microsoft Office slow down in revenue growth, Windows Server has become particularly important to Microsoft's fortunes. Microsoft Windows Server 2008 continues Microsoft's push to integrate web-based services into its server product. There are now strong links to the .NET Framework, both programmatically as well as in the look and feel of applications that will take advantage of the architecture that is described in this chapter. While Microsoft emphasizes the new modules that affect what the user can see, there are plenty of architecture changes to basic systems such as the kernel, memory, services, and many more. In this chapter, you will read about the most significant architectural goals of this release and how you can get even more value out of your investment in Windows Server.