Windows Server 2003 Technology Primer - What's New in Windows Server 2003?
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From a Microsoft marketing perspective, Windows Server 2003 could be said to be faster, more secure, more reliable, and easier to manage. And it is true that the Windows Server 2003 operating system has all these capabilities. However, this section notes specifically which changes are cosmetic changes compared to previous Windows operating systems and which changes truly improve the overall administrative and end-user experience due to improvements in the operating system.
Visual Changes in Windows Server 2003
The first thing you notice when Windows Server 2003 boots up is the new Windows XP–like graphical user interface (GUI). This is obviously a simple cosmetic change to standardize the current look and feel of the Windows operating systems. Just like with Windows XP, a user can switch the new Windows GUI to look like the classic mode, and because most administrators have worked with Windows NT and Windows 2000 for a long time, they tend to switch off the XP GUI and configure the system to look like the classic version. It makes no difference whether the new GUI or the classic GUI is enabled; all the features and functions of the Windows Server 2003 operating system are the same in either mode.
Customization and Programmability of the .NET Server Interface
One of the benefits of the new Windows Server 2003 operating system is the customization and programmability of the operating system interface. Because Windows Server 2003 enables organizations to change the interface that is viewed by users of the server systems, organizations have been able to customize the GUI to provide a simple administrative interface. As an example, many organizations that have operations that support personnel providing administrative assistance at night for system backup, maintenance, or extended-hours support might prefer to customize the desktop for the late-night specialists. Rather than teaching the operations personnel specialized Windows administrative tools, they can program a simple interface in XML with scripts tied to the buttons that clear print queues, restart system services, add or disable user accounts, or back up and restore data information, for example. Chapter 23, "Automating Tasks Using Windows Server 2003 Scripting," addresses tasks that can be automated using scripts for customized user configurations.
Changes That Simplify Tasks
Windows Server 2003 has added several new capabilities that simplify tasks. These capabilities could appear to be simply cosmetic changes; however, they actually provide significant benefits for administrative management. Some of the improvements include drag-and-drop capabilities in the administrative tools and built-in configuration and management wizards.
Drag-and-Drop Capabilities in Administrative Tools
Many of the new administrative tools with Windows Server 2003 provide drag-and-drop capabilities that allow administrators to simply select objects with a mouse and drag and drop them to a new location. In Windows 2000, an administrator had to select the objects, right-click the mouse, select Move, and choose the destination from a menu or graphical tree. Although this task might seem trivial, for any administrator reorganizing users between organizational units in the Windows 2000 Active Directory Users and Computers utility, the ability to drag and drop objects can greatly simplify the time and effort required to organize and manage the Active Directory.
Built-in Setup, Configuration, and Management Wizards
Another major addition to Windows Server 2003 that simplifies tasks is a series of configuration and management wizards that come built into the operating system. Instead of an administrator having to walk through menus of commands to manually create or modify networking roles, Windows Server 2003 provides wizards that enable the administrator to add, modify, and remove system configurations. No doubt these wizards are a significant benefit to operating system novices because the questions in the wizards are typically simple to answer. However, even Windows experts prefer the wizards over manual installation tasks because it is frequently easier and faster to answer a few questions and press the Return key than it is to fumble through a series of menus, property screens, and configuration tabs entering in the same information.
 This chapter is from Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Unleashed, by Rand Morimoto, et al. (Sams Publishing, 2004, ISBN: 0672326671). Check it out at your favorite bookstore today.
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