Windows Server 2008 as a Workstation OS
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Around six years ago when Windows Server 2003 was the best server operating system that Microsoft ever produced, lots of enthusiasts and IT pros started to convert their setups into full-fledged workstations. Following in their footsteps, an entire crowd did the same. In this article we’re going to work with Windows Server 2008, which is an entirely different beast, even though it’s based on Vista code. Let’s make it work!
Windows Server 2008 comes in both x86 (32-bit) and x64 (64-bit) versions. It has received two service packs up to this time. It is heavily supported and Microsoft does an amazing job of handing out security patches and updates frequently. The second release of Windows Server 2008, called as R2 comes only in a 64-bit version. It might not be the best choice for some workstation setups; it depends on the user.
We recently featured an article here on ASP Free that gave a brief overview of the additions and enhancements that R2 brought to the table. Since we aren’t focused on enterprise usage here, but rock-solid and performance-oriented workstation usage, we can fortunately state that opting for the original Windows Server 2008 (R1) instead of R2 is not much of a deal-breaker. But if you don’t mind going 64-bit, do so.
Most people probably wonder, "What’s with the hype for using a server operating system for a main workstation OS, especially if it’s based on Vista?" Intuition tells us that there should be no significant difference. Now that Windows 7 is around the corner (or may even officially be out by the time you’re reading this!), why the hell would anyone want to use Windows Server 2008 at home?
The answer might be complex, if you’re looking for benchmark numbers comparing integer and floating-point mathematical equation crunching algorithms and their results organized in fancy charts and graphs. However, the real reason why some enthusiasts opt for server operating systems is because they are highly modular.
Windows Server 2008 is role-based. You can configure almost everything on it. It is not bloated at all. It does not come with “unnecessary” multimedia software packs that you aren’t asked about during the install process, and many other apps are also left out. The number of running services is also stripped-down, big time. It offers more scalable environments, a secure network infrastructure and management tools to save time.
In the following pages we will explore some of the tweaks necessary to make the workstation experience under Windows Server 2008 possible.
Next: Workstation Facelift >>
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