Windows 2000 Server Features

Internet Information Services 5.0 (IIS)
Integrated Web services enable users to easily host and manage Web sites to share information, create Web-based business applications, and extend file, print, media and communication services to the Web.

Active Server Pages (ASP) Programming Environment
Active Server Pages is consistently rated the easiest, highest performance web server-scripting environment available.

XML Parser
Create applications that enable the Web server to exchange XML-formatted data with both Microsoft Internet Explorer and any server capable of parsing XML.

Windows DNA 2000
With the Windows Distributed interNet Applications Architecture (Windows DNA 2000) - the application development model for the Windows platform - you can build secure, reliable, highly scalable solutions that ease the integration of heterogeneous systems and applications.

Component Object Model + (COM+)
COM+ builds on COM's integrated services and features, making it easier for developers to create and use software components in any language, using any tool. COM+ includes Transaction Services and Message Queuing Services for reliable distributed applications.

Multimedia Platform
With integrated Windows MediaTM Services, configure and manage high-quality digital media content across the Internet and intranets--delivering live and on-demand content to the maximum number of users.

Directory-Enabled Applications
Developers can use a number of standard interfaces to write applications that utilize information stored in the Active DirectoryTM service about users, other application and devices. This enables rich, dynamic applications that are simpler to develop and easier to manage. All Active Directory functions are available through LDAP, ADSI and MAPI for extending and integrating with other applications, directories, and devices.

Web Folders
Web Folders bring the richness of Windows to the Web, by using Web Document Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) to enable drag and drop Web publishing.

Internet Printing
Send print jobs across the Internet to a URL.

8-way Symmetric Multi-Processor Support
Scale up by utilizing the latest 8-way SMP servers for more processing power. Windows 2000 Server delivers support for up to 4-way SMP servers.

8 GB Memory Support (advanced)
Take advantage of larger amounts of memory to improve performance and handle the most demanding applications, with support for up to 8 gigabytes (GB) of RAM with Intel's Physical Address Extension (PAE). Windows 2000 Server delivers support for up to 4 GB of RAM.

Network Load Balancing (advanced)
Scale out quickly and easily by distributing incoming IP traffic across a farm of load-balanced servers. Incrementally expand capacity by adding additional servers to the farm using Network Load Balancing (NLB).

Terminal Services
Run Windows-based applications on the server, and access from a remote PC, Windows-based Terminal or non-Windows device over LANs, WANs or low-bandwidth connections, through terminal emulation software. In Windows 2000, Terminal Services are up to 20 percent more scalable and have dramatically improved performance for both high and low-bandwidth connections.

Enhanced ASP Performance
More scalable Active Server Page (ASP) processing, improved ASP flow control, and ASP Fast Path for scriptless ASP files enable faster Web page processing.

Multi site Hosting
Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0 allows you to host more Web sites per server with high performance.

IIS CPU Throttling
Limit the amount of CPU time a Web application or site can use to ensure that processor time--and therefore better performance--is available to other Web sites or to non-Web applications.

High throughput and bandwidth utilization
With support for up to 1 GB networks, Windows 2000 Server delivers high performance processing on high performance networks. Increased throughput increases performance without having too increase network bandwidth.

Support for the Latest Security Standards
Build secure intranet, extranet and Internet sites using the latest standards, including: 56-bit and 128-bit SSL/TLS, IPSec, Server Gated Cryptography; Digest Authentication, Kerberos v5 authentication, and Fortezza.

Active Directory Integration
Active Directory integration with the underlying security infrastructure provides a focal point of security management of users, computers and devices making Windows 2000 easier to manage.

Kerberos Authentication
Full support for Kerberos version 5 protocol provides fast, single sign-on to Windows resources, as well as other environments that support this protocol.

Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
The Certificate Server is a critical part of a public key infrastructure that allows customers to issue their own x.509 certificates to their users for PKI functionality such as certificate-based authentication, IPSec, secure email, etc. Integration with Active Directory simplifies user enrollment.

Smart card support
Supports logon via Smart cards "out-of-the-box" for strong authentication to sensitive resources.

Encrypting File System
Increase security of data on the hard disk by encrypting it. This data remains encrypted even when backed up or archived.

Secure network communications
End-to-end encrypted communications across your company network using the IPSec standard. Great for protecting sensitive internal communications from intentional or accidental viewing. Active Directory provides central policy control for its use to make it deployable.

Routing and Remote Access Service
Connects remote workers, telecommuters, and branch offices to the corporate network through dial-up, leased line and Internet links.

Virtual private networking (VPN)
A full-featured gateway that encrypts communications to securely connect remote users and satellite offices over the Internet. Now with an updated PPTP support and advanced security with Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol

Kernel-Mode Write Protection
Helps prevent errant code from interfering with system operations.

Windows File Protection
Prevents new software installations from replacing essential system files.

Driver Certification
Identifies device drivers that have passed the Windows Hardware Quality Labs test and warns users if they are about to install an uncertified driver.

IIS Application Protection
Application protection keeps Web applications running separately from the Web server itself, preventing an application from crashing the Web server.

Cluster service (advanced)
2-node Cluster service supports fail-over, caused by hardware or software failure, of critical applications, including databases, knowledge management, ERP, and file & print services.

Network Load Balancing (advanced)
On Web or Terminal Services server farms, re-distribute workload among remaining servers in the event of a server hardware or software failure in less than 10 seconds.

Job Object API
The Job Object API, with its ability to setup processor affinity, establish time limits, control process priorities, and limit memory utilization for a group of related processes, allows an application to manage and control dependent system resources. This additional level of control means the Job Object API can prevent an application from negatively impacting overall system scalability.

Application Certification & DLL Protection
Applications certified to run on Windows 2000 Server are tested by Microsoft to ensure high quality and reliability. Protects DLLs installed by applications from conflicts that can cause application failure.

Multi-master Replication
Active Directory uses multi-master replication to ensure high scalability and availability in distributed network configurations. "Multi-master" means that each directory replica in the network is a peer of all other replicas; changes can be made to any replica watches quality and will be reflected across all of them.

Distributed File System (Dfs)
Build a single, hierarchical view of multiple file servers and file server shares on a network. Dfs makes files easier for users to locate, and increases availability by maintaining multiple file copies across distributed servers.

Disk Quotas
Set quotas on disk space usage per user and per volume to provide increased availability of disk space and help capacity planning efforts.

Hierarchical Storage Management
Automatically migrate data that hasn't been recently accessed to less expensive storage media, maximizing disk space for the most heavily accessed data on the disk.

Dynamic system configuration
Add new volumes, extend existing volumes, break or add a mirror, or repair a RAID 5 array, while the server is online, without impacting the end-user.

Rolling Upgrade Support (advanced)
Using Cluster service and NLB, avoid downtime caused by planned maintenance or upgrades using rolling upgrades. Migrate your applications or IP workload to one node, upgrading the first node, and then migrating them back. You can roll out hardware, software, and even operating systems upgrades without taking the application offline. Both Windows Clustering technologies are backwards compatible with their Windows NT Server 4.0 predecessors.

Dynamic Volume Management
Add new volumes, extend existing volumes, break or add a mirror, or repair a RAID 5 array, while the server is online, without impacting the end-user.

Disk Defragmentation
Over time, fragmentation can have a severe impact on the performance of a busy file or Web server. These tools increase disks availability and performance.

Safe Mode Boot
Booting in Safe Mode allows users to troubleshoot the system during start up by changing the default settings or removing a newly installed driver that is causing a problem.

Backup and Recovery
Backup and recovery features make it easier to backup data and then recover data in the event of a hard disk failure. Windows 2000 allows back up to a single file on a hard disk and tape media.

Automatic Restart
Configure services across the operating system, including IIS, to restart automatically if they fail.

Kill Process Tree
Stop all processes related to an errant process or application without rebooting the system.

Cluster Administrator (advanced)
Run Cluster Administrator from any Windows NT or Windows 2000 system to remotely control multiple clusters from a single location.

Integrated Directory Services
Windows 2000 introduces Active Directory, a scalable, standard-compliant directory service that makes Windows 2000 easier to manage, more secure, and more interoperable with existing investments. Active Directory centrally manages Windows-based clients, and servers through a single consistent management interface, reducing redundancy and maintenance costs.

Windows Management Instrumentation
A uniform model through which management data from any source can be managed in a standard way. Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provides this for software, such as applications, while WMI extensions for the Windows Driver Model (WDM) provide this for hardware or hardware device drivers. WMI in Windows 2000 enables management of even more functions.

Delegated Administration
Active Directory enables administrators to delegate a selected set of administrative privileges to appropriate individuals within the organization to distribute the management and improve accuracy of administration. Delegation also helps companies reduce the number of domains they need to support a large organization with multiple geographical locations.

Microsoft Management Console
Unify and simplify system management tasks through a central, customizable console that allows control, monitoring, and administration of widespread network resources. All management functions in Windows 2000 are available through the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).

Remote Management with Terminal Services
Safely enable Terminal Services for remote administration purposes. Up to two concurrent sessions are supported, with no impact on performance or application compatibility.

Windows Script Host (WSH)
Administer the server and automate tasks via the command line instead of graphical user interface tools with scripts.

Group Policy
Group policy allows central management of collections of users, computers, applications, and network resources instead of managing entities on a one-by-one basis. Integration with Active Directory delivers more granular and flexible control.

Centralized Desktop Management
Manage users' desktop resources by applying policies based on the business needs and location of users. IntelliMirrorTM management technologies install and maintain software, apply correct computer and user settings, and ensure that users' data is always available.

Security Configuration Toolset (SCTS)
Reduce costs associated with security configuration and analysis of Windows-based networks. In Windows 2000, use Group Policy to set and periodically update security configurations of computers.

PKI Group Policy Management
Centrally manage Domain wide-PKI policies. Specify which Certificate Authorities a client will trust, distribute new root certificates, adjust IPSec policy or determine if a user will be required to use smart cards to long onto a particular system.

Windows NT 4.0 Domain migration tools
Simplify the upgrade process to a Windows 2000 domain.

Directory interoperability
Meta directory technologies enable companies to use Active Directory to manage identity information stored in heterogeneous directory services.

Directory synchronization tools
Maintain and synchronize data between Active Directory and Microsoft Exchange and Novell NDS directories.

High interoperability with client computers
Supports Windows NT Workstation, Windows 9x, Windows 3.x, Macintosh, and Unix operating systems. TCP/IP Appleshare support improves resource sharing for the Macintosh operating system.

Applications & Directory interoperability
Windows 2000 compatible applications will install and upgrade onto the Windows 2000 operating system. Active Directory can interoperate or synchronize date with other directory services using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), Meta directory technologies, Microsoft Directory Service Synchronization, or Active Directory Connector. Integration with existing management applications and frameworkd via Windows Management Services.

Server & Mainframe interoperability
Message Queuing enables the exchange of information between applications running on mainframe platforms. Kerberos authentication protocol support enables interoperability with other systems using this industry standard authentication protocol. Services for NetWare is an add-on product that increases interoperability with NetWare servers and clients with Windows-based servers and clients. Services for Unix is an add-on product that makes it easier to integrate Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000 into a UNIX environment.

Latest server hardware (advanced)
Support for the latest advanced 8-way SMP servers running Intel's Profusion chipset and architecture, and up to 8 GB of memory support with Intel's Physical Address Extension (PAE).

Networking
Windows 2000 Server works with networking devices that support the latest networking technologies, including Plug and Play, DSL, VPN, routing, NAT, DHCP, Quality of Services switches and routers, Directory-Enabled Networking devices, IPSec, SSL, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode.

Peripherals
Windows 2000 Server works with the newest peripherals such as storage management hardware, USB printers, network adapters, keyboards and mice. It delivers advanced printer driver support, as well as support for 1394, PCMCIA, infra-red and digital devices.

This feature information was obtained from the Microsoft Windows 2000 website at http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000 and are linked from ActiveWin.com for your convenience. For the most accurate information please visit the official site. 

Return To The Windows 2000 Section

Activewin.com Featured Partners:

 70-089 exams are main source of deployment and administration of MS system server 2003 by covering all areas of information and technology. 70-297 exams are very assistive for the designation of MS windows server 2003 active directory and blue prints of networking systems proficiently. 70-216 exams are very significant for implementing and operating all kinds of networking systems with efficient networking systems. 70-291 exams are very idealistically important for the rapid progress and success in IT field by providing all kinds of necessary information and technologies. 70-218 exams are essential part of Microsoft certification to enrich the professional proficiency and applicability of IT specialists.