Windows Server 2008 R2 available on TechNet and MSDN

Everyone, including me has spent a lot of time discussing the Windows 7 release and getting caught up in all the hype over the new client OS. That being said, I spend most of my daily work with Microsoft discussing Windows Server 2008 R2 features, Virtualization and the better together message with Windows 7 through DirectAccess, Branch Cache and more.

I truly am passionate of about server side technologies and see Windows Server 2008 R2 as the game changing release that Windows Server 2008 should have been. There are a lot of Windows Server 2003 domains out there because it was rock solid and even though there was great features in the 2008 release, not enough for many organizations to upgrade. Active Directory Recycle Bin, Hyper-V R2 and Live Migration, DirectAccess, Branch Cache, some serious power management including core parking will change this in my opinion. Even in tough economic times, these features will see long-term value and savings when implemented.

Well, now we get to do all of this for real as the bits have been for the RTM to TechNet and MSDN subscribers. I am currently downloading the ISO myself for use in my home setup. I have included below some great video resources from https://edge.technet.com related to the server release and the included improvement and new technologies.

Migration Videos

Inside the new Server Migration Portal:  It's no secret that in the past migration guidance from Microsoft has been spread out all over the place and has been difficult to find.  Enter the Server Migration portal on TechNet.  In this interview I sit down with Sergei and Jared to talk about this new portal and get details on the portal as well as some of the new tools there to aid IT Professionals in migration of their server roles.

Installing the Windows Server 2008 R2 Migration Tools: Gordon Ryan shows us some great how to guidence on installing the new Windows Server R2 Migration tools.

Migrating DHCP using the Windows Server 2008 R2 Migration Tools: Gordon Ryan walks through a migration of DHCP using the Windows Server R2 Migration tools.

Hyper-V Videos

Hyper-V Changes in Windows Server 2008 R2: Issac Roybal is the Product Manager for Hyper-V and spent a few minutes with me discussing some very late breaking features in Hyper-V coming with the Windows Server 2008 R2

Hyper-V R2: Initial Installation & Configuration: This video walks through the installation of Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008 R2, and also looks at some of the key changes in this release, such as Processor Compatibility Mode, Core Parking, and more.

Hyper-V Server 2008 R2: Bare M… Migration (In about an hour!):In this one-off video, Matt McSpirit, Partner Technology Specialist at Microsoft UK, walks through a bare-metal installation of Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 (RC) on 2 physical nodes, hooks them up to an iSCSI SAN, configures the SAN storage, and then, from a Windows 7 (RC) laptop, validates, and builds a Hyper-V Server 2008 R2 (RC) Cluster.  The end result?  A Highly Available, Live Migratable, Virtual Machine!

Direct Access Videos

DirectAccess with Devrim: DirectAccess provides users the experience of being seamlessly connected to their corporate network any time they have Internet access.  If their corporate network supports DirectAccess, the users don't need to connect via their Virtual Private Network in order to access corporate resources.  They can work as if they are in their office, no matter where they are.

Direct Access Simplified with Corey Hynes: I asked Corey to sit down with me and talk about one of the truly game changing features in Windows Server 2008 R2: Direct Access.

Configuring DirectAccess - Windows Server 2008 R2 Demo Screencast:   This is the fifth of five screencasts based on the five demos that were part of the TechNet Webcast: Windows Server 2008 R2 Technical Overview (Part 2 of 2).  In this Screencast Kevin Remde walks through configuration of Direct Access in Windows Server 2008 R2.

Now all the fun really begins!

cheers

  

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