Standard Edition is the basic edition of Windows Server 2003 and is the one you'll likely use the most. It's suited to the broadest range of applications, particularly file serving, print serving, and low-demand application serving. Standard Edition supports a maximum of 4GB of server RAM, 4TB of disk space, and up to four processors.

Standard Edition supports the entire basic set of Windows Server 2003 features. It can act as a domain controller, public key infrastructure (PKI) server, and so forth. It does not offer clustering capabilities, aside from Network Load Balancing (NLB), which is included with all editions of Windows Server 2003.

Standard Edition cannot host Microsoft Metadirectory Services (MMS), a technology used to integrate multiple directory services, such as Active Directory, Novell Directory Services (NDS), and so forth. Standard Edition also lacks support for advanced scalability features, including the capability to add memory to a server while it's running, non-uniform memory access, and so on. Standard Edition does, however, include Terminal Services, but it does not support the Terminal Server Session Directory—a feature that allows users to easily reconnect a disconnected Terminal Services session hosted by a farm of Terminal Services computers.

Where is Standard Edition best used? In a broad variety of applications:

Standard Edition is especially ideal as an all-purpose platform for smaller environments, where advanced features like clustering or large memory support aren't required.

Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition fills many of the same roles as Standard Edition and adds features primarily geared toward improving reliability and scalability. Enterprise Edition supports a maximum of eight processors, which is double Standard Edition's capability. Enterprise Edition also supports Address Windows Extensions (AWE), providing an extra gigabyte of memory to applications by reserving only 1GB for Windows, rather than Standard Edition's 2GB/2GB split between the operating system and applications.

Enterprise Edition also supports Windows Clustering, allowing you to build failover clusters with two nodes. The Cluster Service allows you to create clustered file shares and clustered printers and supports clustered applications, such as SQL Server Enterprise Edition and Exchange Server Enterprise Edition. The Cluster Service even enables you to cluster applications that aren't specifically designed for clustering, provided they meet certain criteria spelled out in the Windows online documentation.

Enterprise Edition can also host Microsoft Metadirectory Services (MMS), allowing large organizations to integrate multiple heterogeneous directories.

Enterprise Edition ups the ante for scalability and reliability, as well. Enterprise Edition is available in a 64-bit edition for Intel's Itanium family of 64-bit processors. With the proper server hardware support, Enterprise Edition also supports hot-add memory, which is the capability to add server memory while the server is running, and non-uniform memory access (NUMA). NUMA is a fairly new concept in the Windows world and occurs only in servers that are built with multiple separate processor busses. Each bus has its own memory, which is accessible at very high speeds to processors on that bus. When processors must access memory on other busses, however, access is slower. This disparity between memory access times is referred to as NUMA. High-end servers will be built with this multiple-bus architecture to provide faster memory access times.

Finally, Enterprise Edition supports the Terminal Server Session Directory, which makes working with large Terminal Services server farms more intuitive for users.

Enterprise Edition is an ideal platform for high-demand, mission-critical applications, including

Datacenter Edition builds on the feature set offered by Enterprise Edition and eliminates a few features that aren't considered appropriate for a large enterprise data center. For example, Datacenter does not support the Internet Connection Firewall or Internet Connection Sharing, two features designed to make Windows an Internet gateway for network clients. Both features are, however, supported by Standard Edition and Enterprise Edition.

Datacenter Edition adds support for up to 64GB of server RAM and up to 32-way processor support. These features require a specialized Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), which is provided by the server hardware manufacturer. Datacenter Edition's Cluster Service supports eight-way clusters, enabling you to build more complex failover clusters for mission-critical applications.

Although Datacenter Edition does provide a “bigger and better” product over Enterprise Edition and Standard Edition, that's not really the point of Datacenter Edition. The real point of Datacenter Edition is much more important and is almost philosophical in nature: You can only buy Datacenter in conjunction with an approved server, directly from an approved server vendor. To receive product support for Datacenter Edition, you must contact the server vendor, not Microsoft, and you cannot make any hardware changes to the server without prior approval from the server vendor.

This philosophy is at the heart of Microsoft's Datacenter program, which is designed to provide you with a server that can remain up and running 99.999% of the time—the magical “five nines” reliability number that enterprises demand. In case you're wondering, that's slightly less than nine hours of downtime per year.

Everything about the Datacenter program is focused on reliability:

As we mentioned earlier, Datacenter Edition is sold only through server vendors and is sold preinstalled only on certified server hardware. You'll find that the hardware on which Datacenter Edition is offered is usually the highest of the high end: multiprocessor computers with copious amounts of RAM, redundant network adapters and power supplies, and so forth. Datacenter Edition computers are almost always clustered for higher availability and generally run an enterprise's most mission-critical applications.

Microsoft takes more care with updates for Datacenter Edition, too. Operating system service packs and hot fixes for Datacenter Edition generally lag behind such releases for other editions of Windows Server 2003 because Microsoft and its server vendor partners rigorously test all fixes for the operating system to ensure nothing will interfere with Datacenter Edition's 99.999% reliability record.

Likely applications for Datacenter Edition include any high-volume, mission-critical use, such as the following:

Expect to pay for Datacenter Edition's reliability. Although Microsoft doesn't publish pricing for Datacenter Edition are established by the server vendors who resell the operating system—the operating system itself, not to mention the high-end server hardware on which it runs, commands a premium price. If you're interested in finding out exactly how much, contact your local Hewlett-Packard or IBM sales representative. Tell him you're interested in purchasing a Datacenter Edition computer and watch his ears perk up! In fact, the sheer expense of Datacenter Edition and the associated server hardware makes it the least-deployed version of Windows. Many administrators might go their entire career without working on a Datacenter Edition, even in fairly large enterprises.

In recent years, Microsoft has taken a pummeling in the Web server business. At one time, IIS and Windows NT Server 4.0 was the most popular commercial Web server platform; today, Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003 are fighting against a wave of free and inexpensive versions of the Linux operating system and Apache Web server software. Microsoft argues that such servers don't come with the support that a multi-billion dollar company like Microsoft can provide; fans of Linux/Apache solutions say, “Who cares?” As a result, Microsoft has worked hard to provide a lower-cost version of Windows that's optimized to be a high-speed Web server. Although lower-cost certainly doesn't beat free, it does help close the gap and make potential buyers look at the additional features IIS offers, as well as the support Microsoft can provide. Microsoft's lower-cost Web server solution is Windows Server 2003, Web Edition.

Windows Server 2003, Web Edition's lower price doesn't mean you're getting a free lunch, though. For example, Web Edition lacks the other Windows Server 2003 editions' Enterprise UDDI (Universal Data Definition Interface) services, which is an industry-standard way of publishing and locating information about XML Web services. And, even though Web Edition can be a member of an Active Directory domain, it can't be a domain controller. Web Edition also lacks support for Microsoft Clustering, although it does include the NLB software that's appropriate for creating Web farms.

Web Edition lacks some of the communication features of the other editions, including the Internet Authentication Service (IAS), network bridging, Internet Connection Sharing, and the Internet Connection Firewall. Web Edition cannot host MMS. Unlike all other editions of Windows Server 2003, Web Edition does not support removable storage management, Fax Services, Remote Installation Services, Windows Media Services, or Services for Macintosh—all features that are useful on a network but are not specifically useful for a Web server. Although Web Edition does include Terminal Services' Remote Desktop for Administration, allowing you to remotely control your Web Edition computers, Web Edition doesn't support any other uses of the Terminal Services technologies.

Web Edition also lacks the scalability and reliability features of Enterprise Edition and Datacenter Edition, including a 64-bit edition, hot add memory, and NUMA support. Web Edition's scalability and reliability derives entirely from the inherently reliable and scalable nature of Web farms, which you can build using the included NLB software.

Web Edition's potential applications? Just one: as a Web server, either in the Internet or on your company's intranet. With more and more applications being implemented on Web servers, though, Web Edition's lack of breadth can hardly be considered a limitation. And if you're accustomed to paying a couple thousand bucks for the basic edition of Windows to run your Web servers, Web Edition's sub-$1,000 list price should be a welcome change.

No matter how you purchase Windows Server 2003, or how much you pay, you'll still be buying licenses for the operating system. Microsoft server operating systems actually require two licenses: A server license allows you to actually run the operating system on a single server computer; a client access license (CAL) allows a single user to connect to the server and utilize its services.

Windows Server 2003—and indeed, pretty much every preceding version of Windows—recognizes two types of client licensing. The first is per-seat licensing, in which you buy one CAL for each client computer in your organization. The second is per-client licensing, in which you buy one CAL for each connection that will be made between a particular server and a client. This is the same type of licensing that both Windows 2000 Server and Windows NT Server 4.0 use.

Microsoft's three programs are each targeted at different sizes of businesses with different needs and different budgets. Two basic programs apply to Windows Server 2003: Open License and Select License. Other custom licensing programs can be negotiated by larger companies that deal directly with Microsoft.

Open License programs are designed to be easy for businesses to take advantage of. Your initial purchase size sets your discount level for the program, and your program agreement lasts for two years. Additional licenses can be ordered in any quantity at your fixed discount level, and you can buy those licenses on the open market.

Microsoft offers two licensing subprograms under the Open License name: Open Business and Open Volume. The Open Business program allows businesses to place an initial order for at least five Microsoft products and establishes a fixed discount level. Businesses can then purchase additional licenses one at a time at their discount level for the duration of the program agreement. Open Volume is similar to Open Business, but it allows higher discount levels. Your discount level is determined for each of three product categories: applications, systems (including Windows Server 2003), and servers. Your initial purchase quantity in each category must meet a predefined minimum to qualify for the program. Initial purchases larger than the minimum do not result in a higher discount level. Both Open Business and Open Volume agreements last for two years.

Open Business is the most straightforward program because you must buy only five products from any category to qualify. Open Volume is more complex because each Microsoft product is assigned a point value. To qualify for the Open Volume program, you have to purchase at least 500 points worth of products from the servers, systems, or applications category. For example, Windows Server 2003 is worth 15 points, whereas a Windows Server 2003 CAL is worth only 1 point. You must purchase at least 500 points worth of product from at least one category, and you receive an Open Volume agreement only for the categories for which you qualify.

One catch with both Open License programs is that they don't include actual product. When you purchase a license, it shows up under your account on Microsoft's eOpen Web site. The Web site allows you to track the licenses you've purchased, which ones have Software Assurance associated with them, and so forth (more on Software Assurance later in this chapter). What you don't get when you purchase an Open License is a CD, manual, or other physical product. So, how do you get the physical stuff? Microsoft offers a special fulfillment channel, which enables you to purchase the media and manuals for a nominal fulfillment and shipping fee.

Select License agreements are for larger companies that have at least 250 computers and the capability to roughly forecast future purchases. Enrollment in the Select program requires a larger initial purchase than an Open Volume agreement, although your eligibility and discount levels are determined by using the same three product categories and the same product point values. Select agreements last for three years; to qualify for the program, you must agree to purchase at least 1,500 points worth of products from any one category within that three-year timeframe. If you agree to purchase more product within your three-year agreement term, you'll get a higher discount level:

When your Select agreement expires, you can renew it for one or three years, at your option. Unlike Open Volume agreements, which allow you to purchase licenses from a large reseller channel, Select agreements and licenses must be purchased through a more exclusive channel, called the Microsoft Authorized Large Account Resellers (LARs) channel. After you're in the Select program, obtaining the actual product is easier than with the Open Volume program: You're shipped a fulfillment kit containing compact discs or DVDs for every product in the categories covered by your agreement. As products are updated, Microsoft ships you updated discs automatically.

Where most companies get into trouble with the Select program is in the point forecasting. Most companies err on the side of caution, selecting a lower point commitment for their term. If you agree to purchase 11,999 points worth of product, and wind up buying 30,000, you'll still get only the level A discount level.

Note

To learn more about how these licensing programs apply specifically to Windows Server 2003, go to the book's product page at www.informit.com/store/product.aspx?isbn=0789728494. Click the Extras tab and locate article ID# A010102.

When you start to calculate the prices for the licenses you need, don't forget to factor in Software Assurance, Microsoft's new proactive software upgrading program. In the past, Microsoft usually licensed its software outright and offered special upgrade pricing for users of previous versions. Now, Microsoft won't offer upgrade pricing any longer. Instead, you essentially buy your upgrades in advance through Software Assurance.

Software Assurance costs about 25% extra per year. So, for two years of Software Assurance, your licensing costs will increase by 50%. So long as Software Assurance is in effect, you'll receive all product upgrades at no additional charge. Without Software Assurance, you'll still receive service packs and other mid-version fixes, but you won't receive any major new versions of the product. If you want them, you'll have to pay full price.

To help combat illegal use of its software, Microsoft has begun implementing product activation in many of its products, including Windows Server 2003. When you install Windows Server 2003 from retail media—the CD-ROM you buy in a store or from another retailer—you type in a unique product ID during the setup process. This product ID is generally printed on the back of the CD jewel case. After the installation is complete, Windows Server 2003 contacts Microsoft over the Internet (there's a phone-in option if you're not connected) and registers your product ID. From that point, your product ID is permanently tied to your server's hardware configuration. You can reinstall and reactivate Windows as many times as you want on that particular hardware; if you try to use the same product ID to install Windows on a different server, the activation process will fail.

Activation can present a few problems. Normally, Windows adapts to changes in your hardware configuration and remains activated, provided those changes are few in number and occur over a period of time. If several things—for example, BIOS serial number, memory, hard drive, and CPU type—all change at once, Windows deactivates itself, believing that it has been cloned onto a different computer and is no longer legal. If that happens, you'll have to call the Microsoft Product Activation Center and plead your case for a new activation key.

If you've received your Windows Server 2003 CDs through a volume channel, such as a Microsoft Select License fulfillment package, you won't have a product ID. Instead, you'll have a volume license key, which enables you to install Windows on any number of machines without having to go through product activation. Of course, you can legally install Windows only as many times as your license allows, but there's no product activation feature to act as a watchdog for you.

If you'll be installing Windows Server 2003 on a large number of computers, it pays to acquire a volume license agreement with Microsoft and get volume license media from which to install. That way you won't have to fuss with product activation after every installation. Volume license media makes using automated deployment methods, such as Remote Installation Services (RIS), easier because product activation isn't a factor.