Posted 02/10/09 at 11:27:35 AM by Josh Kampschmidt

It is finally happening! Microsoft is now changing over to a 64-bit operating system by default instead of 32 bit. Windows Server 2008 R2 will be the first operating system to feature 32 bit optional. This means that all the applications included with Windows Server 2008 R2 will be native 64 bit. It appears Microsoft is now ready to embrace the 21st century and begin shipping their new server operating systems as 64 bit only.

For the system administrators that still want to run 32-bit applications inside of Windows Server 2008 R2 they will have to install WoW64. This application support layer is not included by default with the operating system.

Hit the jump for more information and what this means to regular home users.

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Posted 10/28/08 at 06:32:18 PM by Mark Edward Soper

ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley once again lives up to her blog's "All About Microsoft" title, delivering the news that attendees at this week's Professional Developers' Conference (PDC) will also take home a pre-beta of Windows 7's server counterpart, Windows Server 2008 R2. Here's what's new in what's being characterized as a "minor" update:

• Windows Server 2008 R2 represents the end of 32-bit support in the Windows Server family; it's 64-bit only
• Windows Server 2008 R2 features version 2 of Hyper-V "bare metal" virtualization, which will include a new Live Migration feature for fault-tolerant failover
• PowerShell Version 2.0, which includes a more graphical interface than its predecessor
• .NET incorporated in Server Core
• Remote Desktop Services replaces Terminal Services

Is Windows Server 2008 R2 in your company's future? Microsoft hopes so. According to Foley, Microsoft is calling the pairing of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 "Better Together," with features such as BitLocker support for removable drives, BranchCache (hosted server caching) and others working better when both operating systems are in use.

Join us after the jump for your thoughts on "Windows 7 Server."

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Posted 08/21/08 at 09:52:37 AM by Pulkit Chandna

A ZDNet blogger, Mary Jo Foley, had erroneously reported that Microsoft was skipping Windows Server 2008 Revision 2 and moving directly to server version of Windows 7. However, she has now corrected the error after Microsoft clarified that the Windows Server 2008 R2 is alive and will only be a minor update. It is speculated that Windows 7 Server will follow a year or two later after the minor revision. Let us wait for Microsoft to lucidly spell out its release plans.

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