More Effective Collaboration & Communication
In today's economic climate, businesses need
to do more than just maintain current
performance levels. When it comes to doing more
with less, helping information workers become
more productive is often a priority. Their
demands for more collaborative services,
however, pose a challenge for the IT
professionals who support them.
IT organizations constantly balance the need
to manage storage growth, protect data, and
increase information access against the desire
to provide richer collaboration and
communication services.
The Solution: Windows Server 2003
Windows Server 2003 delivers a set of
technologies that protect and provide greater
access to data, enhance communication and
collaboration, and do so where it matters most:
on end-user desktops. IT professionals can now
say yes to business demands, because Windows
Server 2003 provides a single platform that
reduces costs, improves IT capabilities, and
makes it easy to offer end users solutions that
help increase their work productivity.
Enhancements start with intelligent file
storage and print services that make data
available from virtually anywhere. Productivity
extends to team collaboration services such as
Windows SharePoint™ Services and integrated
technologies that work better together to
improve the user experience.
Benefits
Intelligent File Storage
|
Information Protection |
Intelligent file services help improve
productivity by increasing data
availability. Benefits include:
- The new Shadow Copy Restore
feature, which offers an easy way
for users to recover previous
versions of documents without
interrupting their work process or
calling support staff.
- My Documents folder redirection.
Administrators can redirect the My
Documents folder from a user's local
machine to a server, which protects
information worker data through the
regular, centralized backup process
while also increasing its
availability.
- Encrypting File System (EFS)
support. Windows Server 2003
integrates EFS to help protect both
server-based files as well as the
online/offline cache system on a
client PC. As a result, sensitive
information that is stored on a
user's computer receives encrypted
protection, making it more secure in
the event of loss or theft.
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Simplified Access |
Users
maintain easy access to file shares in
distributed environments through
Distributed File System (DFS)
technology. By implementing DFS,
administrators can increase data
availability while simplifying the
management of file storage resources. |
|
Intelligent Print Sharing |
Fault
tolerant, discoverable, server-based
printing helps simplify common printing
tasks. Users can quickly and easily
locate and connect to network printers
based on multiple criteria, such as
location, ability to print color, or the
speed of the printer. Plus, printers can
be published in the Windows Active
Directory® service, making it easier to
designate print servers that are
specifically tailored to the needs of a
particular group of users. |
|
Scalable Storage |
Improved data storage capabilities
deliver benefits to administrators and
end users alike:
- The Volume Copy Shadow service
creates point-in-time copies of
application data without shutting
down applications.
- The Virtual Disk Service enables
multiple-vendor storage devices to
interoperate in Windows. Yet a
unified interface makes it simple
for administrators to discover and
configure multiple-vendor storage
devices.
- Enhanced storage area network
(SAN) support. Together with the
Volume Copy Shadow service, SANs
allow off-host, online backups.
|
Collaboration and Communication
| Easy
File Sharing with Windows SharePoint
Services |
Windows
SharePoint Services extend document
sharing beyond file services to
encompass team collaboration. Large
numbers of Web-based communities can be
created with Windows SharePoint
Services, fostering easier information
sharing and better team productivity. To
find out more, download the beta or
order an evaluation kit from the Windows
SharePoint Services Beta 2 page. |
|
Remote Productivity with Windows
Terminal Services |
For
users who run remote applications over a
limited bandwidth, Windows Terminal
Services provides a high level of
performance and responsiveness. Terminal
Services runs applications on a file
server and sends only screen display
information over a network. That way,
users of Microsoft Windows® XP
experience minimal latency even when
connected over slow dial-up lines. |
|
Streaming Media with Windows Media
Services |
Enhanced Windows Media® Services
delivers a reliable, scalable,
manageable, and economical solution for
e-learning and broadcasts of streaming
audio and video. By delivering richer
and more immediate communications to
employees, partners, suppliers, and
customers, Windows Media Services can
help increase productivity while
reducing the costs related to in-person
meetings. |
Integrated Technologies That Are Better
Together
|
Better with Microsoft® Technologies |
The
Microsoft Windows Server System™ and
other Microsoft technologies, used in
conjunction with Windows Server 2003,
form a unified and integrated
infrastructure for information workers.
Windows Server 2003 integrates with:
- Microsoft Office 2003, which
adds the power of a smart client
when it connects to server-based
services and applications. Users get
easier access to teams and team
documents.
- Microsoft Exchange Server 2003,
which provides enterprise messaging
and calendaring.
- Microsoft SharePoint Portal
Server, which provides
enterprisewide information
management.
|
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Reduced Administration Costs Through
Incremental Deployments |
The
Windows Server 2003–based information
worker infrastructure is based on an
incremental deployment model—each
product independently delivers value to
the bottom line. Yet the technologies
are built to work together, so end users
and support staff alike benefit from a
consistent user interface and single
security model. |
|
Compounded Value |
Organizations can use their existing IT
infrastructure to develop a powerful
information worker platform that
optimizes current investments and
enables compounded improvements in
information worker productivity. |
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