More Network Access Options | Introducing Microsoft Windows Server(TM) 2003

The following sections describe enhancements to network access that have been made in the Windows Server 2003 family:

Network Bridge
Remote Access Using Credential Manager Key Ring
All- User Remote Access Credential
Support for Internet Protocol over IEEE 1394 (IP/1394)

Network Bridge

When building a network in a home or small office, you might find that a particular network medium works well in one area of the network but not in another. For example, several computers might be located near telephone jacks , enabling them to be connected using phone line networking devices. Other computers might not be near a phone jack, requiring you to use, for example, a wireless network connection. The Windows Server 2003 family supports many medium types, including Ethernet, phone line, IEEE 802.11b wireless, and IEEE 1394. The set of computers that can communicate using a specific networking technology defines a LAN segment.

Traditionally, connecting these separate LAN segments by using TCP/IP would require configuring multiple subnet addresses and routers to connect the different mediums. The Network Bridge enables a computer running a member of the Windows Server 2003 family to bridge multiple network segments to create a single subnet. Bridging multiple LAN segments on the bridge computer is as easy as selecting multiple connections in the Network Connections folder, right-clicking one of the connections, and then clicking Bridge Connections.

The result of using the Network Bridge is a network configuration consisting of a single, easily configured subnet connecting all network mediums. The bridge computer detects and maintains information about which computers are on which LAN segment and forwards packets between the appropriate LAN segments.

Remote Access Using Credential Manager Key Ring

The Windows Server 2003 family includes a Credential Manager Key Ring feature that maintains a key ring containing multiple sets of different credentials that have been used on the system. This allows you to access multiple networks (with different credentials consisting of a user name and a password) at the same time, without having to continually reenter credentials in response to prompts. Information about the network resource to which you are connecting (such as the server name and the domain name ) is used to select the appropriate credential on the key ring. Remote access participates in the key ring by adding a temporary default credential whenever a dial-up or VPN connection is successfully established. This credential contains the username and the password that were used in setting up the connection since these are often the same credentials that will enable access to the resources on that network. This makes the experience of connecting to a remote network and using resources on both that network and your local network seamless.

All-User Remote Access Credential

The all-user remote access credential feature provides the ability to create a connection with a set of credentials, including the username and the password that are available for all users of that computer. For example, if a user has a network connection from his or her home to a local ISP, the user can specify from the New Connection Wizard that this connection is an all-user connection and save the credentials for all users. Other family members can use this connection without having to remember the username or the password to connect to the ISP.

Support for Internet Protocol over IEEE 1394 (IP/1394)

The Windows Server 2003 family supports the sending and receiving of TCP/IP packets over the IEEE 1394 medium, a serial communications bus medium that supports speeds from 100 to 400 Mbps. IEEE 1394 is commonly used to connect audio and video equipment. Support for IEEE 1394 also includes special handling of IEEE 1394 frames for the Network Bridge. For more information, see RFC 2734. No configuration is needed for IEEE 1394 links. They are automatically detected and configured.

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