Introduction

Welcome to Windows Server 2003 on ProLiant Servers. Early in the design of this book, we decided that our overall approach was to tell the reader, "Your ProLiant is a very significant investment and is a powerful server. Look at all the things it can be used for with Windows Server 2003: It can run Active Directory to network your entire enterprise in a secure, dynamic, and scalable structure; it can be an Exchange Server, a VPN Server, or a Terminal Services Server; it can provide High Availability through Clustering; and more." But rather than regurgitate white papers and documents that tell how it should work , we took the approach of how it does work and here are some tips on what does and doesn't work . We did that by documenting actual case studies of migrations by HP itself, HP customers such as Reed Elseveir, the Georgia Department of Transportation, and Eastman Chemical, and numerous practical examples found while working with customers in their daily work at HP. Of course there is no shortage of books on Windows Server 2003, but our niche is deploying Windows Server 2003 on ProLiant servers. This book's added value is how to use the "ProLiant Advantage" in your Windows environment. We have weaved recommendations, tips, and details regarding ProLiant deployment, management, and troubleshooting throughout the book. For example, Chapter 10 covers Windows system management and troubleshooting, and how to use ProLiant management tools and troubleshooting methods. Chapter 11 discusses disaster recovery methods for Active Directory and ProLiant servers. Server sizing and recommendations are noted in various chapters.

Written by HP engineers and designed to communicate the benefits and unique features of Windows Server 2003 and ProLiant, this book presents them in a positive voice that reflects the authors' true confidence in these two platforms. This book is not a marketing tool; rather it's a technical resource book designed to help those who have made investments in ProLiant servers understand how to utilize the features, administration tools, and deployment tools in developing a sound Windows 2003 infrastructure. This includes providing an in-depth explanation of Windows 2003 features ”how they differ from Windows 2000 and how that will help your organization. So if you encounter a passage that seems a little zealous in its presentation of the facts, keep in mind that it just reflects the authors' enthusiasm for two darn good products!

This book is the first of its kind in that it combines two separate platforms that are traditionally used together, but have not ever been covered as the primary focus of a single book. Windows and ProLiant are probably the most widely deployed operating system (OS) and server combination in use today. With more than eight million ProLiant servers sold at sales of over one and a half million units annually with around 80% deployed with Windows Server, the community of organizations running Windows on ProLiant is substantial and growing at a rapid pace. As the industry standard server category has grown, Windows Server and ProLiant have become a tradition for many businesses. The current generation of ProLiant servers and Windows Server 2003 continue the tradition of industry standards-based innovation to again offer a powerful combination of features and technologies. It seems fitting to detail these two platforms ”their features and how they complement one another ”as they are actually used in tandem by IT organizations every day around the world.

The community of ProLiant and Windows engineers within HP composes the largest organization of Windows and ProLiant specialists anywhere . Drawing on this unique body of expertise, HP maintains the largest installation of Windows Server 2003 outside of Microsoft and services thousands of the world's leading organizations. HP provides the Windows Server 2003 and ProLiant expertise to help these organizations meet the challenges of planning, deploying, managing, and maintaining these evolving technologies. For the authors and contributors of this ground-breaking book, the opportunity to work within this unique and talented community has been a challenging and rewarding experience. What we've learned during our tenure has provided the inspiration to take on the challenge of assembling and organizing the details of the many components of the two platforms to assist individuals and organizations in taking full advantage of these two powerful products.