RSSMicrosoft Details Server 2003 SP2 Plans
By Nate Mook | Published August 2, 2006, 4:43 PM
With beta testing underway for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2, which also is designed for Windows XP x64 edition, Microsoft is providing a bit more details about the impending upgrade. Windows Server program manager Ward Ralston says SP2 will be much less painful than SP1.
"I know SP1 to Windows Server 2003 made some pretty big changes to the way we do security and it introduced a cycle of application testing and some compatibility issues….this was, however, a necessary evil needed to address server security," Ralston wrote on his team's blog.
Now that the groundwork has been laid with SP1, Microsoft is planning a more conventional service pack for SP2. It will consist of all security updates, all individual hotfixes released to customers and fixes to reduce top customer support issues.
SP2 will also include some additions to support Windows Vista, Microsoft's next Windows client release due out in early 2007. Some new features will make the cut as well, although Ralston calls them "limited" in scope.
On that list is an updated and redesigned version of Remote Installation Services called Windows Deployment Services, Microsoft Management Console 3.0, support for Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) version 2, per-port firewall rules, and improved IPSEC filtering.
MSConfig, the popular Windows configuration tool used by administrators and more tech savvy consumers, will additionally be bolstered in SP2. Ralston says Microsoft has added "an additional tab which provides a single launching point for common support tools that will ease the discoverability of common diagnostic functionality."
The service pack is slated for release later this year, although Microsoft has not given a firm timetable. SP2 will update all versions of Windows Server 2003, including 32-bit, 64-bit and Itanium releases, along with Windows Server 2003 R2.
With reference to your opening line, you have a spelling mistake.
[With beta testing underway for Windows Service 2003 Service Pack 2]
... shoud read Windows Server SP2, not Service SP2.
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|The MSCONFIG tool just calls an XML file that you can populate with whatever commands you want. We just put the most popular ones in there.
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|Ralston says Microsoft has added "an additional tab which provides a single launching point for common support tools that will ease the discoverability of common diagnostic functionality."
A link to regedit, a link to the command line interface, a link to administrative tools, etc...
I suppose it's handy to have acces to all of those things in one area, but the average admin knows how to get to all of those faster or at least as fast as typing msconfig in the 'Run' box...
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|2003 is the first OS I think MS really doesn't need a SP for. It works so well right now.
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|It is a great OS, but it still needs service packs. Installing all those security updates every time you reinstall is a hassle. I like having a fresh slipstreamed install CD ready.
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|I don't install slipstreamed software on server metal. When it comes time for support, it's an unsupported configuration. Yes it can be done with success, but no, you will be left in a lurch when/if you need to call up MS about it...
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|I agree. Even though it works most of the time, I've run into screwy problems from a slipstreamed server install and had to reinstall the slow way. Also, I've had problems with slipstreamed installs of XP even more often.
Actually I think I've only had a problem when I also had patches in addition to a service pack, but not when all that was added was the service pack.
I really hope MS stops whatever voodoo is going on that makes this problematic. Vista/Longhorn might; it sounds like they've totally re-done the registry system.
I my life as a sys admin, the need to "re-build" machines rather than just fix them has been a major annoyance and it's one area that Linux has a major advantage in.
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|Are we talking about the same thing here? Why wouldn't they support a slipstreamed install, they officially provide that ability themselves. It's still the same service pack, you're just updating your install CD instead of installing an outdated version of Windows and updating over top of it. I've had far less problems with clean slipstreamed installs than with updating and existing copy. Do you have a link to this claim that Microsoft won't support a slipstreamed install? I'm just curious as to why they would not support one of their own methods of updating. In fact the entire idea of slipstreaming seems to be aimed at large corporations. Oh, and those copies of XP you can buy now with SP2 already in them; those are slipstreamed.
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|Installing all those updates??
never heard of Direct Integration?
Windows XP and integrater program
http://www.ryanvm.net/msfn/
Windows 2003 pack
http://codejunkie.ryanvm.net
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|Yes, I've used RyanVM's utility as well as Nlite in the past, but I don't think that's a replacement for an official service pack.
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|Server 2003 was the OS that made me like MS. I hope they keep up the quality and roll some of the work into Vista.
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|Vista is based on the Server 2003 SP1 core, so it should have been a great OS. They are stuffing so much eye candy and making so many odd changes to the layout of everything though that I'm afraid it won't hold a candle to 2003.
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|I don't think it is based on this core. As so is XP x64 Professional, and there is no supported method of upgrading from x64 Pro to Vista...
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|Yes, Windows Vista is built on Server 2003.
As for x64 I'm not sure why they are currently not allowing it as there will be a 64-bit version of Vista. I believe this will probably change by the time it's released and XP x64 to Vista x64 upgrades will be supported. If not you can still buy the upgrade, you will just need to do a clean install.
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|eye candy and layouts are in the eye of the beholder.
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|Good deal, I will be installing it as soon as it comes out. At my house of course, not at work :)
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|Running SP2 on my x64 system, and it's very stable and already very high quality.
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|Glad to hear it!
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|Where can I download SP2 for 64-bit Windows XP? Betanews posted an article previously that stated MS was offering a downloadable beta version of SP2 but did not provide a link to the beta.
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|it's on Connect.
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