NAP is a role of Windows Server 2008 and doesn't require an additional license, but we'll have to depend on third parties for NAP components to provide enforcement for Linux and the Mac OS.
Finally, Microsoft appears to have made solid advancements in clustering and high availability. Windows Server 2003 provided high availability in two ways: through server failover clustering and network load balancing. The quorum model has been improved in failover clustering to eliminate the single point of failure that was present in the past when the quorum disk was lost. Using a voting methodology in what Microsoft calls the "majority quorum model," clustered servers and shared storage each get a vote in determining the availability of the clustered resource. As a result, a two-node cluster with shared storage can now survive the loss of a quorum because the shared storage now also gets a vote. Cluster configuration is easier thanks to an improved management UI with wizard-based setup options.
IT can also now disperse clustered resources geographically because Microsoft has eliminated the single subnet requirement for cluster setup. Configurable heartbeats account for network latency when configuring clusters over a WAN. Network load-balancing enhancements include improved DoS protection, additional health monitoring, and the ability to use a Server Core build as part of a network load-balancing cluster.
LET THE TESTING BEGIN
Even Microsoft detractors have to agree that Windows Server 2008 represents a significant advancement of the platform when compared with the Windows 2000 to Windows 2003 upgrade path. In addition, the shared code base of Vista and Windows Server 2008 should provide tangible benefits to those running Vista Pro in the enterprise in the way of NAP, faster IP networking, event log forwarding, and better client management.
But will Windows Server 2008's security, client management, virtualization, terminal services, and high-availability advances top best-of-breed third-party systems? Should small and midsize enterprises become early adopters to gain the wide range of role-based services that Windows Server 2008 provides? While we wait for the final version of Windows Server 2008, we'll prep our labs to put these new features to the test.
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