Introduction

When launched in February 2008, Windows Server 2008 represented the next evolutionary stage for Microsoft’s servers. It was the result of years of experience and development, starting with the Windows Server 2003 version. It came with lots of advanced features as well as a more reliable and secure platform for businesses of any size. But it has to be said unequivocally that Windows Server 2008, as part of the server family, was fully discontinued with the rest of the dated products. Almost all official support, including the delivery of important security updates, ended in early 2020. By all means, this article on the capabilities of an unsupported system also serves as an eye-opener, warning us of the dangers of running an unsupported server system in the current IT environment.

Overview

If you looked at Windows Server 2008, you would be hard-pressed to identify the specific tasks it was intended for, as it is capable of serving from simple file and print services to industrial-strength service in application hosting. Its timing coincided with the launch of Windows Vista, sharing the same core architecture in its foundation. The most important upgrade was the presentation of Windows Server 2008 R2 in 2009, something that aligned it with Windows 7 and introduced a 64-bit-capable-only environment, facilitating powerful PowerShell 2.0 and also the groundbreaking Hyper-V role for server virtualization. From 2000 to 2011, it was the data powerhouse for a lot of corporate data centers across the globe.

Description

Windows Server 2008 was built with server administrators in mind as a solution to balance both server control and reliability. It developed Server Manager, which centralized the configuration and management of all server roles and features — a feature that not only streamlined administrative functions of the server but also ensured that everything was in one place. The operating system was provided in different forms of licensing, with some tailored for the purpose of addressing different business needs, including Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, and the most minimalistic of Server Core editions. The released Server Core was the star function, which granted reduction-in-size of security threat with a command-line interface that removes the graphical user interface, and spending not much for heavy-duty maintenance.

Key Features

Windows Server 2008 introduced several much-needed features that are now adopted as industry standards:

• Server Core: Microsoft’s streamlined installation offering for trimming the attack surface and enhancing protection.
• Hyper-V: The virtualization platform devised by Microsoft and based on hypervisor technology allows a single physical server to host multiple virtual machines.
• PowerShell: A software framework by Microsoft facilitating command-line shell functionalities to simplify complex tasks of administration and automation on Windows OS.
• Read-Only Domain Controller (RODC): A specific domain controller holding an up-to-date static snapshot of the AD database, applicable where the reputation of a network location is risky.
• Network Access Protection (NAP): An enforcement platform, serving as a gateway to the network, set to ensure specific levels of computer health as requirements.
• Internet Information Services 7.0 (IIS 7.0): A new kind of web server offering a modular approach, up-to-date security measures, and better management options.
• BitLocker Drive Encryption: It activated volume-level encryption for safeguarding the unwarranted server data loss.

How to Install

The process of installing Windows Server 2008 was kind of routine work back at that time, just like any other Windows operating system. Nonetheless, the installation of this operating system is now strongly discouraged, particularly if you are planning to use it in a production environment or facing the Internet, given that all the support has ended.

• Boot from Media: You will need the Windows Server 2008 installation DVD to boot the server from the same provided by the DVD.
• Language and Format Selection: Set your language, date, and time as well as the keyboard layout.
• Install Now: Begin your installation procedure, hitting “Install now” on the No. 1 screen.
• Edition Selection: Select the preferred type of edition (e.g., Standard, Enterprise) and pick the installation mode, either Full Installation or Server Core Installation.
• Partitioning: If you agree to the license terms, select the desired storage allocation in the process of selecting the partition.
• Automated Installation: On the process, the software will begin copying all the files, installing all the features, and even self-updating before the last part of the process.
• Initial Configuration: Next, a page for setting up a strong password will be presented to you at the end of this final process. Having accomplished this, you can move on to the server configuration, which includes the configuration of such Active Directory-related roles as DCs, DNS, and DHCP.

System Requirements

The hardware specifications for Windows Server 2008 make up an area where it is different from the present day because current hardware designs can have some missing drivers for Windows Server 2008.

• Processor: The minimum is 1 GHz (based on x86) and 1.4 GHz (as per x64); the faster you go up to 2 GHz, the better.
• RAM: The standard contains no less than 512MB, and for its best, make sure to get at least 2GB of RAM.
• Disk Space: The 10 GB of hard disk space requirement may be a must-have, but higher is better at 40 GB for you to have more stuff saved.
• Display: It is within the capability of most users to set their monitor at 800×600 SVGA or higher monitor resolution.
• Other: Only DVD-ROM drive, if needed keyboard, and mouse.