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• April 24, 2003 •
Today in San Francisco, Microsoft announced the general availability of Windows Server™ 2003. Simultaneous with Windows Server 2003 availability, Microsoft also today announced Visual Studio® .NET 2003 and SQL Server™ 2000 Enterprise Edition (64-bit).
"As Microsoft's flagship server product, Windows Server 2003 delivers the performance and productivity business customers expect, while maximizing every dollar of their IT investment," said Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. "Windows Server 2003 with Visual Studio .NET 2003 and SQL Server 2000 (64-bit) is the cornerstone of Microsoft's enterprise strategy and lays the foundation for customers to implement integrated, cost-effective solutions that connect information, people, systems and devices."
The Windows Server family includes the following:
Microsoft is hoping that with the launch of Windows Server 2003 it can convince customers who are holding on to Windows NT Server 4.0 to upgrade. Compared to Windows 2000 Windows 2003 doesn't include any (mayor) new features, but the overall emphasis on security in the new OS makes it more appealing. Windows Server 2003 does contain thousands of small changes and refinements over Windows 2000, making Windows Server 2003 around 30 percent more efficient then Windows NT.
Microsoft even put up a dedicated section on the Windows Server 2003 home devoted to Upgrading from Windows NT Server 4.0.
Pricing for Windows Server 2003 is identical to Windows 2000 Server, $999 for the "Standard Edition" with 5 Client Access Licenses (CALs), $1199 for the "Standard Edition" with 10 CALs. Windows 2000 Advanced Server will be called Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition, and ships with 25 CALs, for $3,999. New in the Windows Server 2003 lineup is the "Web Edition", a Web Server product which requires no CALs, and sells for $399. Cost of additional CAL packs and Connector licenses are also unchanged.
More information is available at the Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Web site.
