As part of its Universal Distributed Storage commitment
Microsoft has announced the availability of Windows Storage Server
2003 R2 and a software-enabled storage area network (San) boot of
Microsoft Windows Server 2003.
Available immediately via network attached storage (NAS)
appliance products, Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 is a dedicated
and optimised file and print server that is said to provide
customers with improved manageability, enhanced end-user
productivity and capabilities to meet the needs of branch
offices.
Partner storage products that are currently available, or will
soon be available, with Windows Storage Server 2003 R2 include
servers from Dell, HP, IBM and LeftHand Networks. Brocade
Communications Systems, Bull, Fujitsu Siemens Computers and Iomega
have committed to building on or supporting Windows Storage Server
2003 R2 with their products in the near future.
The software-enabled San boot of Windows using iSCSI and
standard network interface cards (NICs) has been co-developed by
Microsoft and IBM. This implementation was piloted with IBM and
will be published publicly for implementation by other Microsoft
partners to develop iSCSI software-enabled boot solutions.
Microsoft says it has made the commitment to help maximise existing
technology investments in networking so that new San solutions are
more accessible for all customers.
Microsoft says it created the iSCSI software-enabled San boot
solutions in response to the increasing popularity of the iSCSI
protocol among Windows customers.