| Storage Server 2003 FAQs |
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Q1: What is Windows Storage Server 2003?
Windows® Storage Server 2003 is a dedicated file and print server based on Windows technology that is designed for dependability, ease of integration, and value. Q2: Why was the name changed to Windows Storage Server 2003? The name was changed to reflect the integration of this product into the recently-announced Windows Server System. Q3: What does the term 'dedicated file and print server' mean? A dedicated file and print server is a server built on Windows Server™ 2003 as a fixed function device. All of the functionality unrelated to file serving has been removed, increasing reliability and lowering the overhead on the machine CPU. Q4: Does this product replace my Windows Server 2003 machines? Windows Storage Server 2003 is a solution for consolidating your file serving functions on one device, replacing your general purpose servers that are dedicated to file serving. Q5: How is Windows Storage Server 2003 different from Windows Server 2003?
Besides being dedicated exclusively to file serving, Windows Storage Server 2003 contains some important features not available in Windows Server 2003. These features include an advanced storage manager for file filtering and quota management, a new Network File System (NFS) server to improve performance, and a fully integrated Web-based user interface for remote management. Q6: Can devices based on Windows Storage Server 2003 be used for tasks other than storage? No, these devices are specifically designed to be file servers with large amounts of storage capacity. They cannot be used to deploy business applications such as Microsoft SQL Server or Microsoft Exchange. Backup, antivirus, and other applications typically used in a file serving environment are supported, however. Q7: Does Windows Storage Server 2003 work only with Windows-based clients and servers? No, this product is designed to integrate seamlessly into heterogeneous environments with support for all major network operating system protocols including NFS (Unix/Linux), Netware (Novell), AppleTalk, and HTTP. Q8: How scalable is Windows Storage Server 2003? There are many different OEM models that are scalable through the addition of disk drawers to the main filer. Capacity varies from 320 gigabytes (GB) to over 60 terabytes. Multiple devices can also be added to the network to increase capacity as needed. The NTFS file system that powers Windows Storage Server 2003 has no limits (over four billion tested) in terms of the number of files on a volume and each NTFS volume can be up to 256 terabytes in size (tested). Q9: What are the high-availability features of Windows Storage Server 2003? This product integrates Volume Shadow Copy Services (VSS) as a standard feature and allows up to 512 point-in-time shadow copies of data per volume when integrated with applications for rapid file recovery due to accidental deletion or corruption. In addition, the Shadow Copies for Shared Folders feature (enabled by the in-box provider) provides 64 point-in-time copies, as well as end user restore capabilities. Q10: Who should be buying this solution? This solution is recommended for organizations with multiple existing file servers that are experiencing growth in data requirements, or are looking to consolidate storage in one central area.
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