Can someone tell me exactly what it does, ive looked online and all i see it technical jargon which tells me nothing. If i install it now on VM ware, what could i possibly do with it. I like my IT but i have never touched networking and thing kind of stuff so im pretty clueless. I would like to learn a bit about it and maybe get some experience with it now.
Exactly what it says, its a Server. FTP. Web Hosting. Hyper V. File Server. Local Active Directory. Most useful for a home environment, File Server.
What are you trying to achieve by installing it on VMWare ? For example you just want to expand your OS knowledge ? The Windows Server editions are normally used in companies. I have Windows Server 2008 R2 installed at home, but that's because I have my own Windows domain setup and stuff. Unless you have a clear goal, then I wouldn't waste my time on Windows Server editions.
The purpose of server edition is basically what it says in the title... it allows you create a domain where you set up user accounts on the server where you can limit almost every aspect of what each user can do when they log in using their user name and password. It obviously does more than that, do a little more research on the purposes of servers.
Before you do that, I think it's more important you have a solid understanding of networking. Do you know about things like DHCP, DNS, TCP, UDP, Subnet Mask and Gateway to name a few ? If the answer is yes, then go ahead and start your big adventure in the server world
Windows XP, Vista, XP - Microsoft's Operating System for Desktop, Laptop Windows Server 2003, 2008 - Microsoft's Operating System for Server. Apple OS X Lion, Tiger, Leopard whatever else they have - Apple's Operating system for Desktop, Laptop
Buy or download a windows 2008 server book. It will explain the basic things (AD/Domain/Users/Roles/...) you can do with it. Without any background knowledge it will be just a Windows OS. Reminds my of a situation many years ago. Someone at work came to me and wanted internet access cause other co-workers has it too. Okay I gave him access so he can use the browser and connect to internet. He calls my again and say it doesn't works. I go to him and he starts the browser and kept staring at the browser. Hasn't a clue that he needs to enter an url or what an url is. So my advice. Read the book and find out if you want to use it.
