Windows 2000 Server Last update on this page: June 3, 2001

Windows 2000 Server	Windows 2000 Professional

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Compared to Windows 2000 Professional, Windows 2000 Server has an additional menu entry for "Administrative Tools": ( similar to NT4 Workstation and NT4 Server, but with much more features) with tools (like: Event Viewer, Performance monitor) and to manage the Server.

With Windows 2000 Server, Microsoft introduces a new administration method for networks:
Active Directory
with a modified method to define and manage Network Domains, replacing the previous domain
model as used in Windows NT 3.x and NT4 (which could be called an "Enhanced Workgroup" ).

The Windows 2000 Active Directory system includes a "compatibility mode" with the previous
domain model to allow to connect previous versions of Windows (="legacy versions"), which are
not aware of the new Active Directory like Windows 95, 98 and Windows NT4, to a Windows
2000 server.

At the same time, Microsoft makes the effort to modernize the design of their networking method:
All previous Microsoft network systems, starting with the DOS "LanManager" and continuing with
"Windows for Workgroups",Windows NT 3.x,Windows95,Windows98 and even Windows NT4,
require the use of "NetBIOS".
The original Microsoft (and also IBM) protocol "NetBEUI" is just a simple implementation of
"NetBIOS" for small networks.

To be able to use the "TCP/IP" protocol, Windows networking is using a feature called "NetBIOS over TCP/IP", which does have some limitations when used with Dialup-networking and in Wide Area-Networks (WAN's) (the example on the left is from Windows98SE)

With Windows 2000 Active Directory, the use of DNS allows to operate a Microsoft network
without NetBIOS on a network with ONLY Windows 2000 systems. However NetBIOS is still
supported for networking with the "legacy" systems (WfW 3.x, Windows95, Windows98, NT4).

Compared to Windows NT4 Server, Windows 2000 is much more flexible during the installation:
While it is already required to define during the first phase of an NT4-server installation the role
of the system ("Standalone Server" or "Domain Controller"),the Windows 2000 Server installation
is very similar to a Windows 2000 Professional installation ( it is just asking for the Licensing mode
to be used and the number of clients) : Windows 2000 Server is installed as a "Standalone Server",
which can then in a second step configured to become a Windows 2000 Domain controller by
configuring the Active Directory:
- Windows 2000 Server: Configure Active Directory (created May 5, 2001)
- Windows 2000 Server: User Management (created May 5, 2001)

Local Network Configuration

Network adapter / protocols / Computers Near Me: - See Windows 2000 Professional - Windows 2000 Server: Connection from Windows95/98 (created May1, 2001) - Windows NT4 WS joining an Windows2000 Domain (created May 9, 2001 )

Incoming Modem connections

- Windows 2000 Server: Inbound Connections via RRAS (created Feb.20,2000)

This is just a first quick look at Windows 2000 server, more to come soon.

some other sources for Windows2000 information:
Yahoo-WebRing: Windows NT / 2000 Professional
Yahoo-WebRing: Windows 2000
Yahoo-WebRing: Windows 2000 Home User

ISAserver.org: ISA Server and Windows 2000 security resource site
ISAserver.org is your only resource for Microsoft's ISA Server, with news, downloads, articles,
3rd party products, tutorials, newsletters, FAQs, message boards and much more.
Also has various FAQs and articles on Windows 2000 security related issues.