Let's face facts: The Windows Server 2008 Los Angeles launch gala will be a requiem for 32-bit computing. Microsoft's claim that more than half of server downloads are now of the 64-bit variety confirms that IT is looking to wring full advantage of the 64-bit-capable processors pervasively deployed in enterprise data centers. But is smashing through the 4-Gbyte RAM barrier all we have to look forward to, or will additions and improvements--including Network Access Protection, high availability, virtualization, Server Core, PowerShell, SMB 2.0, IIS7, a completely rewritten IP stack, and an updated version of Terminal Services--live up to their billing?

To find out, we're launching a new breed of Rolling Review, bringing Windows Server 2008 into our Boston Real-World Partner Labs and analyzing the most intriguing new features, one by one. Where competition exists, we'll invite other vendors for bake-offs. When a capability is unique, we'll put it through its paces and tell you what we find.

Microsoft is surely hoping Windows 2008 avoids the, shall we say, lack of enterprise enthusiasm that met Vista. Of course, there's good reason IT held off on Vista, but given the number of new features in Windows Server 2008, does it make sense to do a limited deployment sooner rather than later?