Product: Windows Server 2003 Company: Microsoft Website: http://www.microsoft.com MSRP: See Pricing Review By: Stewart Saathoff

Final Results And Overall Mark  

Well we have reached the end of the preview. Here are my final comments, notes and grades for Microsoft Windows Server 2003.

Final Comments

So, what do I think of Windows 2003 Server?  Well, I feel that Microsoft has hit a home run.  During my corporation’s evaluation of Windows 2003 Server, we have found that the benefits are extremely enticing.  We will not be suggesting this to all of our customers for a few months, but we will start to roll it out immediately.  I am very confident in the product and would replace any web or file server with it, but I have had the time to test it against a serious database server.  The other drawback to 2003 is its ability to run with Exchange 2000, or should I say lack of ability.  You can not install it on an Exchange 2000 box and expect any mail to get out of your corporate.  It does run Exchange 2003 pretty well, so look forward to my review on Exchange 2003. 

My test server was an AMD 500 with 384MB of RAM running in a production environment.  This server runs smoothly with IIS, Active Directory and Exchange 2003 Server.  So, in conclusion, try it out, or put it into production.  If Microsoft has been running Microsoft.com for over six months on it, I think it can handle your network…

Note: Stewart Saathoff is a Senior Network Consultant for Complete Network Management in Houma, LA.  His company services the Banking, Medical and Oilfield industry in most of Louisiana, USA.