Introduction

This chapter provides exam candidates with important background information that is necessary to understand what Windows Server 2003 is, what it does, and how it works. Most of this information is not directly covered on the exam, because the exam is geared toward those with experience in the IT field who have worked with Microsoft products previously. If you are new to Microsoft networking, as many candidates studying for Exam 70-290 are, read this background information carefully. If you have previous experience in Microsoft networking and/or already hold a certification in Windows NT/2000, you might be able to skip the first part of this chapter and start with the section titled What s New in Windows Server 2003?

We start with a discussion of the NT operating system (OS) family tree because, to fully appreciate the features and capabilities of Microsoft s new server operating system, Windows Server 2003, you need to understand its origins. Although vastly more powerful and feature-rich, Windows Server 2003 is based on the same operating system kernel the core code as Windows NT. Windows NT Server was Microsoft s first operating system that was built on the idea of client-server networking, and introduced the idea of domains as administrative units to which computers and users belong. Then, with the release of Windows Server 2000, Microsoft fully embraced the use of a powerful directory service called Active Directory to provide centralized object-oriented management. In this chapter, we will discuss these important concepts on which a Microsoft enterprise-level network is built.