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10-Minute Solution:
Consolidate File Shares
Consolidate file-sharing servers with Windows Storage Server 2003.
by Nelson Ruest and Danielle Ruest
For This Solution: Windows Storage Server 2003
In the IT world, there aren't many solutions you can implement in less than ten minutes and reap immediate benefits, but one such solution is the implementation of a network-attached storage (NAS) appliance running Windows Storage Server 2003. Storage Server is a single-purpose server that capitalizes on the enhanced storage features of Windows Server 2003 (see Redefining Windows Storage).
Unlike the other editions of Windows Server, Storage Server is not available for installation on generic hardware. It is a special edition of Windows that is available to original equipment manufacturers (OEM) only. It comes preconfigured on special NAS devices and can simply be plugged in directly to an existing network infrastructure; supported NAS devices range in capacity from 160 gigabytes to several terabytes, depending on the selected configuration. It offers direct support for AppleTalk, Novell, UNIX, and Linux, as well as Microsoft networks. Its management interface is in the form of a Web interface, and its configuration is performed through a simple series of Wizards and Web tabs. In support of this Web-based Management Interface, it runs a boiled-down version of Internet Information Server version 6—a version whose main purpose is NAS administration and configuration, but that can also offer Web-based file-sharing services such as Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV).
As a file server, it is dedicated to the storage of files of all types and is aimed at environments where central file storage is key to business operations. This includes environments such as engineering firms, where large computer-assisted design files must be stored centrally, as well as graphic design production environments such as newspapers or magazines, where the Macintosh still reigns supreme. OEM partners include Dell, HP, Iomega, Legend Group, Fujitsu Siemens, NEC, EMC, and MaXXan, among others. As a dedicated file server, Windows Storage Server is only designed to store files and no block-level data. Users cannot run applications like SQL Server or Exchange data on these servers. It also does not support the recently announced SharePoint Services (SPS) for Windows Server 2003. But for basic file sharing, there is little that cannot be done with Windows Storage Server 2003.
This version of Windows is a boon to system administrators because it fully supports file-server consolidation and the reduction of file-management overhead. NAS solutions built on Windows server will most likely also include antivirus software as well as specialized backup solutions. Implementing a new NAS device running Windows Server 2003 should take about ten minutes.
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