Key storage features in Windows Server 2003

The most significant difference between storage options in Windows Server 2003 and those in its predecessors is its support for Itanium machines with their GUID-based partitioning system. However, there are several other new storage features in Windows Server 2003 that admins should know about.

Expandable partitions. In Windows 2000, it was necessary to convert a basic disk to a dynamic disk to add more space to an existing volume. In Windows Server 2003, basic disk partitions can be extended. This is true even for the system partition.

Improved dynamic disk upgrades. The Master Boot Record is modified during dynamic disk conversion to remove all but the necessary partition table entries. This eliminates arbitrary restrictions on dynamic volume operations.

The Diskpart utility. A new utility, Diskpart, allows administrators to do all their disk management from the command line. This feature has been a long time coming. With it, you can script an entire installation of Windows Server 2003, including the creation of additional partitions.

A fourth feature, dropped support for classic fault-tolerant (FT) disk sets, was covered in a recent

    Requires Free Membership to View

    Login

tip..

About the author: Rahul Shah currently works at a software firm in India, where he is a systems administrator maintaining Windows servers. He has also worked for various software firms in testing and analytics, and also has experiences deploying client/server applications in different Windows configurations.

More information on this topic:


This was first published in September 2006

Join the conversationComment

Share
Comments

    Results

    Contribute to the conversation

    All fields are required. Comments will appear at the bottom of the article.

    Disclaimer: Our Tips Exchange is a forum for you to share technical advice and expertise with your peers and to learn from other enterprise IT professionals. TechTarget provides the infrastructure to facilitate this sharing of information. However, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or validity of the material submitted. You agree that your use of the Ask The Expert services and your reliance on any questions, answers, information or other materials received through this Web site is at your own risk.

    Back to top