Windows Terminal Server. Although not really a new feature,
WTS is now included as part of Windows 2000 Server rather than as a
separate package. The new version maintains full compatibility with the
Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) used in NT 4, and will thus allow Windows 9x
or NT systems to connect to the Windows 2000 Server through the WTS client
software. This allows older Windows machines to access software on the
server and thus can support a migration path from the older systems to
newer software services that are supported only on Windows 2000. It also
implements a thin-client model of computing, reducing the amount of
software management required on desktops. That should make it a valuable
addition to the Windows Server platform for any site.
IntelliMirror.This new service lets users roam from desktop to
desktop while maintaining full access to their personal environments and
files. The service replicates software installed on one machine onto
others, based on a user profile maintained on a Windows 2000 server. So
users' files and applications move with them. Although the replication can
take time -- especially if the application software is not installed --
the software runs locally once it is in place. The system is thus faster
than a remote display technology such as Windows Terminal Server.
The downside is that IntelliMirror works only for Windows 2000
desktops, so it's of limited use if you're planning to start only with a
server migration. Furthermore, it works best if users don't move
constantly between machines, since that increases the amount of
replication needed. IntelliMirror will appeal to organizations whose users
run a closely defined set of applications, but only if those organizations
are planning to move large numbers of workstations over to Windows 2000
Professional. Those with existing Windows 9x and NT desktops should
probably wait to get excited about IntelliMirror until the next upgrade
cycle for all the desktops
Remote OS installation. The capability to
do remote installations can be valuable when you have to deploy large
numbers of desktop systems. The desktop OS can be installed from a server
over the network, complete with personalized configuration information.
However, this feature works only with Windows 2000 Professional desktops
and not the Server editions or any of the earlier desktop OSs.
Furthermore, the desktops require special network cards that support the
Intel Portable Execution Environment (PXE) to allow network booting.
