Windows Server team Blog

Please join us for this 8-part series webcast for Windows Server “Longhorn" Beta 3 in May.  Webcasts will kick off with an overview of what is new in Windows Server "Longhorn" Beta 3.  In addition, this Windows Server “Longhorn” series includes webcasts on Cluster Validation, Internet Information Services 7.0, Network Security, Branch Office, Centralized Application Access, Virtualization & Server Management.  Click on calendar to register for one or for all.

Here is your chance to interact with Microsoft experts in an online text based Q&A in real time.   On May 8^th, 2007, join Bill Laing-General Manager for Windows Server, Iain McDonald-Director of Windows Server Program Management, Alex Hinrichs-Group Program Manager, Joseph Landes-Director of Product Management, David Lowe-Senior Product Manager, and Ward Ralston-Senior Technical Product Manager to discuss what’s new in Windows Server “Longhorn” Beta 3.  Learn more about how Windows Server “Longhorn” provides more control, greater flexibility and increased protection. Take this opportunity to ask questions about many of the product’s new technologies such as IIS 7.0, Active Directory, Terminal Services, Server Manager and the Server Core installation option.  Add to Your Calendar

I've just read over on Bill Staple's IIS blog that the new DownloadCENTER is now live on IIS.net. This is a community site for discovering, sharing and reviewing IIS-related solutions in a single place. There are dozens of downloads - both from Microsoft and from the community – for all versions of IIS.

This is particularly cool from a Windows Server “Longhorn” standpoint because IIS 7.0 has a completely modular architecture with over forty pluggable components that can be quickly added and removed, or even replaced with custom implementations.  This extensibility is available to both .NET and Win32 developers but the tight integration between IIS 7.0 and ASP.NET makes extending the functionality of your web server much easier than ever. The IIS team has already posted some useful tools and utilities on the DownloadCENTER, but we expect to see a lot more extensions posted by developers and partners as we get closer to launch. I might even try my hand at writing one myself to share with the community...