Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2

Windows Server 2008 is a Microsoft operating system that was released in February 2008. It was the fourth release of the Windows Server operating system and was part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. The codename for Windows Server 2008 was "Longhorn Server". 

It most closely resembles Windows Vista in look and feel. Windows Server 2008 is a robust operating system, including many highly desirable features for servers with a demand for maximum uptime and availability. One of its features, called "self-healing NTFS (NTFS file system)," allows a sub-process to repair any detected disk errors instead of potentially shutting down a disk to resolve the error. Additionally,it allows the administrator to install certain hot patches without the need for a system reboot.

It's core versions include:

• Windows Server 2008 Standard
• Windows Server 2008 Enterprise
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2008 Datacenter

Windows Server 2008 also functions as may types of server. It may be used for a file server, to store company files and data. It may also be used as a Web server which would host websites for one or many individuals (or companies). Servers are also useful to share out printers and applications across a business or domain. Centralized resources bring greater efficiency to a corporation.

Some features of Windows Server 2008 include: 

• Server Core
• Active Directory
• Failover Clustering
• Disk management and file storage
• Hyper-V
• Windows System Resource Manager
• Server Manager
• Protocol and cryptography

Windows Server 2008 allows users to migrate virtual hard disks or configuration files for a running virtual machine without interruption. Administrators can also install or remove specific deployment scenarios to target local machines, remote machines, or virtual hard disk components. 

Microsoft ended support for Windows Server 2008 on January 14, 2020. Microsoft offered an additional four years of Extended Security Updates (ESU). The third and final security update for non-Azure users ended on January 10, 2023.