Any reason to use Windows Server 2003 over Server 2008?
For a unit test server (TeamCity Agent) - is there any reason to choose old (and reliable?) Win2003 SP2 over Server 2008, assuming both are available and the machine is decent?
Solution 1:
I can't think of any reason at all to choose Server 2003 over Server 2008 other than licensing costs. (as in, 2003 would be cheaper.)
Server 2008 has already had one service pack and is plenty mature. It also has a lot of fundamental improvements in IIS, the networking stack, etcetera.
Solution 2:
Particularly for any kind of "agent" server, I would think the improved task scheduler in Windows Server 2008 alone is worthwhile.
In addition to running tasks on a schedule, you can run tasks:
- On an Event (!!)
- At Log On
- At Startup
- On Idle
- At Task Creation / Modification
- On Connection to User Session
- On Disconnect from User Session
- On Workstation Lock
- On Workstation Unlock
Solution 3:
While I love W2K8 more than any other version of Windows there are some software products out there that aren't 'officially' supported running on it. If you need the comfort of fully support then stick with W2K3, otherwise I think you'll be delighted with the newer version.
Solution 4:
2003 will be out of support before 2008. For that reason alone (as well as lots of others) you should go to 2008.
Solution 5:
Clarification to Jeff: For technical reasons at Microsoft, when Server 2008 was released, it was decided that Server 08 and Vista SP1 would have the same codebase, as the server OS followed the desktop OS by nearly two years. Server 2008 had to have its service pack number listed as 1.
So an RTM version of Server 2008 will be listed as "Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 1".
This doesn't mean Server 2008 is less stable or less mature than it would be otherwise, especially now that SP2 is out.
Note that this is why Vista SP2 needs to have SP1 as a prerequisite--this is a first for a Windows desktop OS where SPs have included all earlier SP levels. Windows Server 2008 has the same service pack--and it is listed as SP2. It doesn't need a prerequisite.
Windows 7 and Server 08R2 are avoiding this by being released simultaneously with the same codebase.