- Security Updates/Hotfixes
Windows Server 2003 SP2 will get all of your Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional x64 Editions up to date with the latest Security Bulletin updates and Hotfixes, ensuring the highest level of security, reliability, stability, manageability, supportability and compatibility. - Deploy your operating systems more effectively
Building upon our previous deployment solutions, Windows Deployment Services (WDS) offers customers a complete ‘out of the box’ provisioning solution. WDS provides organizations with manageable image store, remote booting, PXE boot support, and more; all in a greatly improved management interface. WDS also uses the new file-based Windows Imaging Format (WIM) which facilitates deployments on Windows Vista and Windows Server “Longhorn”. - Improved networking performance
Windows Server SP2 offers solutions to network traffic challenges in an era of the multi-Gigabit Ethernet. Increases to CPU resources required to handle high network traffic can potentially inhibit scaling and effectively reduce the performance gains that are possible with increased link speeds. Windows Server 2003 SP2 Scalable Networking Pack (SNP), introduces technologies that helps organizations cost-effectively scale network-based applications to meet growing demands. The Scalable Networking pack Increases network and application performance by freeing up CPU cycles and more efficiently using processor resources. More information on the Scalable Networking Pack can be found at www.microsoft.com/snp. - Improved manageability for IPsec
Server and Domain Isolation are key security benefits offered on Microsoft Networks. By using Active Directory, domain memberships and group policies, Server and Domain Isolation allows companies to logically segment their networks. This means that you can restrict non-domain computers which aren’t managed at a corporate level (lab computers, guests or other unsecure systems) from communicating with non- domain members. Service Pack 2 improves Server and Domain Isolation by reducing the IPsec filter set that needs to be managed from potentially hundreds of filters to as few as 2 filters. More information on Server and Domain Isolation can be found at www.microsoft.com/sdisolation. - Utility improvements
Making common tasks easier, SP2 introduces customer-driven improvements to the Domain Controller Diagnostics tool (DCDIAG) and MS Configuration (MSCONFIG) tool. SP2 also has an updated Access Control List (ICACLS) program to allow for greater flexibility when backing up Access Control Lists. - Management tools made easier
SP2 includes the Microsoft Management Console 3.0 (MMC 3.0). MMC provides a framework that unifies and simplifies day-to-day system management tasks on Windows by providing common navigation, menus, toolbars, and workflow across diverse tools. MMC tools (called snap-ins) can be used to administer networks, computers, services, applications and other system components. MMC does not perform administrative functions, but hosts a variety of Windows and non-Microsoft snap-ins that do. - Single install experience
It patches both the R2 and non-R2 versions of Windows Server 2003. This reduces the amount of patch management for an organization. - Support for additional languages
Service Pack 2 will be released in 9 additional localized languages for Windows Server 2003 x64 Editions including: German, French, Korean, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, Spanish, Italian, Russian and, Portuguese (Brazilian). - Performance improvements
Service Pack 2 offers performance improvements for Windows Server 2003 running as a Virtual Server guest under high Advanced Processor Interrupt Controller (APIC) rates. It also improves SQL Server performance under intensive workloads. Both of these improvements lead to more efficient data processing. - Manage new wireless settings without the hassle
SP2 provides the ability to manage the WPA2 protocol for wireless networks. This supports and simplifies the process of discovering and connecting to wireless networks in your home or on the road.
/posted by KJ source: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsserver/bb229702.aspx
