Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise Edition provides you with high levels of system uptime and the scalability to support the growth of mission-critical applications. It also provides a cost-effective way to realize the benefits of virtualization.

Providing uninterrupted business services to employees, vendors, and partners around the clock has become a critical business factor for global businesses. Remote employees and international customers and partners need to have continuous access to systems and data. A disruption in services can result in diminished productivity and lost opportunities.

Benefits

Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise provides high availability for mission-critical applications such as databases, messaging systems, and file and print services through such features as failover clustering and the Server Core installation option. It also includes Hyper-V, a flexible high-performance hypervisor for cost-effective virtualization.

High Availability

Failover Clustering
Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise provides robust, rapid failover clustering that is easy to manage and automatically takes action in the event of a failed server, maintaining service so that users experience minimal disruption. Failover clustering in Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise supports up to 16 nodes. Combined with third-party replication products, multi-site clustering is also possible.

Server Core
Server Core, a minimal installation option for Windows Server, only the essential capabilities for a given workload are installed, resulting in a more reliable, secure server that is optimized for running the most demanding applications and services, and that requires less patching and servicing.

Cost-Effective Virtualization

Server virtualization can help you:

- Logically consolidate servers and streamline management.
- Reduce the cost associated with power, cooling, and data center space.
- Increase the availability of your systems.
- Optimize system utilization and realize significant infrastructure and management cost savings

In addition, Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise includes rights to run four Hyper-V virtual machines.

Increased Scalability

As organizations rapidly grow and change, IT infrastructures must remain flexible and scalable to help support, manage, and secure expanded functionality, an influx of additional users and work locations, and increasingly critical applications.

Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise scales to adapt to the increased needs of enterprise applications.

- Support for up to 8 x64 physical processors (up to 256 logical processors) and 1 terabytes of RAM.
- Support for a virtually unlimited number of virtual private network (VPN) connections and Remote Services Gateway connections.
- Authentication and authorization for a virtually unlimited number of network access service and network policy server connections.

Making the Experience Better Together with Windows 7

Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise includes features that are designed specifically to work with client computers running Windows 7:

Simplified remote connectivity for corporate computers with DirectAccess
One common problem facing most organizations is remote connectivity for their mobile users. The DirectAccess feature in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 allows Windows 7 client computers to directly connect to intranet-based resources without the complexity of establishing a VPN connection. The user has the same connectivity experience both in and outside of the office, and administrators can more easily manage these remote devices.

Improved performance for branch offices
BranchCache reduces network bandwidth usage of WAN links and improve the end user experience at branch locations by locally caching frequently used content on the branch office network. Multiple accesses to the same data can be served from a local cache, thereby improving access times and reducing WAN bandwidth usage.