Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack

A lot of companies rely on servers to centralize their data and to provide all employees easy access to information. However, due to the large amount of confidential files stored on these servers, they can also become targets for hackers.
This is why it is very important for admins to keep the installed software up-to-date, in other words to make sure they always run the latest Service Packs. And in the case of Windows Server 2003, the latest one is SP 2.

Its purpose

Service Pack 2 is meant to strengthen the security and reliability of the server, while also dealing with the organizational readiness of its compatibility with Windows Vista, along with the ability to better make use of sophisticated multi-core computers.

Features brought to the table

First of all, Windows Server 2003 gets new localizations that make it easier to deploy in companies that do not use English as their primary language. The following get supported due to SP 2: German, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Korean, Chinese Traditional, Chinese Simplified, and Portuguese (Brazilian).
Service Pack 2 brings numerous enhancements to existing functions and features, such as expanded Windows Server 2003 Datacenter SKUs, performance optimizations under Windows Virtualization, improved discoverability options in MSConfig, increased default storage for Message Queuing or improvements to DCDIAG Domain Name Service tests.
New features are also integrated within SP2, like Scalable Networking Pack (SNP) and XMLLite. SNP was introduced to enable admins to cost-effectively scale network-based apps as well as boost server performance and maximize network throughput. XMLLite is a library that can be used by developers for creating high-performance XML-based apps that support interoperability with other products that adhere to the XML 1.0 standard.

Bottom line

In order to enjoy the features provided by Service Pack 2 of Windows Server 2003, administrators need to either download and install it onto their servers, or upgrade to an edition that integrates these updates by default (Windows Server 2003 R2 Editions with Service Pack 2, Windows Server 2003 for Itanium-based Systems, Windows Server 2003 Web Edition or Windows XP X64 Professional).