Windows Server 2008 R2 is outfitted with unparalleled workload size, dynamic scalability, and across-the-board availability and reliability. A number of new and up-to-date features lead for this, including:

Using Sophisticated CPU Architectures

Server hardware has offered 64-bit processors for quite some time, and Windows Server 2008 R2 is 64-bit only, supporting the performance and reliability benefits of this architecture. Windows Server 2008 R2 now supports as much as 256 logical processors in one operating-system instance, while Hyper-V can take advantage as high as 64 logical processors within the host processor pool.

Hyper-V R2 includes a brand new Processor Compatibility feature. Processor compatibility enables an online machine to maneuver among systems with processors of varying decades in the same vendor. Whenever a VM is began with processor compatibility mode enabled, Hyper-V normalizes the processor set of features and just exposes the guest to processor features that are offered on all Hyper-V enabled processors of the identical processor architecture, i.e., AMD or Apple. This enables the VM to become migrated to the hardware platform of the identical processor architecture. Processor features are “hidden” through the hypervisor by intercepting a VM’s CPUID instruction and clearing the came back bits akin to the hidden features.

Dynamic Memory

Allows clients to higher make use of the memory assets of Hyper-V hosts by balancing how memory is distributed between running virtual machines. Memory could be dynamically reallocated between different virtual machines in reaction towards the altering workloads of those machines. Dynamic Memory thus allows more effective utilization of memory while keeping consistent workload performance and scalability. Applying Dynamic Memory implies that greater amounts of server consolidation could be accomplished with minimal effect on performance. Dynamic Memory does mean bigger amounts of virtual desktop computers per Hyper-V host for VDI situations. The internet result for both situations is much more efficient utilization of costly server hardware assets, which could result in simpler management minimizing costs.

Elevated operating-system componentization

Microsoft introduced the idea of server roles to permit server managers to rapidly and simply configure any Windows-based server to operate a particular group of tasks and take away extraneous OS code from system overhead. Windows Server 2008 R2 further stretches this model with support for additional roles along with a broadening of current role support, like adding ASP.Internet within IIS 7.. Roles happen to be refined and have sets changed as clients have expressed desires for several abilities in popular situations. The Server Core installation choice is a suitable mention here with new (and far required) support for PowerShell scripting permitted by adding the .Internet Framework towards the listing of server roles supported within the Server Core installation option.

Enhanced performance and scalability for programs and services

Another key design goal ended up being to provide greater performance for Windows Server 2008 R2 running on a single system assets as previous versions of Windows Server. Additionally, Wwindows Server 2008 R2 supports elevated scaling abilities which help support more intensive

Source: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/R2-scalability-reliability.aspx