Cisco and Microsoft Roll Out Windows Server on WAAS

Cisco and Microsoft announced the availability of Windows Server on WAAS from Cisco Systems (News - Alert) that runs basic Windows Server 2008 functions.

 

Windows Server on WAAS is a networking appliance built on Cisco’s Wide Area Application Services (WAAS), a comprehensive Wireless Area Network (WAN) optimization solution. It uses Cisco’s embedded virtualization technology to enable Windows Server 2008 to run on it.

 

According to Cisco, WAAS is used to accelerate applications over the WAN, deliver video to the branch office, and provide local hosting of branch-office IT services. It also allows IT departments to centralize applications and storage in the data center while maintaining LAN-like application performance, and provides locally hosted IT services while reducing the branch-office device footprint.

 

The new appliance, Windows Server on WAAS, helps businesses host various services locally including Active Directory, Microsoft (News - Alert) Print Services, Microsoft Domain Name System Server and Microsoft Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol Server in their branch offices.

 

Windows Server on WAAS reduces costs related to wide area network connectivity and branch systems management, the companies said. Further there is a provision to manage the Windows Server functions remotely using Microsoft System Center. These features of the new appliance help businesses improve the efficiency in their branch offices.

 

The integrated appliance is a pragmatic solution to the problems of companies on hosting their servers effectively. The alternative available for many companies is either to use a full Windows Server at every branch, which could be overkill, or run all functionality centrally, which could slow down the branch operations.

Farm Credit Services, which had early access to Windows Server on WAAS, described their experience about the appliance on a Web site set up by Microsoft and Cisco. The company had 180 Windows Servers, including one in nearly every branch. According to Jim Curtis, director of infrastructure at Farm Credit Services, the company’s goal with Windows Server on WAAS is to move most of the branch servers to the company's data center to make better use of a small infrastructure support staff.

Using the new technology from Cisco and Microsoft, Farm Credit Services is now able to run Active Directory centrally. Curtis added that once the appliance setup is complete, he could move Active Directory to the branches as a read-only function, improving log-in times for workers and mitigating potential security issues.

 

Microsoft and Cisco, who are also rivals in areas like unified communications, jointly offer Windows Server on WAAS for a price starting at $10,000, including the hardware and the software license. Other configurations with more storage are also available.