Windows Server 2003 R2 is not that far off and I keep being asked questions about what changes / improvements are being incorporated in to Server 2003 R2 and how do they affect me?
Firstly I would suggest you look at the R2 site on the Microsoft.com web site: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/R2/default.mspx.
Next, have a look at the TechNet site link: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/r2/default.mspx
Okay so from the TechNet site the main new features are:
Simplified Branch Server Management
Streamlined Access Management
Efficient Storage Management
Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM)
Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 2.1
Common Log File System (CLFS)
Configure Your Server (CYS)
SharePoint V2 SP2
File Server Role and File Server Management Snap-in
Hardware Management
Identity Management for UNIX
Subsystem for UNIX-based applications
That's all very well but you want MORE! more info, more features, more help. So someone (and I really can't take credit for it) internally created a list of documents and resources to help you: (Please feel free to let me know about others you find!)
Role
Skill
Course ID
Course
Category
Administrator
How to add Print Servers with Print Management
http://download.microsoft.com/download/a/4/a/a4a3a46e-a10b-45f8-bb7b-da69bd95f04c/PrintMgmtConsole.doc
White Paper
How to view Printers with Print Management
How to save a custom view of Print Management
How to manage Printers with Print Management
How to deploy Printers to Users or Computers by using a GPO
How to setup E-mail Notifications for Printer Trouble Shooting
How to set Server Notifications for Printer Trouble Shooting
How to deploy a DFS Namespace
http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/f/2/4f257ac7-a090-4572-9df6-737a4bc39576/DFSB2Guide.doc
How to How to delegate Managment Permissions for DFS Namespace
How to add a DFS Namespace Server
How to add Folders to the DFS Namespace
How to change the referral ordering method for a DFS Namespace
How to Rename and Move a Folder in the DFS Namespace
How to How to Replicate a Folder in the Namespace Using DFS Replication
Testing Failover for DFS
How to Configure AD for ADFS
http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/3/e/93eff406-5dd6-442d-bedd-082ef29a6d22/ADFSStepbyStep.doc
How to Configure ADAM for ADFS
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5163B97A-7DF3-4B41-954E-0F7C04893E83&displaylang=en
How to Install the ASP.NET and IIS Applications
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/library/R2/4415c951-399e-40cd-b730-0002dcc4c35f.mspx
Technet
How to Install the Microsoft .Net Framework 2.0 Beta 2 Application
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7ABD8C8F-287E-4C7E-9A4A-A4ECFF40FC8E&displaylang=en
How to Request, Download, and Install Certificates
How to install the Federation Service Component of ADFS
How to configure Federation Service in the Resource Partner Organization
How to configure the Federation Service in the Account Partner Organization
How to configure a Web Server for Web-based Application Use Across Federations
How to configure Client Computers for Web-based Application Use Across Federations
How to use the Storage Manager for SANs snap-in
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003R2Beta2/Library/SanMGR/25257b2a-6d72-4adb-8f43-e3c0d28471d0.mspx
How to Setup LUN access for a Fibre Channel subsystem
http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/e/d/7ed91106-4597-4d3f-bd8f-f0ccc51ba648/Storage_Manager_for_SANs_Quick_Start_Guide.doc
How to Setup LUN access for an iSCSI subsystem
How to Secure data on a iSCSI SAN
How to configure server connections for deploying LUNs
How to configure targets and enable portals on iSCSI subsystem (iscsi only)
How to configure security on iSCSI subsystem (iscsi only)
How to establish login sessions between the initiator and targets (iscsi only)
How to create LUNs
How monitor the status of LUN creation
How to configure NFS authentication for MSNFS
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/f/f/2ff0055f-4c1c-49c2-afb9-eed50a27d594/Microsoft_Services_for_Network_File_System_in_Windows_Server_2003_R2.doc
How to configure user name mapping for MSNFS
How to specify the Username Mapping Server for MSNFS
How to create a Windows NFS share
Specify default permissions for new files and folders on a NFS share
How to configure Windows Firewall to enable external computers to access the MSNFS services
How to test a MSNFS deployment
How to Perform storage management tasks with Storage Resource Manager
http://download.microsoft.com/download/e/1/c/e1ca4abc-4a19-4bd5-ae00-61d57542ac8e/SRMQuickStartGuide.doc
How to use Storage Resource Management to manage resources on a remote computer
How to use command-line tools for Storage Resource Manager
How to Configure E-mail Notifications for users about quota limits
How to create a quota template for users
How to create a quota that is based on a template
How to update quotas by editing a quota template
How to create a auto quota for folders that are created on demand
How to extend the options when editing a auto quota
How to Monitor quota usage
How to create a file group for determining which files are screened
How to create file screen to block certain files from being saved on a volume
How to create a file screen exception
How to Monitor file screening information
How to configure report parameters to determine the content that the report includes.
How to generate a set of reports on a regular schedule
How to generate reports on demand
How to Stop and Restart a ADAM Instance
http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/9/3/6934a1b6-11eb-4bcc-94d5-f2bc10a2dadf/ADAM_Step-by-Step_Guide.doc
How to Use the ADAM ADSI Edit Administration Tool to bind, view, and browse your ADAM instance
How to configure the ADAM Schema Snap-in Administration Tool to administer the ADAM schema
How to add Optional User Classes to the ADAM Schema with ADAM ADSI Edit
How to Extend the ADAM Schema
How to Import Application Data using Ldifde
How to Manage OUs, Groups, and Users in ADAM with ADAM ADSI Edit
How to Manage Directory Partitions in ADAM using Ldp.exe
How to View Effective Permissions in ADAM with ADAM Tools Command Prompt
Hoe to grant Permissions in ADAM using ADAM Tools Command Prompt
How to Deny Permissions in ADAM using ADAM Tools Command Prompt
How to manage Authentication in ADAM with ADAM ADSI Edit
How to Backup and Restore Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM)
How to Install a Replica Using the Active Directory Application Mode Setup Wizard
How to Schedule Replication of multiple ADAM instances
How to Force Immediate Replication for ADAM of a Directory Partition
Know what are the benefits of using Common Log File System (CLFS)
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003R2Beta2/Library/CLFS/8876fac4-9ec6-435c-b393-ba0ce9a1d3a0.mspx
Know how SharePoint Services Support for IP-bound virtual servers have been enhanced
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=ABBA20F2-3625-4C9C-A412-AB9BBEBDB5E8&displaylang=en
Support for advanced extranet configurations with SharePoint Services
Windows SharePoint Services running on ASP.NET 2.0 (Whidbey)
Windows SharePoint Services support for Windows x64 editions
How to Configure the incoming and outgoing URLs for SharePoint
How to configure an SPN for the domain user account
How to configure Windows SharePoint Services to use NTLM authentication
How to configure IIS and ASP.NET 2.0 for Windows SharePoint Services
How to Enable the Hardware Management Feature
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/preview/wsm/enable.mspx
How to Configure Security for WS-Management
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/preview/wsm/enable.mspx#EGAA
How Identity Management for UNIX makes it easy to integrate computers running Windows into your existing UNIX enterprise
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003R2Beta2/Library/UIM_/ab66b7d2-9cfb-4d76-b707-30a5e0dd84f3.mspx
How Subsystem for UNIX-based applications provides the basic environment for recompilation and execution of UNIX applications on Windows platform
Architect
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003R2Beta2/Library/DFS2/b21366bd-d2a1-4bfb-b6f9-55dd5106b31d.mspx
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003R2Beta2/Library/DFS2/8c4cf2e7-0b92-4643-acbd-abfa9f189d03.mspx
How to Specify the Username Mapping Server
How Common Log File System (CLFS) provides kernel- or user-mode applications with a robust logging subsystem
How to integrate Windows SharePoint Services v2
Understanding how to configure IIS and ASP.NET 2.0 for Windows SharePoint Services v2
Developer
How to Administer ADAM Programmatically Through Visual Basic Scripts
How to Administer ADAM Programmatically Through System.DirectoryServices.dll
How to Administer ADAM Proxy Objects Programmatically
How to Integrate ADAM with DSML Services for Windows
Implementer
How to Install Print Management
How to Add Print Servers with Print Management
How to save a custom view for Print Management
How to Manage Printers with Print Management
How to Deploying Printers to Users or Computers by using a GPO
How to Setup E-mail Notifications for Printer Trouble Shooting
How to Setup Server Notifications for Printer Trouble Shooting
How to install Distributed File System
How to Add a DFS Namespace Server
How to Add Folders to the DFS Namespace
How to Replicate a Folder in the Namespace Using DFS Replication
How to Test Failover for DFS
How to Configure Certificate Services for use with ADFS
How to Install the ASP.NET and IIS Applications for use withs ADFS
Installing the Microsoft .Net Framework 2.0 Beta 2 Application
How to Install the Federation Service Component of ADFS
How to Configure Windows Security Log to Support Auditing of ADFS
How to different types of Applications to the Federation Service
How to Add a Account Partner to the Federation Service
How to Install the ADFS Web Service Agent
How to Install and Configure Windows SharePoint Services v2
How to Install Storage Manager for SANs
How to Use Storage Manager for SANs snap-in
How to Secure data on an iSCSI SAN
How to Monitor the status of LUN creation
How to Install MSNFS
How to Configure NFS authentication
How to Configure a user name mapping
How to Configure Windows Firewall to enable external computers to access the MSNFS services
How to Install Storage Resource Manager
How to Perform storage management tasks with Storage Resource Manager.
How to Create a file screen to block certain files from being saved on a volume
How to Create a file screen exception
How to Generate reports on demand
How to installi ADAM Using the Active Directory Application Mode Setup Wizard
Creating an ADAM User in ADAM
Managing Authorization in ADAM
Managing Authentication in ADAM
Binding to an ADAM instance as a Windows principal
How to BackUp and Restoring Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM)
Know how to install Windows SharePoint Services
How to Configure the incoming and outgoing URLs
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/preview/wsm/intro.mspx
How to manage Configuration and Security for WS-Management
How to use WS-Management Command-Line Interface
How to configure Windows Event Collector Utility
Support
How to manage Printing with Print Management
How to Browse the DFS Namespace
How to test Failover for DFS
How to Add Web-based Applications to the Federation Service
How to Add a Claims-aware Application to the Federation Service
How to Add a Traditional Windows Application to the Federation Service
How to Configure IIS and the ADFS Web Service Agent
How to Install and Configuring Windows SharePoint Services v2
How to Install SSL Certificates on the Client Computer
How to install Storage Manager for SANs
How to setup LUN access for a Fibre Channel subsystem
How to install Storage Resource Manager
How to perform storage management tasks
How to manage storage resources on a remote computer
How to create a quota template
How to Create a quota
How to monitor quota use
How to install ADAM Using the Active Directory Application Mode Setup Wizard
How to stop and Restart an ADAM Instance
How to Back Up and Restore Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM)
How to install a Replica Using the Active Directory Application Mode Setup Wizard
How to manage replication for ADAM
How to install Windows SharePoint Services v2
How to configure the incoming and outgoing URLs
How to enable ASP.NET 2.0
Know the configuration and Security for WS-Management
How to configure WS-Management
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/preview/wsm/enable.mspx#EFAA
How to use the Windows Event Collector Utility
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter/preview/wsm/enable.mspx#ECAA
Sales
How to use Simplified Branch Server Management
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/windowsserver2003/r2/default.mspx#EEAA
Know the benefits of using Efficient Storage Management
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/WindowsServer2003R2Beta2/Library/Corral/3cb63d86-964f-45e8-a76f-1bf72676b075.mspx
How using ADAM it gives developers and their applications additional capability in Active Directory that provides numerous benefits)
Know the new enhancements of SharePoint V2 SP2
Know the benefits of Hardware Management