One of the many interesting case studies floating around the web features the University of California, Berkeley, and how they used Windows Server 2008, among other technologies, to tackle their management and security concerns in their complex IT environment.

"The central IT division at The University of California, Berkeley faced significant management and security challenges in supporting a large and diverse user base and technology environment. Most users needed corporate-level IT resources and centrally based management, while others needed technologies capable of supporting world-leading research endeavours and self-management. Security challenges were compounded by the open environment required of a world-class academic environment. In response, IT executives used the Server Manager feature in the Windows Server® 2008 operating system to simplify account and security management, cutting application downtime by half and reducing security-setting management by 10 hours monthly. Executives also will take advantage of powerful Windows Server 2008 security capabilities to minimize the vulnerability to attack and simplify patch management"

Business Situation - UCB IT executives face a daunting challenge in managing and supporting a large and diverse group of academic departments and users, scientific researchers, and students both on and off campus.

Solution - UCB deployed the Windows Server® 2008 operating system to 18 servers and implemented the Active Directory® service to manage tens of thousands of accounts.

Benefits

  • Greater user productivity
  • Application downtime cut by 50 percent
  • Reduced vulnerability to attack
  • Easier patch management
  • Security setting management faster by 10 hours monthly

Seems like improvements in AD, Kerberos Authentication, BitLocker and Server Core were the order of the day here!

Read the full article here.