Following the RTM of Windows Server 2008 on February 4, 2008, alongside Windows Vista Service Pack 1, and the worldwide Heroes Happen Here launch of the latest server operating system, Microsoft is also making available for download the all new FTP Service. The RTM build of the new FTP Service is tailored to Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.0 on top of Windows Server 2008. According to the Redmond company, the new FTP Service has been rewritten from scratch specifically for Windows Server 2008.

"This new FTP service incorporates many new features that enable web authors to publish content better than before, and offers web administrators more security and deployment options. Integration with IIS 7.0: IIS 7.0 has a brand-new administration interface and configuration store, and the new FTP service is tightly integrated with this new design. The old IIS 6 metabase is gone, and a new configuration store that is based on the .NET XML-based .config format has taken its place. In addition, IIS 7.0 has a new administration tool, and the new FTP service plugs seamlessly into that paradigm," revealed IIS Program Manager, Robert McMurray.

But the list of the new features associated with the overhauled FTP Service for Windows Server 2008 does by no means stop with IIS 7.0. In fact, support is also a big deal for the new FTP Service, when it comes down to FTP over SSL, but also UTF8 and IPv6. On top of added support, Microsoft has also integrated shared hosting enhancements into the revamped FTP Service. Web developers will be able to host FTP and Web content from the same site via FTP bindings for an existent website location. This is now possible because of the integrating of the new FTP Service into IIS 7.

"Improved logging support: FTP logging has been enhanced to include all FTP-related traffic, unique tracking for FTP sessions, FTP sub-statuses, additional detail fields in FTP logs, and much more. New supportability features: IIS 7.0 has a new option to display detailed error messages for local users, and the FTP service supports this by providing detailed error responses when logging on locally to an FTP service. The FTP service also logs detailed information using Event Tracing for Windows (ETW), which provides additional detailed information for troubleshooting," are a couple of additional features enumerated by McMurray.

Microsoft FTP Publishing Service for IIS 7.0 (x86) is available here.
Microsoft FTP Publishing Service for IIS 7.0 (x64) can be grabbed here.