Today, February 4, 2008, Microsoft has released Windows Server 2008 to manufacturing. Although it was initially planned for RTM by the end of 2007, the release of the final bits was postponed to early 2008, with the Redmond company failing to offer additional details. Well, the wait for Windows Server 2008 Gold is finally over. Microsoft has RTM the second product out of the lineup set up for the Heroes Happen Here launch on February 27, 2008 in Los Angeles. Visual Studio 2008 has already RTMed, and SQL Server 2008 is not scheduled for RTM until the third quarter of 2008. Windows Server 2008 is the successor of Windows Server 2008, and the server operating system with which Microsoft will stop producing 32-bit platforms is aimed at the server side.

"I'm in the room where it all happens; in building 26, better known as the ship room. Ten minutes ago Windows Server 2008 officially RTM'd," stated a member of the Windows Server Division. "We've all been working towards this day for the past 3 years and over 5,000 people have contributed to this release. In the final days leading up to RTM, the tone in the war room meetings was calm, almost too calm because there were minimal bugs to resolve and final testing went very smoothly. We focused on testing of the code changes made in Nov/Dec to make sure nothing regressed. Hundreds of system component teams across the Windows division and Microsoft performed their escrow test passes and signed off. The last important step was to ensure our deployment customers, OEMs, and Microsoft IT were satisfied and had no major issues."

According to Microsoft, there have been in excess of two million beta versions of Windows Server 2008 in testing around the world, during the development process. And the fact of the matter is that the latest server operating system had technically been finalized ever since Microsoft made available Release Candidate 1. The Redmond company revealed that it had automated many of the tasks synonymous with server operating system maintenance, from management tasks to security efforts. Windows Server 2008 also brings to the table an efficiency boost, as well as increased availability. On top of this, the server platform delivers virtualization solutions aligning Windows Server 2008 with the general market tendencies.

"We've been working with partners around the world who are creating solutions that take advantage of the new platform's feature set," said Bob Visse, senior director, Windows Server Marketing Group at Microsoft. "There's been tremendous support for the operating system and a lot of excitement around the opportunity it represents for the industry."