14 DAY TRIAL // The alterations Microsoft has in stored for the activation infrastructure in Windows Vista, with the release of the first service pack for the platform, will also reverberate to Windows Server 2008. Vista and Widows Server 2008, formerly codenamed Longhorn, are joined at the hip in more ways than one. The two client and server platforms share the same core, and this will become evident with Vista SP1, but the activation methods are also common for the products.
One aspect of Vista's evolution with the introduction of Service Pack 1 will be reflected in the overhauling of the company's anti-piracy strategy. Mike Sievert, Corporate Vice President of Windows Product Marketing, revealed on December 4, 2007, that Microsoft plans to kill Reduced Functionality Mode, as well as the Grace timer and OEM BIOS cracks. The disabled RFM is going to be replaced in Vista SP1 with non-genuine notifications. When it comes to the common ground shared by Vista and Windows Server 2008, the activation changes will be reflected in the Volume Activation 2.0 component of the Software Protection Platform.
"Volume Activation 2.0 allows for different types of activation and is configurable by IT Pros to automate and manage the product activation process for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista system licensed under volume licensing while addressing piracy and key management issues. VA 2.0 eliminates the use of product keys at the time of software installation and enables better protection and management of customer-specific product keys through new and enhanced activation management tools," explained Julius Sinkevicius, Senior Product Manager.
The bottom line is that Microsoft is taking a step back, with the disabling of Reduced Functionality Mode to the behavior of Windows XP copies detected as non-genuine. This move is valid for both Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008. Sinkevicius explained that up to this point Microsoft has not integrated the new activation model into Windows Server 2008. All the pre-release builds of the company's last 32-bit server operating system have featured the activation model of the products available for retail. This will change with the launch of Windows Server 2008, as Volume Licensing customers will be delivered with KMS and MAK activation keys.
"With Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista, when a system was never activated or the activation process failed, the system entered reduced functionality mode (RFM) and certain function and features of the operating system would cease working. Based on customer feedback, we are moving away from reducing functions if a server is not activated properly, and instead will provide clear and prominent notifications to customers that their systems are not activated and require activation. The notifications will be recurring and we will also let them know what steps they should take to activate the system to ensure they are using genuine software. This is similar to what we did with previous versions of Windows," Sinkevicius added.