Microsoft aggregated some of their step by step guides about Windows Server 2008. I already read some of them and highly recommend them. It is much easier to grasp what is behind a new feature if you actually try it yourself instead of just reading what others wrote about it. Those step by step guides are well written and easy to follow.

Usually, you need to set up a test environment first. The easiest way certainly is to do this in a virtual environment. I have a base set up under VMware Workstation with one Windows Server 2008 domain controller, one member server, two Vista machines and one Windows XP client. Whenever I go through a new step by step guide I just clone my whole virtual environment. This way I always have clean test systems within some seconds.

Testing a new feature sometimes only costs me one or two hours including the time I need for playing with the features apart from the descriptions. Of course, if you really want to understand a new technology in detail, more time is needed. But for getting a first impression, it will do.

What is a bit strange about this collection of step by step guides is that it’s incomplete. I just finished one of these guides about NAP (Network Access Protection) and it is not in this list. It seems that Microsoft lost track of their documentation. Indeed, there are already so many guides and white papers about Windows Server 2008. I know no other software company offering so much documentation about a beta product. A good starting point to learn more about Windows Server 2008 is Beta Central

If you don’t have the time now to explore Microsoft’s new server OS you might as well print these posters and attach it to your door. There is one about the Server 2008 components and one of the Active Directory components. It is a good way to impress your colleagues demonstrating that you are already one step ahead.