(04/Feb/08) Almost five years since the last major release, Microsoft's newest server operating system has reached its next milestone: Development is now officially complete, and it has been released to manufacturing.

In excess of two million copies of the server operating system have been downloaded by customers, Microsoft claimed in a statement.

One key feature of the server operating system is Server Core, a stripped-down, lightweight installation option that contains only a subset of executable files and can perform a limited number of functions. Not only can Server Core work on older hardware when the full-boat operating system will not, but running Windows Server 2008 in this way means fewer security vulnerabilities.

Other new functions include expanded support for Internet Information Server, where administrators can control exactly which pieces of IIS are installed and running at any given time, and more options for running and controlling applications remotely.

The path to Windows Server 2008 has not always been a straight line, however. The operating system has been delayed at least once, and Microsoft has changed course about which virtualization features to include natively in the operating system.

Full release may be read here