Software Update: Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1

As expected, Microsoft has released the first Service Pack for Windows Server 2003. For now, it is only available in English and German and for both the 32-bit and 64-bit (Itanium) versions of Windows Server 2003. Service Pack 1 adds, among other things, the networking improvements introduced in Service Pack 2 for Windows XP. The complete list of changes is up this one page to view. Below is a small bite from the release notes:

Windows Server 2003 SP1 has all the networking improvements in Windows XP SP2, which include the following:

• Windows Firewall
• Windows Peer-to-Peer Networking
• Client-side support for Wireless Provisioning Services (WPS)
• Updates to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)
• The new Netstat -b option
• Enhancements to wireless LAN networking

These networking improvements are described in detail in New Networking Features in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 (the January 2004 The Cable Guy article) and Wireless LAN Enhancements in Windows XP Service Pack 2 (the August 2004 The Cable Guy article).

Windows Server 2003 SP1 also includes the following:

• Differences in default behavior for Windows Firewall
• Server side support for WPS
• Updates to the Wireless Network (IEEE 802.11) Policies Group Policy extension
• Rqs.exe and Rqc.exe are now included for Network Access Quarantine Control
• Enhancements to Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

[break]The following downloads are available:
Windows Server 2003 SP1 (English, 32-bit)
Windows Server 2003 SP1 (English, 64-bit)[break]