by Microsoft Software
Platform:
Windows 2000 / XP / 2000 Server / 2003 Server
(2)2 used & new from $75.00
(Visit the Bestsellers in Programming list for authoritative information on this product's current rank.)
Visual Studio .NET Professional 2003 Special Edition enables developers to quickly create data-driven Web applications using familiar Visual Basic tec hniques and dozens of reusable, browser-independent Web controls. Web applicati ons built using Visual Studio .NET and ASP.NET benefit from improved performanc e, reliability, security, and scalability. The addition of Windows Server 2003 and SQL Server 2000 make this an ideal Web application development platform.
Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional enables you to rapidly build a broad range of applications for Microsoft Windows, the Web, and mobile devices. Developers can use Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional to:
- Quickly build professional software
- With an extensive set of visual designers, a range of programming languages , and integrated Visual Database Tools, Visual Studio .NET 2003 enables you to build powerful software quickly
- Reduce IT operating costs
- Easy, Web-style deployment of rich Windows-based applications, built-in sec urity, and an infrastructure for reusing existing code make the latest version of the Microsoft .NET Framework a dependable platform for software development
- Integrate with a wide range of applications, systems, and devices
- Support for the latest XML Web service standards and visual designers for m obile application development enable you to easily extend your applications to other systems and devices
- Quickly Build Professional Software
- Visual Studio .NET 2003 delivers the developer productivity you need to del iver a range of professional software in record time. The integrated developmen t environment (IDE) provides a consistent interface for all languages, includin g Microsoft Visual Basic .NET, Microsoft Visual C++ .NET, Microsoft Visual C# . NET, and Microsoft Visual J# .NET. Using the language best suited to your skill set, you can take advantage of shared visual designers to build rich Windows-b ased applications and dynamic Web applications that render in any browser.
Windows developers will find the enhanced Windows Forms designer to be intuitiv e and efficient. Windows Forms are also compatible with any .NET development la nguage.
With visual inheritance, developers can greatly simplify the creation of Window s-based applications by reusing common logic and user interface throughout thei r solution. Using control anchoring and docking, programmers can build resizabl e forms automatically, while the in-place menu editor enables developers to vis ually author menus directly from within the Forms Designer.
Web-based Development
With its powerful WYSIWYG designer for Web pages, IntelliSense® HTML editing fe atures, and Style Sheet Editor, Visual Studio .NET 2003 helps developers feel c omfortable authoring complex Web-based solutions.
Developers can also leverage Visual XML designers and IntelliSense XML tag comp letion for drag-and-drop creation and data manipulation. By using automatically generated client-side validation code, Web developers can reduce the amount of client-side JavaScript and ensure that their application will work in both Mic rosoft Internet Explorer and Netscape browsers.
Create Server-Side Business Logic
Extending visual design capabilities to the server is easier than ever with Vis ual Studio .NET 2003. The Component Designer provides a canvas for building and instantiating business logic components using the familiar drag-and-drop parad igm. In addition, the Server Explorer delivers direct access to server-side res ources, including databases, message queues, event logs, Windows Services, Crys tal Reports, and performance counters.
Integrating any of these resources into your application is as easy as dragging controls onto a form. The enhanced XML Designer provides panning and zoom capa bilities for graphically navigating and manipulating XML data and schema files. Visual Database tools deliver powerful designers and wizards for creating and managing data-driven applications.
IDE Productivity and Extensibility
Numerous productivity features within the IDE knock down traditional barriers t o rapid development of professional software:
- The multi-language Solution Explorer and Class View windows provide organiz ed, hierarchical views of your projects.
- Dynamic Help and integrated features from MSDN provide assistance based on your current task and programming language, ensuring that relevant help is alwa ys on hand.
- Enhanced IntelliSense statement completion, automatic syntax error detectio n, the cross-language remote debugger, and the Task List help you track down bu gs and ensure delivery of robust software.
- A comprehensive object model and a fully extensible IDE provide you with th e benefits of a vibrant third-party add-in and component vendor community. And, with Visual Studio macros, you can automate routine tasks within the IDE to en hance your productivity during the software development process. Macros can be both recorded and played back, or manually created using the Macros IDE and the full power of the Visual Basic .NET language.
Visual Studio .NET 2003 empowers you to build professional software using your choice of modernized programming languages.
Visual Basic .NET 2003 delivers the most productive route to professional appli cation development. Familiar Visual Basic syntax, expressive coding constructs, a powerful background compiler, and unsurpassed support for productivity withi n the code editor enable you to crank out software in record time. The fully mo dernized Visual Basic language supports Structured Exception Handling and optio nal power features including object-oriented constructs and multi-threading.
Visual C++ .NET 2003 delivers maximum power, performance, control, and flexibil ity for creating applications that directly leverage Windows. New support for t he Windows Forms designer offers C++ developers unprecedented productivity in b uilding rich Windows-based applications. With attribute-based programming and A TL Server, an extension to the ATL libraries, you can use the C++ syntax to bui ld ISAPI Web applications. Additionally, C++ developers can target the .NET Fra mework using Managed Extensions to Visual C++.
In Visual Studio .NET 2003, developers using Visual C++ will also find that the key metric for measuring code portability, ANSI/ISO compliance, has been incre ased significantly. The ANSI/ISO C++ standard is the generally accepted standar d for the C++ language, and all C++ compiler vendors measure compatibility agai nst this standard.
Visual C# .NET 2003 provides a modern, innovative language, ideal for construct ing object-oriented components and business frameworks. Based on the ECMA C# st andard, Visual C# .NET offers increased productivity for both the C and C++ dev eloper. With first-class support for components with properties, methods, index ers, attributes, versioning, and events, Visual C# .NET 2003 provides a robust foundation for building .NET-connected applications.
Visual J# .NET 2003 is a development tool for Java-language developers who want to build applications and services on the .NET Framework. Visual J# .NET 2003 joins more than 20 previously announced languages with its ability to target th e .NET Framework and first-class XML Web services.
Reduce IT Operating Costs
Visual Studio .NET 2003 contains an updated version of the .NET Framework, vers ion 1.1, that builds upon the previous version with new capabilities and improv ed scalability, reliability, security, and performance. These core enhancements in the underlying development framework combine with improved IDE responsivene ss to enable reduced costs associated with application development, deployment, and ongoing maintenance.
Stability and Security
A key design goal of the .NET Framework 1.1 was to provide a robust platform fo r building professional software. Extending the proven foundation laid by versi on 1.0, the .NET Framework 1.1 delivers additional security features that provi de more granular, flexible control over security policy and protect against mal icious attacks.
The fine-grained security policy built into the .NET Framework delivers role- a nd user-based security models in order to safely restrict application access to only those users who are authorized. Code Access Security (CAS) provides an ad ditional, complementary security mechanism to ensure that malicious code is pre vented from executing on client machines.
Simplified Application Deployment
The new deployment model introduced in Visual Studio .NET 2002 and the .NET Fra mework 1.0 is enhanced in Visual Studio .NET 2003. Aimed at addressing today's most pressing application deployment challenges, the .NET deployment model prov ides a range of options for all application types.
Developers building Windows-based applications can benefit immediately from the ability to XCOPY-deploy applications that consist of .NET Windows Forms, contr ols, and business logic. In addition, No Touch Deployment provides Windows-base d application developers with a mechanism for deploying Windows-based applicati ons as seamlessly as they deploy Web applications.
This deployment option can significantly reduce costs associated with distribut ion and ongoing maintenance of Windows-based applications, particularly in scen arios that involve large installed bases. Advanced deployment of applications c an be achieved using Visual Studio .NET 2003 Setup and Deployment Projects that leverage Windows Installer technology.
Finally, self-describing assemblies and side-by-side installation protect again st "DLL Hell" to ensure that application installations do not corrupt existing software. This also enables multiple versions of Visual Studio .NET and the .NE T Framework to be installed on a single machine.
Flexibility to Leverage Existing Investments
In addition to providing capabilities to build new applications, Visual Studio .NET 2003 was architected with existing applications and components in mind. Wh ether your existing applications have been authored in Visual Studio .NET 2002, or an earlier version of the Visual Studio family of tools, existing investmen ts carry forward with Visual Studio .NET 2003.
Visual Studio .NET 2003 provides a seamless upgrade for existing applications a uthored in Visual Studio .NET 2002. Existing COM-based code (written in Visual Basic 6.0, Visual C++ 6.0, etc.) can be referenced within Visual Studio .NET pr ojects and accessed using COM Interoperability. The Visual Basic .NET Upgrade W izard has been improved in Visual Studio .NET 2003 to enable even more existing Visual Basic 6.0 code to be upgraded to Visual Basic .NET. Integrate with a Wi de Range of Applications, Systems, and Devices Addressing the emerging opportun ities represented by XML Web services and mobile application development were k ey design goals of Visual Studio .NET 2003. Using the skills you already have, Visual Studio .NET 2003 enables you to create and consume XML Web services and provides intuitive designers for rapidly building broad-reach Mobile Web applic ations as well as smart device software.
XML Web Services
Visual Studio .NET 2003 provides the easiest route to creating and consuming XM L Web services, the crucial standards-based technology that facilitates seamles s software integration behind the firewall, across organizational boundaries, a nd spanning multiple platforms.
Tracking the important SOAP standard, Visual Studio .NET 2003 and the .NET Fram ework 1.1 continue support for SOAP version 1.1. The Visual Studio .NET Add Web Reference dialog, used to locate and bind XML Web services from within the dev elopment environment, gains additional capabilities and usability features in v ersion 2003. The new Web Services Development Kit (WSDK) adds support for some of the latest advanced XML Web services specifications, including security, rou ting, and referral, all integrated with Visual Studio .NET 2003 so developers c an add support for these specifications using the familiar attribute-based prog ramming approach.
Mobile Application Development
Visual Studio .NET 2003 integrates device development as a first-class citizen within the IDE. Visual Studio .NET 2003 provides native support for the .NET Co mpact Framework, bringing devices such as the Pocket PC, as well as other devic es powered by the Microsoft Windows CE .NET operating system, to the forefront of .NET development.
All the power of Visual Studio will be available to the smart device developer, including visual designers, reusable interface components, editing and project management tools, and IntelliSense coding support. Developers of traditional W indows- and Web-based applications can easily extend their existing skills to m obile development with Visual Studio .NET 2003.
For the broadest possible reach to Internet-enabled devices, developers using V isual Studio .NET 2003 can use ASP.NET mobile controls (formerly Microsoft Mobi le Internet Toolkit) to build a single mobile Web interface to support a broad range of devices, 200 at last count. Supported mobile technologies include WML 1.1 for WAP-enabled cellular phones, compact HTML (cHTML) for i-mode phones, an d HTML for Pocket PCs, Palm devices, and pagers. Server-side mobile controls in telligently generate the appropriate rendering and pagination for the target We b device, providing a rich and consistent user experience while preserving deve loper flexibility.
Overview of Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition
Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, takes the best of Windows 2000 Server te chnology and makes it easier to deploy, manage, and use. The result is a highly productive operating system that is more secure, reliable, highly available, a nd scalable.
At a high level, Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, provides support for:
- Advanced networking features such as Internet Authentication Service (IAS), the Network Bridge feature, and Internet Connection Sharing (ICS).
- Four-way symmetric multiprocessing (SMP).
- 4 gigabytes (GB) of RAM.
Built for Dependability
Run Your Business on the Most Solid Server Operating System Microsoft Has Ever Released.
Today's organizations expect technology to be a consistent enabler of business value. They want systems that are always up and always responsive, and they dem and a level of security able to meet today's challenges. Windows Server 2003, S tandard Edition, includes new features and improvements that make it the most d ependable small business and departmental server operating system Microsoft has ever created.
Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, improves on many technologies introduced in Windows 2000 Server, such as support for smart cards, bandwidth throttling, and Plug and Play support. New technologies, such as the common language runti me, strengthen security to help safeguard networks from malicious or poorly des igned code. In addition, improvements to Internet Information Services (IIS) 6. 0, public key infrastructure (PKI), and Kerberos make it easier to secure Windo ws Server 2003.
The Active Directory service is now faster and more robust over unreliable wide area network (WAN) connections, thanks to more efficient synchronization, repl ication, and credential caching in branch office domain controllers.
Key Dependability Features
Here are some of the key features responsible for the increased dependability o f Windows Server 2003:
- XML Web services. IIS 6.0 security settings are enforced during setup by de fault to ensure that only required services are running. This change from earli er versions significantly reduces initial security risks. Using the IIS Securit y Lockdown wizard, server functionality is enabled or disabled based on the adm inistrator's requirements.
- Directory services. Active Directory security settings for users and networ k resources span from the core to the edge of the network, helping you make a s ecure end-to-end network a reality.
- Update management. The Auto Update feature provides the ability to systemat ically download critical operating system updates, such as security fixes and s ecurity patches. Administrators select when to install these critical operating system updates.
- Internet firewall. Connecting to the Internet is more secure with the built -in InterConnection Firewall. The integration of an Internet Firewall in the op erating system also reduces capital costs necessary to connect to the Internet.
- Remote access. Dial-up users can be quarantined via administrator policy. T hey can be prevented from accessing the network until their system is verified to have administrator-specified software, such as virus detection updates.
- Server hardware support. Driver verifiers check new device drivers to help keep the server up and running.
- Application verification. Applications running on Windows Server 2003 can b e tested and verified using the Application Verifier tool, which detects subtle discrepancies, such as software heap corruptions and compatibility issues.
- File services. Windows Server 2003 performance has increased considerably s ince Microsoft Windows NT Server 4.0 and Windows 2000 Server.
- Assisted support. Microsoft incident submission and management allows users to submit electronic support incidents to Microsoft, collaborate with support engineers, and manage submitted incidents from Windows Server 2003.
- Server event tracking. Administrators can create accurate reports of uptime using the new server shutdown tracker, which records Windows events for server shutdowns in a log file.
Improve Employee Communication and Collaboration Across Your Business.
Organizations look to computing technology to improve productivity across their businessesnot just for system administrators, who want flexible services that are quicker to deploy and easier to manage, but also for employees, who need po werful tools that are easier to use.
Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, and other members of the Windows Server 2003 family share many features that help make your organization and employees more productive. Windows Server 2003 enables greater productivity for both admi nistrators and users through enhanced capabilities in system management and sto rage.
Microsoft has made great strides in evolving manageability. The new, task-based design in Windows Server 2003 makes it easier to find and carry out common tas ks. Improvements to the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) and Active Directory boost performance and make management easier.
In addition, the Windows Server 2003 family contains several important new auto mated management tools including Microsoft Software Update Services (SUS) and s erver configuration wizards to help automate deployment. Managing Group Policy is made easier with the new Group Policy Management Console (GPMC), enabling mo re organizations to better use Active Directory and take advantage of its power ful management features. Further, command-line tools let administrators perform most tasks from the command console, should they prefer that method.
New and improved file and print services in Windows Server 2003, Standard Editi on, also make storage and backup easier while significantly reducing the demand s on system administrators. For example, the Volume Copy Shadow Service provide s point-in-time backups of networked shares. This unique technology extends to users who can now retrieve old copies of files or deleted files right from thei r Windows desktop. In addition, file and print services are improved with the a ddition of the Web-based Distributed Authoring and Versioning (WebDAV) remote d ocument sharing technology. Enhancements to the Distributed File System (DFS) a nd Encrypting File System (EFS) allow for powerful, flexible file sharing and s torage as well.
Key Productivity Features
Here are some of the key features that enhance productivity:
- Manage Your Server Wizard. Administrators can use the straightforward inter face of this wizard for setup and ongoing management of a server. The wizard ma kes it easy to perform such common tasks as adding new users and creating file shares.
- Configure Your Server Wizard. The easy-to-use Configure Your Server Wizard steps administrators through the process of setting up various server roles, su ch as a file server, print server, remote access server, and other roles, and h elps ensure that components are installed and configured correctly the first ti me.
- Remote server administration. With Remote Desktop for Administration (forme rly known as Terminal Services in Remote Administration mode), administrators c an manage a computer from virtually any other computer on the network. Remote D esktop for Administration is specifically designed for server management.
- Remote assistance. Administrators can use Remote Assistance to control a re mote desktop computer. If administrators or helpdesk staff are invited by a rem ote user, they can use Remote Assistance to connect to a remote computer from a computer running Windows XP or any edition of Windows Server 2003. After conne cting to the remote computer, the person giving assistance can view the remote computer's screen and chat in real time with the system user. If the person req uesting assistance allows it, the assisting person can even control the remote computer's mouse and keyboard.
- Shadow Copy of Shared Folders. This feature provides consistent, point-in-t ime versions for network shares. Administrators can view network folder content s as they existed at one time. End users can recover accidentally deleted files or folders on network shares without requiring system administrator interventi on.
- Terminal Server. When using Terminal Server, a user can access programs run ning on the server from a variety of devices. For example, a user can access a virtual Windows XP Professional desktop and x86-based applications for Windows from hardware that cannot run the software locally. Terminal Server provides th is capability for client devices that run Windows as well as those that do not.
Connect to Your Customers with Greater Security.
Today's networks are connecting intranets, extranets, and the Web. More and mor e companies are using the Internet to communicate with their customers and part ners everyday. Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, and other members of the Windows Server 2003 family share many features that help your organization and employees stay connected.
Networking improvements and new features in the Windows Server 2003 family exte nd the versatility, manageability, and dependability of network infrastructures . Windows Server 2003 makes it easier than ever for users to stay connected to their centralized systems from anywhere and on any device. Microsoft has built significant networking enhancements in Windows Server 2003, including Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6), Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPoE), and In ternet Protocol Security (IPSec) over network address translation (NAT).
Perhaps most important, though, is the optimized, native support of Microsoft . NET and XML. Windows Server 2003 represents a revolutionary step forward as the ideal platform to develop, distribute, and host XML Web services created with .NET.
Key Features for Connecting
Here are some of the key features for connecting people, partners, systems, and customers:
- IIS 6.0. IIS 6.0 is a Web service in Windows Server 2003 that makes it easi er to share information among partners, customers, and employees over an intran et, the Internet, or via an extranet. IIS 6.0 provides an updated architecture that meets the most demanding needs in the areas of dependability, versatility, and manageability.
- Web application server role. Windows Server 2003 is also a full Web applica tion server. It integrates the .NET Framework with core server resources to hel p users develop, deploy, and manage applications and XML Web services. The .NET Framework provides a fully managed, protected, and feature-rich application ex ecution environment, simplified development and deployment, and seamless integr ation with a wide variety of programming languages. Windows Server 2003 is buil t on industry standards that allow customers to extend existing applications an d quickly develop new ones. Developers can build directly on the application se rver, using XML Web services and managed code, and then run these applications on any Web application platform. This level of easy application development enc ourages internal and external business process innovation and increases busines s opportunities.
- Microsoft Windows Media Services. Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition, in cludes Windows Media Services for distributing streaming audio and video over c orporate intranets and the Internet.
- Wireless LAN support. This feature provides security and performance improv ements for wireless local area networks (LANs), such as automatic key managemen t, user authentication, and authorization prior to LAN access. Windows Server 2 003, Standard Edition, makes it much easier to use and deploy wireless services .
Maximize Business Value by Leveraging the Largest Partner Solution Ecosystem.
PC technology provides the most cost-effective chip platform, a considerable ec onomic incentive for adopting Windows Server 2003. But that is only the beginni ng of the story. Windows Server 2003 is a cost-efficient choice for both scale- up or scale-out purposes. With multiple essential services and components alrea dy included in Windows Server 2003, organizations can quickly benefit from an i ntegrated platform that is easy to deploy, manage, and use.
When you adopt Windows Server 2003, you become a part of the global network tha t has helped make the Windows platform so productive.
This network of global services and support provides the following benefits:
- Extensive ISV ecosystem. Microsoft software has a huge number of independen t software vendors (ISVs) worldwide who support Microsoft applications and buil d certified custom applications on the Windows platform.
- Worldwide services. Microsoft is supported by over 450,000 Microsoft Certif ied Systems Engineers (MCSEs) worldwide, plus vendors and partners.
- Training options. Microsoft offers a wide range of IT training, enabling IT staff to continue developing their skills at a reasonable price.
- Certified solutions. Windows has thousands of certified hardware drivers an d software applications from third-party ISVs, making it easy to add new device s and applications. In addition, prescriptive guidance from Microsoft Solutions Offerings (MSOs) helps organizations build proven solutions that help solve di fficult business challenges.
XML Web Services and .NET
Microsoft .NET is deeply integrated into the Windows Server 2003 family. It ena bles an unprecedented level of software integration using XML Web services, tho se discrete, building-block applications that connect to each otheras well as t o other, larger applicationsvia the Internet.
Integral to the Microsoft platform, the .NET Framework provides the ability to build, host, deploy, and use more secure and connected solutions quickly and re liably through XML Web services. The Microsoft platform provides a suite of dev eloper tools, client applications, XML Web services, and servers necessary to p articipate in this connected world.
These XML Web services provide reusable components built on industry standards that invoke capabilities from other applications independent of the way the app lications were built, their operating system or platform, or the devices used t o access them.
With XML Web services, developers can integrate applications inside enterprises and across network boundaries with partners and customers. This advance in com putingopening the door to federated collaboration and more efficient business-t o-business and business-to-consumer servicescan have a significant potential im pact on revenue. Millions of others can use these components in varied combinat ions to produce highly personal, intelligent computing experiences.
Other .NET benefits in the Windows Server 2003 family help application develope rs to:
- Leverage their existing investments. Existing Windowsbased applications con tinue to run on Windows Server 2003 and can be easily repackaged as XML Web ser vices.
- Write less code and use the programming languages and tools they know. This is made possible by the application services built into Windows Server 2003, s uch as Microsoft ASP.NET, transaction monitoring, message queuing, and data acc ess.
- Use process monitoring, recycling, and built-in instrumentation to provide reliability, availability, and scalability for their applications.
The new Microsoft Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional Special Edition Visual enables developers to quickly create data-driven Web applications using familiar Visual Basic techniques and dozens of reusable Web controls. Web applications built using Visual Studio .NET and ASP.NET benefit from the improved reliability, security, and scalability of .NET. Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional Special Edition delivers all the productivity of Visual Studio .NET 2003 Professional and also includes: Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition*, SQL Server™ 2000 Developer Edition*, Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for the Microsoft Office System, MCAD/MCSD Self-Paced Training E-books—to speed your transition to Visual Studio .NET, Cost effective ASP.NET Hosting *licensed for development and test