My-Technet

Install the TS Session Broker role service:

Must be 2008. Can be installed on a TS Server but would be better on a Server that is not running TS. Can also be installed on a DC.

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Exchange 2007 SP3 – Support for 2008 R2 has been added. MS Exchange Blog.

From the MS Exchange Team Blog:

Exchange Server 2007 is not supported on Windows Server 2008 R2. However, Exchange 2007 SP1 RU9 and SP2 are supported against Windows Server 2008 R2 Active Directory servers. In addition, Exchange 2007 SP1 RU9 and SP2 are supported in Active Directory environments whose domain/forest functional levels have been raised to Windows Server 2008 R2.

From MS Technet:

Prep the existing domain for a 2008 R2 DC.

• From the Windows Schema Master. Insert the R2 media.
• From the Windows Command Prompt. Change to the Support\Adprep folder.
• The Adprep folder has adprep for x64 servers and adprep32 for x32 servers.
• Enter: adprep /forestprep and C to continue.
• 
• The Schema is updated with the R2 entries.
• 
• When the update is finished. Run Adprep /domainprep /gpprep on the Infrastructure Operations Master.

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Server 2008 R2 is now a 64bit only OS.

Updated Hyper-V.

• Now supports “Live Migration”. The MS answer to VMware VMotion.
• Requires the use of Windows Failover Clustering, Clustering Services, and Shared Volume technology.

Active Directory Administrative Center.

• Provides a task-driven interface for managing AD.
• ADAC is meant to replace AD Users and Computers, Sites and Services, and Domains and Trusts. The original management tools are still available.
• ADAC is automatically installed when a 2008 R2 servers is promoted to a DC.
• ADAC currently only runs on Server 2008 R2.

Managed Service Accounts.

• Designed to provide crucial applications such as SQL Server or IIS with the isolation of their own accounts, while eliminating the need for an administrator to manually administer the SPN and credentials for these accounts.

Offline Domain Join.

• Allows a client PC to join a domain without being connected to the domain.

AD Recycle Bin.

• Allows deleted AD objects to be restored.
• Requires Server 2008 R2 forest functional level.

Server Manager.

• Server Manager is now able to manage local and remote Server 2008 servers.

Terminal Services is now Remote Desktop Services.

• The new RemoteApp and Desktop Connection support Aero Glass, multi-monitor support, multimedia redirection, audio recording, and DirectX 9,10, and 11 redirection.

PowerShell 2.0.

.Net Framework support in Server Core.

• Server Core still does not support SQL Server or Exchange.

IIS 7.5.

Core Parking.

• Allows the OS to dynamically control the number of cores used. Unused cores can be put into sleep mode to reduce power.
• Can be controlled through new GPO settings.

ACPI P-states.

• Allows running CPUs at lower CPU speeds and reduce power consumption.
• Can be controlled through new GPO settings.

Domain Name System Security Extensions (DNSSEC).

Read-Only DFS Support.

Windows Deployment Services.

• Dynamic Driver Provisioning: Add driver images prior to deployment.
• Virtual Hard Disk Deployment.
• Additional Multicasting.
• PXE Provider For Transport Server.
• Additional EFI Functionality.

New Biometric Support.

File Server Resource Manager.

• File Classification.
• File Management Tasks.

Find the rest of the additions to Server 2008 R2 – Here

How to Deploy a Windows 2008 Server From a Template with vSphere

http://www.vmwareinfo.com/2008/05/sysprep-windows-2008-in-vmware.html

Create a new GPO under Group Policy Management

Assign the Printer based on Computer or User Configuration.

• Expand Preferences – Control Panel Settings – Printers – Assign New Printers

For Windows XP Clients follow the steps below:

Install update on XP Clients to support 2008 Preferences. (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/943729)

To use the PushPrinterConnections.exe file
1. Using Group Policy Management console (gpmc.msc), right-click the GPO with your printer connections settings, and then click Edit.
2. In the Group Policy Object Editor tree, navigate to one following locations:
"If the printer connections are deployed per-machine, go to Computer Configuration, Windows Settings, Scripts (Startup/Shutdown).
"If the printer connections are deployed per-user, go to User Configuration, Windows Settings, Scripts (Logon/Logoff).
3. Right-click Startup or Logon, and then click Properties.
4. In the Logon Properties or Startup Properties dialog box, click Show Files.
5. Copy the PushPrinterConnections.exe file to this location and then close the window.
6. In the Logon Properties or Startup Properties dialog box, click Add.
7. Type PushPrinterConnections.exe in the Script Name box.
8. If you want to enable logging, type log in the Script Parameters box. Log files are written to %windir%\temp\ppcMachine.log (for per-computer connections) and %temp%\ppcUser.log (for per-user connections) on the computer on which the policy is applied.
9. Click OK.