Windows based Hosting version 4.5 - Released to Market and available on TechNet

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Windows based Hosting (WBH) v4.5 is now available for download via the TechNet site.  WbH 4.5 continues to build upon the value proposition of the Windows based hosting solution by helping hosting providers reduce their TCO and create new revenue opportunities.

What's new in WBH 4.5 ?

Support for Windows SharePoint Service version 3.0

WSS version 3.0 offers service providers and their customers with better, more powerful tools to customize their business experience.

For the user, what is new includes:

  • Better Core collaboration and document life cycle, with: item-level security and permissions, improved backup\restore scenarios, easier (path) navigation, task tracking and project management, detailed versioning, check-out procedures, and document library improvements
  • Anywhere access, including: Outlook integration, keeping informed and mobility sync features
  • Community and communication, incorporating: wikis and blogs, people and groups, and improved surveys, e-mail, and discussions

For the hosting provider, there are major platform improvements, including:

  • Broad support for Forms authentication
  • Service providers can use LDAP or any ASP.NET custom auth provider, removing Microsoft Active Directory® dependency
  • Native integration of ASP.NET 2 - Web Parts, master pages, pluggable authentication with over 40 pre-built rich application templates that are easily bundled and packaged via a Solution Kit with hosting of Windows Workflow Foundation (WWF) - while not out-of-the-box, when integrated it enables the customized creation of powerful workflow solutions offers more seamless and compelling up sell scenarios and higher, more differentiated and defendable price points
  • Improved manageability, including easier site definition changes, improved central administration page user interface, list enhancements, improved backup\restore, extranet deployment, and full upgrade
  • Guidance will be provided to hosters on how to scale to from 50 customers on a single server in SharePoint 2.0 to 2000 customers in SharePoint 3.0.

Windows Server 2003 R2

The infrastructure components of the solution now run on Windows Server 2003 R2, which extends the Windows Server 2003 operating system in important ways. Web platform features include support for .NET framework 2.0 and ASP.NET 2.0 applications as well as 64-bit support for Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0. In addition, Windows Server 2003 R2 provides:

  • Improved identity and access management.
  • Better control over storage setup and lower management costs due to improved storage management features.
  • Interoperability with UNIX-based systems, including password synchronization.
  • A new licensing model that allows customers to get more value out of server virtualization.

Windows SQL Server 2005

  • The solution incorporates fundamental advancements in database technology and security with SQL Server 2005. When compared with SQL Server 2000, the latest version of the comprehensive database platform of the solution provides:
  • Up to 35 percent faster transaction processing, including improved response times on queries.
  • Higher availability for mission critical applications and five times faster failover.
  • Improved analysis and calculation capabilities that allow developers to provide new services.
  • Improved reporting capabilities as well as the power to create ad hoc reports in multiple formats.
  • New features to easily support service offerings differentiated by additional capabilities rather than just database size and quantity.
  • Support for 64-bit platforms so service providers can scale servers to any client's needs.

SQL Server Hosting Toolkit

ASP.NET 2.0 support

ASP.NET AJAX framework support

Support for 64-bit computing