About The Lone Server

Once I was almost famous. For years, my friends and I were on the front lines: we were the Windows Server 2003 servers that powered Microsoft.com, one of the hottest Web sites in the world. Then, early last summer, everything changed. Quietly, without warning, the new kids took over. Windows Server 2008. Yes, I know, the product’s not even done yet. These were Beta 3 servers, for Pete’s sake. Long way from prime time. But there they were, humming away. No problems. All of ‘em on Windows Server 2008. Except me. The last Windows Server 2003 left at Microsoft.com.

Here’s a video of my life today, it is a longer version (3:14), in case you have as much time to kill as I do:

How can this be?
If you’re like me (and I know I am), you probably wonder how a product that’s eight months away from shipping can be handed the responsibility of running something as big and important as the Microsoft corporate portal. Fact is, Windows Server 2008 was lurking around MS.com since back when they still called it Longhorn. Those early bits first took live traffic back in ’05. And since then, WS08 has been everybody’s favorite kid. They called it part of the development team. Said it was a prodigy. Given all the cool little jobs. But then, suddenly, to be given the whole enchilada? All of MS.com? While still in Beta friggin’ 3? Unimaginable, but there it was.

My only hope is that some hero will come along and bring me some kind of, I don’t know, redemption. Call me a dreamer. But really, what else can I do? No matter how you cut it, I’m not long for this datacenter.


My Life Today
I won’t tell you what I actually do now on Microsoft.com. It’s too embarrassing. Let’s just call it a serious fall from grace. However, I do try to keep busy. In addition to blogging in my new free time, I’ve been visiting some of the Seattle area’s finer drinking establishments (link to video) and updating my Facebook and Linked In pages. I do have time on my hands, so I’d love to hear from you!

Critical Stats:

Married: No
Age: 4 years
Home: Seattle, Washington -- Home of the Seahawks!
Processor Cores: Quad
MultiProcessor: 4
Memory: 16 GB
Internal Drives: 8
Height: 4U
Favorite Restaurant: Building 42 Cafeteria

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