Here are the key features that make Windows 2000 Server the reliable operating system for workgroups and small businesses.

Features:

Communications and Networking:

Secure network communications
End-to-end encrypted communications across your company network using the IPSec standard. Great for protecting sensitive internal communications from intentional or accidental viewing. Active Directory provides central policy control for its use to make it deployable.
Routing and Remote Access Service
Connects remote workers, telecommuters, and branch offices to the corporate network through dial-up, leased line and Internet links.
Virtual private networking (VPN)
A full-featured gateway that encrypts communications to securely connect remote users and satellite offices over the Internet. Now with an updated PPTP support and advanced security with Layer 2 Tunneling Protocol encrypted by IPSec.
Dynamic DNS
The Active Directory integrated, Internet standards-based Domain Name System (DNS) service simplifies object naming and location through Internet protocols, and improves scalability, performance and interoperability.
Microsoft Connection Manager Administration Kit and Connection Point Services
These wizard-driven tools let administrators centrally configure and deploy customized remote access dialers that can integrate automatic-update phonebooks, custom connect actions (like firewall authentication and client virus inspection), driver updates and more.
Internet Connection Sharing
Enables multiple users within small business or workgroups to share a single external Internet connection, making connection to the Internet easier.
Windows Telephony Applications Programming Interface (TAPI) 3.0
TAPI is a software abstraction layer that allows software applications from one vendor to work with a wide variety of telephone systems for great customer choice and flexibility.
Networking
Windows 2000 Server works with networking devices that support the latest networking technologies, including Plug and Play, DSL, VPN, routing, NAT, DHCP, Quality of Services switches and routers, Directory-Enabled Networking devices, IPSec, SSL, and Asynchronous Transfer Mode.

Management Services:

Safe Mode Boot
Booting in Safe Mode allows users to troubleshoot the system during start up by changing the default settings or removing a newly installed driver that is causing a problem.
Automatic Restart
Configure services across the operating system, including IIS, to restart automatically if they fail.
Kill Process Tree
Stop all processes related to an errant process or application without rebooting the system.
Configuration Wizard
Automatically set up file, print, Web, communications, networking, Active Directory and DNS services with the Configure Your Server Wizard.
System Preparation Tool
Save deployment time by using SysPrep to create an image of a computer's hard drive, including the operating system and applications, that you can then duplicate onto other computers.
Windows Installer
Windows Installer monitors application installations and cleanly performs uninstall/removal tasks. Note: Windows Installer can be used to install Service Pack 1.
Plug and Play
Automatically detect and recognize newly installed components, simplifying network system configuration and reducing service down time.
Service Pack Slipstreaming
Simplify operating system updates by maintaining one master image of the operating system on the network.
Search for and Connect to Printers from a desktop
Publish printers in the Active Directory service, enabling users to locate and connect to printers based on criteria such as location, ability to print color, or speed.
Microsoft Management Console (MMC)
Unify and simplify system management tasks through a central, customizable console that allows control, monitoring, and administration of widespread network resources. All management functions in Windows 2000 are available through the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).
Group Policy
Group policy allows central management of collections of users, computers, applications, and network resources instead of managing entities on a one-by-one basis. Integration with Active Directory delivers more granular and flexible control.
Centralized Desktop Management
Manage users’ desktop resources by applying policies based on the business needs and location of users. IntelliMirrorTM management technologies install and maintain software, apply correct computer and user settings, and ensure that users’ data is always available.

Security Services:

Support for the Latest Security Standards
Build secure intranet, extranet and Internet sites using the latest standards, including: 56-bit and 128-bit SSL/TLS, IPSec, Server Gated Cryptography; Digest Authentication, Kerberos v5 authentication, and Fortezza.
Kerberos Authentication
Full support for Kerberos version 5 protocol provides fast, single sign-on to Windows resources, as well as other environments that support this protocol.
Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
The Certificate Server is a critical part of a public key infrastructure that allows customers to issue their own x.509 certificates to their users for PKI functionality such as certificate-based authentication, IPSec, secure email, etc. Integration with Active Directory simplifies user enrollment.
Encrypting File System
Increase security of data on the hard disk by encrypting it. This data remains encrypted even when backed up or archived.
Security Configuration Toolset (SCTS)
Reduce costs associated with security configuration and analysis of Windows-based networks. In Windows 2000, use Group Policy to set and periodically update security configurations of computers.

Web and Application Services:

Internet Information Services 5.0 (IIS)
Integrated Web services enable users to easily host and manage Web sites to share information, create Web-based business applications, and extend file, print, media and communication services to the Web.
Active Server Pages (ASP) Programming Environment
Active Server Pages is consistently rated the easiest, highest performance web server-scripting environment available.
XML Parser
Create applications that enable the Web server to exchange XML-formatted data with both Microsoft Internet Explorer and any server capable of parsing XML.
Multimedia Platform
With integrated Windows MediaTM Services, configure and manage high-quality digital media content across the Internet and intranets delivering live and on-demand content to the maximum number of users.
Web Telephony Engine
Now you can use Web technologies and tools to create and run telephony solutions, such as Interactive Voice Response (IVR), for new levels of economy and operational efficiency.
Internet Printing
Send print jobs across the Internet to a URL.
Enhanced ASP Performance
More scalable Active Server Page (ASP) processing, improved ASP flow control, and ASP Fast Path for scriptless ASP files enable faster Web page processing.
Multi site Hosting
Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.0 allows you to host more Web sites per server with high performance.
IIS CPU Throttling
Limit the amount of CPU time a Web application or site can use to ensure that processor time — and therefore better performance — is available to other Web sites or to non-Web applications.
High throughput and bandwidth utilization
With support for up to 1 GB networks, Windows 2000 Server delivers high performance processing on high performance networks. Increased throughput increases performance without having to increase network bandwidth.
IIS Application Protection
Application protection keeps Web applications running separately from the Web server itself, preventing an application from crashing the Web server.