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Zero-downtime migration, hybrid file services: Azure File Sync

Heather_Poulsen — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:27:53 GMT

Windows Server file services are being reinvented. With the latest Azure File Sync updates aligned to Windows Server 2025, you can modernize your file estate in place. Keep the familiar performance and protocol compatibility of Windows Server while gaining the scale, resilience, and centralized management of Azure Files. The result: unparalleled hybrid value, zero-downtime migration, and a future-ready foundation for Azure Virtual Desktop, AI, and sovereign cloud scenarios. See why Azure File Sync is the fastest path to modernizing Windows file servers and unpack the new capabilities in the latest version!

This session is part of Windows Server Summit 2026. Questions can be posted in advance and throughout event week. Drop yours in the comments below.

How do I participate?

Select Add to calendar to save the date, then click the Attend button to save your spot, receive event reminders, and participate in the Q&A. (Don’t see the Attend button? Sign in to join the conversation!)

If you can’t make the live event, don’t worry. This session will be recorded and available on demand shortly after airing. Q&A with the product team will also remain open in the comments for the full week.

But wait, there's more! Register for the Windows Server Summit VIP Experience to receive post-event access to session presentation decks—and to be entered into a drawing for a chance to participate in a private virtual roundtable with the Windows Server product team.

Networking in Windows Server 2025

Pearl-Angeles — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 18:58:53 GMT

Explore the latest networking capabilities in Windows Server 2025, including new announcements and enhancements across host management, physical network visibility, and virtual machine (VM) network management. This session will also provide an in-depth look at encrypted DNS, Windows Firewall improvements, along with what’s coming next!

How do I participate?

Failover clustering: heart of the private cloud and datacenter

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:46:13 GMT

Failover clustering remains the foundation of resilient private cloud and datacenter infrastructure. Walk through the failover clustering roadmap and key investments coming in the next version of Windows Server. Learn about new and improved capabilities, such as enhanced update orchestration and admission control, which is designed to improve availability, predictability, and operational confidence at scale. We’ll also dive into how failover clustering continues to evolve to meet the real‑world needs of modern private cloud and private datacenter environments, informed directly by customer feedback and real-world experiences.

How do I participate?

Let’s talk storage: NVMe, ReFS, and what’s coming next

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:43:56 GMT

Take a closer look at how storage is evolving in Windows Server, from NVMe improvements to high‑level platform investments. Dive into the details of native NVMe support, NVMe‑OF direction, ReFS enhancements, and Storage Spaces and S2D improvements. We’ll walk through what’s available today in Windows Server 2025, highlight recent performance and resiliency enhancements, and share what’s coming next in future versions of Windows Server.

How do I participate?

Modernize AD for hybrid identity in Windows Server 2025

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:41:42 GMT

Active Directory is evolving to meet modern security and hybrid identity needs. Get a closer look at key updates in Windows Server 2025 including Microsoft Entra Source of Authority enhancements, new security features, and auditing mechanisms. Get tips on how to prepare your environment for an NTLM-less future. Learn how these changes help you modernize and operate Active Directory with greater control and visibility. Walk away with clear guidance on adopting Windows Server 2025 domain controllers in a hybrid world.

How do I participate?

Future-proofing PKI with AD CS in Windows Server 2025

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:39:45 GMT

As security requirements evolve and cryptographic standards advance, organizations must rethink how they manage and scale their Public Key Infrastructure (PKI). Join the Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) product team as we explore the capabilities and investments in Windows Server 2025. Explore key investments across security, including post-quantum cryptography readiness, as well as scalability enhancements, along with guidance to support modern enterprise deployments. Learn how to prepare your PKI for emerging threats and confidently plan your next steps with AD CS on Windows Server 2025.

How do I participate?

Azure Virtual Desktop deep dive for Windows Server admins

Pearl-Angeles — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 19:00:16 GMT

Azure Virtual Desktop continues to expand beyond the cloud to support hybrid deployment scenarios. Tour the latest Azure Virtual Desktop hybrid capabilities, including how Azure Virtual Desktop integrates with Azure Local to support on‑premises and hybrid desktop environments. Walk through recent enhancements, learn when hybrid Azure Virtual Desktop fits best, and gain an understanding of how these capabilities extend Azure Virtual Desktop to meet performance, locality, and operational requirements.

How do I participate?

This session has been changed from 60 minutes to 30 minutes so that we can add a session on Networking in Windows Server 2025.

Feedback time! Windows Server 2025 and vNext

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:35:27 GMT

This is your chance to be heard. Join us for an open feedback session focused on the current state of Windows Server 2025 and the roadmap for the next version of Windows Server (vNext). We’ll share a brief status update and look ahead at what’s coming, then open the floor for honest, constructive feedback. What’s working well today? Which features are frustrating? Where are the usability gaps? And what do you need most from a future version of Windows Server? This session is all about listening to you. Your insights help shape priorities, influence design decisions, and guide where we invest next. Don’t be shy—we’re eager to hear your perspectives and learn from your real‑world experience.

How do I participate?

Upgrade your Windows Server troubleshooting skills

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:32:52 GMT

Explore some of the most common Windows Server issues—and solutions—based on real‑world support cases. We’ll break down why these issues occur, what typically triggers them, how they surface in customer environments. More importantly, we'll share practical guidance and remediation tips to help you troubleshoot, resolve, and avoid these problems in your own environment.

How do I participate?

AI workloads on Windows Server

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:31:11 GMT

Azure delivers a robust foundation for AI workloads, complemented by modern Windows Server deployments that enable AI scenarios on‑premises. Find out what to look for when planning AI‑ready server hardware, and how to think about performance, security, and operational consistency as AI becomes part of your server strategy. Explore real‑world considerations for running AI workloads on‑premises. You’ll come away with a clearer understanding of how to plan, deploy, and operate Windows Server for today’s AI scenarios and how to prepare for what's next.

How do I participate?

From planning to push-button: Windows Server feature updates

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:29:17 GMT

Keeping Windows Server current doesn’t have to be complex. Take a closer look at the new, opt-in option for in‑place upgrades for via Windows Update. Explore prerequisites, see how it works end‑to‑end, and learn how to opt in so you can simplify upgrades while maintaining control and reliability. The path to Windows Server 2025 from Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2022 just got easier.

How do I participate?

The path to easier Windows Server migration

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:27:14 GMT

Migrating Windows Server workloads is no longer just about getting to the cloud—it’s about what you do after (or alongside) migration. Explore the methods, tooling, and best practices that will help you build and operate Windows Server workloads on Azure to take advantage of modern cloud and platform capabilities. See how Azure Copilot and agentic tools can help you plan, execute, and modernize faster with less manual effort.

How do I participate?

Windows Admin Center: A tour of Virtualization Mode

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:25:14 GMT

Windows Admin Center Virtualization Mode is a purpose-built experience for managing the infrastructure that runs your virtual machines. Instead of focusing on individual servers, it’s designed for virtualization fabric management—including hosts, clusters, storage, networking, and VM lifecycle. Get a first look at what’s coming next as Virtualization Mode heads into Public Preview 2, see live demos of upcoming capabilities, and learn how it’s evolving on the path to general availability.

How do I participate?

Everything you want to know about Azure Arc for Servers

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:22:24 GMT

Azure Arc for Servers extends Azure management, governance, and security capabilities to Windows and Linux servers running outside of Azure—including on‑premises and other cloud environments. If you're interested in a single control plane to manage servers consistently, regardless of where they run, join us for this session where we explore the roadmap for Arc connectivity and share what features and capabilities you need most.

How do I participate?

Evolving server management: priorities, roadmap, and tooling

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:20:34 GMT

Managing Windows Server environments has never meant relying on a single tool and that choice is only expanding. Explore Windows Server roadmap priorities and tooling investments including Azure Arc and the System Center suite. Discover what Microsoft is prioritizing and why. Hear directly from the team shaping these investments and share feedback that influences direction. The goal is clarity on where server management is headed and confidence in the tools and platform choices that get you there.

How do I participate?

Security baselines, benchmarks, posture, and scale

Pearl-Angeles — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 19:18:20 GMT

Learn how Microsoft is expanding and improving security benchmark experiences for Azure‑managed servers. Tour demos of what’s available today and what’s coming next. Hear how you can engage and provide feedback, and get a sneak peek at security baseline and benchmark capabilities on the roadmap for the remainder of 2026. Security baselines and benchmarks can help define, measure, and improve your security posture across servers and environments so attend this session for actionable insights you can put to work today.

How do I participate?

The future of Hyper-V: what we're building and why

Pearl-Angeles — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:05:33 GMT

Get a forward-looking view of where Hyper‑V is headed. Learn about new and improved Hyper‑V capabilities designed to enhance performance, scalability, and resiliency for modern virtualization workloads. Dive deep into recent enhancements, see what’s coming next on the Hyper‑V roadmap, and take a closer look at Hyper‑V Replica (HVR)—including improvements and future direction for replication and recovery scenarios.

How do I participate?

Windows Server 2025 in practice: What's new post-GA

Pearl-Angeles — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 22:02:26 GMT

Windows Server 2025 delivers updates across security, storage, networking, virtualization, and lifecycle management. This session highlights what’s new since GA, including Hotpatching, failover clustering improvements, native NVMe storage, networking protections, and identity enhancements. Attendees will learn which features to prioritize, key prerequisites, and where to begin enabling value today, along with a brief look ahead at Windows Server vNext and what it signals for future platform direction.

How do I participate?

Windows Server: Today, tomorrow, and what’s next

Pearl-Angeles — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:30:29 GMT

Kick off Windows Server Summit 2026 with a forward-looking conversation led by the people shaping its future. Gain valuable insights as Windows Server product leaders come together to discuss the momentum behind Windows Server 2025 and share what’s coming next.

You’ll hear how Microsoft is investing in Windows Server today—across security, hybrid capabilities, and platform innovation—and how those priorities are shaping the roadmap ahead. Whether you’re planning your next upgrade or setting longer-term infrastructure strategy, walk away with a better understanding of what you need to do next.

How do I participate?

Windows Server Summit 2026

Heather_Poulsen — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 20:57:31 GMT

The Windows Server Summit is back with real‑world architecture guidance, scenario-based deep dives, and actionable insights to help you take advantage of the latest and upcoming Windows Server capabilities and keep modernizing with confidence.

This year, you will hear from Windows Server product leaders on three main areas:

Recent innovations and updates in Windows Server 2025
Hybrid and multicloud scenarios enabled by Azure Arc
Best practices and real‑world considerations to help you run a more secure, resilient, and modern cloud-to-edge infrastructure

The full agenda

View the session pages below to Add to calendar, then sign in to the Tech Community and select Attend for event reminders!

Register for the Windows Server Summit VIP Experience to receive post-event access to session presentation decks—and to be entered into a drawing for a chance to participate in a private virtual roundtable with the Windows Server product team.

MONDAY
MAY 11

TUESDAY
MAY 12

WEDNESDAY
MAY 13

7:00 AM

Windows Server:
Today, tomorrow, and
what's next

7:00 AM

Everything you want to know about Azure Arc for Servers

7:00 AM

Feedback time!
Windows Server 2025
and vNext

8:00 AM

Windows Server 2025
in practice:
Real-world impact

8:00 AM