Support for M365 Apps (O365) on Windows 2022

[rtravni42]

We have a large number of Windows Server 2016 with M365 Apps (O365) and need to upgrade these servers now (end of support for WS2016 is Jan 2022).
The next server product to install for us would be Windows Server 2022, unfortunately there is no support for M365 apps (O365).
In general, it looks like the support of M365 Apps for Server OS will be discontinued 2025.

RE2OqRI (microsoft.com) 

We want to get a statement from Microsoft as to whether Microsoft intends to support M365 Apps (O365) on Windows Server 2022 at some point.
Now we have to make a strategic decision.
The time is not long until 2025!
The way is not to AVD or Microsoft Azure HCI, but the way is away from the concept of application (or desktop) "remoting" and thus we as customers are no longer available for AVD and Windows 365!

[#2]

@Elden Christensen 

Any word on the support of M365 beyond 2025 on ServerOS?  We have a large Citrix environment that have applications that require the office products with our published applications.  Being forced to move everyone to VDI would massively increase cost for our organization to the point that we would consider moving off of the M365 suite entirely.

[#3]

Best news! Hope support of M365 beyond 2025 for Server 2022+. Alternatively, Make Windows 11 multisession available for every hypervisor and on premises. Then you can let M365 die on server OS…

[#4]

Hello @Elden Christensen

In principle, this is already good news - thanks for this info!
Is it possible to estimate how long the supported period for M365 on server 2022 could/will be?

Thanks a lot!

[#5]

Hello @Elden Christensen,

Thanks for your message in this topic, however I was quite amazed reading this. I needed to make a quote for a client for a new server with Hyper-V and running one VM as RDS server. They work fully in Office 365 now and use OneDrive/Sharepoint for their files syned to their desktop. If Microsoft stops support for RDS servers with Office then RDS server would die soon too, because it's then of no use for a lot of clients anymore. Everybody uses Microsoft Office apps.

That said: I'm also curious why this disicison was made in the first place. What was the exact reason behind it because I cannot seem to find one in articles about this. Does Microsoft wants to push everyone to cloud instead of on-prem? What are the (good) alternatives according to Microsoft for RDS with Office and then specifically on-premise?

So also for me supporting Microsoft Office (like volume license versions) and Microsoft 365 apps on RDS server would be highly requested feature...

Hope to hear from you, thanks!

[#6]

This is welcome news, although the key to avoid the need to create support and resolve the future roadmap conflicts with Windows Server and Windows Pro/Enterprise is surely to simply allow Windows 10/11 Enterprise Multisession to work outside of Azure, within standard customer/Service Provider environments. Naturally we all understand that there will be some technical requirements to enable this to occur, but as Azure Stack HCI is going to allow it then it would appear that the centralised Azure infrastructure will support this outside of the Microsoft Datacentres.

[#7]

So does this mean that it should work to install M365 on a Win2022 in a multiuser environment like Citrix right now?

[#8]

@MaffiMan32 
Cite: "Not supported in production yet, just being transparent that your voice is heard and we are working on it... and opening the door to please go try it out and give feedback to help us get this over the finish line. Thanks!"

[#9]

@Elden Christensen desperately need more clarity on O365 desktop apps and Server 2022 RDS session host. As an MSP with a lot of small business clients 5-100 seats using RDS it’s not feasible or cost effective to pay for O365 subscription and O2021 LTSC. The costs associated are enormous. Not possible to move workloads to cloud or run hybrid. Again cost is a huge factor and proprietary platforms and databases cannot be transposed to Azure short of running it in a VM. I don’t know why Microsoft don’t think of small business when they decide on policies that make it difficult for them to continue without IT becoming a black hole money pit. We are struggling to offer cost effective solutions.

[#10]

@MaffiMan32 

It never did not not work. I would be hesitant though to run it in production until it's officially supported. I don't see much benefit over 2019 which is still supported until 2024 with extended support up to 2029.

[#11]

There are plenty of reasonable and important improvements in Windows Server 2022 over 2019. Starting with SMB compression, a plethora security and protection features etc. Updates are considerably smaller and faster, improved networking and clustering and S2D features, improved ReFS version. Improved sconfig, it is currently the only Windows Server OS to support .net 4.8.1 and have 4.8 in-built.

It's very realistic winget will be supported anytime. I could continue writing a list.

Windows Server 2019 by all means is a mature and well working OS yet 2024 is near and extended support is not feasible to obtain.

[#12]

@Elden Christensen - has there been a decision?

[#13]

@JoachimKrone Sorry for the delay -- we've had to dot a few i's on the business side, but as Elden shared we've been actively working on the topic.  This morning we announced that, based on feedback from customers, we are updating our support policy for Microsoft 365 Apps on Windows Server 2022, available through October 2026 (mainstream support).  The announcement is here: Windows Server 2022 adds support for Microsoft 365 Apps - Microsoft Community Hub and we'll have the support and documentation updated in coming days.  Thank you for your patience! 

[#14]

Thank you @TJ_Devine was to post it before I noticed you have already done so.

Is there any specific reason, why the announcement it posted on the Windows Insider Channel, rather than in the main? - edit - answered it myself. It is not announced to be supported but it is now in officially in preview state makes sense. 

If you do not mind, I would like to add Windows Server vNext to be added to the preview just in case anyone would like to evaluate M365 apps for enterprise on the next-gen Windows Server. In this case we could reach clarity right from the RTM dat. What do you think?

[#15]

Thanks @TJ_Devine - I guess what all of us are wondering is how long MS will offer on-premise software we need for our clients. I'd hate to wake up one day and find out there will never be another Office LTSC, that the next Windows server won't offer RDS, and now you have to re-architect everything to be different yet again.  I'm not sure what assurances you can offer about any of that, but we'd hate Microsoft to go the way of Adobe with cloud-only stuff forever. 

[#16]

Hi @greatquux - That's a very reasonable question, and one we get from time to time.  We recognize that moving to the cloud is a journey with many considerations along the way, and that there are some scenarios for which the cloud is simply not feasible.  We've already committed that there will be another version of Office perpetual, and -- more importantly -- we are committed to listening to the community here and to our customers broadly, to understand and build to your needs and requirements in the best way possible.  

[#17]

just offer both options: for cloud, and on prem customers without paying for Office desktop apps twice.

I can not find any reason to cut support for M365 Apps on Windows 2022 (even with your latest announcement until 2026) other then marketing purposes.

There are thousands of RDS customers with just on prem servers and they want nothing else.

There is demand, but Microsoft won't deliver it anymore. This is capitalist demand and support updside down.

[#18]

@Elden Christensen You know, if Microsoft made Windows 10/11 multi-session available on-premises as a replacement for using Windows Server as an RD Session Host, that'd solve everyones problem and probably be less of a headache for Microsoft too in the long run trying to make Windows Server do things it shouldn't be doing.

No point pretending that Windows 10/11 multi-session is Azure-exclusive for any reason other than to drive customers to Azure. There's certainly no technical reason. You can already use it on-prem, it's just doesn't comply with any Microsoft licensing.

[#19]

@TWardrop I think if they ever truly to decide to completely end support for Office on Windows Server RDS Hosts (or remove RDS Host altogether, perish the thought!) then they'd have to do something like this, the EU would probably start an investigation if they forced people onto Azure like that!

[#20]

@TWardrop It's coming!  Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) is currently in preview and coming to Azure Stack HCI.  Azure Stack HCI runs in your datacenter on your hardware and managed by you with the same tools as you use with Windows Server.  Here's a link where you can learn more:

Azure Virtual Desktop for Azure Stack HCI (preview) overview | Microsoft Learn

[#21]

@Elden Christensen 

it all get's more complicated and more expensive.

A simple RDS Farm with two or three hosts? Forget it. Azure Stack HCI subscription there, VDI subscription here and lot's of work and new dependencies.

The way is to frustate internal or external stuff, in the end you click all options on your M365 subscription and loose more money for functionality you had all over the years for less and in a simple manner.

That's just the way it is.