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]

I think the article is this one:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/endofsupport/windows-server-support
I'd also recommend everyone change their Office 365 channel to the Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/semi-annual-enterprise-channel

[#3]

@Elden Christensen 

To be sure:
If we understand this statement correctly, does this mean that the next version of Windows Server will also get MS365 support?

Thank you!

[#4]

We do not make support statements for unreleased products, but I would expect us to stay the course.

Thanks!
Elden

[#5]

Yes, PLEASE stay the course! As has been emphasized in this thread, while the need to more frequently upgrade Windows Server is not ideal, it's certainly much preferred than having to use individual desktops (whether physical or virtual) in order to provide Office to users.

[#6]

This puts healthcare customers like us in an extremely tough spot knowing they can't move as fast as MS wants everyone to move. Generally speaking, healthcare runs on extended support for many years before jumping to the next OS. That's largely due to the fact that jumping to a newer OS adds infrastructure costs across the board due to the additional resources required to run the newer OS.

[#7]

@Elden Christensen Thank you very, very much for your help drawing attention to and getting a sensible resolution to this issue!

[#8]

@greatquux @Elden Christensen @Bernd Dausch Note only 2302 or later is supported on Server 2022. The latest Semi-Annual Enterprise Channel release is 2208 and is NOT supported (at this time). The latest Monthly Enterprise Channel (2303) and Current Channel (2304) are supported.

[#9]

This is all far too complicated and it is not a typical use case to plan upgrades of RDS hosts each five years excactly. Many software companies don't have their applications ready for the newest OS in the beginning. Thus a migration would be happen 1 or 2 years after release and so the remaining run time would only be 3-4 years for the hosts. Usually you don't use Office on RDS hosts only, so upgrades/migrations are a lot of work as well and such a short support period of M365 Apps or even Office 2021 LTSC is more than questionable.

10 years of support were great, even 7 would be still fine but 5 or even shorter with M365 is really a mess. It is just a campaign to give RDS up, capitulate and book Azure virtual desktops for even more money.

The only thing who could stop this develpoment are antitrust authorities.

[#10]

This is 1000000% true especially in Healthcare. Most of our applications are just now supporting Server 2019. We really need more than mainstream support

[#11]

@MI5-Agent I hear you, especially on not being able to upgrade to the latest OS until 1-2 years after release, so 5 years is reduced to 3-4 in the real world. In fairness to Microsoft, 5 years mainstream support has been their standard for quite some time, though software support has usually continued into the extended support period rather than dropping once mainstream support ends. However, 5 years support is better than none at all and being forced to W365 or AVD.

I think as customers we're caught between the waterfall/traditional licensed OS and ~agile/subscription licensed application worlds. I could be wrong, but I get the impression that, while Microsoft dogfoods their own software, they don't dogfood their own licensing and experience the same licensing conundrums their customers face. Perhaps a more continuous upgrade model OS like Azure Stack HCI could resolve the issue in the long run, though that doesn't help much today. 

[#12]

Hi,
I see this thread moving away from the original question. The key questions we all ask ourselves are:
- Will there be a multi-session Windows as a replacement for terminal services in the future?
- Will there be the same M365 Apps (Office) support for this multi-session OS as for the standard Windows client?
- Will this multi-session OS also be available on all currently dominant hypervisors?
- Will there be a LTSC variant of this multi-session Windows OS?

Honestly, I think it doesn't matter whether this OS is called Windows Server or Windows Enterprise.

best regards
Reinhard

[#13]

Hi,

Microsoft have already made a statement that Multi-Session Windows is available On premise, however this is limited to Azure Stack HCI. M365 Apps will be supported on this in line with the Modern Lifecyle policy as it is the same as used for Azure Virtual Desktop.

There are however some issues with this is as follows:
1) No availability for running Multi Session Windows on other hyper-visors - Windows Multi Session checks it is on Azure.
2) Azure Stack HCI has additional licensing requirements (although these are bundled if the customer has Software Assurance on their Windows Server licenses or CSP Subscription).
3) Azure Stack HCI is not permitted for use in multi-tenant environments - effectively Microsoft has locked out all other cloud providers from running Windows Multi Session on their platforms as most would potentially run Azure Stack HCI.
4) Azure Stack Hub used to be pushed into multi-tenant environments - Microsoft has now told manufacturers to not push this into multi-tenant environments as it has too much of an overhead - it is also limited in what it can do - instead Stack Hub is now pushed into single-tenant large customers for internal DC specialist workload use.
5) I suspect there will never be an LTSC variant of M365 Apps as it is not designed to be LTSC as this would break Microsoft's ability to take the application forwards.
6) MS Teams Support - Microsoft do not have an option on RDS for Teams Video unless you add on Citrix - but they include the option natively in Azure Virtual Desktop with the new connection broker via WebRTC- ie they need a native on-premise option for this with RDS (There are actually unofficial guides online on how to get the new AVD Client working with RDS and supporting WebRTC - so it cannot be that hard to achieve).
7) Microsoft currently has a licensing anomaly around use of Windows Desktop OnPremise or in Cloud - The recent licensing changes are welcome which permit wider use of Windows OS, however Microsoft have still created a preferential scenario for smaller customers by allowing customers to use Windows OS for free in Azure/Azure Stack HCI with MS365 Business Premium subscriptions put not permitting this on customers alternate hypervisors or alternate cloud provider environments.

Personally I feel that the majority of customers just need choice - allowing Multi-Session Windows with fair and equal licensing and full functionality on any hyper-visor (subject to any required conditions e.g. supports windows etc), via any cloud provider and on any model (On-Premise or Cloud/Dedicated or Shared) would remove the majority of concerns for the majority of customers (I do understand that certain specific environments would still not be able to follow Modern Lifecycle). All of this alongside resolving the continued and growing concerns from the regulators regarding potential anti-competitive practices both in licensing and cloud.