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Windows Server News and Best Practices
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Introducing Windows Server 2025!

Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT's avatar
Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT
Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
Jan 26, 2024

Introducing Windows Server 2025!

Today, we are thrilled to announce the official name of the next release of Windows Server, Windows Server 2025. Windows Server 2025 is driven by your feedback and your desire to embrace a hybrid, adaptive cloud. Here are a few areas we’re investing in:

  • Windows Server Hotpatching for everyone
  • Next Generation Active Directory and SMB
  • Mission Critical Data & Storage
  • Hyper-V & AI
  • And much more…

Today, we’re also releasing a new Windows Server Insider Build (v.26040) with the updated name, and there are a couple screenshots below. Sound interesting? Want to learn more? Here are some resources.

If you haven’t joined Windows Server Insider Program, there’s no better time than now! We release new builds every ~two weeks, and many new features are already in. Some features are still on the way, and when they land, you’ll hear about it through the Insider Program. Join the Windows Server Insider Program here: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/business/server-get-started

 

If you want to learn more about Windows Server 2025, check out this Ignite session “What’s New in Windows Server vNext” which was the very first introduction to Windows Server 2025.

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-news-and-best/in-case-you-missed-it-windows-server-at-microsoft-ignite/ba-p/3995168

Cheers,

-Jeff Woolsey, Microsoft

Threads: @wsv_guy

Twitter: @wsv_guy

  

Windows Server 2025 System Properties

 

Windows Server 2025 Server Manager

 

Windows Server 2025 Setup

Updated Jan 26, 2024
Version 1.0
  • Darryl van der Peijl's avatar
    Darryl van der Peijl
    MVP
    Jan 27, 2024

    More info on Hyper-V and Storage:

    • Windows Server vNext delivers 90% more IOPS on NVMe SSDs.
    • NVMe over Fabric (NVMe-oF) support.
    • Storage Replica 3x performance improvement.
    • Thin Provisioned storage.
    • Stretched Clustering support for Storage Spaces Direct (S2D).
    • Certificate-based VM Live migration for AD-less cluster.
    • Cluster Aware Updating enhancements to make it more resilient.
    • GPU-P support for Hyper-V including support for Live Migration.
    • NetworkATC support for Windows Server.
    • New ReFS native deduplication and compression, optimized for hot-data such as virtual machines.

     

    Cheers,

    Darryl van der Peijl
    Splitbrain

  • Jeff_Woolsey's avatar
    Jeff_Woolsey
    Brass Contributor
    Jan 26, 2024

    Yes, we are delivering Arc-enabled Hotpatch with Windows Server 2025. Watch the Ignite session to learn more...

     

  • Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT's avatar
    Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT
    Icon for Microsoft rankMicrosoft
    Jan 31, 2024

    In terms of TPM, it is not required, so your legacy hardware will continue to work with Windows Server 2025. For *new* physical servers to be qualified for Windows Server 2025, TPM is required. This shouldn't be a problem because physical servers have been shipping with TPMs for years.

     

    Honestly, it's 2024. You should be raising your security. If you've got legacy hardware without TPM you really should look at upgrading that hardware. Hardware that old is lacking the hardware to support Secured-core Server.

  • Karl-WE's avatar
    Karl-WE
    MVP
    Jan 27, 2024

    Hi Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT I am happy that the spoiler of the name during AD FFL / DFL comes true.

    Cannot wait to migrate customers from their Windows Server 2019 (and few older), which recently left mainstream support.

     

    If anyone is looking for great general but pretty much complete migration guidance, here you go.

     

    While for Windows Server 2012 R2, most can be applied universally to later releases.

     

    I am thrilled that in-place upgrades (IPU), where applicable become much easier with Windows Server 2025, by using Windows Update, as we are used too on Windows clients. 

     

     

    This new released has so much more to explore.

     

    • Microsoft Terminal 
    • PowerShell 7
    • winget (hopefully)
    • Feedback Hub

    And many more.

  • AkeechAmacon's avatar
    AkeechAmacon
    Copper Contributor
    Jan 29, 2024

    Does this include the ability to join Servers to Entra ID? InTune support?

    Hotpatching is potentially a worthwhile feature for an update but the 2 above are what are holding many of my environments back from being domainless.

  • HotCakeX's avatar
    HotCakeX
    MVP
    Jan 26, 2024

    Very excited about all the new features! Hotpatching even when not running on an Azure VM is amazing, can't wait to find out more about the new Hyper-V features, that's something I use every single day.

  • gabriielluizbh's avatar
    gabriielluizbh
    MVP
    Jan 27, 2024

     

    Você está pronto para mergulhar no futuro do Windows Server? Não perca a minha LIVE exclusiva, onde desvendaremos todos os segredos e inovações do Windows Server v.Next! 

     

    Junte-se a mim para uma imersão profunda nas novidades, recursos avançados e a revolução que o Windows Server v.Next trará para o mundo dos servidores. Desde melhorias de segurança até atualizações de desempenho, vamos explorar tudo o que há de mais novo nesta plataforma poderosa.

     

    Marque no calendário: 01/02/2024 às 20 horas
    Local: https://youtube.com/live/ZBD5rnL5SNo?feature=share

     

    Prepare-se para conhecer em primeira mão o que o futuro reserva para a infraestrutura de servidores. Não perca esta oportunidade única de se atualizar e se inspirar com o Windows Server v.Next.

     

    Ative a notificações agora mesmo para não perder a live!