We know, we know. It’s February of 2016 and Microsoft has yet to announce an official release date for the newest incarnation of its server operating system, Windows Server 2016. It ideally will be hitting the market in the next few months, but nothing has been set in stone. Microsoft did release four technical previews, the most recent launched in November of 2015.
According to InfoWorld we should expect to see one final technical preview (Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5) before the official version is available for purchase. It is definitely frustrating not knowing when the next version of Windows Server 2016 will be available, especially if you have been waiting to upgrade from Windows Server 2003; though hopefully you already moved to Windows Server 2012 R2 or other options by now.
Even without a solidified release date, Windows Server 2016 includes a variety of new options that allow businesses of all sizes to leverage the power of cloud computing, virtualization, and building servers that can operate both on-premise and in the cloud. Here are just a few of them.
A Minimalistic Nano Server
Windows Server 2016 has a new option for installation known as Nano Server. The Nano Server option is a minimal footprint version of the server operating system. This simplistic version of Windows Server 2016 has a 93% lower virtual hard drive size as compared to the standard version of Windows Server 2016. Due to its limited drain on system resources, it requires 80% few reboots compared to the traditional installation. In order to create a server operating system that with a low drain on system resources, the Nano Server does not have a graphical user interface for administrative control. Instead, system administrators access Nano Server through Windows Management Instrumentation and PowerShell.
Default Installation of Windows Defender
We have discussed previously the importance of having an all-encompassing antivirus solution that extends beyond the workstations in your office. Recognizing this, Microsoft has made Windows Defender a default installation in Windows Server 2016. Windows Defender provides malware protection across the Microsoft Server operating system. It automatically updates its antimalware definitions through Windows Update protecting the network from the most recent threats.
Storage Replication Options with Storage Replica
The new Windows Server 2016 allows admins to replicate volumes at the block level through an option called Storage Replica. With Storage Replica you can toggle between an automated synchronous replication and an asynchronous replication of data. You can also choose to replicate either server-to-server or by cluster-to-cluster – whatever is more applicable to your specific IT environment. This option was designed for specific disaster recovery situations where a company needs to rapidly backup its data for an immediate failover.
These are just a few of the new options available in the upcoming Windows Server 2016. Although we can’t guarantee when the server OS will become publicly available, we can conduct an IT Infrastructure Assessment to identify your company’s specific requirements and we can help you make a plan to upgrade when the new server OS becomes publicly available.
