This week, Microsoft announced the new version of Windows Server, Windows Server 2022 LTSC, available in three editions, Standard, Datacenter, and Datacenter: Azure Edition.
Windows Server 2022 is officially on the market as of August 18, 2021, and it will be supported for ten years in total. For the first five years, Windows Server 2022 will be with mainstream support. Its mainstream end date is October 13, 2026. As for the remaining five, Windows Server 2022 will come with the extended backing or extended end date on October 14, 2031.
While mainstream support may introduce new functionality to the Server, the extended support is more limited – to security and bug fix updates.
The Windows Server 2022 will introduce some major changes. Among the many, it will come with security improvements, secure DNS support with DNS-over-HTTPS, Server Message Block AES-256 and East-West SMB encryption, SMB over QUIC, HTTPS, and TLS 1.3, Azure Arc, and Azure Automanage – Hotpatch.
Furthermore, the company added platform improvements, nested virtualization for AMD processors, a new Microsoft Edge web browser, a Storage Migration Service, adjustable storage repair speed, storage bus cache with Storage Spaces on standalone servers, and SMB compression.
Windows Server 2022 also improves hybrid server management compared to earlier server editions. It comes with significantly enhanced VM management and an enhanced event viewer with more features available in Windows Admin Center.
The Windows containers are also improved, as they come with smaller image sizes for faster download, simplified network policy implementation, and containerization tools for .NET applications.
Windows Server 2022 is available in three editions: Windows Server 2022 Standard, Windows Server 2022 Datacenter, and Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition.
The three versions are quite different in terms of features. For instance, the Standard edition is limited regarding the Storage replica. The Azure Edition provides exclusive support to Hotpatching, while the Datacenter editions to Storage Spaces Direct.
It’s true: Windows Server 2022 is here, in three distinct variations. https://t.co/LMvEVDibqk
— Windows Central (@windowscentral) August 21, 2021
Customers use the Windows Server to build an infrastructure of connected applications, networks, and web services, from the workgroup to the data center. It bridges on-premises environments with Azure. In addition, the Server adds additional layers of security and helps users modernize their applications and infrastructure.
Microsoft noted the following:
Windows Server 2022 introduces advanced multi-layer security, hybrid capabilities with Azure, and a flexible application platform. As part of this release, we are bringing secured-core capabilities to help protect hardware, firmware, and Windows Server OS capabilities against advanced security threats.
