I’m excited to announce that Windows Server 2025 is now generally available! This latest release from Microsoft brings a host of new features and improvements designed to enhance security, performance, and hybrid cloud capabilities.
Key Features and Improvements
1. Enhanced Security: Windows Server 2025 introduces several security advancements, including improved algorithms for Name/SID lookups and enhanced security for confidential attributes. The new release also supports LDAP encryption by default and includes updates to the Kerberos PKINIT protocol for cryptographic agility.
2. Performance Boosts: One of the standout features of Windows Server 2025 is its significant improvements in I/O throughput performance. This enhancement is particularly beneficial for environments with high data transfer requirements, ensuring faster and more efficient operations.
3. Hybrid Cloud Capabilities: With the growing importance of hybrid cloud environments, Windows Server 2025 offers seamless integration with cloud services. This capability allows organizations to manage their infrastructure more effectively, leveraging both on-premises and cloud resources.
4. GPU Virtualization: The new Multi-Instance GPU (MIG) and GPU Partitioning features provide better support for GPU virtualization. These enhancements are crucial for workloads that require high computational power, such as AI and machine learning applications.
5. Active Directory Enhancements: Windows Server 2025 includes several updates to Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) and Active Directory Lightweight Domain Services (AD LDS). These updates improve domain management and introduce new functionalities like the 32k database page size, which significantly increases the capacity for multi-valued attributes.
Upgrade Paths
One of the notable changes in Windows Server 2025 is the expanded upgrade path support. Organizations can now upgrade from any of the last four versions (n-4) of Windows Server. This flexibility makes it easier for businesses to transition to the latest version without needing to perform multiple sequential upgrades.
Known Issues
As with any new release, there are a few known issues to be aware of:
- Language Bug During Installation: Some text might appear in English during the installation process.
- High Core Count CPUs: Devices with more than 256 threads/logical processors might experience issues.
- iSCSI Environments: A ‘boot device inaccessible’ error might occur in certain iSCSI setups.
Microsoft has provided workarounds for these issues, ensuring that users can still deploy and use Windows Server 2025 effectively.
Support and Availability
Windows Server 2025 is a Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) release, which means it will receive mainstream support until October 9, 2029, and extended support until October 10, 2034. This extended support period ensures that organizations can rely on Windows Server 2025 for their long-term infrastructure needs.
For those interested in trying out Windows Server 2025, a free 180-day trial is available from the Microsoft Evaluation Center. Additionally, System Center 2025 is also available, providing comprehensive management tools to complement the new server release.
In conclusion, Windows Server 2025 represents a significant step forward in server technology, offering enhanced security, improved performance, and robust hybrid cloud capabilities. We encourage all organizations to explore the new features and consider upgrading to take advantage of the latest advancements.
For more detailed information, you can visit the official Microsoft Learn page.