Windows Server: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia


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{{short description|Group of server operating systems by Microsoft}}

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{{Distinguish|Microsoft Servers}}

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{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2023}}

{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}

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| released = {{Start date and age|1993|07|27}}

| latest release version = {{Latest stable software release/Windows Server 2022}}

| preview version = vNext (10.0.2625226280)

| preview date = {{start date and age|2024|0709|1106}}<ref>{{cite web|title=Announcing Windows Server Preview Build 2625226280|url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-insiders/announcing-windows-server-preview-build-2625226280/m-p/41893454238728|date=JulySeptember 116, 2024|access-date=July 14, 2024|website=Microsoft Tech Community|quote=when reporting issues please refer to "VNext" rather than Windows Server 2025 which is currently in market.}}</ref>

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| package manager =

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'''Windows Server''' (formerly '''Windows NT Server''') is a group of [[Server (computing)|server]] [[operating system]]s (OS) that has been developed by [[Microsoft]] since 1993. The first OS that was released for this platform is [[Windows NT 3.1]] Advanced Server, an edition of Windows NT 3.1. With the release of [[Windows Server 2003]], Microsoft started releasing new versions under the name Windows Server. The latest release of Windows Server is [[Windows Server 20222025]], which was released in 2021.

Microsoft's history of developing operating systems for servers goes back to [[Windows NT 3.1]] Advanced Server. [[Windows 2000]] Server is the first OS to include [[Active Directory]], [[Domain Name System|DNS]] Server, [[Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol|DHCP]] Server, and [[Group Policy]].

== History ==

{{ThisExpand section needs expansion|Each subsection as each is quite short or has nothing|date=February 2024|small=no}}

=== Windows NT Server 3.x ===

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In 1994, Microsoft released Windows NT Server 3.5. It introduced [[TCP/IP]] and [[Winsock]] support integrated into the operating system, alongside the ability to use [[FTP]]. It also supported VFAT.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

In 1995, Microsoft released Windows NT Server 3.51, an update to Windows NT Server 3.5, which added NTFS compression and support for the [[PowerPC]] architecture.{{Citation needed|date=February 2024}}

=== Windows NT Server 4.0 ===

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{{main article|Windows 2000}}

=== Windows Server 200x2003 ===

{{main article|Windows Server 2003|Windows Server 2008|Windows Server 2008 R2}}

Windows Server 2003 is based on a modified version of [[Windows XP]].

=== Windows Server 202x2008 and 2008 R2 ===▼

{{main article|Windows Server 20222008|Windows Server 20252008 R2}}▼

Windows Server 2008 is based on [[Windows Vista]], while Server 2008 R2 uses [[Windows 7]].

=== Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 ===

{{main article|Windows Server 2012|Windows Server 2012 R2}}

Windows Server 2012 is based on [[Windows 8]], while Server 2012 R2 uses [[Windows 8.1]].

=== Windows Server 201x2016, 2019 and 2022 ===

{{main article|Windows Server 20122016|Windows Server 2012 R22019|Windows Server 2016|Windows Server 20192022}}

These versions of Windows Server are all based on [[Windows 10]]. Windows Server 2016 is based on [[Windows 10, version 1607]] and Server 2019 is based on [[Windows 10, version 1809]]. Windows Server 2022 is based on a modified version of [[Windows 10, version 21H2]].

▲=== Windows Server 202x ===

▲{{main article|Windows Server 2022|Windows Server 2025}}

=== Windows Server 2025 ===

On 2021, Microsoft has released Windows Server 2022. It is included the Windows 10 version 21H2 counterpart.

{{main article|Windows Server 2025}}

Windows Server 2025 was annoucedannounced at January 26, 2024.<ref>{{cite web |last=Woolsey |first=Jeff |title=Introducing Windows Server 2025! - Microsoft Tech Community |url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-news-and-best/introducing-windows-server-2025/ba-p/4026374 |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref> It is the first version of Windows Server to be based on [[Windows 11]].

==Members==

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===Main releases===

Main releases include:

*[[Windows NT 3.1|Windows NT 3.1 Advanced Server]] (July 27, 1993)

*[[Windows NT 3.5|Windows NT Server 3.5]] (September 21, 1994)

*[[Windows NT 3.51|Windows NT Server 3.51]] (May 30, 1995)

*[[Windows NT 4.0|Windows NT 4.0 Server]] (July 31, 1996)

*[[Windows 2000|Windows 2000 Server]] (December 15, 1999)

*[[Windows Server 2003]] (AprilMarch 28, 2003)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-2003-|title=Windows Server 2003 – Microsoft Lifecycle|publisher=Microsoft|date=March 8, 2008|access-date=August 19, 2021}}</ref>

*[[Windows Server 2003 R2]] (December 6, 2005)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-2003-r2|title=Windows Server 2003 R2 – Microsoft Lifecycle|publisher=Microsoft|date=March 8, 2008|access-date=August 19, 2021}}</ref>

*[[Windows Server 2008]] (February 4, 2008)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-2008|title=Windows Server 2008 – Microsoft Lifecycle|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=September 25, 2012}}</ref>

*[[Windows Server 2008 R2]] (OctoberJuly 22, 2009)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-2008-r2|title=Windows Server 2008 R2 – Microsoft Lifecycle|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=September 25, 2012}}</ref>

*[[Windows Server 2012]] (SeptemberAugust 1, 2012)<ref name="2012-prod-lifecycle">{{cite web|title=Windows Server 2012 – Microsoft Lifecycle|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-2012|work=Microsoft Support|publisher=Microsoft|date=January 2012|access-date=October 10, 2012}}</ref>

*[[Windows Server 2012 R2]] (OctoberAugust 27, 2013)<ref name=slc>{{cite web|title=Windows Server 2012 R2 – Microsoft Lifecycle|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-2012-r2|publisher=Microsoft.com|access-date=December 27, 2018}}</ref>

*[[Windows Server 2016]] (OctoberSeptember 26, 2016)<ref>{{cite web|title=Windows Server 2016 – Microsoft Lifecycle|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-2016|work=Microsoft Support|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=December 7, 2016}}</ref>

*[[Windows Server 2019]] (October 2, 2018)<ref>{{cite web|title=Windows Server 2019 – Microsoft Lifecycle|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-2019|work=Microsoft Support|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=August 19, 2021}}</ref>

*[[Windows Server 2022]] (August 18, 2021)<ref>{{cite web|title=Windows Server 2022 – Microsoft Lifecycle|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-2022|work=Microsoft Support|publisher=Microsoft|access-date=August 19, 2021}}</ref>

*[[Windows Server 2025]] (Fall 2024, upcoming)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-news-and-best/introducing-windows-server-2025/ba-p/4026374|title=Introducing Windows Server 2025|first=Jeff|last=Woolsey|website=Microsoft Tech Community Hub|access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref>{{citation needed|date=June 2024}}

Traditionally, Microsoft supports Windows Server for 10 years, with five years of mainstream support and an additional five years of extended support. These releases also offer a complete [[desktop environment|desktop experience]]. Starting with Windows Server 2008, Server Core and Nano Server configurations were made available to reduce the OS footprint.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://searchwindowsserver.techtarget.com/definition/Microsoft-Windows-Server-LTSC-Long-Term-Servicing-Channel|title=What is Microsoft Windows Server LTSC (Long-Term Servicing Channel)? – Definition from WhatIs.com|work=SearchWindowsServer|access-date=March 22, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="thomasmaurer">{{cite news|url=https://www.thomasmaurer.ch/2017/11/windows-server-semi-annual-channel-sac-vs-long-term-servicing-channel-ltsc|title=Windows Server – Semi-Annual Channel (SAC) vs Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) – Thomas Maurer|date=November 19, 2017|work=Thomas Maurer|access-date=March 22, 2018|language=en-US}}</ref> Between 2015 and 2021, Microsoft referred to these releases as "[[long-term support]]" releases to set them apart from semi-annual releases (see below.)

For sixteen years, Microsoft released a major version of Windows Server every four years, with one minor version released two years after a major release. The minor versions had an "R2" suffix in their names. In October 2018, Microsoft broke this tradition with the release of Windows Server 2019, which should have been "Windows Server 2016 R2". Windows Server 2022 is also a minor upgrade over its predecessor.<ref>{{cite web|last=Sommergut|first=Wolfgang|title=Windows Server 2022 released: Overview of new features|url=https://4sysops.com/archives/windows-server-2022-released-overview-of-new-features|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210824222556/https://4sysops.com/archives/windows-server-2022-released-overview-of-new-features|date=August 24, 2021|archivedatearchive-date=August 24, 2021|url-status=live|website=4sysops}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Foley|first=Mary Jo|author-link=Mary Jo Foley|date=August 20, 2021|title=Microsoft's Windows Server 2022 is rolling out to mainstream users|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-windows-server-2022-is-rolling-out-to-mainstream-users/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822023622/https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-windows-server-2022-is-rolling-out-to-mainstream-users|archive-date=August 22, 2021|url-status=live|website=[[ZDNet]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]}}</ref>

===Branded releases===

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*[[Windows Home Server]] (an edition of Windows Server 2003)

*[[Windows Home Server 2011]] (an edition of Windows Server 2008 R2)

*[[Hyper-V]] Server (a discontinueddefunct,<ref>{{cite web|first=Elden|last=Christensen|title=Hyper-V in the 2022 Wave|website=Microsoft Tech Community|url=https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-insiders/hyper-v-server-2022/m-p/3266371/highlight/true#M2448|publisher=[[WP:SPS|Self-published]]|date=March 25, 2022}}</ref> [[freeware]] edition of Windows Server 2008 through 2019)<ref>{{cite web|title=Hyper-V Server|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/?products=windows&terms=Hyper-V%20Server|access-date=September 2, 2021|website=Search Product and Services Lifecycle Information|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref>

*[[Windows MultiPoint Server]]

*[[Windows Server Essentials]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Windows Small Business Server 2008 Technical FAQ|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-essentials-sbs/cc514417(v=msdn.10)|work=Windows Server Essentials documentations|publisher=Microsoft|date=December 14, 2010|via=Microsoft Docs}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Thurrott|first=Paul|title=Windows Small Business Server 2011 Essentials|url=https://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-server/windows-small-business-server-2011-essentials-140451|work=Supersite for Windows|publisher=[[Penton Media]]|access-date=September 26, 2011|date=September 3, 2011|archive-date=September 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110927055035/http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows-server/windows-small-business-server-2011-essentials-140451|url-status=dead}}</ref>

*[[Windows Essential Business Server]] (discontinueddefunct)<ref>{{cite web|title=Windows Essential Business Server|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/tn-archive/cc540094(v=ws.10)?|work=TechNet Archive|publisher=Microsoft|date=February 7, 2012|via=Microsoft Docs}}</ref>

*Azure Stack [[Hyper-converged infrastructure|HCI]] (an edition of Windows Server 2019 and later)<ref>{{cite web|title=Deploy the Azure Stack HCI operating system|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure-stack/hci/deploy/operating-system|website=Azure Docs|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|date=October 22, 2021}}</ref>

===Semi-Annual releases (discontinueddefunct)===

Following the release of Windows Server 2016, Microsoft attempted to mirror the lifecycle of Windows 10 in the Windows Server family, releasing new versions twice a year which were supported for 18 months. These semi-annual versions were only available as part of Microsoft subscription services, including Software Assurance, Azure Marketplace, and [[Visual Studio]] subscriptions,<ref name=":0"/> until their discontinuationretirement in July 2021.<ref>{{cite web|date=July 28, 2021|title=Microsoft to retire semi-annual Windows Server updates, will move entirely to LTSC releases|url=https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-to-retire-semi-annual-windows-server-updates-will-move-entirely-to-ltsc-releases|website=[[Neowin]]}}</ref><ref name=":0"/>

The semi-annual releases do not include any desktop environments. Instead, they are restricted to the Nano Server configuration installed in a [[Docker (software)|Docker]] [[Containerization (computing)|container]],<ref name=thomasmaurer/><ref name=":0"/> and the Server Core configuration, licensed only to serve as a container host.<ref name=thomasmaurer/><ref name=":0">{{cite web|date=July 5, 2022|title=Windows Server servicing channels|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/servicing-channels-comparison|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220713163859/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/servicing-channels-comparison|archive-date=July 13, 2022|url-status=live|website=Windows Server Library|publisher=[[Microsoft]]}}</ref>

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*Windows Server, version 1909 (unsupported as of {{End date and age|2021|5|11}})

*Windows Server, version 2004 (unsupported as of {{End date and age|2021|12|14}})

*Windows Server, version 20H2 (unsupported as of {{End date and age|2022|8|9}})<ref>{{cite web|title=Windows message center: Windows Server, version 20H2 has reached end of servicing|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows-message-center#321|date=August 9, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810205455/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows-message-center#321|archive-date=August 10, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Windows Server release information|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows-server-release-info|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809222910/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/windows-server-release-info|archivedatearchive-date=August 9, 2022|accessdateaccess-date=August 10, 2022|url-status=live|website=docs.[[microsoft]].com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Windows 10, version 20H2 and Windows Server, version 20H2|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-10-20h2|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220809234814/https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-health/status-windows-10-20h2|archivedatearchive-date=August 9, 2022|accessdateaccess-date=August 10, 2022|url-status=live|website=docs.[[microsoft]].com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Microsoft Retires Windows Server Version 20H2|url=https://news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-retires-windows-server-version-20h2-535913.shtml|archiveurlarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220810203442/https://news.softpedia.com/news/microsoft-retires-windows-server-version-20h2-535913.shtml|archivedatearchive-date=August 10, 2022|accessdateaccess-date=August 10, 2022|url-status=live|website=news.[[softpedia]].com|first=Bogdan|last=Popa}}</ref>

===Annual releases===

The Annual Channel was first announced onin July 2023, with the first version being released on September the same year. Unlike the Semi-Annual releases, each Annual Channel release would receive six months of extended support in addition to the 18 months of regular support. Annual releases are made available every twelve months, hence the name. Datacenter is the only edition available.

Annual releases include:<ref>{{cite web|title=Windows Server|url=https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/lifecycle/products/windows-server-annual-channel|website=Windows Server Annual Channel|publisher=[[Microsoft]]|access-date=January 9, 2024}}</ref>