Thursday, October 13, 2016

Windows Server 2016 is now generally available

Microsoft has released Windows Server 2016. In addition, System Center 2016 also hit GA.

MSDN Subscriber downloads page
Technet Evaluation Center

Hyper-V Server also available:
Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2016

Here is what's new in Hyper-V on Windows Server 2016

New functionalities in Hyper-V:

  • Compatible with Connected Standby
  • Discrete device assignment 
  • Encryption support for the operating system disk in generation 1 VMs
  • Host resource protection
  • Hot add and remove for network adapters and memory
  • Linux secure boot
  • Nested virtualization
  • Networking features
  • Production checkpoints 
  • Rolling Hyper-V Cluster upgrade
  • Shielded virtual machines 
  • Start order priority for clustered virtual machines
  • Virtualization-based security for Gen 2 VMs
  • Windows Containers 
  • Windows PowerShell Direct

Updated functionalities in Hyper-V:

  • Hyper-V Manager improvements
  • Integration services delivered through Windows Update 
  • More memory and processors for generation 2 VMs and Hyper-V hosts
  • Shared virtual hard discs
  • Storage QoS
  • Virtual machine configuration file format
  • Virtual machine configuration version 
RSAT for Windows 10 was also updated on 10/12/2016


Additional information:

Release notes: Important Issues in Windows Server 2016  technet

Getting Started with Hyper-V Server 2016 technet

Windows Server 2016 Editions technet

General Availability of Windows Server and Hyper-V Containers in Windows Server 2016 Server & Tools

The Ultimate Guide to Windows Server 2016  MSFT

Compare features in Windows Server versions MSFT

Getting Started with Windows Containers msdn

What's new in Hyper-V on Windows Server 2016 technet

Another big step in Hybrid Cloud – Windows Server 2016 general availability  technet

Nano Server in the Azure Gallery and VM Agent Support technet

Pricing and Licensing for Windows Server 2016

Azure Images: SQL Server 2016 on Windows Server 2016

Press

Microsoft's Windows Server 2016 hits general availability  ZDnet

Microsoft’s Windows Server 2016 is now generally available techcrunch

First look at Windows Server 2016: 'Cloud for the masses'? We'll be the judge of that

4 no-bull reasons Windows Server 2016 is a big deal  infoworld

Why (and how) Microsoft is circling its hybrid-cloud wagons  ZDnet