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

Microsoft Windows 7, Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012/ 2012 R2 monthly rollup links

Forums

All Microsoft Patch Days  ISC

Microsoft sites

Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server R2 SP1 update history
Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 update history
Windows Server 2012 update history
Windows 10 update history

PatchChart

Windows Server 2016 RTM

The new Windows Server 2016 was launched on September 26 at Ignite conference in Atlanta, along with System Center 2016.

Download Windows Server 2016 RTM here

Download System Center 2016 RTM here

Pricing and licensing for Windows Server 2016 here

The Ultimate Guide to Windows Server 2016 here

Free ebook: Introducing Windows Server 2016 here

Windows Server 2016 TP5 Comparison Guide here

Additional Information

Windows Server Containers 101 Poster docs.com

Ignite 2016 – Windows Server 2016 Virtualization and Containers Recordings

Microsoft Virtual Machine Manager and support for .NET Framework technet

Windows Server 2016 RTM, System Center 2016 RTM and Azure Stack TP2 – now available  technet

Top 10 features in Windows Server 2016 sysadmins need to know about  gfi

Microsoft Ignite: Windows Server 2016 and System Center 2016 Launch Party  PCMag

Windows Server 2016 set for mid-October release  theinquirer

The best new features in Windows Server 2016  infoworld

Microsoft releases Server 2016, complete with commercial Docker engine  theregister

Microsoft Windows Server 2016 to be generally available in mid-October  ZDNet

Docker containers are coming to Windows   networkworld

Introducing Docker for Windows Server 2016  docker

Ignite sessions online

Failover Clustering @ Ignite 2016

Don’t Miss These Sessions at Ignite

Windows Server 2016 and System Center 2016 sessions at Ignite

All The Windows Server 2016 sessions at Ignite

Credit: Microsoft

Windows Server, Hyper-V, Azure links and related articles November 2015 - February 2016

Microsoft Download Center

• System Center MP for Windows Server Operating System
• System Center MP for Windows Azure Pack

Scripts

• Deploy or Rebuild Hyper-V Virtual Switches and Ethernet
• How to Search Roles & Feature  in Windows Servers    (Installed / Not Installed
• PowerShell - Collect Server Info
• Deploy a new Virtual Machine (VM) in Hyper-V
• Understand Microsoft Hyper Converged Solution
• Diag-V - A Hyper-V Diagnostic Utility 
• Hyper-V cloning from VHD/VHDX
• Hyper-V: Get RAM and vCPU assignments per VM and summed up
• Install Remote Server Admin Tools Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server Container Manager
• Hyper-V VM Performance Monitor (PowerShell)
• Script Doc Windows Server

New Windows Server Licensing

Windows Server 2016 moving to per core, not per socket, licensing   ARS
Beware hidden costs of Microsoft's new Windows Server licensing  InfoWorld
Windows Server 2016 licensing FAQ ( PDF) http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/2/9/7290EA05-DC56-4BED-9400-138C5701F174/WSSC2016LicensingFAQ.pdf …

Server & Tools Blogs

• Updated guide for deploying Software Load Balancer using Microsoft VMM 2016 Tech Preview 4 
• Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) 10 AVC/H.264 improvements in Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview
• Manage your Windows Server from anywhere
• Introducing Server management tools
• Exploring Nano Server for Windows Server 2016
• Zero to SDN in under five minutes
• Clarifying our hardware platform support
• Setting up Port Mirroring to Capture Mirrored Traffic on a Hyper-V Virtual Machine
• Windows Server 2012 R2 VPN Interoperability with Cisco ASA

• Setting up Linux Operating System Clusters on Hyper-V (1 of 3) Sarah Cooley
• Setting up Linux Operating System Clusters on Hyper-V (2 of 3)
• Discrete Device Assignment — Guests and Linux
• Discrete Device Assignment — GPUs
• Discrete Device Assignment — Machines and devices
• Discrete Device Assignment — Description and background
• Announcing the release of Hyper-V Containers in Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 4

• VMQ Deep Dive, 3 of 3
• VMQ Deep Dive, 2 of 3
• VMQ Deep Dive, 1 of 3

Ben Armstrong's Blog

• Building your own integration service for Hyper-V
• Changes to Remote Management using Hyper-V Manager
• Hyper-V Documentation for All!
• CimSession now works with Hyper-V PowerShell cmdlets
• Why are there two Hyper-V PowerShell modules in Windows 10?
• Using a hypervisor to secure your desktop – Credential Guard in Windows 10
• Windows 10 Build 10565: Creating VMs with different versions
• Nested Virtualization in Windows 10 Build 10565
• Do you have the right updates on your Hyper-V Cluster?

NanoServer

• Introducing Server management tools
• IIS, ASP.NET Core, Tomcat, and WordPress on Nano Server
• Updating Nano Server using Windows Update or Windows Server Update Service
• Download just Nano Server in a VHD (Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 4)
• Introducing the Nano Server Recovery Console
• Deploying Nano Server to a Bare-Metal Machine using a WIM and WinPE
• Nano Server IaaS Image in the Azure Gallery
• Nano Server Containers

CANITPRO

• Step-By-Step: Downgrading A Windows Server Domain and Forest Functional Level
• Step-By-Step: deploying Nano Server using WDS
• Step-By-Step: Managing Your Nano Servers

TechNet

Building Your Hybrid Cloud - Nested Virtualization in Windows Server 2016 
Windows Server 2012 R2 AD FS - Federated Web SSO (Part 9)

Microsoft Azure-blog

• Resize virtual machines 
• Announcing more open options and choice on Microsoft Azure 
• Announcing new Log Analytics (OMS) resource for Azure VMs
• Optimize your network infrastructure for Microsoft’s cloud
• Microsoft loves Linux: Deep dive blog series
• Running Debian in Azure
• Announcing Microsoft Azure Backup Server

Petri

• A Tale of Two Azures
• Hyper-V Predictions for 2016
• What’s New in Windows Sever 2016 Technical Preview 4
• Windows Server 2016 Feature: ReFS Accelerated VHDX Operations
• Nano Web-Based GUI Management Tools Preview
• Enable Nested Hyper-V Virtualization in Windows 10 Build 10565
• Windows Server Containers Networking 
• How Windows Server Containers Work

Virtualizationadmin

• How to Disable RunAs Accounts in SCVMM
• Create Checkpoint of a Virtual Machine running on a Remote Hyper-V Host
• Taking a Close Look at Hyper-V Host Properties in SCVMM 2012 R2 (Part 4)
• Taking Control of VM Sprawl (Part 13)
• Hyper-V Optimization Tips (Part 2)
• Protecting VMs in Azure using Azure Backup
• Getting Started With Azure Pack (Part 10)
• Deploying Virtual Machines in Azure using Azure Resource Manager - PowerShell API 
• Windows and Hyper-V Containers in Windows Server 2016

4sysops

• Using Docker commands to manage Windows Server 2016 Containers 
• Create Hyper-V containers in Windows Server 2016
• How to install Nano Server, step by step
• Configure DHCP with PowerShell in Windows Server 2012 R2 and above 
• Four ways to save money on your Azure virtual machines
• Azure AD Domain Services overview
• Overview of the Task Manager in Windows Server 2012

Blogs

• Cluster: A Simple Cluster Storage Setup Guide  MPECS Inc. Blog
• Cluster 101: Some Hyper-V and SOFC Cluster Basics
• Hyper-V 101: What Windows Server Media Should I Use 

          Deploying Nano Server to Microsoft Azure  A. Brisebois

• My Early Experience With Azure Backup Server  Aidan Finn
• Russinovich on Hyper-V Containers
• Windows Server 2016 Licensing is Announced

• Setup Windows Containers on Nano Server  Thomas Maurer
• How to create a Nano Server Image
• Switch a Windows Server Container to a Hyper-V Container
• Hyper-V Virtual Switch using NAT Configuration
• Basic Networking PowerShell cmdlets cheatsheet to replace netsh, ipconfig, nslookup and more
• Manage Nano Server and Windows Server from Azure using Remote Server Management Tools
• Hardware requirements for Microsoft Azure Stack Technical Preview (POC)

• Microsoft Azure Stack Single Server POC Deployment part2 James van den Berg
• Microsoft Azure Stack Single Server POC Deployment part1
• Managing network resources in System Center 2016 TP Virtual Machine Manager
• Free Microsoft Architecting HybridCloud Environments whitepaper
• Windows Container Host Deployment on NanoServer Hyper-V nested Virtualization
• Microsoft Windows Containers a New Ecosystem for Developers and ITpro
• Microsoft Azure Backup D2D and for Longtime Protection D2D2C
• Microsoft Windows Server 2016 TP4 Overview is Available 
• Microsoft Linux Integration Services Version 4.0.11 for HyperV

• Comparing VMware vSwitch with SCVMM Network Virtualization Raihan Al-Beruni
• Understanding Network Virtualization in SCVMM 2012 R2
• How to implement hardware load balancer in SCVMM

Computerworld

• Microsoft leaves Windows Server support as-is, doesn't prune pledged timeline
• Windows Server 2016 could cost you more than you think
• The best new features in Windows Server 2016

InfoWorld

• Good news: Microsoft isn't phoning in Windows Server 2016 
• Microsoft fixes Hyper-V bug in Windows
• 5 new Azure features you need to hear about

WindowsNetworking

• Migrating DNS servers from Linux to Windows (Part 1)
• Associating a domain name with an Azure website
• Active Directory Insights
• Hybrid Network Infrastructure in Microsoft Azure 
• How to Successfully Create a Hyper-V Cluster Using Virtual Machine Manager 

Videos

Windows Server 2016 TP 4, Nano Server, Containers, Azure

Azure Automation DSC Part 2 - Configurations Basics (Channel 9)
Azure Automation DSC Part 1 - Introduction (Channel 9)

 Building Your Hybrid Cloud - Nested Virtualization in Windows Server 2016 (Channel 9) 


Top Ten Windows Server 2016 Features (Channel 9)

Exploring Nano Server for Windows Server 2016 with Jeffrey Snover  (Channel 9)

Container Fundamentals | Part 5 - Hyper-V Containers (Channel 9)
Container Fundamentals | Part 4 - Resource Management (Channel 9)
Container Fundamentals | Part 3 - Shared Folders (Channel 9)
Container Fundamentals | Part 2 - Images, Networking & Portability (Channel 9)
Introducing Hyper-V Containers (Channel 9)
Container Fundamentals | Part 1 - Introduction (Channel 9)

Storage Spaces Direct - Deploying End-to-End (Channel 9)
Windows Server 2016 Preview: Storage Spaces Direct Overview (Channel 9)

Demo: Nano Server Developer Experience (Channel 9)
Demo: Building a Nano Server VHDX for a Hyper-V VM (Channel 9)
Demo: Nano Server in a Container running IIS & ASP.NET 5 (Channel 9)
Creating AppX Packages for Nano Server with the WiX Toolset (Channel 9)

Storage Spaces Direct - Deploying End-to-End (Channel 9)
Storage Replica - Reversing Replication (Channel 9)
Storage Replica - Creating a Storage Replica Partnership (Channel 9)
Storage Replica - Running the Test Report (Test-SRTopology) (Channel 9)

Cool features in Hyper-V that you must investigate (Channel 9)

Windows Server 2012 R2

How to Setup and Use Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials  (Channel 9)

How to Reduce Cost and Grow Your Business with Virtualization in Windows Server 2012 R2 – Part 1  (Channel 9)

Related Posts

• New Links for Windows Server, Hyper-V, Azure / July - October 2015
• Windows Server 2016 TP3, RSAT for Windows 10
• New Links for Windows Server, Hyper-V, Azure / May - June 2015
• New Links for Windows Server, Hyper-V, Azure / March - April 2015
• New Links for Windows Server, Hyper-V, Azure / January - February 2015
• Windows Server 2012 R2 / Hyper-V / Azure Links & Videos
• Useful Links for Windows Server 2012 R2 / Hyper-V Server 2012 R2

via Microsoft