Windows Server 8

Windows Server 8
Part of the Microsoft Windows family
Developer
Microsoft
Website Official pre-release website
Source model Closed source / Shared source
License Microsoft EULA
Preceded by Windows Server 2008 R2
Support status
Pre-release

Windows Server 8 is the codename[1] of a future server operating system being developed by Microsoft. It is the server version of Windows 8 and the successor of Windows Server 2008 R2. Like all of its predecessors, it introduces new features or improves on existing ones, like a new user interface.

Windows Server 8 is the first version of Windows Server to have no support for Itanium-based computers.[2]

A developer preview was released on 9 September 2011 to MSDN subscribers.[3]

Contents

Releases

Windows Server 8 is still in the pre-release stages of its development. Microsoft has not confirmed any specific dates for any releases beyond the developer preview.

A Milestone 3 build (6.2.7959.0) was reportedly leaked to file-sharing sites.[4] A new window style, but little else, is present.

Windows Server 8's developer preview was released on 9 September 2011 along with that of Windows 8, but unlike Windows 8's developer preview, it was only made available to MSDN subscribers.[3] The Metro-style user interface is present, as well as the new Server Manager, along with the other new features.

Screenshots of a build suspected to be beta of Windows Server 8 were reportedly leaked on 3 January 2012. A new dashboard UI is present.[5]

Features

See also: Features new to Windows 8

Windows Server 8 includes a number of new features or feature changes.

User interface

Server Manager has been redesigned with an emphasis on easing management of multiple servers.[6] The operating system, like Windows 8, uses the Metro UI when not installed in Server Core mode.[7] Windows Powershell in this version has over 2300 commandlets, compared with around 200 in Windows Server 2008 R2.[8] There is also command auto-completion.[8]

Task Manager

Windows 8 and Windows Server 8 include a new version of Windows Task Manager together with the old version. In the new version, the tabs are hidden by default, showing applications. In the new Processes tab, the processes are displayed in various shades of yellow, with darker shades representing heavier resource use. It lists application names, application status, and overall utilization data for CPU, memory, hard disk, and network resources, moving the process information found in the older Task Manager to the new Details tab. The Performance tab is split into CPU, memory (RAM), disk, ethernet, and, if applicable, wireless network sections with graphs for each. The CPU tab no longer displays individual graphs for every logical processor on the system by default; instead, it can display data for each NUMA node. When displaying data for each logical processor for machines with more than 64 logical processors, the CPU tab now displays simple utilization percentages on heat-mapping tiles.[9] The color used for these heat maps is blue, with darker shades again indicating heavier utilization. Hovering the cursor over any logical processor's data now shows the NUMA node of that processor and its ID, if applicable. Additionally, a new Startup tab has been added that lists startup applications.[10] The new task manager recognizes when a WinRT application has the "Suspended" status

Installation options

Unlike its predecessor, Windows Server 8 can switch between Server Core and the GUI (full) installation options without a full reinstallation. There is also a new third installation option that allows MMC and Server Manager to run, but without Windows Explorer or the other parts of the normal GUI shell.[11]

IP address management (IPAM)

There is a new role for IP address management. Both IPv4 and IPv6 are fully supported.[11]

Active Directory

Windows Server 8 has a number of changes to Active Directory from the version shipped with Windows Server 2008 R2. The Active Directory Domain Services installation wizard has been replaced by a new section in Server Manager, and the Active Directory Administrative Center has been enhanced. A GUI has been added to the Active Directory Recycle Bin. Password policies can more easily differ within the same domain. Active Directory in Windows Server 8 is now aware of any changes resulting from virtualization, and virtualized domain controllers can be safely cloned. Upgrades of the domain functional level to Windows Server 8 are simplified; it can be performed entirely in Server Manager. Active Directory Federation Services is no longer required to be downloaded when installed as a role, and claims which can be used by the Active Directory Federation Services have been introduced into the Kerberos token. Windows Powershell commands used by Active Directory Administrative Center can be viewed in a "Powershell History Viewer".[12][13]

Hyper-V

Main article: Hyper-V#Future

Windows Server 8, along with Windows 8, will include a new version of Hyper-V,[14] as presented at the Microsoft Build Event[15] Many new features have been added to Hyper-V, including network virtualization, multi-tenancy, storage resource pools, cross-premise connectivity, and cloud backup. Additionally, many of the former restrictions on resource consumption have been greatly lifted. Each virtual machine in this version of Hyper-V can access up to 32 virtual processors, 512 gigabytes of random-access memory, and 16 terabytes of virtual disk space per virtual hard disk (using a .vhdx format). Up to 1024 virtual machines can be active per host, and up to 4000 can be active per failover cluster.[16][17] The version of Hyper-V shipped with the client version of Windows 8 requires a processor that supports SLAT and for SLAT to be turned on, while Windows Server 8 only requires it if the RemoteFX role is installed.[18]

New file system

See also: ReFS

Reportedly called "Protogon" originally, ReFS (Resilient File System) is a new file system for which evidence was shown in leaked screenshots,[19] and won't be included in the client version of Windows 8.[20] Microsoft did describe increased maximum partition (more than 2 TB, using GPT) and sector (4K native) size.[21]

Hardware

Microsoft has revealed the following maximum supported hardware specifications for Windows Server 8 at the BUILD conference.[17]

Logical processors 640 (was 256 in Windows Server 2008 R2)
Random-access memory 4 TB (was 2 TB in Windows Server 2008 R2)
Failover cluster nodes 63 (was 16 in Windows Server 2008 R2)

System requirements

Microsoft has indicated that Windows Server 8 will not support 32-bit (IA-32) or Intel Itanium (IA64) processors,[22] but has not officially released any other system requirements.

See also

References

  1. ^ "Microsoft Codename "Windows Server 8"". Microsoft. pp. 1. http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/v8.aspx. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  2. ^ Foley, Mary Jo. "Microsoft pulls the plug on future Itanium support". ZDNet. pp. 2. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-pulls-the-plug-on-future-itanium-support/5796. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  3. ^ a b "Windows Server 8: An Introduction". Microsoft. September 9, 2012. pp. 1. http://blogs.technet.com/b/server-cloud/archive/2011/09/09/windows-server-8-an-introduction.aspx. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  4. ^ Warren, Tom (1 May 2011). "Windows Server 8 Milestone 3 build 7959 leaked". WinRumors. pp. 1. http://www.winrumors.com/windows-server-8-milestone-3-build-7959-leaked/. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  5. ^ Canouna (January 04, 2012). "WinUnleaked.tk>>Happy New Year 2012". WinUnleaked. pp. 1. http://winunleaked.tk/2012/01/happy-new-year-2012/#more-428. Retrieved January 04, 2012. 
  6. ^ WIndows Server 8 Screenshot Leak Shows New UI
  7. ^ Wilhelm, Alex (September 9, 2011). "Windows Server 8 Screenshot leaks". Leaked Windows Server 8 screenshot shows off Metro-infused UI. The Next Web. pp. 1. http://thenextweb.com/microsoft/2011/09/09/leaked-windows-server-8-screenshot-shows-off-metro-infused-ui/. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  8. ^ a b Thurott, Paul (November 2, 2011). "Windows Server "8" Preview (Unedited, Complete Version)". Paul Thurott's Supersite for Windows. pp. 1. http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windowsserver8/windows-server-8-preview-unedited-complete-version-141146. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  9. ^ "Using Task Manager with 64+ logical processors". http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/10/27/using-task-manager-with-64-logical-processors.aspx. Retrieved October 29, 2011. 
  10. ^ "How to Get the Most out of New Windows 8 Task Manager?". http://www.itproportal.com/2011/10/24/how-get-most-out-new-windows-8-task-manager/. Retrieved October 29, 2011. 
  11. ^ a b Bisson, Simon (September 14, 2011). "Windows 8 Server Developer Preview". ZDNet. pp. 2. http://www.zdnet.co.uk/reviews/server-os/2011/09/14/windows-8-server-developer-preview-40093932/. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  12. ^ Bruzzese, J. Peter (October 26, 2011). "Windows Server 8: The 4 best new Active Directory features". Infoworld. pp. 2. http://www.infoworld.com/d/microsoft-windows/windows-server-8-the-4-best-new-active-directory-features-177128. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  13. ^ Deuby, Sean (September 14, 2011). "What's New in Windows Server 8 Active Directory". Windows IT Pro. pp. 2. http://www.windowsitpro.com/content1/topic/windows-server-8-active-directory-140571/catpath/windowsserver8/page/1. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  14. ^ "Windows Server 8 (Video and Slides)". http://channel9.msdn.com/events/BUILD/BUILD2011/SAC-973F. 
  15. ^ "Microsoft Build Windows Server 8 and Hyper-V 3.0 sessions (Video and Slides)". http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Build/Build2011?sort=sequential&direction=desc&term=windows+server+8. 
  16. ^ "A deep dive into Hyper-V Networking (Video and Slides)". http://channel9.msdn.com/Events/BUILD/BUILD2011/SAC-437T. 
  17. ^ a b "Q: What are Windows Server 8's Scalability Numbers?". http://www.winsupersite.com/content1/tabid/2936/catpath/windowsserver8/topic/windows-server-8s-scalability-numbers-140931. Retrieved November 5, 2011. 
  18. ^ Thurott, Paul. "Q: Will Windows Server 8 require the processor to support SLAT?". http://www.winsupersite.com/content1/tabid/2936/catpath/windowsserver8/topic/windows-8-server-hyperv-support-slat-140925. Retrieved November 5, 2011. 
  19. ^ Warren, Tom (December 1, 2011). "New Protogon file system in Windows 8 renamed to ReFS". WinRumors. pp. 1. http://www.winrumors.com/new-protogon-file-system-in-windows-8-renamed-to-refs/. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  20. ^ "Microsoft's new Windows 8 Resilient File System (ReFS) will be server only". http://www.winrumors.com/microsofts-new-windows-8-resilient-file-system-refs-will-be-server-only/. 
  21. ^ Sinofsky, Steven (November 29, 2011). "Enabling large disks and large sectors in Windows 8". Microsoft. pp. 1. http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/11/29/enabling-large-disks-and-large-sectors-in-windows-8.aspx. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 
  22. ^ Foley, Mary Jo (April 5, 2010). "Microsoft pulls the plug on future Itanium support". ZDNet. pp. 1. http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-pulls-the-plug-on-future-itanium-support/5796. Retrieved January 1, 2012. 

External links