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- Dylan_Snodgrass
Community Manager
Thank you all for participating in today's AMA! This thread is now closed for new questions, but you can revisit all Q&As on this page—consider bookmarking it. For any follow-ups, we'll continue the conversation in the existing threads. Further questions? Check out the Windows Server Insiders forum!
- Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT
Microsoft
A regular question we see, "When is the next release of Windows Server?"
You told us you want a consistent & predictable release cadence. We've found that the sweet spot is 2-3 years for Windows Server releases and that's what we've been doing for years and what we're doing with vNext which lines up with the second half of this year. Spoiler Alert AMA Exclusive: The Windows Server vNextNext release will be 2-3 years later...
- Elden_Christensen
Let's hear your guesses on what the next one might be called????
- Windows Server 2028
- NedPyle
If you're interested in what's new in Windows Server vNext for Active Directory, check out:
What's new in Active Directory Domain Services Insider Preview
- New Forest and Domain Functional Levels
- Active Directory schema updates
- 32k database page size optional feature
- NUMA support
- Replication priority order
- Supportability enhancements
- LSA Lookups performance counters
- DC Locator performance counters
- LDAP Client performance counters
- Improvements in DC-location algorithm
- Improved security for confidential attributes
- Channel binding audit support
- LDAP prefers encryption by default
- LDAP support for TLS 1.3
- Changes to default behavior of legacy SAM RPC password change methods
- Removal of the policy Network security: Don't store LAN Manager hash value on next password change
- Kerberos support for AES SHA256/384
- Kerberos PKINIT support for cryptographic agility
And deep details from the owners
What's new in Active Directory | Microsoft Technical Takeoff
- NedPyle
If you're interested in what's new in SMB and file services in Windows vNext and Windows Server vNext, I recommend reading the Storage at Microsoft blog at https://aka.ms/filecab. The full set of announcements so far is:
- SMB over QUIC now available in Windows Server Insider Datacenter and Standard editions (November 2023)
- SMB alternative ports (November 2023)
- SMB Firewall changes in Windows insider (November 2023)
- SMB client encryption mandate now supported in Windows Insider (October 2023)
- SMB over QUIC client access control now supported in Windows Insider (October 2023, updated Nov 2023)
- SMB NTLM blocking (September 2023, updated Nov 2023)
- SMB dialect management (September 2023)
- SMB signing required by default in Windows Insider (June 2023)
- The beginning of the end of Remote Mailslots (March 2023)
- SMB insecure guest auth now off by default in Windows Insider Pro editions (January 2023)
- SMB authentication rate limiter now on by default in Windows Insider (September 2022)
- SMB1 now disabled by default for Windows 11 Home Insiders builds (April 2022)
- Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT
I cover this in the What's New in Windows Server vNext Ignite session, but I wanted to mention this here as well. Hyper-V is a strategic technology we quite literally use it everywhere for virtualization, security, containers, AI, Xbox and more. Here are just a few examples:
- Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT
In addition, we continue to innovate in performance and scale in Hyper-V. Anyone need a VM with 1792 virtual processors and over 29 Terabytes of RAM?
- Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT
We're also introducing Dynamic Processor Compatibility in Hyper-V in Windows Server vNext. This means you can have different generations of CPUs (same manufacturer) and achieve the best performance and compatibility...
- Is there a timeline/update on the back porting of IAKerb and local KDC to Server 2019/2022?
- NedPyleHi Brandon. We don't have a timeline for this to share, the focus right now is on shipping it in Windows vNext and Windows Server vNext before we get into backporting discussions.
- What will the system requirements for Server vNext be (will it be same as Windows 11 Client)
- Elden_ChristensenThe system requirements for Windows Server vNext have not changed, so you will be able to upgrade all of your existing Windows Servers to the next release to stay current and secure. We have raised the bar for OEM's to get a logo for new hardware. So everything you have today will work, and new hardware you purchase tomorrow will have new requirements for the vendors. Thanks! Elden
- JohnHaskin
You can find the Windows Server system requirements here - https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/hardware-requirements.
You can find the CPU requirements per server here - Windows Processor Requirements | Microsoft Learn
- Elizabeth_GreeneDo AD-less clusters still have hard dependencies on dynamic DNS?
- Elden_ChristensenNo, it could be dynamic or static DNS. Thanks! Elden
- Will there be a Windows Server CoPilot and how would that be implemented? Would it possibly be a Server Manager role where an organization can manage the different CoPilots in use in one pane of glass?
- Copilot for Windows Server It could be used through Windows Admin Center, in Windows Server Core versions, and in Windows Server with native GUI.
- I thought this was a very good question. It would be cool for Windows Server to perform tasks using CoPilot. Example: Please tell me the usage of CPU, MEMORY, STORAGE. Its combination with system insight would be really cool. Example: Please tell me the predictive analysis for storage.
- BrentforHi, I am on Elden's team. We would love to hear more ideas about how you would want to use Copilot on the Server Desktop. What type of skills would be most useful?
- Elden_ChristensenLove this question!! We have been thinking about Copilot for Windows Server (it's not there today in Windows Server Insider builds). We have been debating bringing it to Windows Server, first by bringing client consistency in the experience so you have it in the shell. And then bringing server specific skills down the road. Is having Copilot in the shell something you would like? Would love your feedback if this is something you want... Thanks! Elden
- Hi Elden, I believe Copilot could help with DO / DON'Ts when deploying Windows Server and roles, as well help to align with best practices from Microsoft techcommunity Windows Server best practices blogposts and PowerShell BPA. This is what I can imagine from the top of my mind. A don't is for example cumulating roles and features on Domain Controllers like AD CS, DHCP (esp. with DNSDHCPProxy enabled). I could imagine that Co Pilot could help admins, eventually with configuring things (would either need WAC extension, BPA is often requested here), or just linking to knowledgeable articles when PowerShell or Server Manager wizard detect a "violation". Not sure if this is at all feasible or technical possible. Just thinking out loud.
Will Windows Server vNext be called "Windows Server 2025," or, if you can't say, can Microsoft tell us about its roadmap plans for product delivery? Will it be offered as a perpetual license product?
- Jeff_Woolsey_MSFT
Windows Server vNext will continue to be offered as a perpetual license product like we have for decades, nothing has changed there. 🙂 We're also adding a new Pay as You Go Option for folks that desire that model. You can expect to see Windows Server vNext in the second half of this year.
