Windows Server 2022 is the latest of Microsoft’s server 2022. The latest server was announced later last year, in September 2021. The announcement of the release had many tech companies, people, and forums speculate about the improvements and new features of the coming Windows Server.
Now several months into the release of the software there is no need to speculate anymore. Windows Server 2022 includes updates that improve security, better performance, and cloud upgrades. It became a reliable and Azure-compatible server that businesses can benefit from for processing their data.
With the increasing cyberattacks, Microsoft has built the latest Windows Server with the most parameters for security. Furthermore, it can handle the growing workload and data of an organization.
So, let’s get into knowing more about the features and benefits of this latest server.
What’s New in Windows Server 2022
Improved Security
Microsoft has constantly improved and strengthened its security controls across all of its services and products. Hardware trust, firmware protection, and virtual environment security are three key security advances. It even includes a Secure-Core Server for the protection of the hardware, firmware, and operating system.
Secure DNS compatibility with DNS-over-HTTPS, Server Message Block AES-256 and SMB encryption, SMB over QUIC, HTTPS and TLS 1.3, Azure Arc, and Azure Automanage are among the most important enhancements.
As threats continue to evolve, Microsoft continues to improve its security measures for better protection.
Here are some of the latest security updates.
Prevention of Firmware attacks: During a server restart, extended threats and attacks are launched via firmware. Also, technologies like DRTM (Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement) and DMA (Direct Memory Access) prevent cyber attacks.
Hypervisor security: Virtualization-based security technology protects the hypervisor (VBS). Individual processes are isolated from the operating system using this technology. Therefore, if an attack occurs, it does not spread to other sections of the system and prevents the entire server from cyber-attacks.
Secure connectivity: Transport Layer Security is the default internet protocol to establish a secure connection between two nodes. Hence, using encrypted DNS queries, even name resolution is segregated.
Server Message Block (SMB): For remote workers, mobile users, and highly secure enterprises, the new SMB functionality using QUIC eliminates the need for a VPN. It takes advantage of UDP (Use Datagram Protocol) to ensure that all Internet traffic is encrypted.
Improve Azure Capabilities
In Windows 2022, Microsoft Azure’s capabilities include virtualization outside of the network and even compatibility with other vendors. In on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge scenarios, Azure Arc-enabled servers provide a comprehensive and safe solution to integration.
Here are the latest improvements in the Azure Networks:
- Azure Hybrid Capabilities: It improves efficiency by extending the data centers to Azure.
- Azure Arc Enabled Windows Servers: It brings together on-premises and multi-cloud Windows Server to Azure. It works consistently with how a native Azure virtual machine works. When you connect a hybrid machine to Azure, it becomes a connected machine and is considered a resource in Azure. In addition, the Azure Arc allows servers’ documentation to contain more information.
- Windows Admin Center: It offers capabilities to both report on the present state of the Secured-core features and to allow clients to enable the features where relevant.
- Azure Automanage- Hotpatch: It permits the installation of new updates on the Windows Server Azure Edition Virtual Machine. There is no need to reboot after installing updates.
Hardware Improvements
The hardware of Windows 2022 can now offer support at a higher level. It can run in a 48 terabyte memory and 2,048 logical cores on 64 physical sockets.
Furthermore, it can support the Intel Ice Lake SGX processor, which is to help isolate sensitive data by encrypting the processor enclave.
Application Platforms
The platform is now flexible for updating container applications. It supports larger scale and business-critical applications like the SQL Server with 48 TB memory. In addition, it loads 30% faster than the previous version and reduces the size of the image up to 40%. Therefore, startup time and overall performance are better.
Aside from platform updates, Windows Admin Center enables containerizing.NET programs. You can also host the containerized application on Azure Container Registry and subsequently deploy it to other Azure services, such as Azure Kubernetes Service.
Seamless Cloud Connection
Cloud management in the Windows 2022 server has become easier to use, with improved automation and security. It automatically updates security fixes without restarting the servers. Furthermore, there is the auto-update of templates and auto-detection of the availability and allocation of resources. The presence of Azure Monitoring and Archiving can also automate administrative tasks. Meanwhile, the migration of data from on-premise to Azure can transfer smoothly while retaining the same IP address.
Strengthen Security
Windows Server has an advanced multi-layer of protection for old and emerging threats. It provides a defense in different areas to stop threats.
The core server from OEM can fight sophisticated attacks and increase security in handling mission-critical data. The Trusted Platform Module 2.0 can protect sensitive data and keys using crypto-processor chips. Meanwhile, the UEFI secure boot is used to safeguard the server from malicious attacks like rootkits.
Hypervisor-based code integrity and virtualization-based security (HVCI) protect against an entire class of vulnerabilities used in bitcoin mining attacks. They also use hardware virtualization to isolate a protected zone of memory from the standard operating system.
Better Storage Management
One of the best improvements of Windows Server 2022 is the innovation in its storage management. Users can now take control over the data syncing process. Moreover, they can allocate their data to repair copies or run active workloads.
The migration process from Server or Azure to other locations is faster and easier. Here are some migration storage processes that the latest server supports.
- Migration from Linux Samba
- New Networks
- NetApp CIFS to Windows server and cluster
- Migrate from a failover cluster or to a failover cluster
- From local user
Users can now compress files when they transfer them through a network. So, there is no need to manually zip files and it won’t take that long for them to transfer.
Versions of Windows Server 2022
Microsoft still offers different editions of their latest server. You can choose among the major editions: Essential, Standard, Datacenter, and Datacenter Azure. In addition, it offers users if they want to have core server and desktop installation.
Standard
The basic edition of Windows Server is the Standard edition. It is designed for individual users or organizations with physical or minimally virtualized environments.
It offers a core Windows server, two Hyper-V isolated containers, a hybrid integration, unlimited Windows Server containers, and a storage replica.
Datacenter
Datacenter edition is for organizations with highly virtualized and requires a cloud environment. It offers a core-based licensing and a Windows CAL.
It has all the features in the Standard edition plus the following: Unlimited Hyper-V isolated containers, software-defined networking, and software-defined storage.
Essential
The Essential edition is for small businesses with 25 users and 50 devices. It has a special licensing model and doesn’t require CAL.
Essential also has features similar to the Standard edition and it is only available on certain server hardware.
Datacenter Azure
Microsoft’s Azure edition of Windows Server 2022 is a one-of-a-kind solution. It’s available as an Azure virtual machine or as part of an Azure Stack HCI cluster. You can’t install it as a Hyper-V virtual computer. However, it includes several new capabilities not available in the Standard or DataCenter editions.
It helps to benefit from the combination with Azure Automanage for the Windows Server.
Features in the Azure edition:
- Hotpatch: for installing updates on Windows Server Azure Edition VM without the need to reboot the machine.
- SMB over QUIC: An alternative to TCP network for secure and reliable connection for edge file servers.
- Extended network for Azure: When moving on-premises virtual machines to Azure, you can use Azure’s extended network to stretch an on-premises subnet into Azure and preserve their original on-premises private IP addresses.
Why Should Businesses Invest in A Windows Server?
Security is a major benefit of utilizing the Windows server operating system. It has good security and is generally safe to use. Furthermore, any website you choose to host will necessitate an internet connection, which will be forwarded via the server.
In addition, the Windows server has a higher memory limit than the usual Windows operating system. The Windows Standard and Datacenter offers a maximum RAM of 48 TB. Meanwhile, Windows 11 offers a maximum of 6 TB only.
Updates on Windows servers are even faster and more frequent. So, it can provide the best features and advanced security to maintain data protection.
However, Windows servers are not as cheap as the regular Windows operating system. They are far more expensive, and it depends on the edition and cores you are to purchase.
You can read more about the difference between a regular Windows and Windows Server operating system in this blog post. Here are also ways you can protect your Windows Server from threats.
Do you need the latest Windows Server? Visit our online store to get Windows Server 2022 complete from different editions to cores. We offer 20% off on selected items. Buy now!
