Windows server 2022 datacenter azure edition

Летом 2021 года Microsoft анонсировала релиз Windows Server 2022. Количество нововведений хоть и невелико, но среди них есть некоторые интересные особенности, причем две из них зарезервированы для старшего издания Azure. Ключевое внимание уделяется безопасности и модификациям для SMB и Hyper-V. Подробно обо всех возможностях новой серверной ОS от Microsoft читайте в нашей статье.

Что нового в MS Windows Server 2022

Во время анонса новой операционной системы Microsoft особо подчеркнула инновационные возможности, нацеленные на повышение безопасности. Новшества позволяют реализовать концепцию сервера с защищенным ядром, основанную на сочетании оборудования, микропрограмм и драйверов. Все заявленные функции можно будет вручную настроить в центре администрирования Windows.

Более того, впервые HTTPS и TLS 1.3 будут включены по дефолту. Также частью новой ОС стал Secure DNS (DNS поверх HTTPS), который будет включен еще и в клиентские Windows 10 21H2, а также Windows 11.

Улучшения в сетевом протоколе SMB

С появлением Server 2022 изменится и процедура шифрования для протокола Server Message Block, где с недавнего времени внедрены два надежных алгоритма AES-256. Алгоритм AES-128, как и раньше, будет работать для обеспечения совместимости.

Шифрование SMB настраивается в том числе отдельно для связи между узлами кластера, что сказывается как на CSV, так и на SSD.

Эти функции безопасности теперь также совместимы с SMB Direct, тогда как в предыдущих версиях Windows Server они вызывали снижение производительности при использовании сетевых адаптеров RDMA.

Еще одна новая функция — это возможность сжимать SMB-трафик. В Windows 10, начиная с выпуска 20H2, можно было включить сжатие SMB для xcopy и robocopy с отдельными переключателями для этих программ. В Server 2022 эту функцию теперь можно включить для обмена файлами через Центр администрирования Windows или PowerShell.

Еще одна новая функция для доступа к общим файловым ресурсам — поддержка SMB через QUIC. Протокол QUIC может использоваться как альтернатива TCP, а в сочетании с TLS 1.3 он также может использоваться для замены VPN. Однако эта функция доступна только в Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition.

Раздел конфигурации SMB в центре администрирования Windows однако не содержит настроек для SMB через QUIC в Server 2022 Datacenter.

В случае «горячего исправления» Microsoft резервирует для Azure еще одну интересную новую функцию. Она позволяет внедрять обновления без перезапуска сервера. Операционная система использует для этого службу автоматического управления Azure.

Помимо новых вариантов гибридных конфигураций (таких как управление локальными серверами через Azure Arc) и расширенной поддержки контейнеров, новая операционная система достигла определенных результатов, соответствующих традиционному использованию ОС.

Вложенная виртуализация для AMD

Еще одна немаловажная «фича» гарантирует поддержку вложенной виртуализации на чипах производства AMD, которая прежде была доступна лишь для процессоров Intel, начиная с версии ОС Windows Server 2016.

Касательно поддержки ЦП новых поколений, то новая версия ОС поддерживает процессоры Intel Ice Lake. На этой платформе система может оперировать объемами оперативной памяти до 48 ТБ и обеспечивать работу до 2048 ядер логического процессора.

Edge включен в Server Core

С прекращением поддержки IE 15 июня 2022 года Microsoft Edge заменит устаревший браузер на сервере. Таким образом, Edge включен в Server 2022 и также может опционально использоваться при установке Server Core. Такая конфигурация ранее уже поддерживалась, однако при ручной установке возникали некоторые препятствия.

Улучшение для Storage Spaces Direct

Для работы с гиперконвергентной инфраструктурой все будущие инновации войдут в Azure Stack HCI, однако в Windows Server по-прежнему будут улучшаться существующие функции.

Теперь это отражено в версиях Server 2022, которые по-прежнему не располагают функциями, такими как расширяемые кластеры, но при этом получили новую возможность восстановления для локальных хранилищ. Администраторы могут использовать эту функцию для контроля за ресурсами, необходимыми для восстановления копий данных или активных рабочих нагрузок.

Другие нововведения в области хранения данных

Пока Storage Spaces Direct соединяет хранилище узлов кластера в пул, Storage Spaces оперирует хранилищем лишь одного сервера. В обновленной версии операционной системы для кэширования доступно многоуровневое хранилище с поддержкой высокоскоростных накопителей по типу твердотельных SSD или NVMe.

Наконец, в Server 2022 Microsoft расширила службу миграции хранилища, представленную в выпуске 2019 года. Первоначально он был предназначен для переноса общих файловых ресурсов из устаревших систем на более новые версии Windows Server. Теперь он поддерживает отказоустойчивые кластеры, серверы Samba и NetApp FAS в качестве источников, а также переносит локальных пользователей и группы.

Формы издания

Начиная с версии 2012, Microsoft предлагает серверную ОС в двух основных редакциях, которые различаются в первую очередь правами на виртуализацию. Однако, начиная с Server 2016, Datacenter Edition получил эксклюзивные функции, которые отсутствуют в стандартной версии. К ним относятся Shielded VMs, Storage Replica и программно-определяемое хранилище с локальными дисковыми пространствами.

Это различие сохраняется в версии 2022 года, где Standard Edition ограничивается двумя виртуальными экземплярами и включает только урезанную версию Storage Replica, которая ограничена максимальным объемом томов в 2 ТБ.

К двум выпускам теперь присоединяется третий, который называется Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition. Как следует из названия, он предназначен только для работы в облаке Microsoft.

Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Standard

Стандартная версия предназначена для пользователей, которым требуется всего несколько виртуальных машин Windows Server. Помимо установки на физическое оборудование, с серверной лицензией также возможны две виртуальные машины под управлением Windows Server. На виртуальные машины Linux нет ограничений. Почти все функции и роли серверов из Datacentre Edition также включены в стандартную версию.

Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Essentials

Версия Essentials, рассчитанная на 25 пользователей или 50 устройств, является идеальной серверной ОС для малого бизнеса. Она включает в себя многие функции старших выпусков, таких как Windows Admin Center и System Insights, однако ограничена поддержкой одного процессора с максимум 10 ядрами.

Microsoft Windows Server 2022 Datacenter

С выпуском Datacenter пользователи получат максимально возможную гибкость в развертывании серверов и могут реализовывать крупные, быстро меняющиеся рабочие нагрузки. Количество виртуальных машин не ограничено, и программно определяемое хранилище может быть реализовано с помощью Storage Spaces Direct.

Системные требования

Процессор. На эффективность процессора влияют два ключевых фактора: число ядер и тактовая частота. Для установки Windows Server система должна быть оборудована как минимум одним 64-разрядным процессором с тактовой частотой 1,4 ГГц, совместимым с набором инструкций x64. В числе прочего должна быть обеспечена поддержка функций безопасности DEP и NX Bit.

Оперативная память. Минимальные требования к оперативной памяти на сервере — это не менее 512 МБ. Кроме того, требуется поддержка ECC.

Сетевые адаптеры. Адаптер Ethernet должен обеспечивать скорость не менее 1 гигабита в секунду. Также сетевые адаптеры также должны соответствовать спецификации архитектуры PCI Express.

Дисковое пространство. В конфигурацию сервера должен быть включен жесткий диск объемом не менее 32 ГБ данных для работы Windows Server, в то время как для установки графического интерфейса потребуются дополнительные 4 ГБ.

Резюме

Windows Server 2022 не привносит новых ролей или функций, но вместе с тем дополняет и вносит коррективы в ряд существующих функций и протоколов, некоторые из которых существенно повышают безопасность сервера.

Тем не менее, продукт от Microsoft остается одним из наиболее востребованных и надежных серверных ОС на рынке. Выбор лицензии и издания Windows Server 2022 следует делать на основе специфики бизнеса, численности штата и имеющегося оборудования — помочь в этой ситуации в любой момент готовы наши специалисты, просто обратитесь по номеру на сайте или свяжитесь с нами по электронной почте.

To meet today’s complex data and business needs, Microsoft regularly introduces upgrades and enhancements to its server operating system, such as increased security, faster network, cloud upgrades, etc.

Microsoft announced a new version of Windows Server 2022 in September 2021. Since then, many people and forums have been speculating about the improvements and new features of Windows Server 2022.

Outdated hardware and software or operating systems are not recommended for IT infrastructure as they create loopholes for cyber threats.

So let’s take a look at some of the best new features in Windows Server 2022.

Introduction

Windows Server 2022 is the most secure, reliable, and Azure-compatible server Microsoft developed in the 20th century.

Considering the increasing security threats (see research data below) and cyber-attacks, Windows Server 2022 is built with top-notch security parameters, which we will discuss in the following subsections, to ensure the security of data packets up to date at the cluster level. It is a wholesome security package that secures end-to-end IT infrastructure.

Windows Server 2022 will help organizations of all types run to their workloads securely, enable hybrid cloud integration, and update their applications to meet demanding IT needs.

Research:

A recent IBM study in 2021 investigated that more than 500+ data breaches worldwide resulted in the cost of $4.24 million, which is the highest in 17 years.

As security threats and cyber-attacks increase, data protection is paramount for all types of businesses. Windows Server 2022 plays a vital role in today’s scenario, including advanced security features with secure server kernels, secure connectivity, and more, which we will discuss in the following sections.

We will also look at the technical advancement of Windows Server 2022 and how SMBs (small to medium-sized businesses) and large enterprises can benefit from this innovative and robust Windows server platform.

Different versions of the Windows 2022 server

According to the resources from Microsoft, Windows Server 2022 has three main editions: Essential, Standard, and Data Center, and later one more version was released – the Azure Datacenter edition.

Let’s look at the exact technical differences between these editions, Windows Server 2022 Editions comparison.

All versions of Windows Server 2022 have the option to install the server core and desktop version. The desktop version is installed for remote desktop sessions hosted with non-server services and other components.

Server version installation is intended for specific roles and functions such as DNS server, web server, Active Directory, virtualization, etc.

While there are many variations across all versions, in this section, we will look at the main differences between the server editions of Windows 2022.

Windows Server 2022 Standard

The Standard Edition is the base version of Windows Server 2022. The single license of the standard version can only work with two virtual machines and one Hyper-V host.

The Replica Storage option is available with one partnership and one resource group with a capacity of 2 terabytes. Features such as hot patching, software-defined networking and storage are not available in the standard version.

Windows Server 2022 data center

This version has elite features that are not part of the Standard Edition, such as protected VMs. This feature protects the firmware and startup files of the VM and also enables BitLocker disk encryption.

As data protection and management are critical to enterprise-level infrastructure, Microsoft integrates two key functions: software-defined storage and storage replication with Storage Spaces Direct.

Storage replication provides block-level data replication without data loss and even replicates open files. Software-defined storage with Storage Spaces Direct enables manageability and scalability – supports up to 16 servers and up to 1 petabyte of cluster storage.

Windows Server 2022 Datacenter Azure Edition

As the name suggests, it is designed for the Microsoft Azure platform. It has excellent features that are not available in Standard Edition and Data Center Edition. For example, the Hot Patch feature allows you to install updates without restarting the server, and Server Message Block via QUIC provides access to shared files without the need for a VPN over the network.

Windows 2022 Azure Edition runs virtual machines on the Azure Stack Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI) operating system, known for its security, performance, and new hybrid capabilities.

Windows Server 2022 Essential Edition

It is designed for small organizations that support a maximum of 25 users and 50 devices. It lacks features like a dashboard, client backup, and access anywhere. It supports processors with a max of 10 cores.

How to get Windows 2022 operating system?

If you want to try the Windows 2022 server operating system before buying, you can try the 180-day evaluation by downloading its ISO. See the pricing section for details on pricing and licenses.

Hardware requirements for installing Windows 2022 server

Microsoft publishes minimum hardware requirements for servers to run satisfactorily. If the minimum requirements are not met, the installation will most likely will not complete.

The main requirements are:

• Processor: 1.4 GHz 64-bit processor, 64-bit compatible
• RAM (Storage): 512 MB and 2 GB for server with the option to install Desktop Experience.
• Network: NIC card with a minimum bandwidth of 1 GBPS
• HDD: 32GB

Now let’s discuss the top 8 features of the increasingly popular Windows 2022 server.

Server Hardware Improvements

One major improvement in Windows 2022 is that server hardware limitations have been extended to the highest level. The server 2022 supports 48 terabytes of memory and 2,048 logical cores running on 64 physical sockets.

It also supports Intel’s Ice Lake SGX processor, which helps isolate sensitive data in an encrypted processor enclave during processing.

 Storage Enhancements

The innovation at the storage level represents one of the major improvements on Windows 2022 servers. Daily data management has become a problem for data engineers. In such scenarios, advanced storage upgrades are built into the 2022 servers:

• Advanced caching: Automatically stores important data on faster storage volumes and less critical data on slower volumes. This allows for faster access to read and write operations.
• Faster, Manageable Storage Improvements: Fixes the hard drive faster in case of server restart or hardware failure.
• ReFS file snapshots: ReFS snapshots use a unique method known as fast metadata operations to take snapshots of data at constant time, regardless of size.

Security measures updated

Microsoft will never stop innovating in its security practices because as technology evolves, so do threats. Windows Server 2022 offers three major security enhancements, including hardware trust, firmware protection, and virtual environment security, as the cloud is the second most used platform.

The most notable improvements are secure DNS support with DNS-over-HTTPS, Server Message Block AES-256 and SMB East-West encryption, SMB over QUIC, HTTPS and TLS 1.3, Azure Arc, and Azure Automanage.

These security protocols and enhancements ensure that the windows 2022 server is self-reliant to process sensitive data and critical applications. The entire server core is protected from the perspective of hardware, firmware, and the drivers to prevent today’s complex attacks.

Firmware attack prevention: Extended threats and attacks occur during a server restart via firmware. Technologies such as DRTM (Dynamic Root of Trust for Measurement) and DMA (Direct Memory Access) are used to prevent such cyber attacks.

Hypervisor security: The hypervisor is protected by virtualization-based security technology (VBS). This technology isolates individual processes from the operating system. In the event of an attack, the attack does not spread to other parts of the system and avoids the entire server getting compromised.

Secure Connectivity: By default, the latest version of the internet protocol, Transport Layer Security (TLS), is used to establish a secure connection between two nodes. Even the name resolution is separated using encrypted DNS queries.

Server Message Block (SMB):  The new SMB functionality through QUIC eliminates the need for a VPN for remote workers, mobile users, and highly secure organizations. It uses UDP (Use Datagram Protocol) and ensures that Internet traffic always remains encrypted.

Improvement in Azure capabilities

The Microsoft Azure capabilities have been extended in window 2022 to support virtualization outside the network or even other vendors. Azure Arc-enabled servers offer a comprehensive and secure approach to integration anywhere in on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge environments.

To learn more about how Azure Arc-enabled servers can be used to provide Azure monitoring, security, and update services in hybrid and multi-cloud environments, watch the following video.

Application Platform Improvements

Windows Server 2022 provides a flexible platform for updating container applications. The Server 2022 supports large-scale, business-critical applications such as SQL Server that require 48 Terabytes of memory.

Windows Server 2022 loads 30% faster than previous operating systems due to the smaller Windows container size. To store.NET applications, Windows Admin Center tools are also updated.

Effortless Management of cloud

One of the most significant features built into the Azure edition of Windows 2022 is a cloud management and automation with security best practices, some of which are listed below:

• Reduce costs by automating Windows Server and Linux VM management
• Ability to apply security fixes without restarting the server
• Auto-detection of availability and allocation of resources on demand and auto-update of templates
• Automate time and administrative tasks such as Azure Monitoring and Archiving
• Migrate data from on-premises to Azure while retaining the original IP address

Networking improvements

There are two major protocols in all network communication: User Datagram Protocol (UDP) and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP). Microsoft has significantly improved these protocols in Windows 2022 server.

UDP: UDP Segmentation Offload (USO) and UDP Receive Side Coalescing (UDP RSC) are included in Windows 2022 servers, which reduces CPU load.

TCP:  TCP HyStart++ on Windows 2022 servers helps reduce packet loss during connection startup and RACK to shorten retransmission time.

Virtual Switch Enhancement: The virtual switch upgrade improves performance on both network traffic from an external host and from a virtual NIC to another virtual NIC on the same host.

QUIC: This feature appeals to IT professionals because it makes it easy to copy files remotely without the need for a VPN over an advanced SMB (Message Block Server).

Features removed or discontinued in 2022

With each new version of Windows Server, Microsoft makes improvements and enhancements while ending the old functionalities.

In this section, we look at the functions that have been discontinued in the Windows 2022 server:

Semi-Annual Channel (SAC): The SAC channel will be discontinued and replaced with a longer-term channel as the primary release channel. SAC will continue with Kubernetes communities such as Azure Kubernetes Services (AKS), AKS from Azure Stack HCI.

Internet Storage Name Service (iSNS) Server: This server has been removed from the Windows 2022 server.

Guarded Fabric and Shielded Virtual Machines  (VMs): Microsoft supports these, but there will be no future development.

Remote Server Administration Tool (RSAT): This feature is being removed from the client version of Windows.

Windows Deployment Services (WDS): The deployment features of the WDS operating system are partly denounced.

Comparison of Windows Server 2022 and 2019

Microsoft released Windows Server 2022 in September 2021 with some improvements from Server 2019 (released October 2018). Windows Server 2022 is more secure, flexible, and supports hybrid deployments better than 2019.

The section below lists the three main differences when it comes to security, cloud, and connectivity:

• From a security perspective, Defender Advanced Threat Protection, Exploit Guard, and Attack Surface Reduction is available on Windows Server 2019. Meanwhile, in Windows 2022, layered security introduces enhanced security in terms of cryptographic keys, firmware protection, and virtualization environment security.
• In terms of connectivity, Windows 2022 introduces Transport Layer 1.3 security, Secure DNS, Server Message Block (SMB), and SMB over QUIC. Software-Defined Network (SDN) Security was present in 2019.
• The cloud has become a necessity in today’s IT infrastructure. So keeping in mind the future roadmap, Microsoft has released a hybrid cloud service in Windows 2019 that includes compatibility with the server’s core applications. Microsoft went a step further in Windows 2022 and integrated Azure Arc technology. With this technology, you can manage multiple clouds from a central console from Azure.

Conclusion 👩‍💻

With the adoption of Microsoft Windows Server 2022, enterprises can manage their businesses with a secure infrastructure, integrate their existing virtual environments into their hybrid cloud models, and restructure their applications to meet demanding growth.

More specifically, small organizations or education departments can choose the Essential edition of Windows 2022 that supports up to 25 users.

If you are looking for an on-premise solution and very little virtual participation, you can use the Standard Edition.

If you have a large enterprise-grade virtual setup or planning for scalability in your cloud or data center, then Windows 2022 Data Center or Azure Data Edition with advanced security and management features is the right choice for you.

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Monitor Windows Servers using these platforms.

Windows Server 2022 will be available in two main editions: Standard and Datacenter. In addition, Microsoft will introduce a new edition for Azure. Windows Server Essentials will no longer be a separate SKU, and there is a new OS for hyperconverged systems.

In every edition, the name of Windows Server 2022 will change because the suffix «LTSC» has been dropped by Microsoft. This acronym stands for Long-Term Service Channel and helped to differentiate this version of the operating system from the Semi-Annual Channel (SAC). This is no longer necessary since the end of the server in the semi-annual channel has recently been announced.

LTSC as the sole channel

Like its predecessors in the LTSC, Windows Server 2022 will receive 10 years of support. As usual, this period is divided into five years of mainstream support and five years of extended support.

The two installation options, Desktop Experience and Server Core, also remain unchanged. Microsoft recommends using the slim version without the GUI for most infrastructure services; it is also the default in the setup.

To achieve better compatibility with GUI tools for system administration, you can add Core App Compatibility as a feature on demand in Server 2022.

The installation of the Desktop Experience is primarily intended for RD Session Hosts. Its desktop shows that Windows Server 2022 is not a counterpart to Windows 11 but to Windows 10 21H2, and thus still includes the old Start menu.

Three editions for Server 2022

Since version 2012, Microsoft has offered the Server OS in two main editions, which differ primarily in terms of virtualization rights. Since Server 2016, however, the Datacenter Edition has received exclusive features that are missing in the standard edition. These include Shielded VMs, Storage Replica, and software-defined storage with Storage Spaces Direct.

This difference remains in the 2022 version, where the Standard Edition is limited to two virtual instances and only includes a stripped-down version of Storage Replica (limited to one partnership with a maximum of 2 TB volumes).

The two editions are now joined by a third, called Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition. As the name suggests, this is intended only for running in the Microsoft cloud.

It has two exclusive features in its debut, which are not available on-prem, at least not for the time being. These are hotpatching, which allows for installing updates without rebooting the computer, and SMB over QUIC as an alternative to VPNs.

The Azure edition is otherwise functionally identical to the Datacenter Edition, even if some features don’t seem to offer much benefit in an Azure VM. This applies to Storage Spaces Direct, for example, and SMB Direct and SMB over RDMA are not supported in Azure VMs anyway.

Essentials Edition is no longer a separate product

For Windows Server 2019, Microsoft still offered the Essentials edition, which is aimed at small businesses with a maximum of 25 users. In this version, however, Microsoft removed special functions, such as the dashboard, client backup, and access anywhere.

At the same time, the manufacturer stripped out the Windows Server Essentials Experience role in the main editions. This is also missing in the Standard and Datacenter editions of Server 2022.

Despite expectations, the smallest version of Windows Server will be available again in the 2022 version. However, it is no longer a product on its own; rather, it is a Standard Edition with an alternative license.

As before, this includes a number of restrictions, for example, a maximum of 25 users and 50 devices. In addition, Server 2022 limits the Essentials Edition to one CPU with a maximum of 10 cores.

Yet another edition under a different product name

Microsoft has another operating system in its portfolio that is based on Windows Server but goes by a different name. We are referring to Azure Stack HCI. It has its own hardware certification, is licensed by subscription, and can only be installed on bare metal, but not in a VM. Unlike Server 2022, it receives feature upgrades at short intervals.

Microsoft is positioning Azure Stack HCI as a competitor to Windows Server for hyperconverged infrastructures. In the future, it alone will get all essential new features for this use case.

With Server 2022, the manufacturer limits Windows Server to improvements in existing functions. So, the OS gets User Adjustable Storage Repair Speed for Storage Spaces Direct as the only significant innovation for hyperconverged infrastructures.

Microsoft not only reserves exclusive features for Azure Stack HCI, but also promotes it with other benefits. For example, extended support for Windows Server 2008 through 2012 as well as for SQL Server 2012 is available for free when these legacy versions are running in a VM on this platform. On Windows Server 2022 Hyper-V, on the other hand, this service is quite expensive.

Also, Datacenter: Azure Edition of Server 2022 will run in VMs on Azure Stack HCI, but not on a Hyper-V server.

Prices

Microsoft has yet to announce the official pricing for Windows Server 2022. The last major change in licensing came with the switch to per-core instead of per-CPU in Windows Server 2016. Microsoft will certainly retain this.

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This list shows a significant increase in the price of the Standard Edition by $97 to $1069 for a starter license with 16 cores. This represents an increase of 10 percent. However, the costs for the Datacenter and Essentials editions remained the same according to this source, contrary to the news from some license dealers.

Prajwal Desai is a Microsoft MVP in Enterprise Mobility. He writes articles on SCCM, Intune, Configuration Manager, Microsoft Intune, Azure, Windows Server, Windows 11, WordPress and other topics, with the goal of providing people with useful information.