Microsoft kicked off TechEd 2013 at a keynote session that gave a clearer release date for Windows Server 2012 R2 (end of 2013), and announced that previews will be available as early as June. The tech giant is taking the opportunity to keep their “cloud OS” strategy closely aligned with the future of enterprise IT at this year’s conference especially, with storage improvements and enhanced capabilities for VMs anticipated as great additions.
What’s coming with Server 2012 R2?
Image courtesy of Petri IT Knowledgebase
Storage improvements
If Server 2012 R2 arrives at the end of 2013 as projected, then you can expect to see improvements “in just about every area in the Windows Server storage subsystem,” says Jeff James, Editorial Dir. for Petri IT Knowledgebase.
- Automated storage tiering: Allocate workloads for the storage types that make the most sense, like SSDs for applications that need more speed.
- Live migration with compression: Migrating virtual machines is now much, much faster with RDMA enabled.
VMs: The second generation
Brad Anderson, VP of Windows Server and Systems Center, said during Monday’s keynote positioning Microsoft’s product suite as important to “breaking down the barriers to seamlessly stretch your data center out to a service provider, or out to Azure.”
- “Generation 2″ virtual machines: New 64-bit-only VMs are UEFI-based and don’t have BIOS-based functionality.
- Hyper-V Recovery Manager: If you enjoyed Replica when Hyper-V 3 arrived, now you get a centralized management console for managing site replication.
Get insight and explanations of what the Windows Server 2012 R2 features mean with more TechEd coverage by Jeff James. Also, look out for buzz from the conversations at TechEd 2013, like with Windows Azure’s competition and changing demands for mobility in enterprises.
Learn how to install and configure your own Windows environment by watching Server 2012 Training taught by Microsoft MVP Ed Liberman. Sign up for a free 3-day trial today to get access to TrainSignal’s entire Microsoft library and over 100 other courses.