Microsoft Windows Server 2025 is now available in preview

Microsoft Windows Server 2025 is now available in preview, and it delivers next-generation security improvements, and hybrid cloud capabilities into a modernized and future ready platform.

Microsoft Corporate Vice President for Azure Edge + Platform, Ian LeGrow, highlighted the latest version’s improvements on Monday, stating, “Windows Server 2025 delivers major advancements across the board for Hyper-V, GPU integration, Storage Spaces Direct (software-defined storage), software-defined networking, and clustering.”

Key improvements include:

• Hybrid Flexibility: Adapt seamlessly across hybrid, cloud, and edge environments. Enhanced connectivity with Azure Arc makes it simple to integrate on-premises and cloud servers, bringing Azure’s full capabilities to local infrastructure.
• Enhanced Security: Advanced hardware and software security measures to counter cyber threats, along with a next-generation Active Directory for enhanced security and scalability. Set a customized security baseline and enable drift protection from the outset.
• Future-Ready Platform: Windows Server 2025 offers a simplified upgrade path and improved scalability, with outstanding app compatibility. The updated desktop provides a consistent experience across client and server, plus convenient features like WiFi and Bluetooth.
• Optimized Performance: Improved networking and storage performance with live hotpatching for reduced downtime, and GPU partitioning for edge inferencing. Flash storage enhancements make Windows Server a robust platform for SQL Server deployments.

Ways to try Windows Server:

In addition to downloading the ISO, you can also try the new features through the following ways:

• Try it in Azure: Azure provides a great way to test Windows Server 2025 with pre-built images.

Customers who want to test Windows Server 2025 can use the free 180-day trial available through the Microsoft Evaluation Center.

Windows Server 2025 will reach its end of support on October 10, 2029, with extended support continuing until October 10, 2034.

There is a great Microsoft document here which details what’s new in Server 2025.