Windows Server 2016

A key component of Microsoft's Cloud Platform, the Windows Server operating system has a come a long way to become what it is today: a powerful, robust and scalable solution for the enterprise environment.

Developed alongside Windows 10, the Windows Server 2016 edition focuses on cloud-computing, providing the scalability and the enhanced security your business requires to thrive. Its goal is to facilitate automation and virtualization, transforming data centers and adapting them to today's ever-increasing business needs.

The latest developments Microsoft implemented in the 2016 edition empower the server operating system to support higher workloads and facilitate cloud-based operations.

Aiming to become a more flexible and cost-effective data storage and management center, Windows Server 2016 delivers software-defined computing and Azure-inspired technologies for storage and networking. In fact, Windows Server 2016 leaves the traditional hardware-based storage solutions behind, adopting software-defined storage (SDS), an innovative approach that can simplify infrastructure, storage management, and control without compromising security or performance. The major advantage is related to the cost of SDS, which is significantly lower than that of SAN or NAS storage solutions. Storage Replica delivers robust data recovery options.

It is a known fact that data security is one of the priorities of any organization. Focusing on prevention, security features in Windows Server 2016 are designed to protect both customers and employees by implementing new capabilities to detect suspicious activity. New identity management options, shielded (Bitlocker-encrypted) virtual machines, Code Integrity checking, and the Control Flow Guard, along with secured Hyper-V containers ensure sensitive data is safeguarded at all times.

The 2016 iteration brings a whole lot more improvements in important areas. It implements networking features inspired by Azure, comprising distributed firewall protection to enforce security layers, as well as advanced networking policies for load balancing, routing, DNS management, gateway, and more.

Running and deploying applications is easier with Windows containers or the Nano Server. The latter is available as a standalone download option that has a significantly smaller footprint and only encloses the essential features you need, which directly impacts the boot time and the operating speed. Moreover, automation and remote management can be implemented thanks to PowerShell and DSC (Desired State Configuration). The Nano Server deployment option, alongside other important features implemented in Windows Server 2012, marks the shift to the cloud-ready environment of the future.