Windows 10: First sneak peek of Windows Server 2019 v1903 Semi-Annual Channel

Brink · Apr 30, 2019

Greetings!

With the launch of Windows Server 2019 a few months ago, we kicked off a whole new wave of innovation focused on four pillars: Hybrid Cloud, Security, Application Platform, and Hyper-Converged Infrastructure, and it was just the beginning. Today, we’re excited to share with you a few feature areas of the next Windows Server, Semi-Annual Channel release – version 1903.

What’s new in Windows Server, version 1903

For version 1903, we’re focusing on App Platform, edge computing, Windows Admin Center, and App Compatibility.

In this release period, we’ll bring innovation in fundamentals and platform capabilities, closely working with the broader ecosystem to ensure compatibility. Some of the new capabilities will be available with this release, while others will be available through other channels including Azure and our ecosystem partners.

App Platform

Windows Server, version 1903 will continue to serve as an application platform for customers who are modernizing their applications on-premises or in the cloud with Windows containers.

We have been building platform capabilities to support Azure container services and third-party container services.

We integrated CRI-Containerd with Host Compute Service to support Pods of Windows Containers and Linux Containers on Windows on Azure.

We worked with the Kubernetes community to enable Windows container support. On March 25, 2019, with the release of Kubernetes v1.14, Windows Server node support officially graduated from beta to stable. To learn more, refer to the blog post, “Windows containers now supported in Kubernetes.”

We delivered scalability improvements enhancing overlay networking support for Windows containers, including integration with Kubernetes through the latest release of Flannel and Kubernetes v1.14. Try out Windows support in Kubernetes.

Based on customer interest in GPU acceleration, we’re taking the first step by enabling support for hardware acceleration of DirectX APIs in Windows containers. We believe this will enable new and interesting scenarios such as edge-local machine learning inferencing. Find out more in the blog post, “Bringing GPU acceleration to Windows containers.”

We updated documentation related to container identity/Group Managed Service Accounts (gMSA) with more examples and compatibility information. We’ve also made the Credential Spec module available in the PowerShell Gallery. For more information, refer to the blog post, “What’s new for container identity.”

Note: If you are using the Windows Server, version 1903 Insider Build on Azure, please note the build number is 18342. To ensure that you can run a Windows Server container on that build, use a Windows Server container build the same or lower than 18342. For example, you can run:

“docker pull mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore/insider:10.0.18342.1”

OR

“docker pull mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore/insider:10.0.18323.1000”

This practice of ensuring version compatibility applies to any Windows Server containers you may run, not just the case here. Please check the docs on Windows container version compatibility for more details.

Edge computing

As more applications, workloads, and services move to the cloud, certain edge computing scenarios are emerging where the logic is best suited to run locally rather than in the cloud. Applications that use Internet of Things (IoT) provide one example, and additional scenarios include data normalization, data analysis, and device control.

System Insights is a local predictive analytics feature introduced in Windows Server 2019. The System Insights predictive capabilities, each backed by a machine learning or analytics model, analyze Windows Server system data, such as performance counters and events. These capabilities provide insight into server operations, helping reduce the operational expenses associated with reactively managing deployment issues.

With the upcoming April Windows Admin Center (WAC) release, you can use the System Insights WAC extension to find, install, and update new System Insights capabilities. Coming shortly after the April WAC release, we will publish a new capability that allows you to detect anomalies in physical disk metrics. You can download this new capability entirely through WAC without updating your OS. This capability will work on both Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server, version 1903. With this capability, you can avoid setting static thresholds that require prior knowledge of expected behavior, and instead depend on this capability to automatically detect abnormal behavior in your physical disk metrics. In the future, we plan to extend these capabilities, improving the information you can leverage to best administrate your servers and infrastructure.

Windows Admin Center

Hybrid cloud makes it easier to run IT operations locally while still maximizing the benefits of the cloud. This includes easier distribution of data, monitoring infrastructure, and ease of deploying new apps. To improve the experience across cloud and on-premises, version 1903 brings the following innovations:

Synergize migration with Azure File Sync: The Storage Migration Service leads to the Azure File Sync (AFS) WAC experience, where a customer who migrates from Windows Server 2008 to Windows Server 2019 then deploys Azure File Sync and manages that data.

Allow direct-to-Azure storage migrations with Storage Migration Service (SMS): Customers can migrate from Windows Server 2003, 2008/R2, 2012/R2, or Linux Samba directly to a running IaaS virtual machine.

Make Azure cluster witness an opt-out: We now default quorum management into an Azure blob instead of a local store.

Expand and iterate on the growing set of WAC’s Azure integration scenarios, including Azure Site Recovery, Azure Backup, Azure Active Directory authentication, Azure Update Management, and Azure Monitor alerts.

Server Core App Compatibility – Feature on Demand

The App Compatibility Feature on Demand for Server Core, introduced with Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server, version 1809, continues to be popular with customers using it in a variety of scenarios. Feedback since launch has led to two significant additions:

Task Scheduler (Taskschd.msc): More easily schedule your apps, actions, and scripts!

Hyper-V Manager (Virtmgmt.msc): Create and connect to virtual machines hosted on Server Core + the App Compatibility feature on demand (FOD)!

A reminder that Server Core is the recommended server OS installation type for production (managed by Windows Admin Center and/or Powershell). The App Compatibility FOD is intended for those specific workloads or enterprise apps that require more than what Server Core alone provides. This helps IT environments to standardize on Server Core.

Reminder: Windows Server Semi-Annual Channel is designed for faster innovation.

Get started today with version 1903

Windows Server, version 1903 Insider Builds

Get the latest Windows Server Insider Build.

Insider Build 18342 is now available through the Azure portal and the Azure Marketplace.

Windows Server, Version 1903 Container Insider Builds

Server Core container Insider Builds

Nano Server container Insider Builds

Windows container Insider Builds

Windows Admin Center 1904 is now generally available. Easily manage your server instances and optionally enable various Azure services to light up hybrid scenarios.
All Insider previews are available for registered Insiders only. Need to register? See the Getting Started with Windows Server Insider Preview page for more information.

Learn more!

Attend our Windows Server Summit virtual event on May 22, 2019 to hear more on what’s to come from our Windows Server Team.

Windows Server Summit 2019 event page

Register for the Windows Server Summit

Click to expand...

Source: First sneak peek of Windows Server, version 1903 Semi-Annual Channel - Windows Server Blog

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Brink · Apr 30, 2019

Windows Server version 1803 Semi-Annual Channel update

UPDATE: Windows Server, version 1803 will be generally available for Software Assurance customers on May 7, 2018. You can access the VLSC portal on that date to download the bits.

Last week we announced that Windows Server 2019, the next release in the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), will be generally available in the second half of calendar year 2018. Today, we would like to give you an overview of the next Semi-Annual Channel release.

Long-Term Servicing Channel and Semi-Annual Channel

In September 2017, we released Windows Server version 1709, the first release in the Semi-Annual Channel. The Semi-Annual Channel has a faster release cadence and addresses feedback from many of you who want faster innovation every few months. This complements the Long-Term Servicing Channel where the release cadence is every 2-3 years.

After the launch of Windows Server version 1709, we learned more from our customers and partners about how they were using the Semi-Annual Channel release. Based on telemetry and feedback that we received from the Windows Insiders program and production deployments, we learned that the Semi-Annual Channel is ideal for modern applications and innovation scenarios such as containers and micro-services while LTSC is the preferred release for core infrastructure scenarios such as software-defined datacenter and hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI). Based on this insight, moving forward, we’re focusing our efforts on specific scenarios for Semi-Annual Channel and LTSC as follows:

[table][tr][td][/td] [td]Long-Term Servicing Channel[/td] [td]Semi-Annual Channel[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Recommended scenarios[/td] [td]General purpose file servers, first and third-party workloads, traditional apps, infrastructure roles, software-defined Datacenter, and Hyper-converged infrastructure[/td] [td]Containerized applications, container hosts, and application scenarios benefiting from faster innovation[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]New releases[/td] [td]Every 2–3 years[/td] [td]Every 6 months[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Support[/td] [td]5 years of Mainstream support + 5 years of Extended support[/td] [td]18 months[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Editions[/td] [td]All available Windows Server editions[/td] [td]Standard and Datacenter editions[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Who can use[/td] [td]All customers through all channels[/td] [td]Software Assurance and cloud customers only[/td] [/tr] [tr][td]Installationoptions[/td] [td]Server Core and Server with Desktop Experience[/td] [td]Server Core for container host and image and Nano Server container image[/td] [/tr] [/table]

LTSC and Semi-Annual Channel carry an equal amount of importance to us. We will continue to listen to our customers and partners and build features and functionality in the two releases that fit the adoption pattern of our customers.

Windows Server, version 1803 – the next Semi-Annual Channel release

We are excited to tell you that the next version in the Semi-Annual Channel, Windows Server, version 1803, will be available soon. The Semi-Annual Channel enables us to drive rapid innovation and evolution through the full operating system and software stack which is vital to the success of solutions like Docker, Kubernetes, and Service Fabric.

Below are a few features that we are excited about in Windows Server, version 1803. You may have already experienced these in the Windows Insider Program:

Server Core container images: We reduced the Server Core base container image by 30% from Windows Server, version 1709 and improved application compatibility – that will help customers containerizing existing applications.

Curl.exe, Tar.exe, and SSH support: Support for such tools will complement PowerShell for building and debugging scenarios.

Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL): WSL has enabled server administrators to use existing tools and scripts from Linux on Windows Server. Many improvements showcased in the command line blog are now part of Windows Server including Background tasks, DriveFS, WSLPath, and much more.

Container networking enhancements: We added localhost and http proxy support while also improving container scalability and startup time.

Kubernetes journey: Working with-in and alongside the Kubernetes community, we enabled more of the Kubernetes feature set and ecosystem such as the following:

Addition of two storage plugins enabling persistent storage for Windows containers orchestrated by Kubernetes.

Cloud scale networking though initiatives like our partnership with Tigera on Project Calico support.

Windows platform support for Hyper-V isolated Pods (supporting multiple containers per Pod) which enhances container isolation and security in Kubernetes environments.

Figure 1: Kubernetes managing a Windows Server, version 1803 container host

We have more coming to Windows Server, version 1803 and you can check all the new features added to the preview builds in the Insiders space in the Windows Server Tech Community.

You can try it all today!

The good news is that you can try both, the next Semi-Annual Channel and the next LTSC release right now. Windows Server, version 1803 preview and Windows Server 2019 preview are available through the Insiders program. Don’t forget to give us feedback through the Windows Feedback Hub app.

Frequently asked questions

Q: When will Windows Server, version 1803 will be generally available?
A: Windows Server, version 1803 will be available in the first half of calendar year 2018. We’ll share the general availability (GA) date soon.

Q: Will HCI and SDDC features be available in the Semi-Annual Channel release?
A: The Semi-Annual Channel releases will focus on modern application platform and other innovation scenarios such as containers and micro-services. While some infrastructure roles, such as Hyper-V, may be available, the full range of HCI and SDDC scenarios will be the focus of the LTSC channel and not the Semi-Annual Channel. Windows Server 2016, the latest LTSC release, is the recommended version today for Storage Spaces Direct and HCI scenarios. You can also check the Windows Server Software Defined (WSSD) program for validated designs.

Q: Do I have to wait for Windows Server 2019 to test new infrastructure roles, Storage Spaces Direct, SDDC scenarios?
A: No. The preview for Windows Server 2019, the next LTSC release, is already available through the Windows Insiders program.
Click to expand...

Source: Windows Server Semi-Annual Channel update Windows Server Blog

Brink · Apr 30, 2019

Sneak peek #3: Windows Server, version 1709 for developers

Windows 10 and Windows Server are built on customer feedback. We use the tools built right into Windows to maintain a continuous cycle of feedback from our customers used to drive refinements and new features. After the launch of Windows Server 2016, we continued to listen to our customer feedback channels and the repeated message we heard is that you want access to new Windows Server builds more frequently to test new features and fixes. First, we announced that Windows Server would be joining the Windows Insider program so you can download and test the latest builds. However, previews alone aren’t enough so we launched the Windows Server Semi-annual Channel to ship supported releases twice per year, and this fall will be the first release on that cadence.

Since the launch of Windows Server 2016, container adoption has skyrocketed, with many customers using a “lift and shift” approach to migrate existing applications and start the journey to modernize their deployments. Hyper-V can also provide unprecedented isolation between containers, and you can leverage your existing Active Directory infrastructure for apps in containers with Group Managed Service Account support.

We heard loud and clear that developers need a platform that provides great density and performance as well as flexibility to run containerized applications. Here’s a glimpse on what’s coming in Windows Server, version 1709 for developers:

Faster downloads, builds, and deployments with Nano Server container image

In the Windows Server Semi-Annual Channel, we’ve optimized Nano Server as a container base OS image and decreased it from 390 MB to 80 MB. That’s a nearly 80% savings! This gives developers a much smaller image ideal for building new applications or adding new services to existing applications.

We launched Windows Server containers with a getting started guide and open-source documentation on GitHub. The community response has been excellent, and we’ve had over 150 people share their expertise and contribute back. Check out our documentation page to learn more. For those of you who joined the Windows Insiders program, you can also check out the documentation on how to use containers with Insider images.

Linux containers

We knew developers were eager to run any container, Windows or Linux, on the same machine. The crowd went wild when we announced this at Dockercon earlier this year and it showed how much demand there was for this work. This feature uses Hyper-V isolation to run a Linux kernel with just enough OS to support containers. Since then, we’ve been hard at work building this technology with new functionality in Hyper-V, joint work with the Linux community, and contributions to the open source Moby project on which Docker technology is built. Now it’s time to share a sneak peek of how to run Linux containers and start getting feedback on how it’s working for Windows Insiders.

You can get started with these features right away as a Windows Insider. To try this out, you’ll need:

Windows 10 or Windows Server Insider Preview build 16267 or later

A build of the Docker daemon based off the Moby master branch

Your choice of compatible Linux image

Our joint partners have published guides with steps on how to get started:

Preview Linux Containers on Windows using LinuxKit

Running Ubuntu Containers with Hyper-V Isolation on Windows 10 and Windows Server

More to come!

Of course, this is just a glimpse on the news for developers in this release. We have a bunch more we’ll talk about in the blogs to come. Keep an eye out for other blogs in this series and join the Windows Insiders program to have access to the preview releases. Feedback is always welcome! Please use the Windows Feedback tool Hub if you’re a Windows 10 Insider, or join us at the Windows Server Insiders Tech Community.
Click to expand...

Source: Sneak peek #3: Windows Server, version 1709 for developers | Windows Server Blog

Brink · Apr 30, 2019

Office 365 Semi-Annual Channel v1708 build 8431.2372 - February 12

Version 1708: February 12

Version 1708 (Build 8431.2372)

This is the Semi-Annual Channel release that's been available since January 2018. It will continue to be supported and receive security updates until March 2019. But, a new Semi-Annual Channel release is now available — Version 1808 (Build 10730.20280) — which contains new features, security updates, and non-security updates.

Office Suite: Non-security updates

Fixed issue where Add-ins, deployed using O365 Office centralized deployment, were freezing and unusable.

Click to expand...

Source: Release notes for Semi-Annual Channel releases in 2019 | Microsoft Docs

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