As Windows 8 Nears, the Server Is More Dear -- Redmondmag.com

Barney's Blog

As Windows 8 Nears, the Server Is More Dear

This week Microsoft gave the IT community two gifts: nearly complete versions of Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012.

Here's what Microsoft did: It releases a "release candidate" (RC) of Windows Server 2012 and a "release preview" (RP) of Windows 8. That's right, two names for the exact same thing -- nearly complete software! How dumb is that? Is Microsoft just messing with us?

Windows 8 and its Metro interface will get all the attention, but Windows Server 2012 is the real workhorse. This puppy is the thing that will be in all back rooms, keeping all the key operations running. In many cases it will be serving up virtual Windows 8 sessions.

We are looking at Windows Server 2012 in the July issue of Redmond and find an awful lot to like. I edited the story just yesterday, and without giving too much away, there is a new more resilient file system, the ability to team up NICs more effectively for better throughput and stability, better use of storage through deduplication and smarter storage transfer options.

Is any of this as sexy as a touch screen and tiles? Maybe not. Does it get the hard work of IT done? You bet.

On the Win 8 side, the release preview, which I'm sure a whole heap of you downloaded the second it was available, has a mess of new items. This thing is getting closer and closer to release, and the closer it gets the more life I see in Windows 7.

I think Windows 8 will be a surprisingly strong and good OS. But it is so different that few will migrate away from Win 7 (or XP) any time soon. It will be more like an iPad, where Win 8 machines will be used in addition to what it already in the shop. I don't see desktops making the shift or most laptops.

Then again, I am just a humble observer. I always stand to be corrected by the experts in the field which is the sometimes loyal but always vocal base of Redmond Report readers.

How will Windows 8 play in your shop? Set me straight at [email protected].

Posted by Doug Barney on 06/01/2012 at 1:19 PM

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