[German]On September 1, 2021, Microsoft announced the general availability of Windows Server 2022. The release had already taken place in August 2021. However, there is confusion as to whether there will still be a Windows Server Essentials 2022. And Hyper-V Server as a standalone product will no longer exist for Windows Server 2022, this license variant is being phased out. I'll pull the current status together separately in a blog post.
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Announcement of Windows Server 2022
It's a strange story in my eyes, what's going on with Windows Server 2022 from Microsoft at the moment. I had already addressed the availability of Windows Server 2022 on August 19, 2021 in the blog post Windows Server 2022 LTSC released. Redmond had made the product available without much notice, and interested parties could download a corresponding evaluation version.
The product has been released on August 18, 2021, and Windows Server 2022 is an LTSC version with mainstream support until October 13, 2026, with Extended Support expiring on October 14, 2031. In doing so, Microsoft states that the following editions of Windows Server 2022 will be available:
- Windows Server 2022 Datacenter
- Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition
- Windows Server 2022 Standard
As of Sept. 1, 2022, Microsoft's Bernardo Caldas, vice president of program management, Core OS and Edge Infrastructure, announced the general availability of Windows Server 2022 on the cloud blog. In the article Windows Server 2022 now generally available—delivers innovation in security, hybrid, and containers you can read what is awaiting for you.
Also a Windows Server 2022 Essentials
Already in my German the blog post Windows Server 2022 LTSC ist da I was asked whether there would also be a Windows Server 2022 Essentials as a license for small businesses. I remembered my German post Windows Server 2019 Essentials, der letzte seiner Art?, in which corresponding plans of Microsoft to discontinue this licensing were addressed.
There is not a word about Windows Server 2022 Essentials in the above blog post by Caldas. I have also searched the Internet, but have not found anything on the topic in the last days. The websites of colleagues also assume until now that there will be no Essentials. However, due to the Hyper-V Server topic, there was then feedback from German blog readers (thanks for that) – that Microsoft also offers Essential licenses for small business units.
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German blog reader Oliver Sommer mentioned within this German comment, that he just have gotten licensing and pricing information on Essentials 2022. And Tymoteusz Partyka pointed out another place, where Essentials has been mentioned. Microsoft's Elden Christensen wrote on 8/24/2021 in this Techcommunity post that an Essentials Server 2022 is coming.
Yes, there is a Windows Server 2022 Essentials edition. Some minor changes to pricing and channels, announcements coming very soon.
Our strategic direction for a hypervisor platform is with Azure Stack HCI, it is a purpose built solution hybrid infrastructure for running virtual machines. We recently extended the AzS HCI free trial period from 30 to 60 days, to provide a platform for test / eval.
Thanks!
Elden
German blog reader Oliver Sommer posted the following screenshots in a FB discussion. There are also prices – they seem to have been sent to some Microsoft customers yesterday.
And at least I found the following site with a price list for Windows Server 2022 licenses, where Essentials is also mentioned.
However, I have not been able to quickly find a Microsoft page with relevant information about the Essentials announcement. That may be my fault.
Free Hyper-V Server has been phased out
Previously, Microsoft offered a Windows Server in the Core Edition without a graphical user interface and with the Hyper-V role enabled under the term Hyper-V Server. This product could be used free of charge, and if Linux guests were used, no licenses were incurred. However, Windows Hyper-V Server 2019 is the last product in this line. Hyper-V Server is being phased out in this form, as I detailed in the blog post No Hyper-V Server 2022, Hyper-V-Server is dead. Only Hyper-V will continue to be available as a feature on Windows 10/11 and as a Windows Server role.
Similar articles:
Windows Server 2022 LTSC released
No Hyper-V Server 2022, Hyper-V-Server is dead
