Windows Server 2019 – All the Key New Features & Improvements You need to Know

Every release of Windows Server comes up with many new features, improvements of existing ones, or even removal of some of the outdated features. The Windows Server 2019 is providing a number of new features, but this time Microsoft has turned its efforts on enhancing the performance of existing features. The launch of Windows Server 2019 was a bit unsuccessful initially due to multiple bugs, but now it is fully functional and ready to serve the job effectively. In this blog, we are going to shed some light on the new features and improvements that Microsoft Server 2019 has introduced for the users and how it makes this version different from the previous one.

Windows Server 2019 Features & Changes

Microsoft’s new server release has focused on some key changes that include better Linux support, revolutions in the storage subsystem, enhanced security via shielded virtual machines, Windows Admin Center extended use, and more hybrid cloud working possibilities. Let’s dig into more to find out that kind of minor to major changes are seen in the above features.

Linux

With Windows Server 2019, integration with Linux has become much easier than before. Now the same host can run Windows container and Linux container. Along with that, Microsoft store now let’s easy download of Linux distributions for the Linux subsystem. This implies that the server can now run all those applications actually meant for Linux, including the Bash (Linux free shell).

Storage

The storage area is greatly revolutionized in Windows Server 2019. Microsoft has introduced the Storage Migration Service feature, which not only makes migration to the new OS version convenient but also to the cloud. Besides that, Storage Space Direct has also got some improvement. Now the server lets you witness better stability and speed. The scalability aspect of storage has also greatly improved, as now it is possible to have 4 petabytes per cluster. In addition, the users of the standard version can also access the backup service with probably one replication and up to 2TB of maximum size.

Security

Windows Server 2019 is designed to carry out security measures in a number of different ways. At the very first, the latest server uses the cloud for accessing services. The malware is monitored by Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection, which stops all dangerous processes. In addition, Microsoft is also looking to root kits and fight zero-day attacks using cloud service. The association among Windows Server 2019 and Azure also enables admins to utilize the Azure AD functions for fulfilling security targets.

As an additional security layer, Microsoft now used shielded virtual machines, where a secure virtual machine can be set up for sensitive tasks. The Linux servers can also be protected through this approach. Along with that, Windows Server 2019 now also provides data encryption option while transferring data between virtual machines.

Container and Kubernetes

With the Windows Server 2019 release, the Windows Server Container, Linux Container, Docker Container, and Hyper-V Container can now be used all together. Kubernetes has a more significant role to play on Windows, as it takes over the management of different types. The containers’ individual images are also improved, along with the addition of container image “windows” that comes up with more functionalities compared to the common images “nanoserver” and “windowsservercore”.

Windows Admin Center and System Insights

Windows Admin Center is one of the key software of Windows Server 2019. But to be clear, Windows Admin Center does not come alongside the default installation of Windows Server 2019. It is free and can be downloaded separately. It empowers admins to control the hardware that are connected. It can be operated remotely, as all you need is a browser to control the software. It also facilitates in establishing a hybrid cloud solution when connected with Azure. All these great aspects of Windows Admin Center do not narrate that it is a replacement for the Remote Server Administration Tool (RSAT). In fact, RSAT should be used in parallel.

Other than Windows Admin Center, the System Insights is another useful feature for admins, as it lets them visualize capacity forecast for volume, total storage, networking, and CPU. With the help of machine learning, it displays warning messages in case the capacities become tight.

Azure and Hybrid Cloud

Cloud technology has been one of the prime focuses of Microsoft in this new server release. Azure now has a closer connection with the server with more features and support. The Azure Network Adapter facilitates in setting up the connection between the local server and cloud computing platform. A VPN connection is quickly set up between both systems, with minimal effort for configuration. It also comes with other features, such as Azure Site Recovery, Azure Update Management, and Azure Backup.

Windows Server 2016 vs Windows Server 2019 – Major Changes?

Compared to Windows Server 2016, there are a lot of changes seen in the Windows Server 2019. Many functions that existed in Windows Server 2016 are now either replaced or removed in Windows Server 2019, such as Distributed Scan Management (DSM), RemoteFX 3D Video Adapter, OneSync, print components for Server Core, and many more. In addition, the new and improved features/tools coming up with Windows Server 2019 are turning the functionality of Windows Server to a whole new level. In a nutshell, Windows Server 2019 has addressed many loopholes in Windows Server 2016 and also focused on deploying the latest technological advancements in this latest release.

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