Discover the exciting new features and enhancements that Windows Server 2025 brings compared to its predecessor, Windows Server 2022. From rebootless patches to faster NVMe storage and advanced networking, learn what’s in store with the next iteration of Windows Server.
You can purchase a genuine product key for Windows Server 2025 and 2022 from our catalog!
Windows Server 2025 Standard – 29.8 €
Windows Server 2022 Datacenter – 29.4 €
You can also download the installer for Windows Server 2025 Standard and Datacenter versions on our website on the following page.
Key Highlights
– Hotpatching: Experience rebootless patches that keep your systems secure without interrupting operations.
– Active Directory: Enhanced scalability with larger page sizes, new domain, and forest functional levels.
– Storage: Enjoy faster NVMe performance and new storage features.
– Clusters and Hyper-V: Improvements in clustering, Hyper-V, and live migration without domain join.
– Networking: New Network HUD, multisite SDN, and other networking advancements.
– Containers: Smaller containers with decoupled host and container updates.
– File Services with SMB Over QUIC: Secure, remote file access without the need for an IP-changing app via SMB over QUIC.
– Modern Server Experience: Winget integration and OS upgrades through Windows Updates.
1. Hotpatching: Rebootless Patches for Seamless Updates
Hotpatching allows you to apply security patches without needing to reboot your server. Every Patch Tuesday, new patches are released, and with Hotpatching, these can be applied without restarting server processes. Originally introduced in the Azure Edition of Windows Server 2022, Hotpatching is now available across all types of infrastructure, including on-premises Hyper-V, VMware, and physical hardware. This feature is available as a monthly subscription through Arc-enablement.
2. Active Directory: Enhanced Scalability and Security
Windows Server 2025 significantly improves Active Directory’s scalability, increasing the page size from 8K to 35K, allowing for more data storage and better overall scalability. New domain and forest functional levels are required to leverage these enhancements. Additionally, a new priority boost feature helps specific links synchronize faster, and Local KDC functionality is now available for local users.
Windows Server 2025 also introduces TLS 1.3, providing advanced encryption and bolstering security against modern cyber threats. The NUMA-aware enhancements ensure that Active Directory can fully utilize the underlying hardware and CPU capabilities, delivering better performance as your directory services grow.
3. Storage: Optimized NVMe Performance and More
Upgrading to Windows Server 2025 can yield up to 70% faster NVMe performance, significantly enhancing the performance of data-intensive applications. This improvement reduces latency and increases throughput, eliminating bottlenecks at the storage layer.
Windows Server 2025 also incorporates storage advancements from Azure, such as improved Storage Replica, optimized ReFS deduplication and compression for virtual machines, and thin provisioning support in Storage Spaces.
4. Clusters and Hyper-V: Advanced Clustering and Virtualization
Windows Server 2025 brings several clustering improvements, including enhanced cluster-aware updating, which allows for upgrades from Windows Server 2022 without downtime. New features such as cert-based VM live migration without domain join, GPU-P VM live migration on failover clusters, and improved Storage Replica performance further solidify Windows Server 2025’s capabilities.
Hyper-V sees major upgrades as well, including improved GPU partitioning, which is ideal for applications that require heavy graphical processing or machine learning tasks. Dynamic processor compatibility is now more granular, improving overall scalability, with support for up to 248 virtual processors and 240 terabytes of RAM.
5. Networking: Advanced Features for Modern Networks
Networking in Windows Server 2025 features several advancements, including:
– Network ATC: One-click deployment and drift remediation.
– Network HUD: A “heads-up” display for networking.
– SDN Multisite: Support for stretched clusters of SDN.
– SDN Gateway: Performance improvements.
– Modern AKS applications: Better integration and performance.
6. Containers: Flexible and Efficient
Windows Server 2025 enhances container support, decoupling host upgrades from container upgrades for more flexible lifecycle management. Performance improvements and reduced container image sizes, along with better application compatibility with Nano Server, make Windows Server 2025 a powerful platform for containerized workloads.
7. File Services with SMB Over QUIC: Secure Remote Access
SMB over QUIC in Windows Server 2025 provides encrypted file access over the internet without requiring an IP-changing application, offering a secure and user-friendly remote work solution. This feature, previously only available in the Azure Edition of Windows Server 2022, is now available in all editions of Windows Server 2025, including Standard and Datacenter.
Features include:
– SMB for telecommuters, mobile devices, cloud: Secure file access anywhere.
– No IP-changing app required: Eliminates the need for an IP-changing application.
– Runs over standard port 443: Ensures compatibility with existing network configurations.
– Encryption is always on: Enhances security by default.
– Authenticated with TLS 1.3: Provides robust authentication.
– Available in non-Azure versions: Including Standard and Datacenter editions.
Additional security improvements include:
– SMB Signing: Required by default to prevent relay attacks.
– Auth Rate Limiter: Throttles bad NTLM passwords to reduce the risk of brute force attacks.
– SMB Firewall rule hardening: No longer opens NETBIOS ports by default.
– SMB NTLM Disable Option: Granular control of NTLM from remote locations.
– SMB Dialect Control: Allows or refuses SMB 2 or SMB 3 based on policy.
8. Modern Server Experience: Tools and Upgrades for the Future
Windows Server 2025 introduces a modern server experience with tools like Winget, which offers a “store-like” experience for installing utilities and applications. OS upgrades through Windows Updates are now available and can be managed via Group Policy.
Other enhancements include:
– Arc integration wizards built-in: Simplifies Arc integration.
– Wi-Fi and Bluetooth support: Expands connectivity options.
– Windows Server with Desktop Experience: Provides a familiar GUI-based environment.
– New subscription-based purchasing model: Similar to Azure Stack HCI and SQL Server 2022.
Windows Server 2025 represents a significant evolution from Windows Server 2022, offering new technologies and features previewed in Microsoft Azure. From Hotpatching and improved Active Directory scalability to faster NVMe storage, advanced networking, and a modern server experience, Windows Server 2025 is well-equipped to meet the needs of modern IT environments.
