Welcome to the World of Windows Server

If you've been a using Windows as your main desktop for a long time you might have at some point come across the term Windows Server. If you didn't bother looking it up at the time I will tell you now, Windows Server is an operation system that is feature rich and is specifically designed to provide servers in networking, storage, authentication and users.

Windows Server OS plays a crucial role in managing the back-end infrastructure of companies, providing server-based computing solutions for file storage, email services, web hosting, and more.

Key Characteristics of Windows Server OS:

Server Roles and Services:

Active Directory (AD): A directory service used for managing domain-based networks. It helps in organizing users, computers, and other resources into a centralized system.
DNS (Domain Name System): Provides hostname resolution services, converting domain names to IP addresses and vice versa.
DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol): Dynamically assigns IP addresses to devices on a network, simplifying network management.
File and Storage Services: Manages file sharing and storage across a network, including features like Distributed File System (DFS) for sharing across multiple servers.
Web Hosting (IIS - Internet Information Services): Hosts websites and web applications. IIS is Microsoft’s web server role included in Windows Server.
Hyper-V: Windows Server's virtualization platform, allowing users to create and manage virtual machines (VMs).

Scalability and Performance:

High Performance: Windows Server OS is built to support enterprise-level workloads, with support for thousands of users, large amounts of memory (RAM), and multiple processors.
Cluster Support: Provides failover clustering for high availability, allowing servers to remain online even if individual components fail.

Security:

Advanced Threat Protection: Built-in tools like Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) protect against malware, ransomware, and other security threats.
Firewall and Network Protection: Configurable firewalls and network isolation features to protect servers from unauthorized access.
Just Enough Administration (JEA) and Just-in-Time Administration (JIT): Role-based access controls to limit who can perform certain administrative tasks.

Management Tools:

Windows Admin Center: A modern, browser-based management tool for managing multiple servers, clusters, and hyper-converged infrastructure (HCI).
PowerShell: A command-line and scripting tool that allows for automation and management of server configurations and operations.
Group Policy: Allows centralized management of users and computers in a network, controlling security settings, software installations, and more.

- Virtualization and Cloud Integration:

Hyper-V: As a built-in hypervisor, Hyper-V allows you to run virtual machines and containers efficiently. It is essential for consolidating hardware and running multiple environments on a single physical server.
Hybrid Cloud Support: Integration with Microsoft Azure services, allowing for hybrid cloud setups, where parts of the infrastructure are hosted in the cloud while others remain on-premises.

Different Editions: Windows Server is released in different editions to cater to businesses of various sizes:

Standard Edition: Suited for small to medium-sized businesses that require basic features like file sharing, application hosting, and virtualization (limited to two virtual machines).
Datacenter Edition: Designed for larger enterprises with heavy virtualization and cloud integration needs, allowing unlimited virtual machines.
Essentials Edition: Targeted at small businesses with fewer users (up to 25 users and 50 devices), offering simplified management and limited features.

Common Use Cases:

Domain Controller: Hosts Active Directory, managing authentication and authorization across a network.
File Server: Provides centralized storage for users and systems in an organization, facilitating file sharing and backup.
Web and Application Hosting: Hosts websites, web applications, and databases.
Virtualization: Manages virtual machines using Hyper-V to run multiple operating systems on the same hardware.
Email and Collaboration: Provides back-end services like email hosting (Exchange Server) and collaboration tools (SharePoint).
Hybrid Cloud Services: Integrates on-premise servers with cloud services using Azure.

The History of Windows Server

Windows NT 3.1 Advanced Server (1993)

Overview: Microsoft's first true server operating system. It was based on the Windows NT (New Technology) platform and marked Microsoft’s entry into the server market.

Key Features: Focused on file, print, and application services with basic networking capabilities. It was designed to work in small networks.

Windows NT 3.5 Server (1994)

Overview: This version improved upon NT 3.1, focusing on better performance, networking, and security.

Key Features: Introduction of support for domain controllers, NTFS file system enhancements, and better networking features.

Windows NT 4.0 Server (1996)

Overview: A significant update with a user interface similar to Windows 95, bringing a more user-friendly experience to server environments.

Key Features: Active Directory wasn’t yet introduced, but it provided better networking capabilities, including DHCP, DNS, and WINS services. This version is often credited with helping Microsoft gain a stronger foothold in the server market.

Windows 2000 Server (2000)

Overview: A major shift for Microsoft servers, this version introduced the Active Directory service, which allowed centralized domain management and became a cornerstone of network administration.

Key Features:

Active Directory for domain services
Distributed File System (DFS) and the File Replication Service (FRS)
Enhanced security features
Support for up to 32 processors and 64 GB of RAM

Windows Server 2003 (2003)

Overview: The first server OS to officially carry the “Windows Server” branding, based on the Windows XP codebase.

Key Features:

Improved Active Directory
New Volume Shadow Copy feature for backups
Better scalability and performance
Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) for automatic updates
Roles and features like DNS, DHCP, IIS (Internet Information Services) were easier to manage
There were several editions of Windows Server 2003:
Web Edition (for hosting websites and web applications)
Standard Edition (for small to medium-sized businesses)
Enterprise Edition (for larger businesses with high availability needs)
Datacenter Edition (for large-scale enterprise environments)

Windows Server 2008 (2008)

Overview: Built on the same codebase as Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 introduced several new management and virtualization features.

Key Features:

Server Core: A minimal installation option without the GUI, reducing the attack surface
Introduction of Hyper-V for virtualization
PowerShell for command-line automation
Network Access Protection (NAP) to enforce health policies
Failover Clustering for high availability
Enhanced Active Directory roles like AD Federation Services

Windows Server 2008 R2 (2009)

Overview: A significant update to Server 2008, built on the same core as Windows 7.

Key Features:

Live Migration with Hyper-V for seamless virtual machine transfers
DirectAccess for seamless remote access without VPNs
BranchCache to improve access to remote files
Scalability improvements and better power management

Windows Server 2012 (2012)

Overview: This version introduced a major shift in server management with a greater focus on cloud integration and virtualization.

Key Features:

Hyper-V 3.0: Enhanced capabilities for virtualization and storage management
Storage Spaces for creating virtual storage pools
Resilient File System (ReFS) for improved data integrity
Dynamic Access Control for better control over file access
PowerShell 3.0 for advanced automation and management
Emphasis on Server Core and Minimal Interface for headless management

Windows Server 2012 R2 (2013)

Overview: An iterative improvement over Windows Server 2012, adding further cloud integration and refinements.

Key Features:

Enhanced Hyper-V features, including Generation 2 VMs
Improved storage features like Storage Tiering and Deduplication
Enhanced PowerShell with additional cmdlets
Integration with Microsoft Azure for hybrid cloud scenarios

Windows Server 2016 (2016)

Overview: This version was designed to support hybrid cloud environments and introduced several new features aimed at improving security, containers, and virtualization.

Key Features:

Nano Server: A lightweight installation option for cloud and containerized workloads
Windows Containers and Hyper-V Containers for containerization
Shielded VMs for enhanced security in virtualized environments
Storage Spaces Direct for hyper-converged infrastructure
Just Enough Administration (JEA) and Just-In-Time Administration (JIT) for better access control

Windows Server 2019 (2018)

Overview: A continuation of Microsoft’s focus on hybrid cloud environments, Windows Server 2019 included deeper integration with Azure.

Key Features:

Windows Admin Center for centralized management of on-premise and Azure services
Improved Hyper-Converged Infrastructure (HCI)
Azure Network Adapter for simplified cloud connectivity
Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP)
Kubernetes support for Windows containers

Windows Server 2022 (2021)

Overview: The latest release as of 2021, Windows Server 2022 brings in enhanced security and cloud-native hybrid capabilities, with further refinements in containerization, storage, and networking.

Key Features:

Secured-Core Server for advanced security features
TLS 1.3 by default for better security in network communications
Hotpatching for applying security patches without rebooting in Azure environments
Azure Arc for managing on-premise and multi-cloud servers
Better container support for Windows Containers and improved performance