Windows Server 2016 will be generally available in October, Microsoft revealed at the Ignite conference, unveiling a new partnership with Docker to provide containerisation features to customers.
The company’s new server operating system, including new multi-layer security features and a cloud-ready application platform, will aim to ease organisations’ transitions to the cloud, allowing customers to both run traditional applications and data centre infrastructure and move workloads to the cloud.
The security features include Shielded Virtual Machines, which encrypts virtual machines through BitLocker, and protections for administrator credentials.
The partnership with Docker will provide customers with access to CS Docker Engine at no extra cost, as well as enterprise support for the package.
The agreement will also see Docker and Microsoft jointly promoting Docker Datacenter to allow IT professionals to secure the software supply chain for Windows Server and manage containerised Windows Server workloads.
Windows Server 2016 furthers Microsoft’s partnership with Docker.
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In a blog post on the Windows site, Erin Chapple, General Manager of Windows Server, said that the operating system had been made more flexible and cost-efficient for data centres, using software-defined compute, storage and network features.
Windows Server 2016 is now available at the TechNet Evaluation Center for customers to test the operating system. The site provides multiple download options, ISO and a Nano Server VHD, as well as the ability to evaluate in a virtual machine.
It will be on the October price list, while volume licensing customers will be able to download the fully licensed software in mid-October.
Microsoft made some other announcements at the Ignite conference, including the launch of the Windows Defender Application Guard for Microsoft Edge.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced a range of products at the Ignite conference.
The solution uses a hardware-based container to isolate potentially harmful browser activity and prevent it from infecting the rest of the machine.
The solution will be available to Windows Insiders in the next few months and to general users next year.
Microsoft also announced that it was introducing threat intelligence sharing between WDATP and Office 365 Advanced Threat Protection and Windows Upgrade Analytics, a free service to analyse an environment’s readiness to upgrade to Windows 10.
