Информация о выпуске Windows Server Windows Server release information

Корпорация Майкрософт обновила модель обслуживания. Microsoft has updated its servicing model. Semi-Annual Channel — это канал, для которого дважды в год выпускаются обновления, с 18-месячными сроками обслуживания для каждого выпуска. The Semi-Annual Channel is a twice-per-year feature update release with 18-month servicing timelines for each release. На этой странице вы сможете определить дату окончания поддержки для выпусков Semi-Annual Channel. This page is designed to help you determine the end of support date for the Semi-Annual Channel releases.

Канал Semi-Annual Channel позволяет клиентам, быстро внедряющим инновации, раньше начать использование возможностей новой операционной системы. Это особенно касается приложений, основанных на контейнерах и микрослужбах. The Semi-Annual Channel provides opportunity for customers who are innovating quickly to take advantage of new operating system capabilities at a faster pace, both in applications — particularly those built on containers and microservices. Подробные сведения см. в статье Windows Server servicing channels: LTSC and SAC (Каналы обслуживания Windows Server: LTSC и SAC). For more information see the Comparison of servicing channels. Клиенты также могут продолжить пользоваться выпусками в канале Long-Term Servicing Channel, которые будут выходить каждые 2–3 года. Customers also have the option to continue using the Long-Term Servicing Channel releases, which continue to be released every 2-3 years. Каждый выпуск Long-Term Servicing Channel получает 5 лет основной поддержки и 5 лет дополнительной поддержки. Each Long-Term Servicing Channel release is supported for 5 years of mainstream support and 5 years of extended support.

Текущие версии Windows Server по варианту обслуживания Windows Server current versions by servicing option

Выпуск Windows Server Windows Server release	Версия Version	Сборка ОС OS Build	доступность; Availability	Дата окончания основной фазы поддержки Mainstream support end date	Дата окончания дополнительной фазы поддержки Extended support end date
Windows Server версии 20H2 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core) Windows Server, version 20H2 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core)	20H2 20H2	19042.508.200927-1902 19042.508.200927-1902	20.10.2020 10/20/2020	10.05.2022 05/10/2022	См. заметку Review note
Windows Server версии 2004 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core) Windows Server, version 2004 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core)	2004 2004	19041.264.200508-2205 19041.264.200508-2205	27.05.2020 05/27/2020	14.12.2021 12/14/2021	См. заметку Review note
Windows Server версии 1909 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core) Windows Server, version 1909 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core)	1909 1909	18363.418.191007-0143 18363.418.191007-0143	12.11.2019 11/12/2019	11.05.2021 05/11/2021	См. заметку Review note
Windows Server версии 1903 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core) Windows Server, version 1903 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core)	1903 1903	18362.30.190401-1528 18362.30.190401-1528	21.05.2019 5/21/2019	08.12.2020 12/08/2020	См. заметку Review note
Windows Server 2019 (Long-Term Servicing Channel) (Datacenter, Essentials, Standard) Windows Server 2019 (Long-Term Servicing Channel) (Datacenter, Essentials, Standard)	1809 1809	17763.107.1010129-1455 17763.107.1010129-1455	13.11.2018 11/13/2018	09.01.2024 01/09/2024	09.01.2029 01/09/2029
Windows Server версии 1809 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core) Windows Server, version 1809 (Semi-Annual Channel) (Datacenter Core, Standard Core)	1809 1809	17763.107.1010129-1455 17763.107.1010129-1455	13.11.2018 11/13/2018	10.11.2020 11/10/2020	См. заметку Review note
Windows Server 2016 (Long-Term Servicing Channel) Windows Server 2016 (Long-Term Servicing Channel)	1607 1607	14393.0 14393.0	15.10.2016 10/15/2016	11.01.2022 01/11/2022	11.01.2027 01/11/2027

Завершение работы службы для Windows Server версии 1809 отложено из-за проблем с состоянием здоровья населения. End of service for Windows Server, version 1809 has been delayed due to the ongoing public health crisis. Дополнительная информация приведена в статье о поддержке. For more information, see our Support article.

В отношении Windows Server версии 1803 и более поздних действует современная политика жизненного цикла. Windows Server, version 1803 and later are governed by the Modern Lifecycle Policy. Подробные сведения о требованиях к обслуживанию и другую важную информацию см. в статье с вопросами и ответами о жизненном цикле продуктов Windows и статье со сравнением каналов обслуживания. See the Windows Lifecycle FAQ and Comparison of servicing channels for details regarding servicing requirements and other important information.

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What Is Windows Server and How Is It Different From Windows?

What make Windows Server different from regular versions of Windows? Learn more about Windows Server.

If you’re a regular computer user, you may have only come across the consumer-facing editions of Windows. But did you know that Microsoft also publishes an entire Windows Server line of its operating system?

Let’s take a look at the differences between Windows Server and normal Windows. We’ll see what Windows Server includes, what it leaves out, and why it’s so different.

What Is Windows Server?

Image Credit: Ana Mercedes Gauna/Wikimedia Commons

In case you’ve never heard of Windows Server, we’ll first explain what it is. Essentially, Windows Server is a line of operating systems that Microsoft specifically creates for use on a server. This means in almost all cases, Windows Server is used in business settings.

Microsoft has published Windows Server under that name since Windows Server 2003 launched in April 2003. However, even before this, server versions of Windows were available. For instance, Windows NT 4.0 was available in both workstation (for general use) and server flavors.

In almost all cases, normal users don’t need to worry about Windows Server. You won’t find it on the shelf in stores or accidentally download it from Microsoft when you mean to get the standard version. But it’s still interesting to learn about.

Windows Server vs. Regular Windows: The Basics

With just a quick glance, you might have trouble telling the difference between Windows Server and normal versions of Windows. The desktop looks the same, including the Taskbar, desktop icons, and Start button.

As it turns out, every Windows Server release corresponds to a consumer version of Windows. Windows Server 2003, for instance, is the server version of Windows XP. Current versions include Windows Server 2016, which is based on the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, and Windows Server 2019.

Because Windows Server and Windows share a code base, you can perform many of the same functions on both. You can download and install programs like browsers and photo editors on Windows Server, and many Windows basics like Notepad are included in Windows Server.

However, the two versions have more differences than similarities. Let’s review some of them.

Windows Server Has Enterprise Management Software

Because Windows Server is intended for businesses, it includes plenty of enterprise software. Below are a few roles that a server can perform thanks to these tools:

• Active Directory: Active Directory is a user management service that allows a server to act as a domain controller. Instead of logging into a local computer, the domain controller handles all user account authentication. See our explanation of Windows domains for more on this.
• DHCP: DHCP, or Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol, is a protocol that lets a server automatically assign IP address to all devices on the network. At home, your router probably handles this. But in a business setting, IT staff can take advantage of the greater DHCP functionality in Windows Server.
• File and Storage: Having a file server for your company is another common use. This allows you to keep important data in a central location and set permissions to control who can access what.
• Print Services: If a business has dozens of printers across the building, it’s a waste of time for IT staff to configure them individually for each new workstation. Setting up a print server allows you to easily map printers to computers and reduce redundant work.
• Windows Update Services: Often, businesses don’t want all Windows Updates to come through right away. By setting up a server as a Windows Update controller, you can route all workstation updates through that server and configure specific rules for how they should work.

These are only a few of the server roles Windows Server can handle. Often, a company will have more than one server and split the above roles across multiple devices.

Standard copies of Windows don’t include these capabilities out of the box. You can install some third-party tools to replicate some of this functionality, but it won’t be as robust.

Windows Server Has Fewer Hardware Limitations

Image Credit: Robert/Flickr

Most people don’t worry about the maximum amount of RAM they can put in their computer. Windows 10 Pro allows you to install up to a huge 2TB of RAM. However, the majority of users don’t have more than 32GB of RAM in their systems, so even installing 1TB of RAM would be insane.

Knowing this, can you believe that Windows Server supports up to 24TB of RAM? It also allows you to use up to 64 CPU sockets, which is much greater than the two sockets that Windows 10 Pro supports.

This might sound ridiculous, but there are good reasons for these high hardware caps. A server can power important functionality for hundreds of people in a business, so it often needs to be extremely powerful. For instance, a server running dozens of virtual machines needs loads of RAM in order to keep them all running smoothly at the same time.

Windows Server Doesn’t Include Extraneous Features

As you’d expect, Windows Server retains power user features like the Command Prompt and other administrative tools. However, Server editions of Windows strip out a lot of the quality-of-life features that Windows 10 includes.

For example, in Windows Server 2016 and 2019, you won’t see Microsoft Edge, the Microsoft Store, Cortana, and other handy Windows 10 features. It doesn’t bundle in apps like Your Phone, and you can’t activate the Linux terminal on Windows server, either. Server OSes also don’t let you log in with a Microsoft account. Because they’re designed for enterprise use, you don’t need these consumer-facing tools on a server OS.

Additionally, some apps check to see if you’re using Windows Server before you install them. In some cases, the app won’t work on a server version of Windows.

Windows Server is also much more locked down by default. It uses Internet Explorer as the default browser, but the security settings are much more restrictive than usual. This makes sense, as having a server compromised would be catastrophic compared to just a workstation.

Windows Server Has Different Pricing

As you may expect from a business-oriented product, Windows Server doesn’t come cheap. It’s much more expensive than a consumer version of Windows, and comes in various flavors depending on your needs.

Microsoft’s Windows Server 2019 pricing page gives an idea of what you might pay for the software. Depending on how many people will access the server, you also need to pay for CALs (Client Access Licenses) to use the services legally.

Businesses historically installed Windows Server on a physical onsite server, which has much greater hardware capabilities than a workstation, as discussed above. However, you also have the option of running Windows Server in a cloud service like Azure.

This allows you to offload the burden of maintaining a physical server to a cloud provider like Microsoft. In addition, this enables companies to spread the cost of upgrading out over a subscription instead of paying all at once for a new physical server. What works best depends on the specific organization’s needs.

Now You Understand Windows Server

In the end, though Windows Server and regular Windows share common code and look similar, they’re for totally different uses.

Consumer editions of Windows 10 are designed for maximum usability and don’t include software made for enterprise use. Meanwhile, Windows Server isn’t concerned with looking pretty. Its purpose is to run many services reliably that company users need.

Don’t know how to clean Windows 10? Here’s a clear step-by-step guide to getting your Windows PC nice and tidy again.

Ben is a Deputy Editor and the Onboarding Manager at MakeUseOf. He left his IT job to write full-time in 2016 and has never looked back. He’s been covering tech tutorials, video game recommendations, and more as a professional writer for over six years.

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Windows Server servicing channels: LTSC and SAC

Applies to: Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows Server (Semi-Annual Channel)

There are two primary release channels available to Windows Server customers, the Long-Term Servicing Channel and the Semi-Annual Channel.

You can keep servers on the Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), move them to the Semi-Annual Channel, or have some servers on either track, depending on what works best for your needs.

Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC)

This is the release model you’re already familiar with (formerly called the “Long-Term Servicing Branch”) where a new major version of Windows Server is released every 2-3 years. Users are entitled to 5 years of mainstream support and 5 years of extended support. This channel is appropriate for systems that require a longer servicing option and functional stability. Deployments of Windows Server 2019 and earlier versions of Windows Server will not be affected by the new Semi-Annual Channel releases. The Long-Term Servicing Channel will continue to receive security and non-security updates, but it will not receive the new features and functionality.

The current LTSC product is Windows Server 2019. If you want to stay in this channel, you should install (or continue using) Windows Server 2019, which can be installed in Server Core installation option or Server with Desktop Experience installation option.

Semi-Annual Channel

The Semi-Annual Channel is perfect for customers who are innovating quickly to take advantage of new operating system capabilities at a faster pace, focused in on containers and microservices. Windows Server products in the Semi-Annual Channel will have new releases available twice a year, in spring and fall. Each release in this channel will be supported for 18 months from the initial release.

Most of the features introduced in the Semi-Annual Channel will be rolled up into the next Long-Term Servicing Channel release of Windows Server. The editions, functionality, and supporting content might vary from release to release depending on customer feedback.

The Semi-Annual Channel is available to volume-licensed customers with Software Assurance, as well as via the Azure Marketplace or other cloud/hosting service providers and loyalty programs such as Visual Studio Subscriptions.

The current Semi-Annual Channel release is Windows Server, version 2004. If you want to put servers in this channel, you should install Windows Server, version 2004, which can be installed in Server Core mode or as Nano Server run in a container. In-place upgrades from a long-term servicing channel release aren’t supported because they are in different release channels. Semi-Annual Channel releases aren’t updates – it’s the next Windows Server release in the Semi-Annual Channel.

In this model, Windows Server releases are identified by the year and month of release: for example, in 2017, a release in the 9th month (September) would be identified as version 1709. Fresh releases of Windows Server in the Semi-Annual Channel will occur twice each year. The support lifecycle for each release is 18 months.

Should you keep servers on the LTSC or move them to the Semi-Annual Channel?

These are the key differences to take into account:

Do you need to innovate rapidly? Do you need early access to the newest Windows Server features? Do you need to support fast-cadence hybrid applications, dev-ops, and Hyper-V fabrics? If so, you should consider joining the Semi-Annual Channel by installing Windows Server, version 2004. As described in this topic, you will receive new versions twice a year, with 18 months of mainstream production support per release. You get it through volume licensing, Azure, or Visual Studio Subscription Services. Currently, releases in the Semi-Annual Channel require volume licensing and Software Assurance if you intend to run the product in production.

Do you need stability and predictability? Do you need to run virtual machines and traditional workloads on physical servers? If so, you should consider keeping those servers on the Long-Term Servicing Channel. The current LTSC release is Windows Server 2019. As described in this topic, you’ll have access to new versions every 2-3 years, with 5 years of mainstream support followed by 5 years of extended support per release. LTSC releases are available through all release mechanisms. Releases in the LTSC are available to anyone regardless of the licensing model they are using.

The following table summarizes the key differences between the channels:

Description	Long-Term Servicing Channel (Windows Server 2019)	Semi-Annual Channel (Windows Server)
Recommended scenarios	General purpose file servers, Microsoft and non-Microsoft workloads, traditional apps, infrastructure roles, software-defined Datacenter, and hyper-converged infrastructure	Containerized applications, container hosts, and application scenarios benefiting from faster innovation
New releases	Every 2–3 years	Every 6 months
Support	5 years of mainstream support, plus 5 years of extended support	18 months
Editions	All available Windows Server editions	Standard and Datacenter editions
Who can use	All customers through all channels	Software Assurance and cloud customers only
Installation options	Server Core and Server with Desktop Experience	Server Core for container host and image and Nano Server container image

Device compatibility

Unless otherwise communicated, the minimum hardware requirements to run the Semi-Annual Channel releases will be the same as the most recent Long-Term Servicing Channel release of Windows Server. For example, the current Long-Term Servicing Channel release is Windows Server 2019. Most hardware drivers will continue to function in these releases.

Servicing

Both the Long-Term Servicing Channel and the Semi-Annual Channel releases will be supported with security updates and non-security updates. The difference is the length of time that the release is supported, as described above.

Servicing tools

There are many tools with which IT pros can service Windows Server. Each option has its pros and cons, ranging from capabilities and control to simplicity and low administrative requirements. The following are examples of the servicing tools available to manage servicing updates:

• Windows Update (stand-alone): This option is only available for servers that are connected to the Internet and have Windows Update enabled.
• Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) provides extensive control over Windows 10 and Windows Server updates and is natively available in the Windows Server operating system. In addition to the ability to defer updates, organizations can add an approval layer for updates and choose to deploy them to specific computers or groups of computers whenever ready.
• Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager provides the greatest control over servicing. IT pros can defer updates, approve them, and have multiple options for targeting deployments and managing bandwidth usage and deployment times.

You’ve likely already chosen to use at least one of these options based on your resources, staff, and expertise. You can continue using the same process for Semi-Annual Channel Releases: for example, if you already use Configuration Manager to manage updates, you can continue to use it. Similarly, if you are using WSUS, you can continue to use that.

Where to obtain Semi-Annual Channel releases

Semi-Annual Channel releases should be installed as a clean installation.

Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC): Volume-licensed customers with Software Assurance can obtain this release by going to the Volume Licensing Service Center and clicking Sign In. Then click Downloads and Keys and search for this release.

Semi-Annual Channel releases are also available in Microsoft Azure.

Visual Studio Subscriptions: Visual Studio Subscribers can obtain Semi-Annual Channel releases by downloading them from the Visual Studio Subscriber download page. If you are not already a subscriber, go to Visual Studio Subscriptions to sign up, and then visit the Visual Studio Subscriber download page as above. Releases obtained through Visual Studio Subscriptions are for development and testing only.

Obtain preview releases through the Windows Insider Program: Testing the early builds of Windows Server helps both Microsoft and its customers because of the opportunity to discover possible issues before release. It also gives customers a unique opportunity to directly influence the functionality in the product. Microsoft depends on receiving feedback throughout the development process so that adjustments may be made as quickly as possible. Early testing and feedback is essential to the rapid release model. To get involved with the Windows Insider Program, see the Windows Insider Program for Server docs.

Activating Semi-Annual Channel releases

• If you’re using Microsoft Azure, this release should automatically be activated.
• If you’ve obtained this release from the Volume Licensing Service Center or Visual Studio Subscriptions, you can activate it by using your Windows Server 2019 CSVLK with your Key Management System (KMS) environment. For more info, see KMS client setup keys.

Semi-Annual Channel releases that were released before Windows Server 2019 use the Windows Server 2016 CSVLK.

Why do Semi-Annual Channel releases offer only the Server Core installation option?

One of the most important steps we take in planning each release of Windows Server is listening to customer feedback – how are you using Windows Server? What new features will have the greatest impact on your Windows Server deployments, and by extension, your day-to-day business? Your feedback tells us that delivering new innovation as quickly and efficiently as possible is a key priority. At the same time, for those customers innovating most quickly, you’ve told us that you’re primarily using command line scripting with PowerShell to manage your datacenters, and as such don’t have a strong need for the desktop GUI available in the installation of Windows Server with Desktop Experience, especially now that Windows Admin Center is available to remotely manage your servers.

By focusing on the Server Core installation option, we’re able to dedicate more resources toward those new innovations, while also maintaining traditional Windows Server platform functionality and application compatibility. If you have feedback about this or other issues concerning Windows Server and our future releases, you can make suggestions and comments through the Feedback Hub.

What about Nano Server?

Nano Server is available as a container operating system in the Semi-Annual Channel. See Changes to Nano Server in Windows Server Semi-Annual Channel for details.

How to tell whether a server is running an LTSC or SAC release

Generally speaking, Long-Term Servicing Channel releases such as Windows Server 2019 are released at the same time as a new version of the Semi-Annual Channel, for example, Windows Server, version 1809. This can make it a little tricky to determine whether a server is running Semi-Annual Channel release. Instead of looking at the build number, you must look at the product name: Semi-Annual Channel releases use the Windows Server Standard or Windows Server Datacenter product name, without a version number, while Long-Term Servicing Channel releases include the version number, for example, Windows Server 2019 Datacenter.

The below guidance is intended to help identify and differentiate between LTSC and SAC for lifecycle and general inventory purposes only. It is not intended for application compatibility or to represent a specific API surface. App developers should use guidance elsewhere to properly ensure compatibility as components, APIs, and functionality can be added over the life of a system, or not yet be added. Operating System Version is a better starting point for App Developers.

Open Powershell and use the Get-ItemProperty Cmdlet, or the Get-ComputerInfo Cmdlet, to check these properties in the registry. Along with build number, this will indicate LTSC or SAC by the presence, or lack thereof, of the branded year, i.e. 2019. LTSC has this, SAC does not. This will also return the timing of the release with ReleaseId or WindowsVersion, i.e. 1809, as well as whether the installation is Server Core or Server with Desktop Experience.

Windows Server 2019 Datacenter Edition (LTSC) with Desktop Experience example:

Windows Server, version 1809 (SAC) Standard Edition Server Core example:

Windows Server 2019 Standard Edition (LTSC) Server Core example:

To query if the new Server Core App Compatibility FOD is present on a server, use Get-WindowsCapability Cmdlet and look for: