Windows Server 2012

I know - we have at least a year before we need to start worrying about this. The leaks all seem to point to a likely mid 2012, but I have some questions here.

1. What's on your wish list for the next version of Windows Server?
2. Are you going to start reveiwing in prep for the MCITP beta exams?
2.A - If so when do you intend on starting to review?
3. What sort of technologies would encourage you to upgrade your current systems?

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Comments

Claymoore

Simplify the licensing. I think licensing for every MS product is needlessly complex.

I would like to see 2012 to go beyond clustering and virtualization and move to full private clouds. Make RAM and CPU cycles available for most server applications to share.

I would also like to see Windows Storage Server to cease being an OEM only product and go mainstream.

I'll take the beta exams if I get invited, but my prep time will depend on how many new features I will have to learn.

RobertKaucher

Claymoore wrote: »

Simplify the licensing. I think licensing for every MS product is needlessly complex.

...

I would also like to see Windows Storage Server to cease being an OEM only product and go mainstream.

Totally agree with these two.

I was expecting Storage Server to be included in 2008 R2 - but I was let down.I guess when they said next release they ment full release - not R2 release...

Mojo_666

1. What's on your wish list for the next version of Windows Server?
2. Are you going to start reveiwing in prep for the MCITP beta exams?
2.A - If so when do you intend on starting to review?
3. What sort of technologies would encourage you to upgrade your current systems?

I will look at beta products and fanny about with them as per usual. I will do certs and start to care when the market dictates and not MS. What would I like to see doesn't matter so I do not have a wish list. I will just roll with it whatever happens and get certified when it is required just like I always have.

RobertKaucher

Mojo_666 wrote: »

What would I like to see doesn't matter so I do not have a wish list.

Well, it does matter. Perhaps not because I expect MS to be reading this forum and going back in time 2 years to implement our advice, but to see if other people are having similar experiences to myself.

While the opinion of a single individual might not change the tide of MS, it certainly matters in that it increases the understanding of our shared professional experiences of the past 3 to 9 years regarding their products.

Jarhead2011

Claymoore wrote: »

Simplify the licensing. I think licensing for every MS product is needlessly complex.

I would like to see 2012 to go beyond clustering and virtualization and move to full private clouds. Make RAM and CPU cycles available for most server applications to share.

I would also like to see Windows Storage Server to cease being an OEM only product and go mainstream.

I'll take the beta exams if I get invited, but my prep time will depend on how many new features I will have to learn.

I agree. Definitely need to simplify licensing.
Guess I have to work faster for my MCSE 2003 then upgrade to MCITP:EA,
but hopefully this will all happen this year then I'd start looking at the beta exams.

mikedisd2

RobertKaucher wrote: »

1. What's on your wish list for the next version of Windows Server?

It's a very small point, but I would like Explorer.exe to present like a server should; drives only to be displayed. No Favourites, My Documents, My Computer, My Music, My Videos, etc. These things have no place on a server and it seems a bit lazy on MS' behalf to just leave what was on the desktop OS file manager.

Powershell should have a much smarter interface, like notepad++, not just a monochrome prompt. Using the same cmd line interface of 18 years ago isn't acceptable.

Essendon

mikedisd2 wrote: »

It's a very small point, but I would like Explorer.exe to present like a server should; drives only to be displayed. No Favourites, My Documents, My Computer, My Music, My Videos, etc. These things have no place on a server and it seems a bit lazy on MS' behalf to just leave what was on the desktop OS file manager.

Agreed.

undomiel

I'm in 100% agreement on the Storage Server.

tenrou

Add me to the storage server request list as well.

earweed

I agree with Claymoore above. Since I'm just finishing my MCITP:EA 2012 wont be a big review deal for me.

it_consultant

I would make server 2012 a lot more like Red Hat and other professional linux distributions. Instead of having a different version for core and full - just give me one huge installer and let me pick the features I want to install. For example, I want a core installation that runs IIS PLUS I want the full IIS GUI to run on the core server. IISMGMT.msc or whatever. In linux I get to install a component, say its BIND, I can also specify whether I want the BIND GUI.

Windows Server will never be an appliance based OS like UNIX / Linux, but I would like to see it a little more memory and processor lean.

Devilsbane

it_consultant wrote: »

I would make server 2012 a lot more like Red Hat and other professional linux distributions. Instead of having a different version for core and full - just give me one huge installer and let me pick the features I want to install.

I wonder if it would be possible to install both, and then use like a dual boot type thing. Both are going to be reading the same configuration files, but then you can build your setup and do your troubleshooting using the GUI, and then you can load up the CLI to actually run on for the performance benefits. Then you can do your maintnance here.

Mishra

Instead of the complexity of group policy management, I would love to see you be able to go into a graphical visual of the application you want to lock down, and right click "hide" each option you would like to disable/hide to the user.

This way you can customize your applications to the needs of the customer without disabling other functions you would rather leave enable. Example, go into your IE gui management, right click tools, click hide. Then publish that setting like a group policy.

I would love them to publish an API for this as well so companies like Citrix/Mozilla could incorporate their application to use this feature.

Claymoore

it_consultant wrote: »

Windows Server will never be an appliance based OS like UNIX / Linux, but I would like to see it a little more memory and processor lean.

It won't?
Next Version of Windows to Run on System-on-a-Chip Architectures

If Server 2012 and Windows 8 are going to share the same code base, don't be shocked to see a Hyper-V 2012 on a chip appliance.

it_consultant

Claymoore wrote: »

It won't?
Next Version of Windows to Run on System-on-a-Chip Architectures

If Server 2012 and Windows 8 are going to share the same code base, don't be shocked to see a Hyper-V 2012 on a chip appliance.

It will be interesting to see if that happens. Of course, the low resource nature of UNIX / Linux are not the only reason why Linux is favored for appliances. I am less interested in seeing Windows appliances as I am interested in seeing the Windows server run at 128 MB of memory when idle.

Claymoore

Claymoore wrote: »

I would like to see 2012 to go beyond clustering and virtualization and move to full private clouds. Make RAM and CPU cycles available for most server applications to share.

Looks like we are going to get some form of application management in private clouds with SCVMM 2012. We won't even have to wait for Server 2012 as SCVMM 2012 was just released to beta.

Cloud Management
Abstract server, network and storage resources into private clouds

Delegate access to private clouds with control of capacity, capabilities and user quotas

Enable self-service usage for application administrator to author, deploy, manage and decommission applications in the private cloud

System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2012 Beta Available Now! - System Center Virtual Machine Manager - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

alan2308

RobertKaucher wrote: »

1. What's on your wish list for the next version of Windows Server?

A release date that falls before I graduate and lose access to the school's MSDN-AA.

brad-

Jesus christ already. Its like they wont let us catch our breath before releasing the next flavor. If anything is going to devalue MS certs, its putting out new product in this rapid succession.

SQL 2k5 - 2k8
Server 2k8 - 2k12
Exchange 2k7 -2k10
Office 2k7 - 2k10
Vista - W7

In all seriousness, that is too fast for a business model to try to adopt new technology. 4 years is not a very long gap for a server OS IMHO. I wish they would just hold the product line to perfect it a bit more before releasing, not just to put out a better product, but also to help let the world catch up with the technology and boost the cert values.

RomBUS

phoeneous wrote: »

This would be epic.

My sentiments exactly

I like that idea!

Claymoore

phoeneous wrote: »

This would be epic.

And it already exists:
PolicyPak Professional & Design Studio | Desktop Management

bertieb

brad- wrote: »

Jesus christ already. Its like they wont let us catch our breath before releasing the next flavor. If anything is going to devalue MS certs, its putting out new product in this rapid succession.

SQL 2k5 - 2k8
Server 2k8 - 2k12
Exchange 2k7 -2k10
Office 2k7 - 2k10
Vista - W7

You forgot SQL Server 2011 which is just around the corner

If they would sort the licensing model that would suit me just fine.

RobertKaucher

brad- wrote: »

Jesus christ already. Its like they wont let us catch our breath before releasing the next flavor. If anything is going to devalue MS certs, its putting out new product in this rapid succession.

SQL 2k5 - 2k8
Server 2k8 - 2k12
Exchange 2k7 -2k10
Office 2k7 - 2k10
Vista - W7

In all seriousness, that is too fast for a business model to try to adopt new technology. 4 years is not a very long gap for a server OS IMHO. I wish they would just hold the product line to perfect it a bit more before releasing, not just to put out a better product, but also to help let the world catch up with the technology and boost the cert values.

I don't think there are really huge leaps or changes in the OSes or Server Apps at this point. A lot of the changes are on the scale of XP to XP SP2.

But as far as the SQL Server stuff goes, I think it is killer. I am fine with the product's stability and the new features they are releasing are really quite cool.

IMO - unless you hold certs in a really wide range of topics this will actually increase the value of certification as certification becomes more difficult and dumpers easier to detect.

jibbajabba

bertieb wrote: »

If they would sort the licensing model that would suit me just fine.

Aw man isn't that the truth ... Hosting ... SPLA ..... private .... public .... virtualization ... you name it .. what a mine field ...

RobertKaucher

Gomjaba wrote: »

Aw man isn't that the truth ... Hosting ... SPLA ..... private .... public .... virtualization ... you name it .. what a mine field ...

You mean "make-it-up-as-you-go-along" is not ok for you guys?

rsutton

Better interoperability with Mac's, to the point where you can manage your business with a single Windows server instead of requiring an OSX server as well.

An update, or maybe a replacement for the RDP client, so that it has a terminal mode. While there are 3rd party and even free options for this, it would be better if it were packaged within Windows, IE client-less.

I'd also love the ability to be able to log in as a user using my privileged account.

darkerz

From a real world perspective; Make it cheaper and simplify licensing.

From a hobbying perspective; Strip the GUI on Enterprise or Datacenter servers entirely. I hate it when tech support RDP's to our Enterprise, full priv., center of the world server and clicks around.

On one hand, we contract their company to do support.

On the other... Some of them tend to think our machines are lab machines. Office politics never gets old with new hires.

Claymoore

Claymoore wrote: »

I would also like to see Windows Storage Server to cease being an OEM only product and go mainstream.

Microsoft has released the iSCSI target software from Storage Server as a free download for Server 2008 R2. Now you can use Windows to provide shared storage for clustering so you no longer need a SAN for HA in your lab or branch office.

Download details: Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3

Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 for Windows Server 2008 R2 available for public download - Jose Barreto's Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

Mishra

Thought of another one...

GPO Snapshotting

jibbajabba

Claymoore wrote: »

Microsoft has released the iSCSI target software from Storage Server as a free download for Server 2008 R2. Now you can use Windows to provide shared storage for clustering so you no longer need a SAN for HA in your lab or branch office.

Download details: Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3

Microsoft iSCSI Software Target 3.3 for Windows Server 2008 R2 available for public download - Jose Barreto's Blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

Was about time .. Server 2003 WUDSS (Windows Unified Storage Server) was a pain in the neck .. one wrong step of the install and you can start from scratch (we're OEM partner), having said that - Server 2003 WUDSS performs a lot better than 2008R2 with installed target.