Microsoft Windows Server 2016

Support for the software-defined functions in Windows Server 2016 is provided by the virtualization capabilities of the HyperV hypervisor. Hyper-V in Windows Server supports an enterprise-level server computing environment to create and manage virtual machines. Organizations can run multiple operating systems on a physical computer and isolate the operating systems from each other to increase computing resource efficiency and free up hardware resources.

Hyper-V is constantly being improved and proven to handle large workloads, making it popular with many organizations. The latest release in Windows Server 2016 includes notable improvements in host and guest CPU and memory scaling, and the ability to host graphics processing unit (GPU) and Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) resources within a virtual machine, along with industry-leading networking and use storage technologies. For example, organizations can move a Hyper-V workload from on-premises to a Windows Server VM in Azure, or move virtualized networks between locations, including virtual to physical networks, along with network settings.

With Hyper-V, IT organizations can run multiple guest operating systems—Windows, Linux, and FreeBSD—on a single virtualization infrastructure. Microsoft contributes code for Linux and FreeBSD and works with vendors and communities to ensure these guests can achieve production-level performance and take advantage of complex Hyper-V features such as online backup, dynamic memory, and Gen 2 virtual machines.

Customers running Windows Server 2012 or Windows Server 2012 R2 can use the mixed operating system mode clustering features to upgrade infrastructure clusters to Windows Server 2016 with no downtime for Hyper-V or scaled file server workloads and no new hardware. For organizations looking to reduce data center size and increase VM density, the Nano Server installation option offers a small image - Windows Server 2016 with the Desktop Experience installation option is 25x larger.