Microsoft’s release of Windows Server 2025 in November 2024 marks a significant evolution in its server operating system offerings, bringing forth a suite of enhancements designed to meet the diverse needs of modern enterprises. As organizations contemplate an upgrade, it is essential to delve into the distinguishing features of this latest version compared to its predecessors.
Compare the Windows Server 2025 editions
Windows Server 2025 is available in several editions, each tailored to specific organizational needs. These include Essentials, Standard, Datacenter, and Datacenter Azure. For smaller businesses with modest IT requirements, Windows Server Essentials may be the ideal choice. However, it’s important to note that licenses for this edition are not directly available from Microsoft; instead, they can only be acquired through hardware OEMs, pre-installed on server hardware. Additionally, Windows Server Essentials is restricted to servers with a single CPU and fewer than 10 cores.
The Standard and Datacenter editions share many similarities, yet they possess key differences. Notably, the Standard edition permits Hyper-V licensing for up to two virtual machines (VMs), while the Datacenter edition imposes no such limits. Furthermore, the Standard edition supports the disaster recovery feature, Storage Replica, but restricts it to a single partnership and one resource group, along with a volume size cap of 2 TB. In contrast, the Datacenter edition offers greater flexibility without these constraints.
Microsoft has optimized the Windows Server Datacenter Azure edition specifically for its cloud platform. Unlike the Standard and Enterprise editions, the Azure edition operates exclusively within a virtual machine environment. A notable distinction between the Datacenter and Datacenter Azure editions lies in their update delivery; while the Standard and Datacenter editions receive feature updates biennially, the Azure edition benefits from annual updates via Windows Update, including two major updates within the first three years.
Understand the Windows Server 2025 hardware requirements
To run Windows Server 2025, organizations must ensure their hardware meets specific requirements. A minimum of a 64-bit CPU operating at 1.4 GHz is necessary, with support for various instructions such as NX, DEP, and SSE4.2. The server can accommodate up to 2,048 logical processors.
The minimum memory requirement stands at 512 MB; however, for optimal performance, especially when utilizing the Desktop Experience, at least 2 GB of RAM is recommended, with 4 GB being ideal. For installations on physical hosts, error correction code RAM is required. Windows Server 2025 can support up to 4 petabytes of RAM on servers with five-level paging, a feature that enhances performance for demanding workloads.
While installation is possible on a system with just 32 GB of storage, Microsoft emphasizes that this is a bare minimum. For systems equipped with 16 GB or more of RAM, additional storage will be necessary for paging, hibernation, and memory dumps. A recommendation of 64 GB or more is suggested for those seeking optimal performance, particularly with Desktop Experience. Enhanced support for NVMe storage in Windows Server 2025 promises up to 90% more IOPS, further boosting efficiency for Hyper-V VMs hosted on NVMe over Fabrics storage.
Networking requirements dictate that a Gigabit Ethernet adapter compliant with PCIe standards is essential for Windows Server 2025.
Deprecated features in Windows Server 2025
As with any new release, Windows Server 2025 sees the deprecation of several features. It is crucial to understand that deprecated features remain functional but will not receive further enhancements and may be removed in future versions. Organizations relying on these features should seek alternatives to mitigate potential upgrade challenges down the line. The deprecated features include:
- Computer Browser
- Failover Clustering Cluster Sets
- L2TP and PPTP (in the Routing and Remote Access Services)
- Network Load Balancing
- NTLM
- TLS 1.0 and 1.1
- WebDAV Redirector service
- Windows Internal Database
- Windows Management Instrumentation Command-line
- VBScript
- Windows Server Update Services
Additionally, several features have been removed entirely from Windows Server 2025, including:
- IIS 6 Management Console
- NTLMv1
- Wordpad
- SMTP Server
- Windows PowerShell 2.0 Engine
Windows Server 2025 migration planning
Transitioning to a new Windows Server operating system is a significant undertaking, yet it can yield substantial benefits by leveraging new features and supporting the latest hardware. Before embarking on a migration to Windows Server 2025, organizations must confirm that their existing hardware aligns with the minimum requirements and consider the type of migration needed.
For those currently operating on Windows Server 2012 R2 or newer, an in-place upgrade to Windows Server 2025 is feasible. This upgrade path allows customers to utilize Windows Update for future Windows Server versions. However, organizations running older server versions must first upgrade to at least Windows Server 2012 R2 before progressing to Server 2025.
Prior to executing a migration on a production server, it is vital to conduct thorough testing in a lab environment. This testing should not only validate the migration process but also ensure that all workloads and applications function seamlessly on Windows Server 2025.
When ready to proceed with the migration, performing a comprehensive backup of the servers is essential. This precaution provides a rollback option should any significant issues arise during the transition. Additionally, testing the backup’s functionality before initiating the migration is highly advisable.
Brien Posey is a former 22-time Microsoft MVP and a commercial astronaut candidate. With over 30 years in IT, he has served as a lead network engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense and a network administrator for some of the largest insurance companies in America.
