When you buy a car, there are many different options available for the same model. Therefore organizations should only really be using more recent versions of Windows Server for the sake of security. Extended support for Windows Server 2008 R2 was scheduled to end in January of 2020, and Windows Server 2012 R2 will continue to receive updates until at least October of 2023. For example, the popular Windows Server 2003 launched in April of 2003, and extended support ended in 2015. Microsoft operating systems are typically supported for at least 10 years. The date that Microsoft releases it's last update for a product is known as the end of support date. And after this date passes, an obsolete OS version will be a much easier target for malware, since it will no longer receive security updates, and therefore vulnerable to newer exploits.

For example, Hyper-V virtualization, Server Core, and BitLocker were introduced in Windows Server 2008, and Windows Containers and Nano Server were introduced in Windows Server 2016.Īs the saying goes, 'nothing lasts forever.' And at a certain point, Microsoft stops issuing patches for older software. That left us with Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, 2008 (which also had an R2 version), 2012 (also with an R2), 2016, and 2019, etc.Įach new version of Microsoft Windows Server introduces new functionality. NT had versions such as 3.1, 3.51, and 4.0.īut in the year 2000, Microsoft started naming server versions after the year operating system initially launched.

Going back to the days of Windows NT in the 1990s, each version of Windows Server has had a unique version number appended to the name. Let's break down the differences between your options. While a wealth of options is generally a good thing, the decisions aren't always easy.Īnd with Windows Server, not only do you have different operating system versions to choose from, you also have different editions to consider. When deciding which version of Windows Server is right for your business, you have a lot of choices.

How can i buy windows server 2012 r2