By CTI | Aug 01, 2019 | Blog

If you’re a Windows user, you’ve likely heard the news: A new server update is here, and it’s big. Built upon its 2016 predecessor, Windows Server 2019 brings innovative applications and heightened security to its users, including cloud capabilities and a Windows Admin Center. With the dawn of these new features, there’s never been a better time—or a better reason—to upgrade.

Time is of the essence, especially if you’re running Windows 2008, which will reach its end of life date in January 2020. What does this mean for current users? If you neglect to update your server this year, you could face a number of complications moving forward, including:

  • An inability to receive updates, patches, and support from Microsoft.
  • Potential incompatibility with other software.
  • The ineffectiveness of your current security measures, leaving your data extremely vulnerable to malicious activity.

Why Update Now?

It’s important to note that this update is not an overnight process and requires careful planning to efficiently transfer your system from old to new. Switching to Windows Server 2019 is a complex project made simple with the guidance and expertise of our IT consultants. Your data is in good hands with CTI’s technical team, who can carefully prepare and execute your server migration.

Migrating or updating your server to the latest version is more efficient than running an outdated one. If you’re still on the fence about updating, the benefits are sure to sway you. Have a closer look at what Windows Server 2019 can provide.

The Benefits & Features of Windows Server 2019

Windows Server 2019 is a Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC), which aims to ensure longevity and functional stability in the coming years. A LTSC continues to receive security and non-security updates while its features and functionality remain static. This means less time updating and migrating every other year and more time learning, developing, and loving your server’s features.

When it comes to your data, security should be top of mind. That’s why the latest Windows servers are compatible with Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP), which exposes memory and kernel-level attacks and then responds by suppressing malicious files and processes. Threat and vulnerability management, attack surface reduction, endpoint detection, and more security solutions are covered through this platform, keeping your data private and protected.

This new server is also compatible with the Windows Admin Center: a locally deployed, browser-based app for managing servers, clusters, hyper-converged infrastructure, and Windows 10 PCs. This installment simplifies the IT administrator experience by compiling management tools into one coherent center. It comes at no additional cost and is ready to use with your Windows Server 2019 subscription.

If you’ve had difficulty migrating servers in the past, the all-new Storage Migration Service makes it easier to update to a newer version of Windows Server. It provides a graphical tool that inventories data on servers, transfers the data and configuration to newer servers, and optionally moves the old servers to new without requiring apps or users to change a thing.

Curious about applications? Here’s one of many updates from Windows Server 2019: It is now possible to run Windows and Linux-based containers on the same container host—and using the same Docker daemon. This enables you to have a diverse container host environment while providing flexibility to application developers. Built-in support for Kubernetes and container improvements are just two of many other features present on Windows Server 2019.

Failover clustering is more functional than ever with this new server, minimizing disruptions to service and increasing the availability and scalability of clustered roles. The introduction of cluster sets allows you to increase the number of servers in a single software-defined data center (SDDC) solution beyond the current limits of a cluster. With these cluster sets, you can migrate virtual machines in real time between clusters within the set.

A number of updates have been made to enhance failover clustering, including cross-domain cluster migration and infrastructure improvements. More information can be found in Microsoft’s documentation on failover clustering.

The list of benefits and new features only grows from there: Windows Server 2019 introduces the hybrid cloud and revamps the desktop experience. It provides a stronghold for your data and expands storage capabilities. This technology is available now, and waiting too long to migrate could leave your system and security at high risk.

Getting Started

CTI’s highly experienced technical team can help you with this migration based on your organization’s needs and budget. We’ll also take a hard look at your system requirements and give a reliable timeline of the update process. Get in touch with a representative to start planning your server migration today.