For decades, Microsoft has developed and supported operating systems within the Windows Server family designed for use on server hardware. These operating systems serve as the foundation for enterprise information systems worldwide. Every few years, an updated major version of Windows Server is released, typically bringing significant progress in terms of performance, security, manageability, and other key aspects.
The latest version to date, Windows Server 2022, also boasts an impressive list of innovations. Let’s delve into the significant changes present in the Standard variant, one of the three main editions of Windows Server aimed at small and medium-sized enterprises.
High Performance for Any Task
A crucial advantage of Windows Server 2022 Standard is its ability to effectively utilize all the resources of modern server hardware when tackling various business tasks. This operating system is ready to serve as the foundation for systems handling and processing big data, application, and desktop virtualization, deploying corporate databases and web services, as well as other resource-intensive applications.
Thanks to support for the latest multicore processors and up to 4 TB of RAM, Windows Server 2022 Standard enables maximum performance from available hardware. Core optimizations for handling large amounts of data streams and hardware virtualization capabilities through Hyper-V further accelerate the execution of demanding tasks.
Moreover, the new version introduces enhanced input and output capabilities for working with data storage, such as support for new high-speed protocols like SMB over QUIC, optimizations for storage network bandwidth, and higher fault tolerance of file resources. This allows for efficient use of Windows Server 2022 Standard in building high-performance data storage network infrastructures.
Thus, the new version provides everything needed to deploy solutions for almost any business task requiring significant computational power and the ability to store large volumes of data.
Reliable Protection Against Cyber Threats
In an environment where cyberattacks and confidential data breaches are becoming increasingly common and dangerous, ensuring reliable protection of enterprise IT infrastructure is critically important. Developers of Windows Server 2022 have paid special attention to enhancing security.
The Standard Edition comes with extended malware protection capabilities. This includes the Windows Defender module with built-in and cloud components for threat detection, as well as support for third-party antivirus solutions.
However, Windows Server 2022 implements a range of higher-level security measures. Among them are:
- Secure server core: a technology that enhances security at the lowest level by adding additional code integrity checks during boot, making it difficult to carry out attacks targeting executable code and hardware microprograms.
- Enhanced BitLocker data encryption system to protect confidential information on all media — both local server disks and removable drives.
- Additional isolation and protection of Hyper-V virtual machines from threats both from within and outside.
Convenience in Infrastructure Management
Another essential innovation in Windows Server 2022 worth paying close attention to is the expanded capabilities for conveniently administering the entire enterprise IT infrastructure. This applies to both physical servers and virtual machines.
The main innovation here is the revamped tool called Windows Admin Center. This web-oriented application with numerous ready-made modules allows managing various components from a unified browser interface: servers, server clusters, and virtual machines.
Windows Admin Center simplifies the execution of routine tasks such as:
- Monitoring system resources and the operability of individual services.
- Managing OS and software updates.
- Data backup and recovery.
The console has flexible access and notification settings, making it suitable for both individual work and team-based system administration.
Another important innovation in the management system is the built-in support for containerization technologies, which have gained widespread use recently. The presence of a Docker-like container environment in Windows Server 2022 makes it much easier and more efficient to organize the development, testing, and operation of business applications by isolating them from each other.
Hybrid Scenarios Based on the Cloud
Although the Standard edition is initially aimed at the on-premises infrastructure of small and medium-sized organizations, it is also well-suited for building hybrid IT infrastructures with the Microsoft Azure cloud.
Thanks to Azure Arc support, it is now possible to manage servers with Windows Server 2022 Standard from the cloud console alongside Azure virtual machines. This significantly simplifies the administration of the company’s entire IT landscape.
Moreover, the Azure cloud can be used as a platform for disaster recovery through the Site Recovery service. This solution allows configuring automated data backup from the local infrastructure to the cloud, with subsequent recovery in case of failures.
Thus, if necessary, Windows Server 2022 Standard can become part of an easily scalable and resilient hybrid solution based on the Microsoft cloud. At the same time, all the advantages of on-premises infrastructure in terms of cost, performance, and data security are preserved.
Conclusions
The Windows Server 2022 Standard Edition has every chance of being the optimal choice for building IT infrastructure for small and medium-sized enterprises that require a reliable and high-performing system with growth potential. It combines excellent performance, protection against cyber threats, and expanded remote management capabilities.
Having said that, Windows Server 2022 Standard, if necessary, can become part of a comprehensive hybrid infrastructure with the Azure cloud. This provides significant resilience for the future growth of the company. Furthermore, unlike the “higher” releases of Windows Server for large enterprises, Standard has an affordable licensing cost. Overall, it is a highly competitive solution worth considering.
