Microsoft is hard at work to deliver on the successor to Windows Server 2019. Dubbed Windows Server vNext and Windows Server 21H2, previously, Windows Server now has a more official name: Windows Server 2022.

I took a look at Windows Server 2022 Preview build 20292.1, that was released on February 10th, 2021, and was compiled on February 5th, 2021, according to its filename.

About Windows Server 2022

Windows Server 2022 is the upcoming long-term servicing channel (LTSC) version of Windows Server. It will become the successor to Windows Server 2019.

This means it will become available as both a Full installation (with Desktop Experience) and Server Core installation, unlike the Semi-annual Channel (SAC) releases that are only available as Server Core installations.

Windows Server 2022 Preview Build 20292

Windows Server insiders can now use the latest Preview Build of Windows Server 2022, version 10.0.20292.1. This version is available as the following downloads:

1. ISO file
   You can use the Windows_InsiderPreview_Server_vNext_20292.iso file to install the Operating System at your own terms, either as a Standard Edition or a Datacenter Edition, either as an installation with Desktop Experience or as a Server Core installation. This download is available in Brazilian Portuguese, simplified Chinese, traditional Chinese, Czech, Duth, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish and Turkish language and weighs 4,4 GB.
2. VHDX file
   To mount the Window Server Insider Preview as a virtual machine hard disk, the *.vhdx file is excellent material. This download is only available in the English language and weighs 8,1 GB
3. Language Pack and Features on Demand (FoD)
   The Windows_Server_InsiderPreview_LangPack_FOD_20292.iso file contains language packs and the Features on Demand installation files. It weighs 5,7 GB.
4. Finally, the Windows Admin Center Preview – build 2012 is also available for download. Windows Admin Center can be used to manage Windows Server remotely.

Windows Server 2022 Preview build 20292 installations expire on October 31st, 2021.

What’s to be expected

Windows Server 2022 builds upon the foundation that was laid with Windows Server 2016. Expect many evolutionary features. Here’s what is known so far:

Microsoft Edge

The new Microsoft Edge browser, based on the Chromium engine will be installed by default on Windows Server 2022 installations with desktop experience. (Full installations). This is good news, because Microsoft plans to deprecate the Internet Explorer compatibility in most of its cloud services in the coming period.

TLS 1.3

Windows Server 2022 will likely be the first Windows Server version to support TLS 1.3. While Microsoft’s cloud services have standardized on TLS 1.2 lately, TLS 1.2 is only deemed ‘sufficient’ in many legislator’s information security requirements. TLS 1.3 is currently deemed ‘good’. With Windows Server 2022 we can enjoy the latest and greatest to encrypt our traffic.

AES-256 Encryption for Server Message Block

Raising the security bar with Windows Server 2022, SMB now supports AES-256 Encryption.  There is also increased performance when using SMB encryption or signing with SMB Direct with RDMA enabled network cards.  SMB now also has the ability to do compression to improve network performance.

Concluding

Windows Server 2022 is going to be the next Windows Server version that is going to be supported for 10 years It will be with us for quite some time, from an infrastructure point of view.

Further reading

The next LTSC version of Windows Server is Windows Server 2022 
Server vNext is now officially Windows Server 2022