Windows Server Datacenter: Azure Edition is not a new version of Windows Server, but for Azure users it works like one. It is an image and edition of Windows Server optimized to run on Azure and offers a number of new features that only work for Azure users.
SEE: The essential Microsoft Azure certification package (TechRepublic Academy)
This Azure-friendly approach to Windows Server has recently received several updates and is set to be further optimized in 2023 and beyond. In this report, we cover the latest features of Windows Server Azure Edition and what to expect in the near future.
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What is Windows Server Azure edition?
Microsoft Windows Server Datacenter: Azure Edition is one of the three major versions of Windows Server 2022. The other two versions have less Azure lean – Windows Server 2022 Standard and Windows Server 2022 Datacenter. Key differentiators of Azure Edition include advanced Azure networking, hot patching, SMB over QUIC, and storage replica compression. Otherwise, it shares some similarities with Windows Server 2022 Datacenter.
Using the Azure edition doesn’t necessarily mean you can only run it on the public cloud. from October 2022 you can also use it for virtual machines on an Azure Stack HCI cluster in your own infrastructure, as this hardware is specified and managed like the Azure public cloud.
You still can’t install Azure Edition on your own servers or run it in Hyper-V or other hypervisors. Also, you can’t run it on other clouds because it’s specifically optimized for Azure.
Is Azure Edition updated regularly?
Because it runs in the cloud, where Microsoft can update hardware, software, and services faster, the Azure Edition gets new features much earlier than the Long-Term Servicing Channel versions, which come out every three years.
Microsoft promises a new version of Windows Server Azure Edition every year, delivered through Windows Update rather than as a new OS that you would have to upgrade your VMs to. You can think of this approach as a replacement for the Semi-Annual Channel releases of Windows Server, which targeted organizations looking to move faster by using containers. Azure Stack HCI has taken over this role and you can run Azure Edition there too.
SEE: Microsoft Azure: A cheat sheet (TechRepublic)
New versions of the Azure Edition will be generally available in the fall of each year, but you can try out new features in VMs starting in the spring as part of the Windows Insider Program previews. If you choose to preview ahead of the fall release cycle, Microsoft advises that these features are still in development, are not ready for production workloads, and are not guaranteed to ship.
The current version is Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition, which now includes some features that were previewed earlier in 2022. The current preview – Windows Server VNext Datacenter: Azure Edition – will contain new functions from spring 2023.
New features in Windows Server Azure Edition 2022
hot patching
When Microsoft patches the servers running Azure, it doesn’t have to wait for them to shut down and restart. Instead, they are hotpatched, which happens fast enough that they don’t even stop responding on the network.
This requires a lot of control over the hardware and especially the drivers. There are too many variables for hotpatching to work well on the wide range of server hardware used on-premises, but Azure Automanage lets you apply security patches to Azure Edition VMs without rebooting.
This also works for Azure Stack HCI because it runs on validated hardware, allowing Microsoft to test with the combinations of hardware and drivers that hotpatching needs to deal with. Hot patching currently works with VMs using the Azure Edition Core image.
Moving away from thumbnails
There are many improvements to Azure Edition that don’t require you to use preview images for the next release. This is because they either came from updates in other products and services, or were added to the current Azure edition through Windows Update.
Access to Azure network functions
Azure Edition VMs using either Core or the Desktop Experience GUI can leverage some Azure networking features such as SMB over QUIC, which is the next generation of SMB with built-in compression and encryption. With this new feature, users can ensure their cloud file shares are just as secure as they are on their own networks.
SEE: Windows 11 cheat sheet: everything you need to know (TechRepublic)
SMB over QUIC now works on both Azure Stack HCI and Azure, meaning you can move away from VPNs to support remote workers using Windows 11, Windows Server 2022, or third-party clients for platforms like Android.
The QUIC client is built into Windows 11, so end users won’t notice any difference, but their connection is in a TLS 1.3 encrypted tunnel over UDP port 443 instead of TCP 445. The QUIC server is only available in Windows Server 2022 Azure version.
SMB compression in Storage Replica
When you use the Storage Replica feature to replicate volumes between servers or clusters for failover and disaster recovery, you may be moving large amounts of data over long distances, between data centers, or to Azure. The September 2022 Cumulative Update now allows Azure Edition users to use SMB compression for asynchronous replication in Storage Replica, which has been shown to significantly speed up the file transfer process.
Windows Server Azure Edition: New features for 2023 and beyond
Extended hotpatching access
Hotpatching is currently available for VMs using the Azure Edition Core image, but where it would be most useful would be with the desktop experience, as its additional features like the explorer shell and start menu make it more likely that security patches and updates are required.
VNext Azure Edition previews, coming Spring 2023, will include hot-patched VMs with desktop experience; You don’t need to reboot for monthly security updates. Although VMs still need to be restarted a few times a year to get a new baseline with a cumulative update, Microsoft estimates this change could require 12 restarts in a year to just four annual restarts.
Additional certificate-based security
In spring 2023 you can add additional client certificates to secure SMB via QUIC. SMB over QUIC already uses certificates on the file server that the SMB client must trust. However, with this spring update, you can also require clients to provide a certificate before they can connect, adding an extra layer of security to the process.
Easier ways to apply SMB compression
Currently there isn’t much documentation on setting up SMB compression in Storage Replica. In the future, users can use the Windows Admin Center GUI to configure them in the same way you can enable SMB compression for regular file shares. But for now you need to use these PowerShell commands to use the feature.
How to switch to Windows Server Azure Edition in your private cloud
Exchange licensed cores
If you want to move to Azure Stack HCI to use Azure Edition VMs but have already paid for Windows Server Datacenter Software Assurance, Microsoft waives the usual hosting and subscription fees. This means you can move licensed cores to Azure Stack HCI at no additional cost and run unlimited Windows Server guest workloads. For Azure Edition, you must be using Azure Stack HCI version 21H2 or 22H2 and have Azure benefits enabled.
Use Azure Arc and Azure Marketplace
Use Azure Arc to provision and manage VMs on Azure Stack HCI, and you can get images, including Azure Edition, from the Azure Marketplace to use with these VMs. To do this, you must use Arc-enabled Management Preview 2. By default, Azure Stack HCI uses Azure Edition images created through the Marketplace for new VMs, so these images take advantage of hotpatching and SMB over QUIC.
Download Azure Edition ISOs
You can also download Azure Edition ISOs to create new VMs or upgrade an existing VM in Azure Stack HCI. The download is not restricted in any way, so you can experiment with running it in a VM on other hardware if you don’t already have Azure Stack HCI hardware available. although it is not supported there. If you’re using an ISO for Azure Edition, you’ll need to configure hotpatching yourself instead of using Azure Automanage.
As with managing SMB compression for storage replicas, this may become easier in the future, but as Windows Server Azure Edition is designed to give you more benefits of Azure in your VMs, Azure tools will always be the easiest way to to manage them.
Alternatives to Windows Server Azure Edition
Although there are no real alternatives to Windows Server that integrate seamlessly with the Azure environment, several other operating systems and servers offer similar features and functionality for users who do not require Azure-specific functionality.
Open-source operating systems and servers, in particular, are a great option for users who want extra customization and strong user support communities. These are some of the best Windows Server Azure Edition alternatives to consider:
- TrueNAS
- Ubuntu Linux
- SUSE Linux Enterprise server
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Continue reading: 8 Best Alternatives to Microsoft Project (Free & Paid) (TechRepublic)
