Session Highlight: Windows Server 2019 – The Next Generation of Software-Defined Datacenter

Aidan Finn from MicroWarehouse here again. Windows Server is not dead. Windows Server 2016 was not the last release of Windows Server. Microsoft has not abandoned Windows Server. In fact, Windows Server 2019 is going to be generally available in the next couple of months!

Windows Server 2016 was the first real software-defined data centre release of Windows Server, offering hyper-converged infrastructure (no need for any of that Nutanix stuff), and Azure-inspired software-defined networking … both of which are also used by Azure Stack! Software-defined allows you to drive down costs, use software to overcome hardware limitations, and even increase availability and performance.

That them continues in Windows Server 2019. The software-defined stuff gets better. Storage replica, LUN-based replication service for those who can’t afford what their SAN vendors have been trying to sell, is democratised, on-premises containers expand, and security gets better – it was already better than the competition.

There’s a lot to learn about, and when it came to finding a person who could explain it all, it was actually pretty easy. I’ve known Thomas Maurer for several years as a Hyper-V MVP. Thomas has been extremely effective at writing and presenting about Windows Server for years, and has been keeping conference attendees aware of the developments of Windows Server 2019 throughout the Insiders preview release program. In the last couple of years, if I have searched for something on Windows Server 2016, Thomas’s blog is often one of the results I visit.

 

Thomas Maurer
Cloud & DataCenter MVP, itnetX Lead Architect

Thomas Maurer works as a Lead Architect and Technology Lead (Member of the Executive Team) at itnetX AG, a consulting and engineering company located in Switzerland. Thomas helps companies to transform their business to the Cloud. Thomas is focused on Microsoft Technologies, especially Microsoft Cloud Platform based on Microsoft Azure, Office 365, System Center, Microsoft Virtualization and Microsoft Datacenter Solutions.

Thomas is heavily collaborating with Microsoft in several different programs such as Partner Cloud Solutions Architect (CSA), Azure Advisor and various Microsoft TAP and Preview Programs.

Before Thomas joined itnetX he has worked as Head of Microsoft Engineering for service provider where he was responsible for planning and implementing public cloud solutions based on Microsoft Technology.

Beside the certifications as Microsoft Certified IT Professional MCITP: Enterprise Administrator and MCTIP: Virtualization Administrator he is also one of the first Microsoft Certified Solution Experts for Private Cloud solutions, Server Infrastructure and Microsoft Certificated Solution Developer Azure Solutions Architect(MCSE: Private Cloud, MCSE: Server Infrastructure, MCSE: Windows Server, MCSD: Azure Solutions Architect).

 

Maybe Azure isn’t right for everything – and even if it is right, Windows Server probably will continue to play a big role as a guest operating system in an Azure virtual machine. If you want to know what you can do with the latest generation of Windows Server, them Thomas is the guy to tell you, so join us at Cloud Camp and ready yourself for the server OS that you will be deploying and managing soon.