If you’re a business owner interested in utilizing virtualization technology, you have a lot of options for how to go about that. However, there is one virtualization vendor you’re probably already comfortable with: Microsoft. Read on for more information on the new and exciting features packaged with the Windows operating system.

A brief history of Windows Server

The Windows Server operating system has been around for decades. As an advanced option for onsite servers, this operating system grants access to high-level access management settings, DNS customizations, and network configuration management. In fact, it’s such a complicated solution that Microsoft offers certification courses for each version of the operating system.

The most recent iteration of this operating system is Windows Server 2016 (WS16). Released on October 12th, 2016, Microsoft’s latest server software included countless improvements to its networking and user management features. Where it really shines however, is in the ways it handles virtualized computing.

Virtualization in Windows Server 2016

As with just about anything in the virtualization world, containers dominate the WS16 conversation. Containers use software to aggregate the bare minimum requirements that one application needs to run -- hardware, software and operating system -- and deliver that package across a network to computers that lack one or more of those requirements. For example, if you want to run a Mac application that requires a huge amount of processing power on a bare-bones Windows workstation, you can create a container with the necessary components on your server and let the workstation access it remotely.

WS16 users have access to two types of container deployments: Hyper-V and Windows Server containers. To the average business owner, the differences between these two options is minute, but what is important is Microsoft’s commitment to compatibility. If virtualization is important to you, choosing WS16 is a great way to ensure that you’ll be ready for whatever develops among the disparate providers.

Another great virtualization feature in WS16 is software-defined storage (SDS). It’s a complicated solution, but it essentially allows you to create hard drive partitions outside of the confines of hardware limitations. You can create a single drive by pooling storage space from three different servers, or you can create several separate drives for virtualized workstations to access.

Obviously, managing a server is no easy task -- regardless of whether or not you implement a virtualized infrastructure. That complexity comes with some compatibility issues; if your business relies on old software, it may not have been updated to run with WS16. For everything from creating a transition plan to managing your virtualized framework, give us a call today.

The post Containers in Windows Server 2016 appeared first on Complete Technology Resources, Inc..