Windows Server 8 beta also available

Windows Server 8 also has a preview available today so head over to:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/hh670538.aspx

to grab it.

Mary Jo has again got a quick list of some new features:

• Users can choose Server Core Installation or Server with a GUI (the equivalent of the full installation option in Windows Server 2008 R2). Server Core is the default option.
• Increased scale and performance for Hyper-V virtual machines. Up to 1 terabyte of memory – up from 512 GB in the developer preview. There’s also an increase in virtual disk size supported, to 64 TB, from 16 TB in the Dev Preview
• Easier deployment of IIS 8
• Surfacing of ReFS, the new Resilient File System, in Windows 8, as well as support for new storage and server cluster mangement technologies
• Metro-Style Remote Desktop app and VOIP integration with Remote Desktop Services

The improvements around Virtual mMachines and the new ReFS file system are big news and our customers are asking about release dates already