Product Roadmap

Third Party Applications Now available, Windows Server 2008 is the next major Windows Server release. Windows Server 2008, with available Web and virtualization technologies, enables you to increase the reliability and flexibility of your server infrastructure. New virtualization tools, Web technologies, and security enhancements help you save time, reduce costs, and provide a solid foundation for a dynamic and optimized datacenter. Windows Server 2008 is currently available for evaluation.

The following table summarizes the product roadmap for Windows Server from 2007 and beyond, including service packs, feature packs, update releases, and the next major release:

Product Releases and Updates	Details
2007
Windows Server 2003 SP2	A cumulative service pack that includes the latest updates and provides enhancements to security and stability.
Windows Home Server	Windows Home Server, released on July 16, 2007, is designed to help families centralize and connect their digital experiences, providing a familiar, easy, and reliable way to store, access, share, and automatically help protect what is most important.
2008 and beyond
Windows Server 2008	Windows Server 2008, released on February 27, 2008, builds on the success of predecessor Windows Server operating systems. Windows Server 2008 is designed to provide organizations with the most productive platform for powering applications, networks, and Web services from the workgroup to the datacenter with valuable new functionality and powerful improvements to the base operating system.
Windows Essential Business Server 2008	Windows Essential Business Server, is an all-in-one integrated multi-server solution designed and priced specifically for midsize businesses. Windows Essential Business Server provides the essential technology needed for a highly secure and reliable infrastructure.
Windows Small Business Server 2008	Windows Small Business Server 2008, is an all-in-one server solution designed to help you keep your data more secure and your company more productive.
Windows Server 2008 SP2	Windows Server 2008 SP2. A cumulative service pack that includes the latest updates and provides enhancements to security and stability. Note: Windows Server 2008 was released including Service Pack 1.
Windows Server 2008 Foundation	Windows Server 2008 Foundation provides proven and reliable technology to run most small-business applications. Delivering an affordable platform for the core portfolio of IT capabilities, including file and print sharing, remote access and security.
Windows Server 2008 R2	Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 will be the next version of the Windows Server operating system from Microsoft. Building on the features and capabilities of the current Windows Server 2008 release version, Windows Server 2008 R2 allows you to create solutions that are easier to plan, deploy, and manage than previous versions of Windows Server. Windows Server 2008 R2 will be broadly available on October 22.
Windows 2000 Server End of life	Extended Support for Windows 2000 Server will end on July 13, 2010. At this time, Windows 2000 will no longer be publicly supported. However, “Self-Help Online Support”* will be available.
Windows Server 2003 Extended Support Phase	On July 13, 2010, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2003 R2 will transition from the Mainstream Support phase to the Extended Support phase. These support transition dates are in accordance with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy.

Release Cycle for Windows Server

Microsoft aims to provide a predictable Windows Server release cycle to help customers with long-term planning and budgeting. The goal is to provide a major Windows Server release approximately every four years, followed by a release update approximately two years after each major release:

Major Releases. Major Windows Server releases include a new kernel and therefore are capable of supporting new hardware (for example, 64-bit and Itanium); new programming models; and improved fundamentals, such as security and reliability. Changes of this nature can sometimes impact the compatibility of the new operating system with existing hardware and software.
Update Releases. Update releases integrate the previous major release with the latest service pack, selected feature packs, and new functionality. Because an update release is based on the previous major release, customers can incorporate it into their environment without any additional testing beyond what would be required for a typical service pack. Any additional functionality provided by an update would be optional and thus not affect application compatibility or require customers to recertify or retest applications.
Service Packs. Service packs incorporate all of the current critical, non-critical, and customer-requested updates into one convenient package that has been extensively regression-tested by Microsoft and by customers during a beta test program. Service packs may also include new security enhancements. To the greatest extent possible, Microsoft strives to maintain application compatibility between service pack releases and performs extensive application compatibility tests with each service pack. Application compatibility issues are usually restricted to applications that inappropriately use private, internal interfaces or system calls.
Feature Packs. On occasion, Microsoft will release feature packs. However, to simplify the update process for system administrators and IT implementers, Microsoft plans to substantially reduce the number and frequency of stand-alone feature pack releases. Instead, most feature packs will be integrated into the update releases and major releases.

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