Product Roadmap

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.
Windows Server 2008 Beta 3	Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 is a code refresh of the next Windows Server major release. Distributed to early adopter customers, suggestions from developers and IT Professionals during the Beta 3 test are being incorporated into the final Windows Server 2008 release.
Windows Server 2008 RC0	Windows Server 2008 RC0 is another code refresh of the next Windows Server major release, distributed to early adopter customers and currently available for evaluation.
2008 and beyond
Windows Server 2008 RTM	Windows Server 2008, scheduled for release in early 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	Windows Essential Business Server, scheduled for release during 2008, is being designed to meet the needs of mid-sized organizations. Windows Essential Business Server will have its own central administration console for management and monitoring, a licensing enforcement engine, and setup that unifies the installation of several core products, including: Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007 security technologies, Microsoft SQL Server, and System Center Essentials management technologies.
Windows Small Business Server, code name "Cougar"	Windows Small Business Server, code name “Cougar,” is scheduled for release during 2008. This new version of Windows Small Business Server is available only in 64-bit and is being built to help improve management, protection, and business productivity. This version is being designed with an emphasis on both simplicity and integration.
Windows Storage Server 2008	Windows Storage Server 2008, scheduled for release during 2008, is the next version of Windows Storage Server and will incorporate a variety of new technical enhancements.
Windows Server 2008 R2	Scheduled for release during 2010.
Windows 2000 Server End of life	Windows 2000 support, including security updates, will end on July 13, 2010.

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.

Product Details

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