Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Latest News
    • Servers
    • Virtualization

    Windows Server 2019 Preview Continues Trend Toward Smaller Containers

    Written by

    Pedro Hernandez
    Published May 30, 2018
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      Microsoft continues to reduce the size of its Windows Server Core container images in anticipation of Windows Server 2019’s impending release.

      Windows Server Core is a lightweight version of Windows Server tailored to virtualized application containers. Lacking a graphical interface and other software components that aren’t essential to running applications and software services, Windows Server Core is less demanding on server hardware and has a smaller attack surface, which improves cyber-security.

      In the server operating system preview build number 17677, available now to members of the Windows Insider early testing and feedback program, Microsoft’s software engineers were able to find new ways to shrink the operating system’s footprint further by turning their attention to typefaces.

      In a May 29 announcement, Microsoft’s Dona Sarkar, head of the Windows Insider program, and senior program manager Brandon LeBlanc, said their group had turned non-critical fonts into optional components and removed them from the Windows Server Core container images.

      “This change won’t affect the user experience of Windows Server Core, except that users now have the ability to enable or disable non-critical font components, like they can do for any other [optional component],” they stated.

      Windows Server 2019 build 17677 also brings some improvements to how administrators monitor Storage Spaces Direct over time.

      Storage Spaces Direct is a set of software-defined storage capabilities that allows customers to pool and manage storage capacity. Now, the new Get-ClusterPerf PowerShell commandlet (cmdlet) digs a little deeper when users request a performance history and Storage Spaces Direct feature doesn’t turns up anything despite an obvious problem. Using some new self-diagnosis logic, the cmdlet seeks out common issues that may keep the software from generating an accurate report.

      Two other cmdlets, Start-ClusterPerformanceHistory and Stop-ClusterPerformanceHistory, help users troubleshoot the performance history feature when they encounter issues. Finally, performance history now provides insights into how much data Storage Spaces Direct needs to repair and resynchronize on a per-server basis, the Microsoft executives said.

      As with any pre-release software, build 17677 contains bugs that may result in a less than optimal experience.

      Users hoping to test Windows Server 2019’s new in-place upgrade functionality are advised to turn off the NT Directory Service on servers running Active Directory Domain Controllers. In fact, Microsoft recommends backing up any domain controllers before attempting such an upgrade, just to be on the safe side.

      Introduced in test build 17639, the new in-place upgrade feature is intended to help customers let go of aging versions of the operating system by allowing administrators to install a newer version while retaining the old system’s settings and installed features. A new orchestration tool called Storage Migration Service (SMS) serves a similar purpose on the storage front, enabling automated data migrations to newer servers.

      Microsoft appears eager for users to put the in-place upgrade feature through its paces. The company is prioritizing feedback from users attempting upgrades from Windows Server 2012 R2 and Windows Server 2016, said Sarkar and LeBlanc. For now, updates from previous test builds are not supported, they added.

      Pedro Hernandez
      Pedro Hernandez
      Pedro Hernandez is a writer for eWEEK and the IT Business Edge Network, the network for technology professionals. Previously, he served as a managing editor for the Internet.com network of IT-related websites and as the Green IT curator for GigaOM Pro.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×