Updated: July 11, 2020 (March 26, 2012)

Windows Server 8 Timeline

Michael analyzed and wrote about Microsoft's operating systems, including the Windows client OS, as well as compliance and governance. Michael... more

The general availability date for Windows Server 8 (a code name) has not been announced, but it depends on the dates of several prerelease milestones. Two possible scenarios for the milestones are shown here.

The Windows Server 8 Developer’s (Dev) Preview was released in Sept. 2011, and the first public beta was released in Mar. 2012. Windows Server 8 will likely follow the development process of Windows 8, which received a Consumer Preview (beta) release in Feb. 2012. According to Steven Sinofsky, president, Windows and Windows Live, following the Consumer Preview will be a release candidate (RC), release to manufacturing (RTM), and general availability (GA) once computer manufacturers have tested the new OS version on their products.

Directions feels that if each of these phases took 90 days (optimistic) and there were only a single beta and RC, Windows Server 8 would likely be generally available in the last quarter of 2012 (top row in this chart). However, if any phase slipped or took longer or a second beta or RC was required, GA could be pushed into the first quarter of 2013 (bottom row).

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