Windows Server 8 Beta Available

A public beta of Windows Server 8 (a code name) was made available for testing in Mar. 2012. The beta exposes changes being made to the next version of Windows Server to make it a cloud-optimized platform capable of providing on-demand delivery of standardized IT services, running on shared resources. Although the changes may not appear as dramatic as Windows 8’s new Metro user interface and applications, they are significant and promise to enable a secure, scalable, multitenant infrastructure based on new and improved management, networking, storage, and virtualization features, which will require thorough evaluation.

A Platform for Cloud Computing

To make Windows Server 8 (WS8) a platform for cloud-optimized IT, Microsoft has leveraged the knowledge gained from running its own cloud services, such as Office 365, Xbox Live, and Windows Azure. According to Bill Laing, corporate vice president, Server and Cloud, “We have been able to apply many of our insights from Windows Azure to Windows Server 8, enabling us to deliver world-class cloud capabilities to enterprises of all sizes.” (The Windows Azure platform is Microsoft’s cloud-based application hosting environment that became commercially available in Feb. 2010.)