A Roundup of WS2016 TPv3 Links

I thought that I’d aggregate a bunch of links related to new things in the release of Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 3 (TP3). I think this is pretty complete for Hyper-V folks – as you can see, there’s a lot of stuff in the networking stack.

FYI: it looks like Network Controller will require the DataCenter edition by RTM – it does in TPv3. And our feedback on offering the full installation during setup has forced a reversal.

Hyper-V

• Automatic exclusions for Windows Server Antimalware: The built in “Windows Defender” has automatic scanning exclusions for Hyper-V and CSV.

Administration

• Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10: Remote Server Administration Tools for Windows 10 lets IT administrators manage Windows Server Technical Preview from a remote computer running the full release version of Windows 10.
• Customer Experience Guides for Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 3: Try out the new technology.

Containers

• Microsoft and Mesosphere partner to bring Mesos’ container orchestration to Windows Server: Cross-platform container orchestration coming to Windows Server.
• Windows Containers: The what’s and how’s on implementing containers from the TechNet Library.
• Introducing the Technical Preview of Docker Engine for Windows Server 2016: A blog post by Docker.

Networking

• Deploy Software Defined Networks using scripts: For below.
• Software Defined Network scripts for Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview: Use these scripts to deploy Software Defined Networks on Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview. The infrastructure includes a network controller, an SLB/MUX, virtual networks, and associated ACLs.
• Datacenter Firewall Overview: An important network function virtualization (NFV).
• Network Function Virtualization Overview: NFVs convert traditional physical appliances to software-based elements in the Network Controller-managed fabric.
• Remote Direct Memory Access (RDMA) and Switch Embedded Teaming (SET): A new way to team host NICs, converged RDMA (Converged Network Interface Card (NIC)), and RDMA to vNICs in the management OS (without Live Migration support yet).
• GRE Tunneling in Windows Server Technical Preview: Linking tenant physical and on-premises sites with hosted virtual networks.
• What’s New in Hyper-V Network Virtualization in Windows Server Technical Preview: VXLAN support and Software Load Balancer with NAT.
• Network Controller: Network fabric management coming from Azure to Windows Server.

Storage

• SMB 3.1.1 Pre-authentication integrity in Windows 10: Improving protection from a man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacker in tampering with SMB2’s connection establishment and authentication messages.
• Data Deduplication in Windows Server Technical Preview 3: Bigger files, bigger volumes, built-in support for backup volumes.
• Storage Quality of Service in Windows Server Technical Preview: Storage QoS will support Hyper-V with SOFS AND it will also support Hyper-V with CSV (no SOFS).

 

Nano Server

• Getting Started with Nano Server: Easier setup and now has an emergency console.

Failover Clustering

• Site-aware Failover Clusters in Windows Server 2016: Easier location and predictable movement of resources in stretch clusters.
• Workgroup and Multi-domain clusters in Windows Server 2016: This is really something for the SQL folks that don’t require AD (subset of a subset). Note that Hyper-V is supported – but you only get Quick Migration because Live Migration requires AD.

Remote Desktop Services

• Announcing the MultiPoint Services Role in Window Server vNext Technical Preview: MultiPoint is now a role in Windows Server, and offers a great solution in education and SMEs.
• Remote Desktop Services in Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 3: A summary of improvements in a blog post.

System Center

• Convert Standard Switch to Logical Switch in System Center 2016 TP3 VMM: I wonder how many VMM veterans will applaud this?
• What’s New in VMM in System Center Technical Preview: Note Guarded Hosts and Shielded VMs and cool improvements in storage.
• What’s new in DPM in System Center Technical Preview: Looks like DPM is keeping up with the improvements in Hyper-V … that’s a first!!!! Seriously!