Build innovation and security into client, server, cloud with Windows Server 2016 + Windows 10 - Part 1

The Windows 10 and Windows Server better together solution brief is available for download, so I'll use it as the basis for a series of posts that tie in to the Australian OEM team monthly update video recordings available from SmartHQ. One of the things that struck me while looking at this document was that it's easy to get caught up in the Windows 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2016 changes, and the Windows 8.1 to Windows 10 changes, but for most organisations looking at upgrading, the chances are they may not be running the n-1 versions of Microsoft technologies, so it's important to discuss some of the enhancements from Windows 8 onwards and Windows Server 2012 onwards.

To kick this series off, I'll start with some of the main points covered in the download, and then drill into these points in more detail in upcoming posts.

Address today’s infrastructure challenges

A recent survey of CIO priorities (see link above) reported that the biggest concerns are the following:

  1. Aligning IT with the business.
  2. Protecting assets against security threats
  3. Finding the IT skills needed to fill development, cybersecurity, and cloud roles.

It’s not easy to sustain a workplace capable of innovation and productivity in the face of increasingly rigorous requirements for protecting digital assets and managing operational resources.

A good operating system strategy can help

Microsoft created Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 to directly address these top CIO challenges – from desktop to server. Whether you run your infrastructure on-premises or in the cloud, Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016 offer cutting edge, yet familiar, technology that empowers users with the ability to do great work and provides IT organizations with the secure, flexible infrastructure necessary to fuel business growth.

Together, Windows Server 2016 and Windows 10 provide these advantages:

A strong, common security infrastructure to protect clients and servers against cyberattacks and meet compliance requirements.

Improved user productivity with streamlined, secure access to data  and apps.

A consistent development platform, with the ability to build and run containers identically on desktops, servers, and IaaS virtual machines.

A common IT skill set that allows administrators to leverage shared technologies, such as identity and virtualization, to simplify deployment  and management across client, server, and cloud environments.