Microsoft Windows Server 2016 is an operating system built by Microsoft and is the successor of Windows Server 2012. It is the server edition of Windows 10 and is available since September 2016. Installing Windows Server 2016, you should choose the right version of Windows to install because currently, Microsoft does not provide the option to add and remove the Server GUI package to the Windows Server 2016 Server and vice versa. Please see MSSQL Server evaluation period has expired: How to upgrade SQL Server instance, and how to Check if Windows Updates were installed.

Be ready to choose between the Windows Server Standard Version or Windows Standard (Desktop Experience) or the Windows Server DataCenter Version or Windows Server Datacenter (Desktop Experience). You can download Windows Server 2016 Evaluation.

NOTE: When Windows Server is installed. You can’t go back and for example, change the edition. If so, do the clean installation again.

When was Windows Server 2016 released?

Microsoft released Windows Server 2016 on October 12, 2016, ending the development of its software cycle and making the final code or “gold master” generally available for download.

How can I get Windows Server 2016? Windows Server 2016 is available for purchase and download directly from Microsoft’s website and authorized resellers worldwide.

Also, see How to enable Smart App Control on Windows 11, and how to fix “Windows could not start the SQL Server service on local computer 17051: A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server“.

Summary of Windows Server 2016

Windows Server 2016 is Microsoft’s latest iteration of its server line of operating systems. The successor to Windows Server 2012 R2.

Why does Windows Server 2016 matter? Windows Server 2016 includes several new features to its core foundation. It includes identity management and enhanced security capabilities to ensure data and access to data maintains its integrity from end to end, regardless of whether it’s stored locally or in the cloud.

Who does Windows Server 2016 affect? However, Businesses rely on Microsoft services to empower their business functions and the IT pros responsible for managing this infrastructure

I hope you found this post on the Windows Server 2016 release useful. Please feel free to leave a comment below.