The Most Popular Version of Windows Server, Ranked
Voting rules: Choose the version you think is the most popular!
Updated on Apr 30, 2024 06:53
In the bustling world of technology, understanding the preferred versions of Windows Server can guide IT professionals in making informed decisions. By identifying which iteration resonates most with users, businesses can tailor their infrastructure to align with the most reliable and efficient versions. This insight proves crucial for maintaining a robust and optimized IT environment.
Here, your opinions shape the hierarchy of Windows Server versions. Through your votes, we not only identify the most popular choices but also help others in the tech community make wise decisions. Participate in shaping this guiding resource that benefits both novices and seasoned professionals alike.
What Is the Most Popular Version of Windows Server?
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197votes
Windows Server 2019
MicrosoftThis is the latest version of Windows Server and offers improved security, hybrid cloud capabilities, and enhanced performance.Windows Server 2019 is an operating system developed by Microsoft as a part of the Windows NT family. It is designed specifically for server tasks and provides enhanced features compared to its predecessors.- Extended support for containers: Includes improved container support with Kubernetes enhancements and support for Linux containers on Windows.
- Improved security: Includes Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) and other security enhancements.
- Hybrid cloud integration: Enables seamless integration with Azure services and provides improved migration capabilities.
- Storage Spaces Direct: Enables scalable, high-performance, and fault-tolerant storage solutions.
- Hyper-converged infrastructure: Allows for the integration of compute, storage, and networking components into a single software-defined platform.
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223votes
Windows Server 2016
MicrosoftThis version of Windows Server introduced new features such as the hyper-converged infrastructure, software-defined networking, and improved security.Windows Server 2016 is a server operating system developed by Microsoft as a part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. It is the successor to Windows Server 2012 R2.- Release date: September 26, 2016
- Kernel version: Windows NT 10.0
- Supported architectures: 64-bit (x64)
- Editions: Standard, Datacenter, Essentials, MultiPoint Premium
- Graphical user interface: Desktop Experience, Server Core
Windows Server 2016 in other rankings- Position 6 of 10 in Most popular version of Windows
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326votes
Windows Server 2012 R2
MicrosoftThis version of Windows Server included improvements to virtualization, storage, and networking capabilities.Windows Server 2012 R2 is a version of the Windows Server operating system developed by Microsoft. It is the successor to Windows Server 2012 and is part of the Windows NT family of operating systems. Windows Server 2012 R2 primarily focuses on enhancing the functionalities and capabilities of its predecessor.- Improved Hyper-V: Enhanced scalability, performance, and manageability of virtualization environments.
- Storage Tiering: Ability to optimize storage utilization by automatically moving the frequently accessed data to faster storage devices.
- Improved Remote Desktop Services: Enhancements in session management, graphics rendering, and user experience.
- Active Directory Enhancements: Improved compatibility, user management, security, and federation services.
- Windows Server Essentials Experience: Integration of essential small business server features into the Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard and Datacenter editions.
Windows Server 2012 R2 in other rankings- Position 7 of 10 in Most popular version of Windows
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421votes
Windows Server 2008 R2
MicrosoftThis version of Windows Server introduced features such as support for up to 256 logical processors and improved virtualization capabilities.Windows Server 2008 R2 is a server operating system developed by Microsoft. It is an updated version of Windows Server 2008 and is based on the Windows 7 operating system.- Release Date: October 22, 2009
- Kernel Version: 6.1
- 64-bit Support: Yes
- Active Directory Enhancements: Yes
- Network Access Protection: Yes
Windows Server 2008 R2 in other rankings- Position 8 of 10 in Most popular version of Windows
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519votes
Windows Server 2003 R2
MicrosoftThis version of Windows Server included features such as improved Active Directory functionality and support for 64-bit processors.Windows Server 2003 R2 is an update to Windows Server 2003, which is a server operating system released by Microsoft. It includes additional features and enhancements over the original version of Windows Server 2003.- Release Date: December 6, 2005
- Kernel Version: 5.2
- System Requirements: x86-based or x64-based computer with a minimum of 133 MHz processor and 128 MB RAM
- Processor Support: Supports up to 64-bit processors
- Active Directory: Improved functionality with new replication features and increased security
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618votes
Windows Server 2000
Microsoft CorporationThis was the first version of Windows Server to introduce Active Directory and included features such as improved security and support for up to 8 processors.Windows Server 2000 is a server operating system released by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family. It was designed to enhance productivity, connectivity, and manageability in enterprise environments.- Processor Support: Up to 32-bit (x86) processors
- Maximum RAM Support: Up to 4 GB
- Active Directory: Introduced
- Networking: Improved TCP/IP stack
- Server Roles: Support for various server roles like Web server, file server, DNS server, etc.
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711votes
Windows Server 2012
Microsoft CorporationThis version of Windows Server introduced features such as the Server Manager Dashboard and improved support for virtualization.Windows Server 2012 is a version of Microsoft's Windows Server operating system which was released on September 4, 2012. It is the sixth version of Windows Server and is based on the Windows 8 platform. Windows Server 2012 introduced several new features and enhancements to help improve scalability, reliability, and flexibility in enterprise environments.- Hyper-V: Improved virtualization platform with features such as live migration and dynamic memory allocation.
- Resilient File System (ReFS): A new file system designed to optimize data storage and recovery.
- Server Manager: A centralized management tool to configure, deploy, and manage server roles and features.
- PowerShell 3.0: Enhanced scripting and automation capabilities.
- Active Directory Domain Services: Improved management and scalability for network resources.
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85votes
Windows Server 2008
MicrosoftThis version of Windows Server introduced features such as improved security and support for Server Core installation.Windows Server 2008 is a popular version of the Windows Server operating system released by Microsoft. It is designed to provide a robust and secure platform for running server applications.- Scalability: Support for up to 64 logical processors
- Virtualization: Hyper-V virtualization platform included
- Active Directory: Enhanced Active Directory services
- Security: Improved security features, including BitLocker drive encryption
- IIS 7.0: Enhanced web server with support for PHP, ASP.NET, and more
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95votes
Windows Server 2003
Microsoft CorporationThis version of Windows Server introduced features such as improved security and support for wireless networking.Windows Server 2003 is a server operating system developed by Microsoft as part of the Windows NT family. It was released on April 24, 2003, and became one of the most popular versions of Windows Server. It introduced numerous features and improvements over its predecessors, offering enhanced security, scalability, and manageability for enterprise-grade applications and services.- 64-bit support: Windows Server 2003 was the first edition to have a 64-bit version, enabling support for larger memory capacities and improved performance.
- Active Directory improvements: Introduced new functional levels for domains, distributed file system replication, and improved group policy management.
- Internet Information Services (IIS) 6.0: Featured a more secure and scalable web server, supporting ASP.NET and providing enhanced performance for web applications.
- Improved security: Implemented several security enhancements, including the Windows Firewall, data encryption, and improved auditing and reporting capabilities.
- Storage enhancements: Introduced the Volume Shadow Copy service, allowing point-in-time snapshots of data, and improved support for storage area networks (SANs).
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105votesThis version of Windows Server introduced features such as improved security and support for up to 8 processors.
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About this ranking
This is a community-based ranking of the most popular version of Windows Server. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or version is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!
Statistics
- 1783 views
- 223 votes
- 10 ranked items
Voting Rules
A participant may cast an up or down vote for each version once every 24 hours. The rank of each version is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.
More information on most popular version of windows server
Windows Server is a popular operating system that is used by many businesses and organizations to manage their networks and servers. With each new release of Windows Server, there are improvements and new features added to make the software more efficient and effective. Windows Server 2008, 2012, and 2016 are some of the most popular versions of Windows Server, each offering its own unique set of features and benefits. In this article, we will explore which version of Windows Server is the most popular among our users based on our StrawPoll data.
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