Windows Server 2022: A first look at the preview

I found some time to test the preview of Windows Server 2022 and installed the new server operating system from Microsoft in a VM. The preview build 20298.1 was released yesterday. Unfortunately, there is not really much new to see, so there is only a short article here.

Participants of the Windows Server Insider Program can download the preview here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windowsinsiderpreviewserver

Windows Server 2022

The installation has not changed, Windows Server 2022 is also delivered with the familiar Windows Installer:

There are also two different installation options, with and without GUI:

After installation, you land on the desktop as usual, where you immediately notice that Edge is on board as a browser for the first time:

The Server Manager still looks very unchanged in Windows Server 2022:

The new Windows Admin Center looks quite nice. I have also installed the preview directly on Windows Server 2022:

Incidentally, the domain and forest functional level of the Active Directory is still "Windows Server 2016":

Little or no innovation is therefore to be expected here. There are also no surprises in the administration of the AD. The familiar consoles and tools are unchanged in the preview. Microsoft is essentially updating the operating system without adding any major new features:

As it currently stands, however, the new Windows Server 2022 will only have 5 years of support (previously it was 10 years). Unfortunately, no real innovations in terms of features or functions have been added to the Windows Server operating system since Windows Server 2016. At least I can't really think of anything at the moment. Microsoft is delivering innovations and features with Azure and Microsoft 365; Windows Server is only getting a bit of model maintenance. If you want to see it as an advantage: you don't need to get used to it, only the start menu has become a little more colorful.