Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5 Available For Download
Head on over to the TechNet Evaluation Center to download the ISO or Nano VHD for Technical Preview 5 of Windows Server 2016, but in the meantime here are some of the important details.
At the heart of the Microsoft Cloud Platform, Windows Server brings Microsoft’s experience delivering global-scale cloud services into your infrastructure. Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5 provides a wide range of new and enhanced features and capabilities spanning server virtualization, storage, software-defined networking, server management and automation, web and application platform, access and information protection, virtual desktop infrastructure, and more.
Choose Standard or Datacenter edition, depending on the features you need:
Windows Server 2016 Standard
- Up to 2 VM's or Hyper-V containers
- Unlimited Windows containers
- New Nano Server deployment option for "just enough OS"
Windows Server 2016 Datacenter
- Unlimited VM's and Hyper-V containers
- Unlimited Windows containers
- New Nano Server deployment option for "just enough OS"
- Shielded VM's and Host Guardian Service
- Storage features, including Storage Spaces Direct and Storage Replica
- New networking stack
Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5 offers a new installation option: Nano Server. It is a remotely managed option similar to Windows Server in Server Core mode, but significantly smaller, has no local logon capability, and only supports 64-bit applications, tools, and agents. It takes up far less disk space, sets up significantly faster, and requires far fewer updates and restarts than Windows Server with the full desktop experience. Starting with the ISO you download here, you can add packages to customize the image with roles, features, and other details and then deploy it. See Getting Started with Nano Server for full details.
As a reminder, these are early pre-release builds. Many of the features and scenarios are still in development. As such, these builds are not intended for production environments, labs, nor full evaluations. This is pre-released software; features and functionality may differ in the final release.
Need more information about the next version of Windows Server? See what’s new in Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5.
Languages
Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), Czech, Dutch (Netherlands), English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian, Spanish, Swedish (Sweden), Turkish
Editions
Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5 | 64-bit ISO
Nano Server | 64-bit VHD
Preinstall Information
1. Review Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5 release notes and system requirements
2. Register, then download and install the preview. Technical Preview 5 expires December 31, 2016.
3. Receive email with resources to guide you through your preview
Installation Guidelines
When moving from a previous version of Windows Server to Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5, you will need to uninstall the previous version for a clean installation of Technical Preview 5.
Upon installation, you will be prompted to activate. Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview 5 will require a product key:
- Standard Key: MFY9F-XBN2F-TYFMP-CCV49-RMYVH
- Datacenter Key: 6XBNX-4JQGW-QX6QG-74P76-72V67
PLEASE READ PRIOR TO INSTALLING THE CONTAINER OS IMAGE: The license terms of the Microsoft Windows Server Pre-Release software (“License Terms”) apply to your use of the Microsoft Windows Container OS Image supplement (the “supplemental software"). By downloading and using the supplemental software, you agree to the License Terms, and you may not use it if you have not accepted the License Terms. Both the Windows Server Pre-Release software and the supplemental software are licensed by Microsoft Corporation.