# 🚀 **What's New in Windows Server 2025 Datacenter? - A Comprehensive Guide**
Windows Server 2025 Datacenter is the latest version of Microsoft's server operating system, featuring significant improvements in performance, security, compatibility, and cloud integration. This version is supported until October 2034, making it an ideal choice for businesses looking for a long-term solution.
## **🔍 Top New Features**
### **1. Modern user interface (inspired by Windows 11)**
- New Windows 11-like design for ease of use.
- Support **Bluetooth and Wi-Fi** by default (not available in previous versions without additional settings).
- Built-in administrative tools such as **Windows Terminal** and WinGet** to install software via the command line.
### **2. Advanced Security Enhancements**
- **Credential Guard is enabled by default** to protect credentials from attacks.
- Hotpatching (patching without restarting) via Azure Arc to reduce downtime.
- Improvements to **Active Directory**, such as support for 32KB database pages (previously 8KB).
- Default encryption for **LDAP (LDAPS)** and forced signing for **SMB** connections.
### **3. Ultra-fast performance and storage**
- Support up to 4 petabytes of RAM (vs 48TB in 2022).
- **60% increase in NVMe speed** compared to Windows Server 2022.
- **ReFS with block replication** for blazing-fast copying of large files.
### **4. Virtual Storage and Container Improvements**
- **GPU Partitioning with High Availability** to run AI and graphics on multiple virtual machines.
- **Container Portability** to easily move containers between the cloud and on-premises servers.
- **Hypervisor-Enforced Paging Translation (HVPT)** to protect memory in virtual environments.
### **5. Hybrid integration with Azure**
- **Simplified Azure Arc setup** with a built-in Azure server management wizard.
- **Pay-as-you-go** licensing via Azure Arc (instead of upfront purchase).
- **Windows Admin Center is available directly from Azure** for centralized management.
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## **📊Comparison with previous versions**
| Feature | 2025 | 2022 | 2019 | 2016 |
|-----------------|- ...
| **Maximum Memory** | 4PB | 48TB | 24TB | 24TB |
| **Hotpatching** | ✅ (With Azure Arc) | ❌ (Only Azure Ed.) | ❌ | ❌ |
| **SMB over QUIC** | ✅ | ❌ (Only Azure Ed.) | ❌ | ❌ |
| **Modern User Interface** | ✅ (Windows 11) | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| **Support until** | 2034 | 2031 | 2029 | 2027 |
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## **💡 Recommendations: Which version should you choose?**
- **For small businesses/labs:** Windows Server 2022 (Economical with support until 2031).
- **For large businesses/enterprises:** Windows Server 2025 (advanced security features and higher performance).
- **For hybrid/cloud environments:** Windows Server 2025 (seamless integration with Azure).
- **For developers/testers:** Free trial (180 days).
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## **🎯 The bottom line**
Windows Server 2025 is the most powerful version yet, with improvements in security, performance, and hybrid cloud management. If you're looking for a modern, future-proof server, this is the perfect choice!