What we know of Windows Server 2019 isn’t all that surprising. So far, it seems largely consistent with the New Microsoft philosphy. It works across on-premises and in the cloud, and is a gateway to further Microsoft services. It actually lines up well with their BU structure. It always struck me as a bit of a financial dodge to lump Azure and Windows Server together when reporting earnings. But seeing some of the integrations in Windows Server 2019, it seems to make a lot of technical sense as well.
The most interesting part to me in Thomas Maurer’s feature overview was the Azure Hybrid Benefit for Windows Server. Historically Windows licensing costs have been ascribed as the Microsoft Tax across all of their product offerings. However, Hybrid Benefit turns that tax from a liability to a feature. Customers with on-premises Server licenses can essentially apply these to cloud workloads, providing up to 2 VMs for each license. Microsoft is claiming up to 82% savings with the feature, and it seems like a really compelling case for Azure if you’re looking to make the cloud migration from a Microsoft shop.
There’s obviously a whole lot more to Windows Server 2019 to this. It’s Microsoft’s play for the Edge, HCI, and the key to their hybrid cloud ambitions. But Azure Hybrid Benefits is the kind of thing that may not be eye catching, but makes a big difference for people already invested in on-premises.
Read more at: Windows Server 2019 – What is coming Next
