Microsoft Unveils First Glimpse Of Windows Server 2016 Containers

Developers have been begging for container support in Windows Server for some time now, and the introduction of this feature could be the start of Microsoft offering up some serious competition to Linux server software.

In addition to the virtual machines, Microsoft is also providing developers with other tools to debug their sites, including a test service using Azure RemoteApp to run IE on Windows, Mac, iOS or Android devices. Microsoft posted an outline of all the new features introduced in this release.

Microsoft has issued an emergency update to patch a critical vulnerability that affects all supported versions of Internet Explorer.

Users are reportedly facing crash issues with their 64-bit version of Google’s Chrome browser, following the release of Windows 10 build 10525 for members of Windows Insiders fast ring.

A full breakdown of what’s new in the release is available here, and the official release notes can be viewed here.

The latest trouble was brought about by the Windows 10 preview build 10525. The value of the partnership and the integration of Docker support in Windows server is that developers will be able to leverage the same tools and common platforms for deploying, running, and managing the Docker container environment. Or Windows Server Containers can be managed using PowerShell.

With this release, Microsoft is not positioning Windows Server Containers as an outright competitor to the Docker container, but rather as a complementary technology. “It will allow developers to get their feet wet”.

Those containers can now be deployed to Azure via Visual Studio. Windows developers have as much use for these properties as Linux developers. But the container owner still can’t push that newly containerized application out to a different host, the way a Linux container owner could, he said.

“What you’re seeing is the power of this isolation and agility fit nicely with an application level that’s decomposed, which also goes back to the business driver of agility”, Russinovich said.

You’re warned to sign out and back in again to apply changes. The stripped-down OS runs with only the most essential features admins need, and allows all applications to be launched in containers.

Many IT pros still don’t understand containerization.

At the same time, Microsoft’s announcement that Docker Engine was available on Windows doesn’t mean Windows containers have reached parity with their Linux counterparts.

Jeffrey Schwartz is editor of Redmond magazine and also covers cloud computing for Virtualization Review’s Cloud Report.