Explore Windows Server 2025 New Features: What to Expect

🚀 What’s New in Windows Server 2025?

Security & Identity Enhancements

• Hotpatching (via Azure Arc) allows applying critical updates without rebooting your servers—available now to all editions, not just Azure-specific ones

• Credential Guard is now enabled by default on compatible hardware, offering strong protection for NTLM hashes and Kerberos tickets 

• Enhanced Active Directory support:

  • Optional 32 KB database page size, enabling storage of ~3,200 attribute values per object 

  • NUMA‑aware processing across all CPU groups and built‑in AD object repair tools 

Hybrid Cloud, Management & Productivity

• Deep Azure Arc integration enables centralized patching, monitoring, and unified cloud management across environments 

• Introduction of OSConfig for declarative, drift‑resistant security/configuration enforcement with built‑in compliance baselines (CIS, DISA STIGs) 

• Built‑in OpenSSH and WinGet, plus support for PowerShell 8.0 and the new Windows Terminal, modernize admin workflows 

Performance, Virtualization & AI

• Hyper‑V enhancements:

  • Host support for up to 240 TB RAM and 2,048 virtual processors per VM GPU partitioning and pooling enable efficient AI/ML workloads across multiple virtual machines with live migration and cluster failover support 

  • Dynamic CPU compatibility allows live migration between dissimilar processors

• Storage improvements:

  • NVMe and NVMe‑oF deliver up to +90 % IOPS performance and faster Storage Spaces Direct/block cloning on ReFS 

  • Native ReFS support for deduplication and compression, integrated file compression in Explorer (ZIP, 7z, TAR) 

• Built‑in DTrace for real‑time diagnostics and streamlined troubleshooting

• Dev Drive: ReFS‑based volume optimized for developer workflows and high‑throughput build pipelines 

• UI updates: Windows 11‑style modern Task Manager, Explorer compression features, enhanced Bluetooth/peripheral support, and Wi‑Fi service enabled by default 

🧩 Windows Server 2025 – Unveiling Hybrid‑Cloud AI, Hotpatch & GPU‑Partitioning

• “Discover the top Windows Server 2025 features: AI‑ready virtualization, hotpatching with Azure Arc, GPU sharing, improved AD, hyper‑scalable performance, and native compression.”

Article Outline

1. Introduction: Briefly contextualise why Server 2025 matters.

2. Security Enhancements: Hotpatching, Credential Guard, AD improvements.

3. Hybrid & Management Tools: Azure Arc, OSConfig, built‑in SSH/Winget.

4. AI & Virtualization Upgrades: GPU‑P, dynamic CPU migration, high memory.

5. Storage & Performance Gains: NVMe, ReFS, block cloning, compression tools.

6. User/Admin Experience: Dev Drive, modern UI, native apps.

7. Conclusion / CTA: Upgrade paths, integration with Azure Arc, compliance benefits.