The following products will be moving from Mainstream to Extended Support in 2024. Extended Support includes security updates at no cost, and paid non-security updates and support. Additionally, Microsoft will not accept requests for design changes or new features during the Extended Support phase.
Microsoft Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 Extended Support ended on October 10, 2023. Microsoft Windows Server 2012 and 2012 R2 Extended Security Updates are now available. What is the Extended Security Update (ESU) program? The Extended Security Update (ESU) program is a
On October 10, 2023, all editions of Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 will reach end of support. The last security update for these products will also be released on October 10, 2023. After this date, these versions of Windows Server will
Effective April 1, 2023, Microsoft revised and simplified the Azure Hybrid Benefit (AHB) use rights for Windows Server. For Windows Server, Microsoft eliminated the requirement that customers allocate licenses in packs of eight, eliminated the requirement that customers allocate 16 licenses before they begin
Effective April 1, 2023, Microsoft changed the licensing for Microsoft Windows Server Standard, Datacenter and Essentials. What changed? Microsoft eliminated the requirement that customers start with 16 licenses before licensing by individual virtual Operating System Environment (OSE). Microsoft added a clause that states
Since February 14, 2023, Extended Security Updates (ESU) are available for Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 environments on Azure. Organizations that need additional time to upgrade and modernize their Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2 environments on Azure can obtain an additional year
In 2023, a list of Microsoft products will reach their End of Support on scheduled dates. Hence, there will be no new security updates, non-security updates, free or paid assisted support options or online technical content updates. The following products and releases, governed by
Effective October 1, 2022, the licensing for Microsoft Windows Server changed. Traditionally, Windows Server was licensed per physical server/processor/core, independently from being deployed in a physical or in a virtual environment. With the October 2022 changes to the terms for Outsourcing – under certain
Effective June 15, 2022, the Internet Explorer (IE) 11 desktop application retires on the following platforms: Internet Explorer 11 desktop application delivered via the Semi-Annual Channel (SAC): Windows 10 (version 20H2 and later) Windows 10 IoT (version 20H2 and later) Unaffected of the retirement
On June 19, 2025, Microsoft announced that there will be no new version of SQL Server Reporting Services (SSRS) for SQL Server 2025. Instead, Power BI Report Server will become the default reporting solution for customers using SQL Server. This change also comes with updated licensing eligibility, making Power BI Report Server more accessible to a
On July 16, 2025, Microsoft announced the general availability of Hotpatching for Azure Arc–connected servers running Windows Server 2025. This release introduces a subscription-based model for non-Azure machines, enabling organizations to apply updates with minimal disruption. This marks the first time Hotpatching is offered for non-Azure machines in a generally
On July 14, 2025, Microsoft released the Security Copilot capacity calculator. This new tool helps organizations estimate how many Security Compute Units (SCUs) they need to run Microsoft Security Copilot effectively. The tool is designed to support IT and security teams in planning their SCU requirements before deploying Microsoft Security Copilot. The calculator