Windows Server 2012 Insider

On the heels of Microsoft’s September 4 launch of Windows Server 2012, Windows IT Pro hosted a twitter chat. Paul Thurrott, senior technical analyst for Windows IT Pro, and Sean Deuby, technical director for Windows IT Pro, hosted the event to share their favorite features and answer questions from the community about Server 2012. Jeffrey Snover, lead architect for Windows Server, joined the conversation, and Mark Minasi, senior contributing editor, also dropped in. The transcript follows.

‏@WindowsITPro:
Welcome to our #winserv 2012 Twitter Chat with @thurrott & @shorinsean. Follow the conversation with #ws2012insider.

@WindowsITPro:
@thurrott & @shorinsean share #winserv 2012 highlights & answer questions. Check out our resource page: http://bit.ly/REZnrZ. #ws2012insider

‏@WindowsITPro:
@thurrott & @shorinsean: what are your favorite features of #winserv 2012 #ws2012insider

‏@thurrott:
Best new feature in WS2012? Hyper-V 3? Maybe. But I love Storage Spaces: It puts 12 over the top. #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
Relying on the Twitter web interface may have been folly on my part. Bear with me. #ws2012insider

‏@shorinsean:
I've (literally) just published an article on getting around in WS2012 Server Manager, http://bit.ly/NMJYGX #ws2012insider

@matthewfifer:
SAN in a box! RT @thurrott Best new feature in WS2012? Hyper-V 3? Maybe. But I love Storage Spaces: It puts 12 over the top. #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
...the nicer of the two big server interface changes. #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
The start screen, for a server...not so much. #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
@shorinsean May require a book. :) 1 of the best features of Essentials 12 (SBS replacement) is that you can mostly skip SM #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
There are about 5 ways to accomplish a single task in SM - and a number you've never been able to do before. #ws2012insider #egremotereboot

@thurrott:
@shorinsean I had high hopes for this: Management tiles with live data, etc. Maybe in the next version #ws2012insider

‏@shorinsean:
Tiles have data, and they're more-or-less realtime. Just not as purty as W8. #ws2012insider

‏@thurrott
I'm getting Qs outside of #ws2012insider. Hold please.

‏@johndotcom83:
@thurrott does Windows Server 2012 boot directly to the desktop?

@thurrott:
@johndotcom83 No, sadly. #ws2012insider

‏@johndotcom83:
#ws2012insider, odd, i just installed the eval in hyper-v and it is booting to the desktop

@shorinsean:
#WS2012 tip: Turn on "Apply Windows key combinations on the remote computer" in RDP. Or no Start screen & winkey remotely. #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
Well, not NO start screen. Just a royal pain. #ws2012insider #findthose2pixels

‏@thurrott:
I believe this is a first, but Foundation is available on MSDN this time around. Will be sold only with new servers. #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
I'll be installing #winserve 2012 Essentials when it RTMs, for sure. #ws2012insider

‏@thurrott:
@shorinsean Yep. As a fan of WHS and then SBS Essentials 2011, this is just a primo product for home office/SB. Good stuff. #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
RT @thurrott: @shorinsean And, it should be added, Simplest. Domain Set up. Ever.
@johndotcom83:
#ws2012insider i thought i saw a store icon on @WithinRafael screenshot of #ws2012

@shorinsean:
How many people have actually tested #winserver 2012? And no, installing it and hitting the Winkey once doesn't count :-). #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
@shorinsean Nerd. :) Don't worry, you can go in and muck it up just like on any other WS 2012 version. #ws2012insider

@jsnover:
Listening in on #WS2012Insider

‏@thurrott:
@shorinsean To be fair, it just hit MSDN/TechNet yesterday. Happy to see Foundation in there. I'll be installing when home #ws2012insider

@RichardWest:
Is managing SMTP services now a first-class citizen of the IIS 8 management tool? #ws2012insider

‏@thurrott:
@jsnover Jump in! What are you most excited about in WS2012? #ws2012insider

@jghassell:
@thurrott @jsnover The flipping on/off of the GUI has to be top 3. #ws2012insider

@mminasi:
Nah, it's gotta be Hyper-V and clusters. Too cool. #ws2012insider

‏@shorinsean:
RT @jghassell: @thurrott @jsnover The flipping on/off of the GUI has to be top 3. #ws2012insider < upcoming article.

@thurrott:
@jghassell @jsnover Yep. Plus that special third mode. Core used to be 1-way street. #ws2012insider

‏@onovotny:
@shorinsean My whole home domain is mostly 2012 now; any server that can be is, leaving out Exchange, SharePoint & Lync #ws2012insider

‏@jsnover:
@thurrott in 140 chars - you jest! #WS2012Insider

‏@mekline:
IPAM is an unsung hero for IT Pros in #winserv http://bit.ly/N1iISr #ws2012insider

@tferrill:
@thurrott @jsnover I'm loving IPAM... Better late than never. #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
@mminasi Understood. Where the V in Hyper-V stands for "VMWare Who?" :) #ws2012insider

@jsnover:
#WS2012Insider seriously thought. I think we hit critical mass with automation.

@vedichymn:
@thurrott Why in gods name can't you customize the desktop icons in server 2012, please punch someone from Microsoft for me. #ws2012insider

@onovotny:
Server Manager w/"Manage As" rocks for remote management with a different user id #ws2012insider

‏@jsnover:
#WS2012Insider I'm constantly amazed by the engineering tour-de-force that went into the reengineering of the entire storage stack!

@jwmcpeak:
Hyper-V 3 is my favorite thus far. I'll be testing Storage Spaces this weekend, and I imagine that'll run a close 2nd. #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
@vedichymn Ideally, you'll never see those icons since you'll be admining the server remotely from Windows client. :) #ws2012insider

@tferrill:
I'm intrigued to play around with Workflows in PowerShell. #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
Re IPAM, totally agree. Article on that coming shortly too. #ws2012insider

@jsnover:
#WS2012Insider I think we have VMware chasing our taillights on virt -and spending $1.6 Bill on a company with no custs just to have a story

@mminasi:
@tferrill Definitely on my "figure that stuff out also!" #ws2012insider

‏@jsnover:
#WS2012Insider RDP did a great job with scenario based deployment/mgmt. and awesome perf -especially over WANs!

@thurrott:
@jsnover But at least they charge you for everything. They've got that going for them. :) #ws2012insider

@jsnover:
#WS2012Insider There was some really geeky stuff that went into that RDP work!

@WindowsITPro:
@jwmcpeak: If you need more info on storage spaces, check out John Savill's article http://bit.ly/RF1U5u #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
I think SMB 3.0 is (currently) an unsung hero - a base technology that has enabled so many capabilities. #WS2012Insider #BlockDataOnSMB

@jsnover:
#WS2012Insider And of course I'm super excited about the DataCenter Abstraction Layer - the concept, the initiative and the progress

‏@naterocks84:
Thoughts on ReFS? Performance/Reliability over NTFS when configured in storage spaces? #ws2012insider

@mminasi:
Someone HAS to say it, so I will... being able to get the 2008 desktop on 2012 server would have really been wonderful #ws2012insider

‏@thurrott:
@jwmcpeak A pet peeve, but there are 2 SS UIs: A simple Win8 one and a more complex SM one. Essentials uses the former #ws2012insider

@mattgoli:
i see NIC teaming now built in. haven't tried yet, but will be nice if it works #WS2012Insider

@jsnover:
#WS2012Insider and YES - GUIless Servers. That one took a while to get but it was worth every painful discussion!

@shorinsean:
RT @mattgoli: i see NIC teaming now built in. haven't tried yet, but will be nice if it works
@RichardWest:
@thurrott Is managing SMTP services now a first-class citizen of the IIS 8 management console? #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
In case you aren't aware, the guy with the tie in this chat is the #winserve 2012 architect. #ws2012insider #welcomeJeffrey

@thurrott:
I know I'm the kid sitting at the adult table, but I just love the SMB features in this release. Not an afterthought. #ws2012insider

@mekline:
@jsnover, thank everyone for the great blogs/documents on 2012, AskDS and AskPFEPlatorms both great for AD #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
RT @mekline: @jsnover, thank everyone for the great blogs/documents on 2012 #ws2012insider
@shorinsean:
@thurrott I agree, kiddo, on the SMB features. Been preaching HVonSMB, HV Replica, Storage Spaces, etc. etc. #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
And just a quick shout-out to #techednz: WS2012 launched in New Zealand first! :D #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
@shorinsean :) The guy with the funky tie you mean. /bows #ws2012insider

@jsnover:
@shorinsean #WS2012Insider #SMB 3 an unsung hero? That just means you haven't been listening to me! I can't stop talking about it!

@WindowsITPro:
@jsnover: do you know? RT @RichardWest: Is managing SMTP services now a first-class citizen of the IIS 8 management tool? #ws2012insider

@vedichymn:
@jsnover @thurrott Any chance of essentials features (client backup, streaming) making it to other editions? #WS2012Insider

@jsnover:
@mekline #WS2012Insider I'll pass it along!

‏@shorinsean:
RT @jsnover: #WS2012Insider #SMB 3 an unsung hero? You haven't been listening! I can't stop talking about it!
‏@shorinsean:
I'm really curious to see the IT pro reaction as they start using the server UI. I've grown to like SM...and tolerate Start. #ws2012insider

@jsnover:
@WindowsITPro @RichardWest I don't know the answer. #WS2012Insider

@thurrott:
@vedichymn @jsnover Client backup would seem like a natural fit for Foundation at least. (Haven't seen it yet.) #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
@vedichymn @jsnover Classic line of questioning since the first WSBS version. Always love the simplicity of the toolset there #ws2012insider

@mekline:
@shorinsean many server pros will be used to Windows 8 by the time they deploy 2012 so they will be used to it #ws2012insider

‏@shorinsean:
It will be important for some of the 2008/R2 support frameworks (e.g. WMF 3.0) to get out the door ASAP... #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
...I've not had the smoothest experience managing downlevel servers from SM. #ws2012insider

‏@thurrott:
@mekline @shorinsean I think the issue is just that the Server Start screen is borderline useless. No rich info etc. #ws2012insider

@WindowsITPro:
Curious about adoption rate for #winserv 2012. When will you adopt Server 2012? Take our instant poll at http://bit.ly/REZnrZ #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
@shorinsean Speaking of which, I assume RSAT shipped for Windows 8? Or does that wait on October 26? Looking.... #ws2012insider

‏@shorinsean:
RT @thurrott: I assume RSAT shipped for Windows 8? Or does that wait on October 26? Looking.... #ws2012insider
‏@thurrott:
@thurrott @shorinsean Yeah, don't see it. Some hacks to get RP version working on RT. Soon? #ws2012insider

@jsnover:
#WS2012Insider @shorinsean Windows Management Framework 3 shipped yesterday! http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34595

@mattgoli:
anyone know what MS Enterprise servers products and versions will be supported on ws2012? Exchange, SQL, Lync, etc? #WS2012Insider

‏@jsnover:
#WS2012insider @shorinsean Ain't no flies on us mate!

@shorinsean:
RT @jsnover: #WS2012Insider @shorinsean Windows Management Framework 3 shipped yesterday! http://bit.ly/Onl50c < *like*

@thurrott:
@shorinsean @mattgoli Yes it is. #ws2012insider

‏@shorinsean:
RT @jsnover: #WS2012insider Ain't no flies on us mate! http://bit.ly/NMJYGX

@paulferrill:
#WS2012insider So I don't see Windows 8 on the list of supported OS for WMF 3

@thurrott:
@paulferrill Interesting. Assume its because Win8 isn't officially out yet? #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
@paulferrill Can't speak to broader issues, but SM doesn't explicitly support Windows8 monitoring, only server #ws2012insider

@UberMCSE:
@WindowsITPro how about an article covering changes in or comparing Active Directory for Server 2012 vs 2008 R2 @Thurrott

‏@thurrott:
@UberMCSE @WindowsITPro I do have a set of WS2012 Feature Focus articles set up to go. That's a good one, thanks. #ws2012insider

@BobbyCannon:
@thurrott @paulferrill I thought it was already installed with W8? So why would it list it on the download page? #ws2012insider

@jsnover:
@shorinsean #ws2012Insider - impressive!

‏@teroalhonen:
#ws2012insider ReFS or NTFS w/ Hyper-V .vhd storage? Thanks

@shorinsean:
@teroalhonen @jsnover more auth., but both should work equally well. ReFS for VERY large volumes. Perhaps tst for new install #ws2012insider

@WindowsITPro:
We still have few minutes left. Any burning #winserv 2012 questions for @shorinsean @thurrott @snover @minasi? #ws2012insider

‏@thurrott:
I can't believe we didn't get a single question requiring a specific line of PowerShell in response. Disappointing. :) #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
@shorinsean @teroalhonen @jsnover Am curious about ReFS. Seems to have dropped some NTFS features. Not sure of advantage. #ws2012insider

@timbarrett:
@thurrott to some people, #PowerShell is the 'manual transmission' of the IT world.

@thurrott:
@timbarrett My running gag about WS12 is that the 2 techs few used in R2 were Server Core and PS. Now, 12 is built on them! #ws2012insider

@WindowsITPro:
Thank you for joining us! For ongoing in-depth coverage of #winserv 2012, check out our resource page: http://bit.ly/REZnrZ #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
@thurrott So that means WS2012 R2 is going to run on ReFS? #ws2012insider

@WindowsITPro:
Feel free to continue chat amongst yourselves. Special thanks to @shorinsean @thurrott @jsnover #ws2012insider

@thurrott:
@teroalhonen Maybe I'm a Luddite here, but I don't quite "get" ReFS yet nor understand if there are perf diffs. NTFS for me. #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
@thurrott @teroalhonen ReFS is positioning for future. Long time for FS to change. Luddite :-). #ws2012insider

‏@shorinsean:
Thanks all! #ws2012insider

@shorinsean:
RT @thurrott: @WindowsITPro @shorinsean @jsnover Yes, thanks everyone! #ws2012insider