Microsoft Windows Server 2025 prepares you for tomorrow while delivering the security, performance, and flexibility you need today. Be more productive with easier networking, faster storage, and hybrid cloud capabilities that adapt to your needs. Get ahead of what’s next with forward-looking security, and AI-ready compute.

Key Features:

• Hybrid: Adapt quickly across hybrid, cloud and on-premise. Easier to connect to Azure Arc to bridge on-premises and cloud-based servers. Deliver Azure capabilities to your on-premises servers.
• Security: Hardware and software-level security to deter cyberattacks; next-generation Active Directory that improves security and scalability. Enable a tailored security baseline and configure drift protection from the start.
• Modern, future-ready platform: Windows Server 2025 is now easier to upgrade and scale, with better-than-ever app compatibility. Windows Server 2025 desktop brings a consistent client and server UI experience, plus conveniences like WiFi and Bluetooth.
• Performance: Faster and easier networking and storage; live hotpatching for reduced downtime; GPU partitioning for inferencing at the edge. Improvements in flash-based storage make Windows Server an even better platform for SQL Server.

System Requirements:

CPU:

• 1.4-GHz 64-bit processor
• Compatible with x64 instruction set
• Support for NX and DEP
• Support for CMPXCHG16b, LAHF/SAHF, and PrefetchW instructions
• Support for Second Level Address Translation (EPT or NPT)
• Support for the SSE4.2 (Streaming SIMD Extensions 4.2) instruction set
• Support for the POPCNT instruction

RAM:

• 2 GB for Server Core
• 2 GB for Server with Desktop Experience, 4 GB recommended
• ECC (Error Correcting Code) type or similar technology for physical host deployments

Storage:
Computers that run Windows Server must include a storage adapter that's compliant with the PCI Express architecture specification. Servers classified as hard disk drives must not use Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment (PATA) for persistent storage devices. Windows Server also doesn't allow PATA, Advanced Technology Attachment (ATA), Integrated Drive Electronics (IDE), and Enhanced Integrated Drive Electronic (EIDE) for boot, page, or data drives.

• 32 GB should be considered an absolute minimum value for successful installation. This minimum should allow you to install Windows Server 2022 or later using the Server Core installation option with the Web Services (IIS) server role. A server in Server Core mode is ~4 GB smaller than the same server using the Server with Desktop Experience installation option.
• The system partition needs extra space for any of the following circumstances:
  • If you install the system over a network
  • Computers with more than 16 GB of RAM require more disk space for paging, hibernation, and dump files

Network:

• An Ethernet adapter that can achieve a throughput of at least 1 gigabit per second.
• Compliant with the PCI Express architecture specification.
• A network adapter that supports network debugging (KDNet) is useful, but not a minimum requirement.
• A network adapter that supports the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) is useful, but not a minimum requirement.

DVD Drive for Installation.