The new version of Windows Server allows organizations to install security patches without rebooting servers.
Larger updates that arrive quarterly do still require a reboot. Nevertheless, Windows Server 2025’s new feature means IT teams can count on less downtime than before. This option is made possible by modifying in memory code without having to reboot the process. Installing updates should also be faster than before due to this method.
Any version of Windows Server will receive the feature, including variants running on VMware or on Hyper-V. In addition, the hotpatching feature will not only appear on the Server version of Windows. It seems that the new Windows 11 24H2, to be released later this year, will also feature this option.
Also read: Windows 11 24H2 eliminates need to reboot after update
Biggest update in years
Windows Server 2025 will be the biggest update for the server OS since 2022. In addition to not having to reboot after a security update, the 2025 version adds better SSD support. NVME drives will run in an optimized form on the OS from now on, increasing IOPS (input/output operations per second) by up to 70 percent.
Although Microsoft will continue to offer one-time licenses, a subscription-based version of Windows Server will also be available for the first time.
Security innovations
Windows Server 2025 also has major security innovations. For example, it supports TLS 1.3 for the first time. In addition, all LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) communications will now be encrypted by default.