Updated Windows Server 2008 SP2, which exits extended support on January 14, 2020, is getting a new support model.
A Tuesday, June 12 blog post from the Windows Server Team announced the change, which will see the server adopt the “monthly quality rollup” scheme Microsoft brought to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 as of October 2016.
The Register knows that most of you remember the precise details of that change, but for those of you who are under the weather or decided not to devote any synapses to the issue, those old versions of Windows were brought up to speed with Windows 10 by adopting a scheme that delivers three updates a month, namely:
- A “security only quality update” delivering a monthly dose of new patches and delivered on Patch Tuesday;
- A “security monthly quality rollup” delivering new patches plus a rollup of all old patches;
- A “preview of the monthly quality rollup” that offers a look at forthcoming non-security updates, plus the last month’s security and general fixes too for good measure.
Why the change? Microsoft said it’s to deliver a “more consistent and simplified servicing experience” and that’s fair enough because in 2016 the company announced a new “Premium Assurance” plan that will see Windows Server 2008 support extended until the year 2026 if you’re willing to pay.
The Register reckons the change will be appreciated by organisations that have decided to keep an island of Windows Server 2008 SP2 alive, but would rather doing so doesn’t mean operating a different support model too. ®
Editor’s note: This story was updated after publication to clarify that Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2) is changing its model rather than R2.
[“Source-theregister”]
