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List of significant versions for Windows Desktop, Windows Server, and SQL Server
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Here's a comprehensive list of significant versions for Windows Desktop, Windows Server, and SQL Server, including key milestones and available license levels:
Windows Desktop Versions
Version | Release Date | Key Milestones | Available License Levels (Common) |
Windows 1.0 | November 20, 1985 | First graphical user interface (GUI) for MS-DOS. Introduced basic applications like Paint, Notepad, and Calculator. Limited multitasking. | N/A (Historic) |
Windows 2.0 | December 9, 1987 | Improved GUI with overlapping windows and icons. Better memory management. Introduced Control Panel. | N/A (Historic) |
Windows 3.0 / 3.1 | May 22, 1990 (3.0) / April 6, 1992 (3.1) | Significant performance improvements and enhanced GUI. Popularized Windows as a mainstream OS. Windows 3.1 added TrueType fonts and basic multimedia. | N/A (Historic) |
Windows 95 | August 24, 1995 | Introduced the iconic Start button and taskbar, revolutionizing user interaction. Switched to a 32-bit architecture and introduced Plug and Play (PnP). Integrated Internet Explorer. | OEM, Retail |
Windows 98 | June 25, 1998 | Improved support for USB devices and deeper integration of Internet Explorer. | OEM, Retail |
Windows 2000 | February 17, 2000 | Built on the Windows NT kernel, offering enhanced stability and security. Often considered a more robust OS than its predecessors. | Professional, Server (Workstation equivalent) |
Windows Me (Millennium Edition) | September 14, 2000 | Focus on multimedia and home users. Introduced System Restore. Generally received poor reviews for stability. | OEM, Retail |
Windows XP | October 25, 2001 | Major visual overhaul (Luna theme) and significant stability improvements. Widely adopted and had a very long lifespan. | Home, Professional, Media Center Edition, Tablet PC Edition, Starter Edition, Embedded, Professional x64 Edition |
Windows Vista | January 30, 2007 | Introduced Aero Glass interface, UAC (User Account Control) for improved security, and enhanced search capabilities. Faced criticism for performance and hardware compatibility issues. | Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, Ultimate |
Windows 7 | October 22, 2009 | Refined Aero interface, improved performance and stability over Vista. Widely praised and adopted. | Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise, Ultimate |
Windows 8 | October 26, 2012 | Introduced a touch-centric interface with the "Metro UI" Start screen, replacing the traditional Start menu. Mixed reception due to the drastic interface changes. | Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Enterprise, Windows RT |
Windows 8.1 | October 17, 2013 | Addressed many criticisms of Windows 8, bringing back a more traditional Start button and improving desktop usability. | Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 Pro, Windows 8.1 Enterprise |
Windows 10 | July 29, 2015 | Return of the Start menu, universal apps, Cortana virtual assistant, and the Microsoft Edge browser. Designed to be a "service" with ongoing updates rather than distinct new versions. | Home, Pro, Enterprise (E3, E5, LTSC), Education, Pro for Workstations, IoT Enterprise |
Windows 11 | October 5, 2021 | Redesigned interface with a centered taskbar and Start menu, new Microsoft Store, and support for Android apps. Stricter hardware requirements. | Home, Pro, Enterprise (E3, E5, LTSC), Education, Pro for Workstations, IoT Enterprise |
Common Licensing Models for Windows Desktop:
OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer): Pre-installed on new computers. Tied to the hardware.
Retail (Full Packaged Product - FPP): Purchased as a standalone product, can be transferred to new hardware.
Volume Licensing: For organizations (e.g., through Enterprise Agreements, Open Value, MPSA). Often provides upgrade rights and broader deployment flexibility for Pro and Enterprise editions.
Subscription Licenses: Primarily for Enterprise editions (e.g., Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3/E5) often bundled with Microsoft 365, providing per-user rights and cloud benefits.
Windows Server Versions
Version | Release Date | Key Milestones | Available License Levels (Common) |
Windows NT 3.1 Advanced Server | July 27, 1993 | First server-focused version of Windows NT. A 32-bit rewrite of the Windows kernel with multi-user support and preemptive multitasking. | N/A (Historic) |
Windows NT Server 4.0 | August 24, 1996 | Incorporated the Windows 95 user interface, improving usability for server administrators. | Standard, Enterprise Edition, Terminal Server, Embedded |
Windows 2000 Server | February 17, 2000 | Introduced Active Directory, revolutionizing network resource management. Also brought support for DNS, Kerberos authentication, and improved scalability. | Server, Advanced Server, Datacenter Server |
Windows Server 2003 | April 24, 2003 | Enhanced performance and security. Improved management tools (MMC 2.0) and new security features like Security Configuration Wizard (SCW). | Web Edition, Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, Small Business Server, Storage Server |
Windows Server 2008 | February 27, 2008 | Brought virtualization to the forefront with Hyper-V technology, allowing for efficient running of multiple operating systems on a single server. Introduced Server Core installation option. | Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, Web, HPC |
Windows Server 2008 R2 | October 22, 2009 | Built on Server 2008, significant advancements in virtualization with Hyper-V improvements, and increased energy efficiency. | Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, Web, HPC |
Windows Server 2012 | September 4, 2012 | Strong push into cloud computing with Windows Azure integration. Advancements in virtualization (Hyper-V Replica) and storage (Storage Spaces). | Essentials, Standard, Datacenter |
Windows Server 2012 R2 | October 17, 2013 | Further enhancements to virtualization, storage, and networking. | Essentials, Standard, Datacenter |
Windows Server 2016 | October 12, 2016 | Focused on cloud-ready infrastructure, security, and application platform. Introduced Nano Server and Windows Containers. | Essentials, Standard, Datacenter |
Windows Server 2019 | October 2, 2018 | Emphasized hybrid cloud scenarios with Azure integration, Kubernetes support for container orchestration, and enhanced security. | Essentials, Standard, Datacenter |
Windows Server 2022 | August 18, 2021 | Continued focus on hybrid cloud, security, and modernizing applications. Enhanced security features and improvements for containerization. | Essentials, Standard, Datacenter |
Windows Server 2025 | November 1, 2024 (LTSC) | Latest version with continued advancements in cloud integration and security. | Standard, Datacenter |
Common Licensing Models for Windows Server:
Per Core + CAL (Client Access License): This is the predominant model for Standard and Datacenter editions.
Per Core: You license all physical cores on the server (with a minimum of 8 cores per processor and 16 cores per server). This model eliminates the need for CALs for internal and external users.
CALs: In addition to the server license, you must purchase a CAL for each user or device that accesses the server.
Standard Edition: Allows for two virtual machine instances per license. If you need more VMs, you can stack Standard licenses (re-license all physical cores).
Datacenter Edition: Provides rights for unlimited virtual machine instances on the licensed server.
Essentials Edition: Historically, licensed per server for small businesses with limited users/devices (e.g., up to 25 users/50 devices). Does not require CALs.
OEM: Pre-installed on new server hardware.
Volume Licensing: For organizations, offering various programs (Enterprise Agreement, MPSA, Open Value) with benefits like Software Assurance (SA) for upgrades and flexible deployment rights.
Azure Hybrid Benefit: Allows customers with active Software Assurance on Windows Server licenses to use those licenses in Azure at a reduced cost.
SQL Server Versions
Version | Release Date | Key Milestones | Available License Levels (Common) |
SQL Server 1.0 (for OS/2) | 1989 | Microsoft's first entry into the enterprise-level database market, developed jointly with Sybase. | N/A (Historic) |
SQL Server 4.21a (for Windows NT) | 1993 | Marked SQL Server's entry onto the Windows NT platform. | N/A (Historic) |
SQL Server 6.0 | 1995 | First version designed exclusively for Windows NT, marking the end of collaboration with Sybase. | N/A (Historic) |
SQL Server 7.0 | 1998 | Significant re-architecture and conversion of source code from C to C++. Improved scalability and ease of use. | Standard, Enterprise |
SQL Server 2000 | November 30, 2000 | Further improved scalability, XML integration, and introduced features like federated servers. | Standard, Enterprise, Personal, Developer, Desktop Engine (MSDE) |
SQL Server 2005 | January 14, 2006 | Major overhaul of the database engine, enhanced security, introduced SQL CLR (Common Language Runtime) for .NET integration, and built-in reporting and analysis services. | Express, Workgroup, Standard, Enterprise, Developer, Compact Edition |
SQL Server 2008 | November 6, 2008 | Added support for hierarchical data, FILESTREAM data type for storing unstructured data, and SPATIAL data types for geographical information. | Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Developer, Compact Edition |
SQL Server 2008 R2 | July 20, 2010 | Focus on scalability for larger data warehouses, introduced Master Data Services and StreamInsight. | Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, Developer, Compact Edition |
SQL Server 2012 | May 20, 2012 | Introduced AlwaysOn Availability Groups for high availability and disaster recovery, and columnar in-memory storage (xVelocity). | Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Business Intelligence, Developer |
SQL Server 2014 | June 5, 2014 | Enhanced in-memory capabilities for OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) and data warehousing, and improved performance. | Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Business Intelligence, Developer |
SQL Server 2016 | June 1, 2016 | Linux support, Stretch Database (hybrid cloud capabilities), R Services for advanced analytics, and enhanced in-memory performance. | Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Developer |
SQL Server 2017 | September 29, 2017 | First version to officially support Windows, Linux, and Docker containers. Introduced Graph database capabilities and Machine Learning Services (Python and R). | Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Developer |
SQL Server 2019 | November 4, 2019 | Introduced Big Data Clusters, further enhancements to "Intelligent Database" features (e.g., Intelligent Query Processing), and enhanced monitoring. | Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Developer |
SQL Server 2022 | November 16, 2022 | Focus on Azure integration, enhanced performance, and continued security and compliance features. | Express, Web, Standard, Enterprise, Developer |
Common Licensing Models for SQL Server:
Per Core: This is the primary model for Enterprise Edition and an option for Standard Edition. You license all physical cores on the server where SQL Server is running (with a minimum of 4 cores per physical processor). This model eliminates the need for CALs, providing unlimited user/device access.
Server + CAL (Client Access License): This model is available for SQL Server Standard Edition only. You purchase a server license for the SQL Server installation and then a CAL for each user or device that accesses the SQL Server.
Express Edition: Free, entry-level database for small, local applications and development. Has limitations on database size, memory, and CPU usage.
Developer Edition: Free, fully-featured edition with all the capabilities of Enterprise Edition, but strictly for development and testing purposes only, not for production environments.
Evaluation Edition (Trial Edition): Fully-featured, time-limited version (e.g., 180 days) for evaluation purposes. After the trial period, the server services typically stop.
Web Edition: A lower-cost option for web-serving environments, typically licensed per core and often used by hosting providers.
Volume Licensing: For organizations (e.g., Enterprise Agreements, MPSA, Open Value), providing various benefits, including Software Assurance (SA) for upgrades and flexible deployment rights (e.g., for virtual machines or disaster recovery).
Azure SQL Database/Managed Instance: These are cloud-based offerings where the licensing is typically integrated into the service consumption model (e.g., vCore-based or DTU-based pricing), abstracting the traditional on-premises licensing complexities. You can also bring your existing SQL Server licenses with active Software Assurance to Azure (Azure Hybrid Benefit).