In October last year, Microsoft announced that support for Docker container virtualization in its next version of Windows Server through the Windows Server Containers technology. Today Microsoft announced several new products to support these container virtualization techniques.
Firstly Microsoft announced Hyper-V Containers which is an isolated container deployment option ensuring that container cannot impact the host OS or other containers running on the same host. Hyper-V containers will offer an extra deployment option next to the already available Hyper-V virtual machine and the earlier announced Windows Server containers.
Microsoft will submit the Docker engine for Windows Server Containers as an open contribution to the Docker repository on GitHub.
Secondly, Microsoft announced Nano Server which is a refactored version of Windows Server with a small footprint and remotely managed installation built to run cloud applications and containers. Nano Server is designed for speed, agility and lower resource consumption providing fewer patch and update events, faster restarts, better resource utilization and tighter security.
For Nano Server Microsoft shares that for now it has a 93% lower VHD size, 92% fewer critical bulletins and 80% fewer reboots. In order to achievy using this, Microsoft removed the GUI stack, 32 bit support, MSI and a number of default Server Core components. Nano Server has no local logon or Remote Desktop support, which means that it must be managed remotely using WMI and PowerShell for which Desired State Configuration (DSC), remote file transfer, remote script authoring and remote debugging will be improved.