Windows Server 2012

Windows Server 2012 (codenamed Windows Server 8) is the sixth release of the Windows Server series of operating systems. It is the server version of Windows 8, and is the successor to Windows Server 2008 R2 and the predecessor to Windows Server 2016. It was released to manufacturing on August 1, 2012, and to the public on September 4, 2012.

Notable new features and improvements include:
 * The new Metro user interface from Windows 8 (originally from Windows Phone 7)
 * Ability to switch between Server GUI and Server Core interface options without reinstallation
 * A redesigned Task Manager
 * Improvements to Active Directory, Hyper-V and the new IIS 8
 * A new licensing model (see below)

Windows Server 2012 will be available in only 4 editions:
 * Foundation - Limited to 1 CPU and limited connections, AD must be forest root. Available through OEM only
 * Essentials - Limited to 2 CPUs, higher limits than Foundation. Available through Retail, VL and OEM.
 * Standard - Adds Hyper-V, Server Core, ADFS, and uses CALs. Available through Retail, VL and OEM.
 * Datacenter - Unlimited virtualization rights. Available only though VL or OEM

System requirements
Microsoft has indicated that Windows Server 2012 will not support 32-bit (IA-32) or Itanium (IA-64) processors, but has not officially released any other system requirements, except for the Release Candidate. The following system requirements are for the Release Candidate, and are subject to change in the final release.

Upgrades from Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 are supported, though upgrades from prior releases will not be supported.

Editions
Windows Server 2012, unlike Windows Server 2008 R2, will have only four editions - the Enterprise, Small Business Server, Web, and HPC editions do not exist.