Those semi-annual releases of Windows also happen on the Windows Server side of the world. Build 17074 is heading to people signed up for previews with new storage capability and improved failover options.

Overnight, Microsoft released Windows Server Build 1709 and the Fall Update for Windows 10. With both the server and computer operating systems now biannual update cycles, sys admins and operations teams can plan their update cycles with some precision.

At the upcoming Ignite event, Microsoft will be unveiling a new server management tool. Currently codenamed "Project Honolulu", the new interface will be available Windows Server 2016 Build 1709 if you want to get an early look.

It seems the days of large, monolithic software releases are now behind us. Microsoft is changing the way updates to their server platform will be delivered. Starting during our Spring (the northern Autumn/Fall) Microsoft will be releasing updates twice a year. This, they say, is to allow their customers to take advantage of new capabilities faster as they innovate.

After missing Patch Tuesday in February, Microsoft has managed to get the March edition out. With 18 separate security updates it packs in a lot of fixes for dozens of vulnerabilities.

The second Tuesday of every month is when Microsoft traditionally releases its security updates, affectionately known as Patch Tuesdays. Unfortunately, Microsoft is running late this month because of "last minute issues". Here's what you need to know.

Microsoft is still working on the next version of Windows Server 2016, dubbed vNext, and is conducting a survey that will shape the development of the Essentials version of the product. Here's how you can participate.

Microsoft has launched its latest technical previews of Windows Server 2016 and System Center 2016 which caters to hybrid cloud datacentres. We have the list of new features added in this release.

Windows Server 2003 reaches the end of its useful life on July 14 this year, with no more patches after that date. If you assumed that such a (relatively) ancient operating system doesn't require much updating, think again.

We know Windows 10 will arrive on the desktop later this year, but server-side updates aren't coming quite as quickly. The next version of Windows Server isn't going to appear until 2016.

There has been a lot of excitement recently about Windows 10, the forthcoming version of Windows that restores the Start menu, dangles the promise of universal apps and has lots of hidden features. But what about its less sexy but more successful Windows Server sibling? Here's what we know so far about plans for its next version.

Have an existing physical Windows server that you'd like to convert to a Hyper-V image? Version 3.,0 of the free Microsoft Virtual Machine Converter adds that ability.

Windows 8.1 Update has barely been available for a week, but installing it is soon going to be essential if you're already running Windows 8.1. From 13 May, Microsoft will stop offering security updates for consumers running a non-Update version Windows 8.1, while enterprise customers using Windows Server Update Services will be cut off from 12 August.

The imminent demise of Windows XP isn't the only current example of an old piece of Microsoft software that's about to hit the scrapheap. Office 2003, Windows Server 2003, Exchange Server 2003 and SQL Server 2008 are also about to lose support.

It's no surprise that Windows Server 2012 R2 will be coming out on 18 October, essentially the same date as Windows 8.1, since the two products have been on a parallel development cycle. But while I can imagine plenty of individual Windows users moving to Windows 8.1 on the day of release, that's less likely to apply to the server versions.

Microsoft has undergone a major structural reorganisation, shifting several internal executives around and realigning some of its product groups. For IT pros actually implementing those products, however, it's still a case of "business as usual" and "you could see this coming a mile off".

When Patch Tuesday rolled around last month, we were busy smirking about how running Server Core meant that you could avoid many of the inevitable updates. But that isn't the case all the time, and this month proves the point.

Tomorrow we'll announce the winners of our competition for two lucky readers to win a trip to TechEd North America in New Orleans, courtesy of the Windows Server 2012 team at Microsoft. We already know two people who are attending: Lifehacker Australia editor Angus Kidman and David Klemke, our prize-winning blogger from TechEd Australia last year. While we wait for the winners announcement, David and Angus share what they're looking forward to from the trip.

Yes, entries for our competition to win a trip to TechEd North America in New Orleans close on 1 May. That's tomorrow. If you haven't entered yet, there really is no time like the present. We'll be announcing the winners later this week; don't you want to be on that list?