Microsoft is releasing a new Insider Preview of Windows Server. Build 18356.1 represents a release in the Windows Server vNext Semi-Annual Channel.

The official announcement comes with the following change log.

Available Content

• Windows Server vNext Semi-Annual Preview

The Server Core Edition is available in the 18 supported Server languages in ISO format and in English only in VHDX format.

• Windows Server Core App Compatibility FoD Preview
• Windows Server Language Packs
• Windows Admin Center 1902

Activation for preview keys has been disabled effective with this build. You may still install and this preview build for development and testing purposes without activating.

Symbols are available on the public symbol server – see Update on Microsoft’s Symbol Server blog post and Using the Microsoft Symbol Server. Matching Windows Server container images will be available via Docker Hub. For more information about Windows Server containers and Insider builds, click here.

How to Download 

Registered Insiders may navigate directly to the Windows Server Insider Preview download page.  If you have not yet registered as an Insider, see GETTING STARTED WITH SERVER on the Windows Insiders for Business portal.

We value your feedback!

The most important part of a frequent release cycle is to hear what’s working and what needs to be improved, so your feedback is extremely valued. For Windows Admin Center, Send us feedback via UserVoice. We also encourage you to visit the Windows Admin Center space on the Microsoft Tech Communities forum to collaborate, share and learn from experts.

For Windows Server, use your registered Windows 10 Insider device and use the Feedback Hub application. In the app, choose the Windows Server category and then the appropriate subcategory for your feedback. In the title of the Feedback, please indicate the build number you are providing feedback on in this format:

[Server #####] Title of my feedback

We also encourage you to visit the Windows Server Insiders space on the Microsoft Tech Communities forum to collaborate, share and learn from experts.

Windows Server Known Issues

• Error after remoting to machine with RDP post FOD installation.  The error message indicates immediately that the remote session has ended with potential reasons, followed by a black RDP screen. This only impacts remoting to a physical machine with Server Core + FOD.
• Applies to App Compat FOD MMC.exe only: Multiple Active Directory Users and Computers snap-ins added to the same MMC.exe instance could show inconsistent or no data on part of the snap-ins after adding extra columns to the UI view.  Wokaround: for UI user management, use a separate MMC for each ADUC (DSA.MSC) snap-in.
• A local user’s last logon time output from “net user username” may not be recorded even when the user has accessed the server’s network share.
• Scheduled startup tasks may fail to run. An event is logged, ID 101 with the error code ERROR_LOGON_FAILURE when the failure occurs.
• A virtual machine may not report all virtual fibre channel (vfc) LUNs after powering on if there are 2000+ vfc LUNs. WMI queries from the host show the LUNS available.  Restarting the VMMs may show the LUNS again as available.
• DCPromo fails if the interface metric of the physical NIC is larger than Loopback Interface
  Third-party password filter dlls may not be notified when the local Administrator account’s password was changed.
• Attempting system image recovery from an image located on a network share may result in error “A specified logon session does not exist. It may already have been terminated”.
• Server FODs are not retained after in-place (or B2B) upgrade.
• Domain Controller rename updates incorrect attributes in AD leaving orphaned data behind (ValidateSPNsAndDNSHostNameActual).  This can be reproduced by adding a new FQDN, setting it as primary, restarting the domain controller, then removing the current FQDN.  Checking the msDS-AdditionalDnsHostName, msDS-AdditionalSamAccountName and servicePrincipalName attributes will incorrect values.
• Invalid file may be created in %Systemroot%\System32\LogFiles\Sum by User Access Logging
• Self-service users cannot install Feature on Demand (FOD) packages and Language Packs for Windows Server
• Update Service (WSUS), System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), and Autopilot scenarios.
• A container host may become unresponsive due to a deadlock when attempting to mount a volume. On an affected system, Docker hangs on all commands.
• When a Windows Defender Application Guard container crashes, the resulting type of dump may be unexpected.

Source: Microsoft.