We're considering fresh Azure Edition VMs for IIS and SQL Server 2025. Our domain controllers will stay on Server 2022. Has Server 2025 been reliable for those kinds of workloads, or would you stick with 2022 for now?
How is Windows Server 2025 working for non-DC VMs?
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h.27+valvekey
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There are positive reports for fresh Server 2025 builds running IIS and SQL, as well as for other non-DC workloads. That includes SQL Server 2025, though the SQL-specific feedback here is fairly limited.
I wouldn't rule it out for new VMs. A fresh build also avoids the in-place upgrade issues mentioned in some reports. Still, test the actual applications and database workload before committing both servers to it.
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Performance is the bit I'd want to measure rather than assume. Some reports describe higher resource use and worse performance than Server 2022 on similarly sized VMs, while others have had no major trouble. That difference could matter directly to your Azure costs.
Run a representative IIS and SQL workload on both versions with comparable VM sizes. Check response times, CPU, memory and database performance under load, then see whether 2025 needs a larger VM to meet the same target.
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One role I'd treat separately is Remote Desktop Services. There are reports of multi-session servers needing noticeably more CPU and RAM on 2025, even with fresh builds. That doesn't mean your IIS or SQL VMs will have the same problem, but don't extrapolate a successful test to every role.
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Keep an eye on patching during the pilot too. One reported issue involved a fresh Entra-joined Server 2025 machine that stopped applying security updates after several months. An in-place reinstall resolved that case, but it doesn't tell us how widespread the issue is.
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If the SQL deployment choice is still open, Azure SQL is another option worth considering instead of installing SQL Server on a Windows VM. That changes the deployment model, though, and it may not fit the database team's requirements. It also doesn't answer whether Server 2025 is suitable for the IIS boxes.
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a527!hingefold_8:
The reports aren't all from Azure, so they don't establish what your Azure Edition VMs will do. A comparison with your own workload is more useful than treating them as a prediction.