Windows Server 2008 "needs more time to bake"

 

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By Barry Collins

Posted on 30 Aug 2007 at 09:39

Microsoft says that Windows Server 2008's release to manufacturing (RTM) has slipped until Q1 of next year.

Earlier this year, the company admitted that Server 2008 wouldn't ship until February, but claimed it was still on target to have finalised the code by the end of this year.

Now it appears even that target has been missed. "Windows Server 2008, which we have been saying would release to manufacturing by the end of the calendar year, is now slated to RTM in the first quarter of calendar year 2008," the company says on its Server Division blog.

Why the delay? "Microsoft's first priority is to deliver a great product to our customers and partners, and while we're very happy with the feedback we're getting and the overall quality of the latest product builds, we would rather spend a little more time to meet the high quality bar that our customers and partners deserve and expect," the blog claims.

"As one of our leading program managers, Alex Hinrichs, told me, 'it's like a brisket - it just needs a little more time to bake."

Microsoft insists that Windows Server 2008 will still ship on February 27, alongside Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008.

The company also claims that more than 300,000 have joined the third beta of the Server product, and that "customers and partners are very impressed with what they see."

Click here to find out what's coming in Vista SP1.