Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview now publicly available

Ahead of Microsoft’s BUILD 2013 developer conference in San Francisco, the company has posted the Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview for public consumption. Previously we reported that, as expected, the Preview brings back the Start button and introduces a few new options into the right-click context menu for the Start button, including Shutdown and Restart. With the public release of Server 2012 R2 Preview, now you can try these features for yourself.

A number of editions are available for the Preview, including Essentials, Developers, Windows Azure and IT Professionals, and they will expire on January 15, 2014. Head to the link below to get your download started and “put Microsoft’s Cloud OS vision to work today”.

Meanwhile, if you’re hanging out for the client edition of the Windows Blue (8.1) Preview, check back later in the week when it’ll be available to the public. We’ll also be at Microsoft’s BUILD 2013 conference this week, which starts on Wednesday where Microsoft is sure to reveal more details on Windows 8.1 and their vision going forward.

[button size=”medium” href=”http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/evalcenter/dn205286.aspx” linking=”new-window”]Download Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview[/button]