Microsoft: Windows Server 2012 R2 goes gold

Not too surprisingly, given the two teams work in lockstep, Microsoft has released to manufacturing Windows Server 2012 R2, alongside Windows 8.1 client.

Windows Server 2012 R2 is the "Blue" update to Windows Server 2012. Microsoft officials announced in a blog post on August 27 that the R2 release has RTM'd. (I'd bet it probably did on Friday, August 23, the same day that Windows 8.1 did.)

Microsoft execs also acknowledged today that Windows 8.1 has RTM'd and is being handed off to OEMs starting today, August 27.

The Server team announced a couple of weeks ago that they would be withholding availability of the RTM bits until October 18, which is launch day for Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2. The team acknowledged that no volume licensees, no MSDN/TechNet subscribers will be getting the gold bits until that date. Only the OEM partners are getting early access to the RTM bits.

The reasoning on the server side seems to be the same as on the client side: Microsoft plans to continue to update the RTM bits right up until the time of launch.

In today's blog post, officials also reiterated that the next version of Windows Intune (Wave E?) will also be availble as of October 18. Microsoft is still on track to delvier System Center 2012 R2 on October 18, according to today's post. (The post does not mention whether System Center 2012 R2 "RTM'd" yet or not.)

I asked whether Microsoft also released to manufacturing Visual Studio 2013 today and was told this has not yet happened. Microsoft released a preview test build of Visual Studio 2013 in late June. Officials have said VS2013 should be commercially available before the end of calendar 2013.

Update: Also, for those asking, here's all we know so far about Windows Server 2012 R2 pricing and licensing.