Server Cumulative Updates are available via UUP whether LTSC or SAC (or Azure Stack HCI thing) build 20348 is for all those servers it will not get equivalent Windows 10 + Server 20348 LTSC editions will probably also be fully available as Feature Update
Does it feel a little odd to anyone that with the next major update to Windows 10 incoming, Server 2022 being essentially done will presumably not be incorporating the visual refresh?
Nope, why should it? The focus does not lie on eye candy here. Instead, Server should have a GUI, but as basic as possible.
My guess is Server 2022 has been essentially in the 'feature complete' stage since last September. Microsoft has been doing bug bash on it for almost 7 months without adding anything substantial...
Shouldn't the GUI - the most basic element of the OS for users - be consistent across the range? This 2022 product will very soon look and feel older than the consumer edition.
I think you see the server only like an enhanced workstation and you are likely using the current version as your more powerful workstation. This is only one aspect of it and it is meant to be used in multiuser environment as Terminal Server, an emulation of a virtual desktop running either the full GUI or only applications, many times being enhanced by third-party products like those from Citrix. However there is a shift from this functionality in the industry and Microsoft released the niche version of Windows 10 Enterprise for multiple users for this purpose. Currently the server is more than anything meant to be used as the backbone of the new Azure implementations and as a transitional product from the existing on premises implementations. Saying that, there is nothing other than the licensing requirements, hardware and some of the applications not behaving gracefully stopping end-users to continue using the server as their more powerful workstation.
@ch100 WUMT (2016 version) don't support or show OptionalInstallation updates i'm not sure if the last version support them
Updated the OP to now be the Server 2022 LTSC (20348.1 fe_release) dedicated thread: https://forums.mydigitallife.net/th...-repo-fe_release-ip-techbench-only-atm.83200/ @Tito I think it's ready to become sticky?
It is interesting because the VMware drivers (VMware Tools components) which come up as Optional are showed in WUMT. Driver updates are certainly implemented differently although I don't really know how. This is a subject for another time though. The Optional Updates in the Win10 or server equivalent implementation appear as installed after the fact. I am sure that you understand this stuff better than me and how WUMT works internally, I am only mentioning what I observe and things which are likely to be encountered by others.
Needs some work Code: ============================================================ Running UUP -> ISO v60 ============================================================ ============================================================ Checking UUP Info . . . ============================================================ ============================================================ Configured Options . . . ============================================================ AutoStart 1 AddUpdates 1 ============================================================ Preparing Reference ESDs . . . ============================================================ ============================================================ Creating Setup Media Layout . . . ============================================================ ============================================================ Creating install.wim . . . ============================================================ Using LZX compression with 8 threads Archiving file data: 4711 MiB of 4711 MiB (100%) done Using LZX compression with 8 threads Archiving file data: 131 MiB of 131 MiB (100%) done Using LZX compression with 8 threads Archiving file data: 3091 MiB of 3091 MiB (100%) done [ERROR] There is already an image named "Windows Server 2022 Standard" in the destination WIM ERROR: Exiting with error code 11: Tried to add an image with a name that is already in use. Errors were reported during export. Press 0 to exit.