Microsoft releases Windows Server 2012, seen as a prelude to Windows 8 release

In a move that would make it easier to manage large clusters of servers in data centers remotely, Microsoft Corp. released the first major update to its server operating system since 2009. The step is seen as a prelude to releasing Windows 8 to consumers in October.

The Redmond, Wash., company is trying to capitalise on the industry trend toward "cloud computing," where computing tasks are spread out over many servers, accessed via the Internet.

The latest major update to Windows Server was the 2009 release of the second version of Windows Server 2008.

A developer preview version of Windows Server 2012 was released last year.

Windows Server 2012 runs on standard Intel-style processors and drops support for Itanium processors, a moribund processor line made by Hewlett-Packard Co.

With Associated Press inputs