Docker Container Images for Windows Server 1709 and new tagging

Last week Microsoft announced new Windows Server 1709 and the new Windows Server 1709 container images. The new container images in Windows Server version 1709 are highly optimized, especially in size. So for example the new Nano Server Container Image in 1709 is 5x smaller than the Nano Server Container Image in Windows Server 2016.

Microsoft also made some changes to tagging which is interesting.

If you want to use the latest images of the container images based on the Windows Server 2016 (which is in the Long-Term Servicing Channel, LTSC) you just run:

"microsoft/nanoserver" or "microsoft/windowsservercore"

This will give you the latest images of the Windows Server and Nano server container images. If you want to run a specific patch level of the Windows Server 2016 (LTSC)m images, you can run the following:

"microsoft/nanoserver:10.0.14393.1770" or "microsoft/windowsservercore:10.0.14393.1770"

If you want to use the new Windows Server 1709 container images from the Semi-Annual Channel you can run the following

"microsoft/nanoserver:1709" or "microsoft/windowsservercore:1709"

and again you cans also add a specific base OS container image by using a KB number:

"microsoft/nanoserver:1709_KB4043961" or "microsoft/windowsservercore:1709_KB4043961"

If you already tried out the new container images during the development using the insider images, they still existing:

"microsoft/nanoserver-insider" or "microsoft/windowsservercore-insider"

However, I am not sure what the plan for the insider images is going forward.