Customers that haven't upgraded to Windows Server 2012 are either living in denial or under a rock. Those that don't migrate off Server 2003 face a range of consequences from security issues ...
R2 also added storage tiering (see HSM) and Workplace Join, the latter enabling user's laptops and mobile devices to function in an Active Directory domain. See Windows Server Essentials.
Only the SSE4.2 and POPCNT requirements are new. Microsoft has made it mandatory for all Windows 11 24H2 editions, so it isn’t a surprise for Windows Server 2025. POPCNT began shipping in 2008, so ...