Windows Server 2019 is the operating system that bridges on-premises environments with Azure, adding additional layers of security while helping you modernize your applications and infrastructure.
Extend your datacenter to Azure to maximize your investments and gain new hybrid capabilities.
Elevate your security posture by protecting the datacenter, starting with the operating system.
Enable the creation of cloud-native apps, and modernize traditional apps using containers and microservices.
Evolve your datacenter infrastructure to achieve greater efficiency and security.
Windows Server 2019 is the operating system that bridges on-premises environments with Azure services, enabling hybrid scenarios that maximize existing investments. Increase security and reduce business risk with multiple layers of protection built into the operating system. Evolve your datacenter infrastructure to achieve greater efficiency and scale with Hyper-converged Infrastructure (HCI). Enable developers and IT pros to create cloud native applications and modernize their traditional apps using containers and micro-services.
The Server Core option is a minimal installation option that is available when you are deploying the Standard or Datacenter edition of Windows Server. Server Core includes most but not all server roles. Server Core has a smaller disk footprint, and therefore a smaller attack surface due to a smaller code base.
Server (Core) vs Server with Desktop Experience
When you install Windows Server, you install only the server roles that you choose – this helps reduce the overall footprint for Windows Server. However, the Server with Desktop Experience installation option still installs many services and other components that are often not needed for a particular usage scenario.
That’s where Server Core comes into play: the Server Core installation eliminates any services and other features that are not essential for the support of certain commonly used server roles. For example, a Hyper-V server doesn’t need a graphical user interface (GUI), because you can manage virtually all aspects of Hyper-V either from the command line using Windows PowerShell or remotely using the Hyper-V Manager.
When you finish installing Server Core on a system and sign in for the first time, you’re in for a bit of a surprise. The main difference between the Server with Desktop Experience installation option and Server Core is that Server Core does not include the following GUI shell packages:
| Application | Server Core | Server with Desktop Experience |
|---|---|---|
| Command prompt | available | available |
| Windows PowerShell/ Microsoft .NET | available | available |
| Perfmon.exe | not available | available |
| Windbg (GUI) | supported | supported |
| Resmon.exe | not available | available |
| Regedit | available | available |
| Fsutil.exe | available | available |
| Disksnapshot.exe | not available | available |
| Diskpart.exe | available | available |
| Diskmgmt.msc | not available | available |
| Devmgmt.msc | not available | available |
| Server Manager | not available | available |
| Mmc.exe | not available | available |
| Eventvwr | not available | available |
| Wevtutil (Event queries) | available | available |
| Services.msc | not available | available |
| Control Panel | not available | available |
| Windows Update (GUI) | not available | available |
| Windows Explorer | not available | available |
| Taskbar | not available | available |
| Taskbar notifications | not available | available |
| Taskmgr | available | available |
| Internet Explorer or Edge | not available | available |
| Built-in help system | not available | available |
| Windows 10 Shell | not available | available |
| Windows Media Player | not available | available |
| PowerShell | available | available |
| PowerShell ISE | not available | available |
| PowerShell IME | available | available |
| Mstsc.exe | not available | available |
| Remote Desktop Services | available | available |
| Hyper-V Manager | not available | available |
| WordPad* | not available | available |
* To read .RTF files locally stored on a Server Core SKU, users can copy the file(s) to a different Windows computer where WordPad is present.
Each user and device that connects to a Remote Desktop Session host needs a client access license (CAL). You use RD Licensing to install, issue, and track RDS CALs.
When a user or a device connects to an RD Session Host server, the RD Session Host server determines if an RDS CAL is needed. The RD Session Host server then requests an RDS CAL from the Remote Desktop license server. If an appropriate RDS CAL is available from a license server, the RDS CAL is issued to the client, and the client is able to connect to the RD Session Host server and from there to the desktop or apps they’re trying to use.
There is a licensing grace period of 180 Days during which no license server is required. Once the grace period ends, clients must have a valid RDS CAL issued by a license server before they can log on to an RD Session Host server.
Windows Server 2019 Edition | Ideal for | Licensing model | CAL requirements |
| Datacenter | Highly virtualized datacenters and cloud environments | Core-based | Windows Server CAL |
| Standard | Physical or minimally virtualized environments | Core-based | Windows Server CAL |
| Essentials | Small businesses with up to 25 users and 50 devices | Specialty servers (server license) | No CAL required |
Feature | Standard edition | Data edition |
| Core Windows Server functionality | ✔ | ✔ |
| Hybrid integration | ✔ | ✔ |
| Hyper-Converged Infrastructure | ✖ | ✔ |
| OSEs*/Hyper-V containers | Standard license includes two OSEs or VMs | Unlimited |
| Windows Server containers | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Host Guardian Service | ✔ | ✔ |
| Storage Replica | ✔ | ✔ |
| Shielded virtual Machines (VMs) | ✖ | ✔ |
| Software-defined networking | ✖ | ✔ |
| Software-defined storage | ✖ | ✔ |
Windows Server documentation, Check out more
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