Server Core
Server Core is a minimalistic Microsoft Windows Server installation option, debuted in Windows Server 2008. Server Core provides a server environment with functionality scaled back to core server features, and because of limited features, it has reduced servicing and management requirements, attack surface, disk and memory usage. Andrew Mason, a program manager on the Windows Server team, noted that a primary motivation for producing a Server Core variant of Windows Server 2008 was to reduce the attack surface of the operating system, and that about 70% of the security vulnerabilities in Microsoft Windows from the prior five years would not have affected Server Core.[1] Most notably, no Windows Explorer shell is installed. All configuration and maintenance is done entirely through command-line interface windows, or by connecting to the machine remotely using Microsoft Management Console, Remote Server Administration Tools, and PowerShell Remoting.
As Server Core implementations matured, more and more it is not looked down as a stripped version, but the “Full Server” is being thinked of as having a rarely needed Client layer on top of the Server layer.
| Install type | Nano Server | Server Core | Minimal Server Interface | Server with a GUI or “Full Server” | Desktop Experience[2] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Availibility | coming in vNext Server | Server 2008– | Server 2012– | all versions | Server 2008– |
Differences between server operating system versions
Server Core in Windows Server 2008
Windows Server 2008 was the first Windows Server with the Server Core option (in all editions, except IA-64). Though no Windows Explorer shell is installed, Notepad and some control panel applets, such as Regional Settings, are available. Server Core on Windows 2008 does not include the .NET Framework, Internet Explorer, Windows PowerShell or many other features not related to core server features. A Server Core machine can be configured for several basic roles: Domain controller/Active Directory Domain Services, ADLDS (ADAM), DNS Server, DHCP server, file server, print server, Windows Media Server, IIS 7 web server and Hyper-V virtual server. Server Core can also be used to create a cluster with high availability using failover clustering or network load balancing.
As Server Core is not a different version of Windows Server 2008, but simply an installation option, if a binary is present, it has the same file versions and default configurations as the Full Server version. In Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2, if a server was installed as Server Core it cannot be changed to the full GUI version and vica versa.
To make administration of a Server Core machine easier, a Windows script, scregedit.wsf was included to make basic changes like turning Automatic Updates on or off, turning Remote Desktop on or off and change page file settings.
Server Core in Windows Server 2008 R2
In Windows Server 2008 R2, Server Core includes a subset of the .NET Framework, so that some applications (including ASP.NET web sites and Windows PowerShell 2.0) can be used. New roles had been enabled to run under Server Core, including Active Directory Certificate Services and the File Server Resource Manager component of the File Services role. WoW64 is available.
In addition to the Dism.exe command, a new command line Server Configuration tool (Sconfig.cmd) has arrived to configure and manage several common aspects of Server Core installations.[3] Server Manager can be used to remotely administer a Server Core machine.
Server Core in Windows Server 2012
Unlike its predecessors, Windows Server 2012 can switch between "Server Core" and "Server with a GUI" installation options without a full reinstallation. Server Core is now the recommended configuration. There is also a third installation option, “Minimal Server Interface” that allows some GUI elements such as MMC and Server Manager to run, but without the normal desktop, shell or default programs like File Explorer.[4] Some new roles are available, like WSUS, Active Directory Rights Management Server, and Routing and Remote Access Server, and many new features as well.[5]
Server Core in Windows Server 2012 R2
In Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Defender is available in a Server Core installation, and is installed and enabled by default.[6]
Server Core in Windows Server vNext
The not-yet released Windows Server vNext is announced to have Nano Server, a smaller than Server Core, minimal footprint installation option, optimized for Windows Server Containers and Hyper-V Containers, as well as other cloud-optimized scenarios. According to the announcement, Microsoft removed the GUI stack, 32-bit support (WoW64), MSI and a number of default Server Core components. There is no local logon or Remote Desktop support. [7][8]
References
- ^ "Iain McDonald and Andrew Mason show off the new Windows Server OS". Channel 9. Microsoft. May 24, 2006. Retrieved 2008-11-01.
18:55
- ^ TechNet: Desktop Experience Feature
- ^ TechNet: Configuring a Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 R2 with Sconfig.cmd
- ^ Bisson, Simon (September 14, 2011). "Windows 8 Server Developer Preview". ZDNet. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 1, 2012.
- ^ TechNet: Install Server Roles and Features on a Server Core Server
- ^ "What's Changed in Security Technologies in Windows 8.1".
- ^ Windows Server Blog: Microsoft Announces Nano Server for Modern Apps and Cloud
- ^ Server & Cloud Blog: Microsoft Announces New Container Technologies for the Next Generation Cloud