Windows Server Editions - How to Choose between Datacenter, Standar, Essentials and Foundation

Windows Server 2012 R2 is available in four editions designed to suit a variety of customers needs.

• Datacenter and Standard are ideal for private cloud. 
• Essentials and Foundations are optimal for small businesses. 

Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter will continue to be the ideal edition for highly virtualized private and hybrid cloud environments providing customers with unlimited virtualization rights in all of the enhanced and new features of Windows Server 2012. The licensing for Datacenter will continue to follow a processor + CAL model however now each license will cover up to two physical processors on a server.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard is ideal for physical computing or lightly virtualized environments providing customers with an additional virtual instance than the previous version for total of two virtual instances along with all of the same features as the Datacenter edition but licensing for Standard is now the same as Datacenter with a processor + CAL model with each licensing covering up to two physical processors on a server.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials is a cloud connected first server ideal for small businesses with up to 25 users providing customers with the flexibility to have email in the cloud, runtime of business applications, or run email on premises. The licensing for Essentials will continue to be a server model with no CAL requirements.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation
Finally Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation is an economical general-purpose server for physical computing environments only. It provides customers with a Windows Server experience for up to 15 users the licensing for Foundation will continue to be a server model with no CAL requirement.

Comparisons
Windows Server 2012 core editions Datacenter and Standard are both private cloud optimized solutions providing all the same features and capabilities and cost effective virtualization options. Datacenter is ideal for a highly virtualized environments and provides for unlimited virtualization. This edition is ideally suited for rapidly growing businesses with high density virtualization needs. Standard Edition is optimal for low-density environments or for those without virtualization needs as each license provides for two virtual instances. Both Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter and Standard editions are only differentiated by virtualization rights. Datacenter provides for unlimited virtualization and Standard provides customers with two virtual instances with each license . Both editions share a common licensing structure based on a processor + CAL model where each license will cover up to two physical processors on a single server. There is no difference in the available features of these two editions since Standard edition now has all the same features that were previously only available in the Datacenter edition.

Windows Server Editions - How to Choose between Datacenter, Standar, Essentials and Foundation

Windows Server 2012 R2 is available in four editions designed to suit a variety of customers needs.

• Datacenter and Standard are ideal for private cloud. 
• Essentials and Foundations are optimal for small businesses. 

Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter
Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter will continue to be the ideal edition for highly virtualized private and hybrid cloud environments providing customers with unlimited virtualization rights in all of the enhanced and new features of Windows Server 2012. The licensing for Datacenter will continue to follow a processor + CAL model however now each license will cover up to two physical processors on a server.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard is ideal for physical computing or lightly virtualized environments providing customers with an additional virtual instance than the previous version for total of two virtual instances along with all of the same features as the Datacenter edition but licensing for Standard is now the same as Datacenter with a processor + CAL model with each licensing covering up to two physical processors on a server.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials is a cloud connected first server ideal for small businesses with up to 25 users providing customers with the flexibility to have email in the cloud, runtime of business applications, or run email on premises. The licensing for Essentials will continue to be a server model with no CAL requirements.

Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation
Finally Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation is an economical general-purpose server for physical computing environments only. It provides customers with a Windows Server experience for up to 15 users the licensing for Foundation will continue to be a server model with no CAL requirement.

Comparisons

Windows Server 2012 core editions Datacenter and Standard are both private cloud optimized solutions providing all the same features and capabilities and cost effective virtualization options. Datacenter is ideal for a highly virtualized environments and provides for unlimited virtualization. This edition is ideally suited for rapidly growing businesses with high density virtualization needs. Standard Edition is optimal for low-density environments or for those without virtualization needs as each license provides for two virtual instances. Both Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter and Standard editions are only differentiated by virtualization rights. Datacenter provides for unlimited virtualization and Standard provides customers with two virtual instances with each license . Both editions share a common licensing structure based on a processor + CAL model where each license will cover up to two physical processors on a single server. There is no difference in the available features of these two editions since Standard edition now has all the same features that were previously only available in the Datacenter edition.

Windows Server - General Questions

• Which server role enables you to centrally configure, manage, and provide temporary IP addresses and related information for client computers?

Show Answer

Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server. The DHCP server enables you to centrally configure, manage, and provide temporary IP addresses and related information for client computers. IP addresses are used to uniquely identify the client computers on your network.

• Which server role provides the services that you can use to create and manage virtual machines and their resources?

Show Answer

Hyper-V Server. The Hyper-V Server provides services to create and manage virtual machines and their resources. Each virtual machine is a virtualized computer system that operates in an isolated execution environment. This allows you to run multiple operating systems simultaneously. etwork.

• Which server role provides a reliable, manageable, and scalable Web application infrastructure?

Show Answer

Web Server (IIS). The Web Server provides a reliable, manageable, and scalable Web application infrastructure. IIS supports hosting of Web content in production environments.etwork.

• Which server role stores information about objects on the network and makes this information available to users and network administrators?

Show Answer

Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) Server. The AD DS server stores information about objects on the network and makes this information available to users and network administrators. Servers that run the AD DS Server role are called Domain Controllers. These servers provide network users access to resources through a single logon process.

• Which server role allows network administrators to specify the Microsoft updates that should be installed on different computers?

Show Answer

Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) Server. The WSUS server allows network administrators to specify the Microsoft updates that should be installed on different computers. Keeping your computers updated with the latest updates is an important part of securing the network. With WSUS you can automate this process and create different update schedules for your computers.

• Which server feature allows multiple servers to work together to provide high availability of server roles?

Show Answer

Failover Clustering. Failover clustering is often used for File Services, virtual machines, database applications, and mail applications.

• Which server feature includes snap-ins and command line tools for remotely managing roles and features?

Show Answer

Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT). RSAT Tools are divided into Feature Administration Tools and Role Administration Tools. Feature Administration Tools include Failover Clustering Tools, IPAM Client, and Network Load Balancing Tools. Role Administration Tools include Hyper-V Management Tools, DHCP Server Tools, and Remote Access Management Tools.

• Which server feature distributes network traffic across several servers, using the TCP/IP protocol?

Show Answer

Network Load Balancing (NLB). NLB is particularly useful for ensuring stateless applications, such as Web Servers running IIS, are scalable by adding additional services as the load increases.

• Which server feature includes Windows PowerShell cmdlets that facilitate migration of server roles, operating system settings, files, and shares from computers that are running earlier versions of Windows Server?

Show Answer

Windows Server Migration Tools. Windows Server Migration Tools can also facilitate migration from one computer that is running Windows Server 2012 to another server that is running Windows Server 2012. For example when you are creating a backup server.

• Which server feature provides a central framework for managing your IP address space and DHCP and DNS servers?

Show Answer

IP Address Management Server (IPAM). IPAM supports automated discovery of DHCP and DNS servers in the Active Directory forest. IPAM can also track and monitor IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, as well as providing utilization tools.