This started out as provisioning a vm until I saw all the different versions of Windows Server 2012 and ended up writing enough to make this it's own post so here it is.
So I have 1 vm of window 10 running, and I figured I'd do a write-up of making my next vm. Windows Server 2012 R2 evaluation which can be downloaded here. Upon going here you get a ton of options and realize that there are more than just Windows Server Standard and Enterprise edition. There are now in 2012:
- Windows Server 2012 Datacenter
- Windows Server 2012 Standard
- Windows Server 2012 Essentials
- Windows Server 2012 Foundation
The Windows_Server_2012_R2_Licensing_Datasheet.pdf can be found at this location to give you a more robust idea of the differences between the editions. Microsoft's quick take on this is the following.
Datacenter:
Datacenter edition is ideal for customers who want to have a highly virtualized private and hybrid cloud environment. As always, it provides access to all the product features and enables unlimited instances of Windows Server with each license, enabling your virtual environment to grow as you do. The licensing for Datacenter edition will continue to be processor plus CAL (Client Access License), with each license covering up to two physical processors on a single server.
Standard:
Standard edition is ideal for those customers who want to have a physical or lightly virtualized environment. This edition enables you to run up to two virtual instances of Windows Server with each license and provides all the same features as Datacenter edition. The licensing for Standard edition will continue to be processor plus CAL, with each license covering up to two physical processors on a single server, just like Datacenter edition.
Essentials:
Essentials edition is ideal for small businesses that have up to 25 users and want to have a simpler, pre-configured connection to cloud-based services. This edition enables you to run a single virtual instance of Essentials. The licensing for Essentials will continue to be a server license for a two processor server that does not require CALs.
Foundation:
Foundation edition is ideal for small businesses that have up to 15 users and want a general purpose server. The licensing for Foundation has not changed; it continues to be a server license for a one-processor server that does not require CALs and is sold only through OEM (original equipment manufacturer).
I looked around a little for a little more information in a quick format and found this from tycoonbob
The main difference between Standard and Essentials, is actually quite a bit. Standard and Datacenter are completely identical, except for Virtual Machine licensing.
Essentials on the other hand, does not support Hyper-V. Essentials is the new version of WHS and Small Business Server, mixed together. It has a simplified version of Active Directory, File Sharing, etc. If you want just one server that will server multiple purposes, go with Essentials. If you are looking to build out a real domain at home with multiple servers, go server.
All the stuff you listed (except for DirectAccess) would be easily doable with Essentials. Direct Access can be set up on Essentials, but it's a lot of work as it involves IPv6, DNS64, NAT64, and certificates.
Essentials has the simplified dashboard like WHS has, but Standard/Datacenter does not have this. Standard/Datacenter has the full blown server manager. If you want a simple single server solution for what you want to do, definitely definitely definitely go with Essentials. If you want to build a more elaborate home environment and learn, go with Standard. What you want will be much easier with Essentials though.Dell also has a nice breakdown of Essentials vs Foundation
Windows Server 2012 Essentials and Windows Server 2012 Foundation Edition are both intended for small business customers, but there are some important differences between the two. This article provides information on those differences, which can be split into several categories:
- Intended Environment: While both are intended for relatively small environments, the expected level of IT expertise differs significantly. Essentials assumes that no dedicated IT staff will be available and thus includes tools to simplify administration. Foundation requires a bit more IT expertise, as it relies on the standard set of Windows Server 2012 tools for administration.
- Hardware: While both OSes support multicore processors, Foundation supports a single physical CPU socket, and Essentials supports one or two sockets.
- Licensing: Neither Essentials nor Foundation requires the purchase of client access licenses (CALs), but the built-in user limits are not the same for the two operating systems. Essentials allows for up to 25 users, while Foundation allows for up to 15.
- Active Directory: Essentials must be a domain controller (DC) at the root of an AD forest. There cannot be any trusts between the domain and other domains, including parent-child trusts, and the Essentials server must hold all of the FSMO roles. Foundation can be a DC at the root of an AD forest (with the same restrictions as Essentials), or it can be configured in a workgroup. Neither OS can operate as a domain member server.
- Administration: Essentials provides simplified administration using the Dashboard. Foundation uses the standard Windows Server 2012 tools for administration.
- Virtualization: Neither OS can be used as a Hyper-V host, and the server license does not include virtualization rights as it does with Windows Server 2012 Standard and Datacenter. Essentials may be run within a virtual machine (VM), but Foundation must be installed on a physical server.
- Networking: Essentials must be installed behind a router that supports IPv4 NAT, while Foundation has no such limitation.
- Remote Desktop Services: The Remote Desktop Session Host role may not be installed on Essentials. It may be installed on Foundation, but only in a workgroup configuration.
- Additional Components: In addition to the Dashboard, Essentials has other built-in components, such as Remote Web Access, centralized client backup, and health monitoring. Foundation is intended as a flexible, general purpose server for a small environment and thus has no built-in components that aren't present in Windows Server 2012 Standard or Datacenter.
So what's my take on all that rehashing.
Foundation is a stripped out Windows Server designed to be used by an IT professional who knew what he was skimping out on. I honestly think this version will be dropped by microsoft, It's not their style to provide the bare minimum of function at the cost of usability for longer than 1 edition. However sometimes that trial leads to a new product line, so they try to make a customer happy until they prove once again a customer can be wrong.
Essentials is for a small businesses with their tech support acting as sys admins and provides some nifty tools for administration but had to dumb it down to get there. But that still is a prevalent problem that they need to address.
It's an interesting dichotomy between the 2. I would not rank one above the other, it looks like they're built to perform for different people. It's basically an older brother/younger brother who just followed different paths in life but still have the same parents to learn from.
However without Foundation being able to be run on a vm, it's automatically removed from the running on my ESXi install. Essentials looks very interesting with its cheatsheet Dashboard. With my first install of windows Server, and knowing it's going to be for 180day evaluation, if that. Lets go with standard edition/datacenter. I want to test a few more features in it and I'd rather know I have it then regret not having something something later on.
Any comments on choosing one edition and what made you switch to another edition please leave them down below.
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