What is Microsoft Security Essentials?.Windows Server Essentials, Standard, Datacenter: Full Comparison

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Microsoft Windows Server | Microsoft Licensing Resources.

 

Customers may use Windows Server on other public clouds via infrastructure as a service IaaS offerings through authorized Service Providers. In order to provide customers with a variety of options to license Windows Server, Microsoft makes licenses for Windows Server available to Service Providers for sale to customers as part of Service Provider solutions.

This is done through agreement between Microsoft and Service Providers. Windows Server product page. Windows Server licensing guide. Windows Server licensing datasheet. Azure Hybrid Benefit. Introduction to Microsoft Core licensing. Licensing Windows Server for use with virtualization technologies. Windows Server Windows Server is the operating system that bridges on-premises environments with Azure, adding additional layers of security while helping you modernize your applications and infrastructure.

Windows Server site. About Windows Server. Windows Server 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. Enable developers and IT pros to create cloud native applications and modernize their traditional apps using containers and micro-services.

Choose from three primary editions of Windows Server, based on the size of your organization as well as virtualization and datacenter requirements:. Datacenter edition is ideal for highly virtualized and software-defined datacenter environments. Standard edition is ideal for customers with low density or non-virtualized environments. Essentials edition is a cloud-connected first server, ideal for small businesses with up to 25 users and 50 devices. Using this tool, which the Standard Edition does not offer, you can monitor, manage, control, and troubleshoot your virtualized network, and even automate a few tasks.

It also includes Host Guardian Hyper-V Support , which makes managing virtual machines much easier while keeping them secure. They can help you manage the keys required to start a shielded VM.

That said, the Datacenter edition is considered the most cost-effective yet scalable software-based data center solution out of all the Server editions. To gain more insight on the features of the 2 editions, read this detailed Microsoft comparison post. Windows Server was the first Server version that offered the Essentials edition. This edition is designed for small organizations with preferably 25 to 50 devices in total.

As the name implies, it includes the essential components a business needs to keep its company afloat. This includes integration with Azure Site Recovery services that ensure business continuity in case of a disaster.

The Essentials edition also supports integration with the Azure Virtual network to help you move your data to the cloud, which satisfies both business continuity planning and High Availability HA to all employees of the organization.

This edition is aimed at medium to large enterprises and was first launched with Windows Server However, it was discontinued after Server R2. The Enterprise Edition also comes in specialized variants for the x64 and Itanium architectures with support for much higher RAM capacity. The Foundation edition is preinstalled inside the OEM device, and a separate license for this edition cannot be purchased. A single license can only work on a single device, thus it is only suitable for small businesses.

That said, it is one of the cheapest server solutions for small business owners. However, this edition was only offered with Windows Server and R2 included but has since been discontinued. The Foundation edition provides the core IT infrastructure needed to build a business, such as file and print sharing, remote access, and moderate security. It was the ideal OS for low-budget IT administrators to manage networks and domains at the time whilst providing basic organizational infrastructure.

The Web edition of Windows Server began rolling out with Windows Server but was discontinued after and R2. This means that Windows Server was the only version to offer both Web and a Foundation edition. The primary purpose of the Web edition is to host and build web applications, web pages, and XML services.

Furthermore, other features are also somewhat restricted. For example, only 10 concurrent file-sharing connections are allowed at any moment. The Advanced edition was only offered with Windows Server At the time, it was the only Server capable of handling added physical hardware.

It was because of these capabilities, the Advanced edition of Server was ideal for medium to large organizations. This edition cannot be purchased but can be subscribed to. Windows Server Datacenter: Azure edition is exactly like the regular Datacenter edition, but is available entirely on the Azure cloud infrastructure. It can be integrated with your on-premise servers, or entirely with your other cloud servers, or even as a hybrid server.

The date that Microsoft releases it's last update for a product is known as the end of support date. And after this date passes, an obsolete OS version will be a much easier target for malware, since it will no longer receive security updates, and therefore vulnerable to newer exploits. Microsoft operating systems are typically supported for at least 10 years.

For example, the popular Windows Server launched in April of , and extended support ended in Extended support for Windows Server R2 was scheduled to end in January of , and Windows Server R2 will continue to receive updates until at least October of Therefore organizations should only really be using more recent versions of Windows Server for the sake of security.

When you buy a car, there are many different options available for the same model. For example, there might be a basic economy option, a luxury option with leather seats and a sunroof, and sport edition with bigger wheels and a more powerful engine. In other words, each edition of a car has a different price point and feature set tailored to groups of customers with different budgets and needs.

The same goes for Windows Server editions. Each option includes functionality that makes sense for companies depending on their size and budget. For example, different editions might support for a different number of users.

To help everyone understand some basic differences between OS editions, let's break down the different options for Windows Server R The Foundation edition which isn't available in Windows Server is also limited to 15 users, making this edition suitable for only very small offices. Foundation is available through OEMs only, which typically means it comes preinstalled on computers you buy from companies such as Dell and HPE. Essentials formerly SBS, or Small Business Server is an easy-to-set-up server solution that supports up to 25 users and 50 devices — which limits it to small offices.

Standard has no cap on users, but unlike with Foundation and Essentials you will have to separately purchase Client Access Licenses CALs depending on how many people you need to support.

If you're interested in virtualization, this edition allows you to use Hyper-V to run up to two virtual instances of the operating system additional virtual instances of Windows Server will require cost extra on a single piece of physical hardware, making the Standard edition suitable for a lightly virtualized environment.

Datacenter is the top of the line, and most expensive Windows Server Edition. Windows Server R2 Datacenter is almost identical to the Standard edition with one big exception. With a Datacenter license, you can run an unlimited number of virtual instances of Windows Server guests on a single two-processor computer. This small difference has a big impact, as companies might save big by running dozens of OS instances on a single server.

While pricing on Windows Server R2 and are the same, if you are going with a Standard or Datacenter license Windows Server or newer, there are some key changes you need to be aware of.

So if you have a server containing 2 processors with 24 cores between them, in with Windows Server you would only have to buy a single Standard or Datacenter license. With Windows Server , you have to buy licenses to cover all 24 cores. It gets pretty complicated, as there are a lot of rules, but the key takeaway is that if you have a core server, the costs are pretty much the same.

However, OS licensing might be pricier on servers with a higher core density. Despite the per core licensing change, the virtualization rules remain the same in Windows Server and newer. Once you have licensed all of your cores in a server, with the Standard edition you get 2 Windows Server guest OS licenses, compared to an unlimited number with Datacenter. Also, the feature set in Windows Server Standard and Datacenter were the same. But certain features in Windows Server such as Storage Spaces Direct, shielded virtual machines are only available in the Datacenter edition.

The main thing you need to know about for windows licences It is expensive to buy and also expensive to buy the CALs for In fairness to the CAL model, it would give large business an unfair cost advantage without them, it would be a bit harsh to bill a 20 user business with the exact same price as a user business.

Of course, the other side of the coin is Windows Pro is needed to join a domain and costs more than home, so regardless of business size MS should probably consider that Pro already includes a CAL. Just FYI, if you do decide you need to switch from standard to enterprise its possible to run a command line that will install the different components needed.

After the command executes you will need a reboot and then you will be done. I have done this on two servers so far and had no problems. I am not sure if the command is the same for or still, haven't had to do it for one of those server editions yet. I don't know if they have changed it but at the time I looked at LTSB, things like the calculator were windows store programs and LTSB does not have access to any windows store apps.

Its oddities like this that killed LTSB for us. We extensively evaluated LTSB for over a year and by Microsoft's own admission it is not intended for "general-purpose" use, it's intended for kiosks, embedded solutions like ATMs and the like. Some of our vendors won't guarantee compatibility of their software with LTSB because of this. There's also the huge problem that Edge can not be installed in LTSB, and IE11 isn't going to cut it for much longer, Chrome or alternatives are not an option for us.

 

Windows Server editions and versions: A comparison - Spiceworks - Let’s Stay in Touch

 

But in the year , Microsoft started naming server versions after the year operating system initially launched. That left us with Microsoft Windows , Windows Server , which also had an R2 version , also with an R2 , , and , etc. Each new version of Microsoft Windows Server introduces new functionality. As the saying goes, "nothing lasts forever. The date that Microsoft releases it's last update for a product is known as the end of support date.

And after this date passes, an obsolete OS version will be a much easier target for malware, since it will no longer receive security updates, and therefore vulnerable to newer exploits.

Microsoft operating systems are typically supported for at least 10 years. For example, the popular Windows Server launched in April of , and extended support ended in Extended support for Windows Server R2 was scheduled to end in January of , and Windows Server R2 will continue to receive updates until at least October of Therefore organizations should only really be using more recent versions of Windows Server for the sake of security.

When you buy a car, there are many different options available for the same model. For example, there might be a basic economy option, a luxury option with leather seats and a sunroof, and sport edition with bigger wheels and a more powerful engine.

In other words, each edition of a car has a different price point and feature set tailored to groups of customers with different budgets and needs. The same goes for Windows Server editions. Each option includes functionality that makes sense for companies depending on their size and budget.

For example, different editions might support for a different number of users. To help everyone understand some basic differences between OS editions, let's break down the different options for Windows Server R The Foundation edition which isn't available in Windows Server is also limited to 15 users, making this edition suitable for only very small offices.

Foundation is available through OEMs only, which typically means it comes preinstalled on computers you buy from companies such as Dell and HPE. Essentials formerly SBS, or Small Business Server is an easy-to-set-up server solution that supports up to 25 users and 50 devices — which limits it to small offices. Standard has no cap on users, but unlike with Foundation and Essentials you will have to separately purchase Client Access Licenses CALs depending on how many people you need to support.

If you're interested in virtualization, this edition allows you to use Hyper-V to run up to two virtual instances of the operating system additional virtual instances of Windows Server will require cost extra on a single piece of physical hardware, making the Standard edition suitable for a lightly virtualized environment.

Datacenter is the top of the line, and most expensive Windows Server Edition. Windows Server R2 Datacenter is almost identical to the Standard edition with one big exception. With a Datacenter license, you can run an unlimited number of virtual instances of Windows Server guests on a single two-processor computer. This small difference has a big impact, as companies might save big by running dozens of OS instances on a single server. While pricing on Windows Server R2 and are the same, if you are going with a Standard or Datacenter license Windows Server or newer, there are some key changes you need to be aware of.

So if you have a server containing 2 processors with 24 cores between them, in with Windows Server you would only have to buy a single Standard or Datacenter license. With Windows Server , you have to buy licenses to cover all 24 cores.

It gets pretty complicated, as there are a lot of rules, but the key takeaway is that if you have a core server, the costs are pretty much the same. However, OS licensing might be pricier on servers with a higher core density. Despite the per core licensing change, the virtualization rules remain the same in Windows Server and newer.

Once you have licensed all of your cores in a server, with the Standard edition you get 2 Windows Server guest OS licenses, compared to an unlimited number with Datacenter. In other words, once a minimum initial allocation of 16 licenses with Software Assurance is made, customers can add virtual cores up to eight to an existing or new virtual machine with incremental sets of eight licenses.

Each incremental set of eight licenses must be allocated to a single virtual machine. With Azure Hybrid Benefit, customers can move or add incremental workloads into Azure and pay non-Windows Linux pricing. With Datacenter Edition licensing, customers get these lower-cost instances in Azure while maintaining existing on-premises deployments. This is referred to as dual use rights. Standard Edition licensing provides lower-cost instances in Azure, but does not provide dual use rights.

This means access to base Windows Server functionality on Azure does not require base Windows Server CALs, and customers can leverage the Azure hosting clause to host their own customer solutions. Customers may use Windows Server on other public clouds via infrastructure as a service IaaS offerings through authorized Service Providers.

In order to provide customers with a variety of options to license Windows Server, Microsoft makes licenses for Windows Server available to Service Providers for sale to customers as part of Service Provider solutions. This is done through agreement between Microsoft and Service Providers. Windows Server product page.

Windows Server licensing guide. Windows Server licensing datasheet. Azure Hybrid Benefit. Introduction to Microsoft Core licensing. That said, a complete Server name would be something like this, consisting of both the version as well as its edition:. You can check your Server details by typing in winver in the Run Command box. Server editions can be classified as retail or volume licenses. As the name suggests, a retail license can only be used on a single PC, while a volume license is designed for organizations that require running a server on more than one instance.

Moreover, you can also use a free-of-cost license categorized as an evaluation license. However, these are only valid for a limited time, after which the Server installation will no longer be functional. Note: There was no concept of the different Server editions before Server This means it is offered in 3 different editions: Plain, Advanced, and Datacenter. The table below highlights the major differences and similarities between the Standard and the Datacenter editions of Windows Server:.

The Standard edition of the Server is based on Client Access License CAL requirements, which is a commercial software license that allows multiple client computers to use server software services. The Standard edition includes all of the features in the Essentials edition and more.

In case of more Virtual Machines VMs , you will need to purchase more licenses. It also allows you to integrate with the Azure cloud and manage accordingly, creating a centralized managed environment. You can also synchronize file servers and share data throughout your organization. The Datacenter edition is for organizations that need highly virtualized and cloud-integrated environments.

In comparison to the Standard edition, you can create unlimited VMs, but only one Hyper-V host, like the Standard edition. One distinct feature that the Datacenter edition offers is the Network Controller. Using this tool, which the Standard Edition does not offer, you can monitor, manage, control, and troubleshoot your virtualized network, and even automate a few tasks.

It also includes Host Guardian Hyper-V Support , which makes managing virtual machines much easier while keeping them secure. They can help you manage the keys required to start a shielded VM. That said, the Datacenter edition is considered the most cost-effective yet scalable software-based data center solution out of all the Server editions.

To gain more insight on the features of the 2 editions, read this detailed Microsoft comparison post. Windows Server provided the initial functionality for many features of the operating system still in use today. The main features included:. The release also included specialized versions for different server environments, with Advanced Server and Datacenter Server editions as well as the standard Windows Server operating system.

The release of Windows Server brought a significant rewrite to the server software. The main goal of the change was to reduce the need to reboot the system, specifically by providing the ability to install updates and patches without needing to restart.

With Windows , Microsoft provided updates to the security features. This was also the first time the company included the. NET framework in the server operating system. Another major addition with the release was the ability to define server roles. This allowed the operating system to be customized for specific tasks, like a DNS server. Microsoft also provided multiple versions of the release, including the Standard, Advanced, and Datacenter versions, and a new Windows Server Web Edition meant for internet servers.

Another update came out not long after the initial release to convert the Windows Server system to a bit environment. This release focused on enhanced security, especially user authentication. This was based on Active Directory, which remains the foundation for user authentication today. This gave users access to third-party applications without going through all the authentication steps for the external software, as long as the users were verified through the Active Directory extension.

Another security feature of R2 was the Security Configuration Wizard, which provided the ability to define security policies for groups of computers. Additionally, Windows Server R2 contained improved data compression for transfers and files and multi-site WAN replication procedures. Microsoft took another three years to develop significant updates to Windows Server, which were released as Windows Server This virtualization product allowed Windows Server users to create virtual machines VMs , which was increasingly important to IT teams.

This may have been included for competitive reasons, to prevent Windows users from looking elsewhere for a VM system. Windows Server included new software administration tools called Event Viewer and Server Manager. These utilities gave administrators more control over important server activities. A different version of the Windows Server software was available with Server Core. This bare-bones version of the software, without the standard graphical user interface GUI , provided command-line access to the server.

This was a welcome change for administrators who were more familiar with Unix and Linux systems with existing command-line environments, and it made Windows Server an important competitive product for Microsoft. The major change with this version involved the transition from being based on Windows Vista to being based on Windows 7.

This brought the system to a bit environment. Many of the other updates were technical and not very visible to users, since they focused on supporting services. The release saw additional updates to Active Directory, this time in support of better group policy implementation. Additionally, DirectAccess and BranchCache were introduced, designed to provide better server access to users in remote locations.

These updates focused on improving the Hyper-V functionality, so it could be integrated into both local hosts and onsite delivery. This allowed the Hyper-V architecture to be easily used with other new cloud technologies.