Windows Server Core, an installation option,
was one of the most innovative and anticipated features of Windows
Server 2008. The Windows Server Core installation provides a minimal
environment for running a specific server role, including, but not
limited to, a domain controller, web server, or DHCP server. In this
situation, only a subset of the Windows Server 2012 binaries is
utilized. The Server Core installation is so stripped that traditional
installation components, such as a desktop shell, GUI, Windows Explorer,
Microsoft Internet Explorer, and the Microsoft Management Console
(MMC), are not included. Therefore, the server must be fully managed and
configured via the command prompt or by using remote administration
tools from another server.
By maintaining a minimized installation
footprint, stripping out many typical components and only supporting
specific roles, the Server Core installation reduces maintenance, attack
surface, management, and disk space required to support the
installation.
Supporting a Server Core installation,
particularly for administrators who do not understand scripting commands
and who heavily rely on the GUI tools to manage a server, is possible
by enabling the ability to remotely manage the Server Core installation
through the MMC and other remote consoles.
Windows Server 2012 includes the following new features and functionality for Server Core:
• Support for additional roles—Core
installations now support more server roles than ever before. Newly
added support for Remote Access (Routing and Remote Access Service
[RRAS]), Windows Server Update Services (WSUS), and several role services for Remote Desktop Services, among others, now make core installations more versatile and useful.
• Support for SQL Server—Probably the most important new functionality is the support for SQL Server 2012 databases on a Server Core installation.
• Easy migration between Core and GUI—Using
a single command, a Windows Server 2012 server can be migrated from a
core installation to a GUI installation and vice versa.
• Minimal server interface—Graphical
Management Tools, Desktop Experience, and Server Graphical Shell are
now features that you can install or remove independently, resulting in a
Minimal Server GUI installation, a new mode between a Server Core
installation and a full GUI installation. This provides even more
flexibility in balancing security, manageability, and functionality.
Installing Server Core
When installing Windows Server 2012 Server
Core, the actual installation process is very similar to a regular
server install. To recap, an administrator agrees to the licensing terms,
supplies configuration responses, and the Windows Server 2012 Setup
Windows Wizard copies the files and configures the server. However,
unlike a traditional installation of Windows, when the installation is
complete and you log on, there isn’t a GUI to configure the server. The
server can only be configured and managed via the command prompt.
The Server Core installation reboots your
machine or virtual server a couple of times when device detection and
the installation takes place. Eventually, the logon screen appears.
Follow these steps to complete a Windows Server 2012 Server Core installation:
1. Insert the Windows Server 2012 media and boot the system from media.
2. Specify the language to install, time and currency format, and keyboard or input method, and then click Next.
3. Click Install Now to begin the installation process.
4. On the Select the
Operating System You Want to Install page, select the Windows Server
2012 Server Core. Click Next to continue.
5. Review the license terms and select the I Accept the License Terms option, and then click Next.
6. On the Which Type of Installation Do You Want Page, select Custom: Install Windows only (Advanced), as shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1. Selecting a custom installation.
7. On the Where Do You
Want to Install Windows page, select the disk where you plan to install
the Windows system files. Alternatively, you can click the Drive options
(advanced) to create, delete, extend, or format partitions. In
addition, click Load Driver to install drivers for the Windows Server
2012 installation that are not available on the media.
Note
If the only drive available is Unallocated
Space, Windows Server 2012 automatically creates a partition based on
the largest size and format the partition with ReFS.
The installation process commences by copying
the files, installing the Windows operating system, and configuring
features. After this process is complete, the server automatically
reboots itself and require the installer to change the administrator
password for the system. Enter and confirm the administrator password to
change the password and log on. You will now be presented with a
command prompt window, the only GUI available in Server Core.
