Starting with Server 2012, Microsoft recommends using the Server Core installation
method. This is because Server Core’s interface reduces the amount of
space needed for installation as well as the potential attack surface of
the server. No graphical shell means less of an entryway for malware and
threats. Unless you need the additional graphical management tools and
interface that come with a full installation, consider going with Server
Core if you feel you are ready for that in a production capacity. Of
course, if deploying Server Core, you are managing the server using
Windows PowerShell. While PowerShell is easier to use in Server 2012 than in previous server
versions—thanks to the now over 2,300 cmdlets as well as an enhanced
Integrated System Environment that lets you easily search for the
cmdlets you need to perform administrative tasks—for many
administrators, using PowerShell still requires quite a learning
curve.
Note
If you are not comfortable with your PowerShell skills and lack
of a UI for troubleshooting, this is one reason to avoid Server
Core.
PowerShell in Server 2012 remains context-sensitive. If you place,
for example, a space between the wrong set of characters or switches
within a command line, you will end up with the command not executing
and, often, puzzling error messages upon running the command.
Some server tasks are simply easier to do within the GUI if you
are not very familiar with using PowerShell. Server administration often
means getting tasks done in a timely manner. Thus, it just makes sense
that if a server task requires either having to search through and
correctly enter the proper PowerShell commands or simply right-clicking
somewhere in the server’s interface, many administrators will still opt
to do the latter.
Still, learning PowerShell for performing some administration
shouldn’t be dismissed. PowerShell offers advantages over GUI-based
management when it comes to automating routine tasks. The new snippets
feature, when enabled, will remember the syntax of your most commonly
used PowerShell commands—an absolute time saver for server duties that
have to be performed routinely. Many companies require regular security
reports on who has access to what data on the network. You can use
PowerShell to set up an automated script to run on a regular basis that
will pull access control lists (ACLs) against files and folders on the network.
Although you have the choice to deploy Server 2012 as a Server
Core or Server with a GUI install, a big advantage of Server 2012 is
that it’s easier than ever to use both the command line and the GUI for
server administration. One of the biggest deployment advancements Server
2012 has over Server 2008 R2 is the ability to switch from Server Core
to the Server with a GUI mode. Some applications require the GUI to
install, so this flexibility comes in handy at those times when you
absolutely need the full interface.
In Server Core mode, you perform server management tasks using the command line, through
Windows PowerShell, or remotely. These management tasks include adding,
configuring, and uninstalling server roles such as DHCP.
By default, there are 13 server roles available when Server 2012 is installed in Server Core
mode:
- Active Directory Certificate Services
-
AD CS allows for managing and installing public key certificates.
Certificates provide extra security within a network because the
identity of a user, device, or service is bound to a corresponding
private key.
- Active Directory Domain Services
-
AD DS is a directory that stores and manages data used for communication
between users and domains. AD DS controls user logins,
authentication, and directory services. AD DS is central in
Windows networks.
- Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol service
-
The DHCP service dynamically assigns IP addresses to devices
on a network.
- Domain Name System service
-
The DNS service is used to resolve network host names and services
by IP address on a network and/or for resolving Internet host
names from IP addresses.
- File Services
-
File Services lets you centrally manage and provide access to files and
directories on a network. File Server Resource Manager
(FSRM), a suite of tools you can use to manage server
resources on local or remote servers, is installed along with File
Services.
- Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services
-
AD LDS provides directory services in much the same way that AD DS
does, without the need to deploy domains and domain
controllers.
- Hyper-V
-
Hyper-V 3.0 is Windows Server 2012’s virtualization technology.
- Print and Document Services
-
Print and Document Services allows for sharing printers and scanners on a
network and also provides centralized print server and network
printer management. It also enables migrating print servers and
deploying printer connections using Group Policy.
- Streaming Media Services
-
With Streaming Media Services, clients on a network can receive streamed multimedia
content.
- Web Server
-
The Web Server role installs IIS (Internet Information Services) 8.0,
allowing for website creation and hosting as well as
deploying web applications in an organization.
- Windows Server Update Services
-
WSUS provides a centralized way to distribute Windows Updates
to clients throughout a network.
- Active Directory Rights Management Server
-
AD RMS is a data protection technology that works with AD
RMS–enabled applications to help safeguard digital information
from unauthorized use. With it, you can define who can open,
modify, print, forward, or take other actions with the
information.
- Routing and Remote Access Server
-
RRAS provides remote users access to resources on a network.
A Server Core installation does not provide the graphical shell of
Windows Server. There is no desktop experience available. In addition,
Server Core does not provide the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). Administrative tasks
you would perform in the MMC are done though the command prompt or
PowerShell.
Of course, just because you go with a Server Core installation of
Server 2012 does not mean you can’t add management tools and features.
Thanks to the new Features on Demand capability, you can add and remove
components and management tools.
Server Core installation procedures
After you’ve inserted the installation media into the CD-ROM, DVD, or USB flash
drive, or executed an install from the network, the install wizard
begins. The first screen prompts you to click “Install now” to get the
install process up and running (see Figure 1).
The install wizard then prompts you to select installation
preferences such as language, time and currency format, and keyboard
or other input device settings, as shown in Figure 2.
Next, select the installation mode. For a Server Core install,
the selection option is Windows Server 2012 Enterprise (Server Core
Installation), as shown in Figure 3. Click Next to
continue.
You are then asked to check a box to agree to the license terms.
You cannot continue with installation if you don’t check the box (see
Figure 4). Once you do, click
Next.
You’ll then select the option to perform a fresh install of
Server 2012 or an upgrade from Server 2008 R2 (see Figure 5). Select
“Custom: Install Windows only (advanced)” for a new install, or
“Upgrade: Install Windows and keep files, settings, and apps” for an
upgrade.
Now, select how you want to partition drives and the location to
install Server 2012, as shown in Figure 6. Typically, most server
administrators will create a system partition for loading the server
operating system. You can create another partition for the rest of the
space on the hard drive(s) and then allocate it into volumes after
install, depending on your storage needs.
I do recommend installing the operating system—in this case,
Server 2012—on its own system partition and then creating separate
partitions to store data. The partition and volumes containing the
server data are what is usually included in regularly scheduled backup
jobs. This way, if the server gets damaged or corrupted, you can
reinstall the OS if you have to and then can restore data from backup.
This is good practice on small desktop servers with one or two drives,
or larger rack-mounts with up to eight drives. Configurations will
vary depending on any RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks)
configurations deployed, but it’s best to keep the server install on a
separate partition from data.
In this screen, you can also load third-party drivers that may
be needed for Windows 2012 to recognize connected devices.
Windows then copies the server files to the hard disk, and after
they’re installed, Server Core installation is complete. The next
screen you will see is the Administrator login window (see Figure 7). Windows will prompt
you to create a local Administrator’s password.
If you’ve worked with Windows Servers before, you’ll notice that
the interface changes in Server 2012’s login screen from previous
versions of Windows Server. One of the new interface features is an
eyeball icon in the password field (see Figure 8). Clicking it
and holding down the left mouse button after entering a password will
change the password characters from asterisks to the actual
values.
After you log into a Server Core install of Server 2012, all you
will see is a command prompt screen—no desktop icons, no Start button,
and no Windows Explorer (see Figure 9). Any tasks you perform
after install must be done through the command line.
Although the interface of Server Core is sparse, you can still
perform almost any tasks from the command prompt. For example, install
PowerShell by running the command sconfig
at the command prompt (see Figure 10). You can also
perform administrative duties from the command line—such as joining
the server to a domain or workgroup, renaming the server, or
configuring networking settings—and other tasks with the Sconfig utility.
