About Server Core installations

On this page:

Overview
The installation interface
Benefits of a Server Core installation
Known issues for deploying a Server Core installation

Overview

The Server Core installation option is a Windows installation option available for Windows servers. This installation option debuted in Windows Server 2008 and is available for all recent Windows Server versions. A Server Core installation provides a minimal environment for running specific server roles, which reduces the maintenance and management requirements and the attack surface for those server roles. A server running a Server Core installation supports the following server roles:

Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS)
DHCP Server
DNS Server
File Services
Print Services
Streaming Media Services
Web Server (IIS)

To accomplish this, the Server Core installation option installs only the subset of the binary files that are required by the supported server roles. For example, the Explorer shell is not installed as part of a Server Core installation. Instead, the default user interface for a server running a Server Core installation is the command prompt.

The installation interface

Unlike a full Windows Server installation with a graphical user interface included, the Server Core installation option requires initial configuration at a command prompt. A Server Core installation does not include the traditional full graphical user interface. Once you have configured the server, you can manage it locally at a command prompt or remotely using a Terminal Server connection. You can also manage the server remotely using the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) or command-line tools that support remote use.

Benefits of a Server Core installation

The Server Core installation option provides the following benefits:

Reduced maintenance: Because the Server Core installation option installs only what is required to have a manageable server for the AD DS, AD LDS, DHCP Server, DNS Server, File Services, Print Services, and Streaming Media Services roles, less maintenance is required than a full Windows Server installation with a graphical interface.
Reduced attack surface: Because Server Core installations are minimal, there are fewer applications running on the server, which decreases the attack surface.
Reduced management: Because fewer applications and services are installed on a server running the Server Core installation, there is less to manage.
Less disk space required: A Server Core installation requires only about 1 GB of disk space to install and approximately 2 GB for operations after the installation.

Known issues for deploying a Server Core installation

Server Core installations are only intended to run server roles and cannot be used to run applications such as Microsoft 365 or any other applications that depend on a graphical user interface.
There is no way to upgrade from a previous version of the Windows Server operating system to a Server Core installation. Only a clean installation is supported.

The information in this document was originally adapted from Server Core Installation Option Getting Started Guide.