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James Gibbons's avatar
James Gibbons
Copper Contributor
Jul 16, 2017

So Windows Server Insiders is only the Core Version. How About Next Month the Full Server Is Avail..

We all understand that Microsoft wants everybody to use Server Core and we understand that in production when at all possible we will use Server Core if it is possible, i.e. (all the programs that we...
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Richard_Hooper's avatar
Richard_Hooper
MVP
Jul 16, 2017
I would like to believe that future releases will also include full GUI. We have to just remember, this is something new for Microsoft.
NZ_BenThomas's avatar
NZ_BenThomas
MVP
Jul 17, 2017

I wouldn't get your hopes up for the semi-annual releases to get a GUI version....

 

Future LTSB builds will have a GUI (the normal 2-3 year releases), but probably not this new CBB branch

 

They're really targetting specific workloads for these regular releases (if you see in their blog) and these roles (Hyper-V/Clustering/S2D/SDN/etc) don't require GUI and have good remote tooling already.

 

Everyone understands that a lot of general enterprise apps require GUI still, but at the same time, those apps don't really handle OS upgrades, so having to upgrade every 6 months isn't a good fit for them.

 

Cant please everyone, and I think it's good MS is taking a more focused approach on this, rather than spreading it's resources thin trying to support everything on a new OS each 6 months (can you imagine the pain trying to validate all of the MS products (Exchange/sharepoint/SCCM/etc/etc/etc) every 6 months?)

  • Radu Ilie's avatar
    Radu Ilie
    Brass Contributor
    Jul 17, 2017

    You can try this  for now. If you manage to install it, please let us know how it works. If Windows Audio is available, even if disabled by default, I am ok, probably, with only ServerCore build from now on, since I can add a third party gui and management tools, to manage things locally. Only missing Windows Audio would be a real turn off for me.

    • James Gibbons's avatar
      James Gibbons
      Copper Contributor
      Jul 21, 2017

      Radu, this is a nice idea, I had actually forgotten how many GUI apps can run on server core, it's a nice bunch of apps that add functionality to the Server, it's not going to add the things that are not included in the base Server Core image like audio, video, etc, but it does help, and its easy to add your own apps to the folder.  It looks to be a bunch of freeware apps whose Gui's work with servercore, zipped up in a folder.  It was a good idea, anyone can add anything else that they use as well.  Gonna spend a few hours checking out what works and what's missing. I already add the program Windows System Control center by KLS-SOFT.com and this is another good addition to creating an administrator server box.

      • Radu Ilie's avatar
        Radu Ilie
        Brass Contributor
        Jul 23, 2017

        Unfortunatly, it seems that Windows Server will be only Server Core and Nano Server, if we look at the official Microsoft documentation. Several server roles will disappear, like most of the Remote Desktop Services, that require a GUI. Only Windows Server 2016 that was allready launched will continue to have a GUI, until this LTSB edition ends, then all Windows Server will be Server Core and Nano Server. Perhaps thrid party tools will become available.

        If anybody finds a way to use thrid party tools to replace things like RDS and audio, please let us know.

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