2. In the Windows PowerShell session, install Windows Server Migration Tools by using the Windows PowerShell Install-WindowsFeature cmdlet for Server Manager. In the Windows PowerShell session, type the following, and then press Enter. (Omit the ComputerName parameter if you are installing the Windows Server Migration Tools on the local server.)
Roles and Features That Have Been Reduced in Windows Server 2012 R2
One thing that we want to look at is which Roles and Features are being deprecated or removed from Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2. Table 1.1 was taken directly from Microsoft’s website (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn303411.aspx), and this table may change at any time. Thus I would recommend that you go out to Microsoft’s website to see the current list of Roles and Features.
TABLE 1.1 Roles and Features Updates
Table 1.1 lists the features and functionalities in Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2 that either have been removed from the product in the current release or are planned for potential removal in subsequent releases (shown as deprecated).
Deciding Which Windows Server 2012 R2 Versions to Use
You may be wondering which version of Windows Server 2012 R2 is best for your organization. After all, Microsoft offers the following four versions of Windows Server 2012 R2.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter This version is designed for organizations that are looking to migrate to a highly virtualized, private cloud environment. Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter has full Windows Server functionality with unlimited virtual instances.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard This version is designed for organizations with physical or minimally virtualized environments. Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard has full Windows Server functionality with two virtual instances.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials This version is ideal for small businesses that have as many as 25 users and 50 devices. Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials has a simpler interface and preconfigured connectivity to cloud-based services but no virtualization rights.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation This version is designed for smaller companies that need a Windows Server experience for as few as 15 users. Windows Server 2012 R2 Foundation is a general-purpose server with basic functionality but no virtualization rights.
Once you choose what roles are going on your server, you must then decide how you’re going to install Windows Server 2012 R2. There are two ways to install Windows Server 2012 R2. You can upgrade a Windows Server 2008 R2 with SP1 or Windows Server 2012 machine to Windows Server 2012 R2, or you can do a clean install of Windows Server 2012 R2. If you decide that you are going to upgrade, there are specific upgrade paths you must follow.
Your choice of Windows Server 2012 R2 version is dictated by how your current network is designed. If you are building a network from scratch, then it’s pretty straightforward. Just choose the Windows Server 2012 R2 version based on your server’s tasks. However, if you already have a version of Windows Server 2008 installed, you should follow the recommendations in Table 1.2, which briefly summarize the supported upgrade paths to Windows Server 2012 R2.
TABLE 1.2 Supported Windows Server 2012 R2 upgrade path recommendations
Deciding on the Type of Installation
One of the final choices you must make before installing Windows Server 2012 R2 is what type of installation you want. There are three ways to install Windows Server 2012 R2.
Windows Server 2012 R2 with the Graphical User Interface (GUI) This is the version with which most administrators are familiar. This is the version that uses Microsoft Management Console (MMC) windows, and it is the version that allows the use of a mouse to navigate through the installation.
Windows Server 2012 R2 Server Core This is a bare-bones installation of Windows Server 2012 R2. You can think of it this way: If Windows Server 2012 R2 is a top-of-the-line luxury car, then Windows Server 2012 R2 Server Core is the stripped-down model with no air-conditioning, manual windows, and cloth seats. It might not be pretty to look at, but it gets the job done.
Windows Server 2012 R2 MinShell This is the best of both installation types mentioned previously. Minimum Shell (MinShell) gives you the advantage of using the GUI management tools, but MinShell does not actually install the GUI. It gives administrators the ability to use tools with which they are familiar but still provides a small attack surface and the advantages of Server Core.
In Windows Server 2012 R2, an administrator has the ability to remove the GUI shell after a GUI shell install has been completed. This removes Internet Explorer 10, Windows Explorer, the desktop, and the Start screen. Microsoft Management Console (MMC), Server Manager, and a subset of Control Panel are still present, giving you a MinShell installation plus PowerShell.
Server Core
Here is an explanation of Server Core that I have used ever since it was introduced in Windows Server 2008.
I am a huge sports fan. I love watching sports on TV, and I enjoy going to games. If you have ever been to a hockey game, you know what a hockey goal looks like. Between hockey periods, the stadium workers often bring out a huge piece of Plexiglas onto the ice. There is a tiny square cut out of the bottom of the glass. The square is just a bit bigger than a hockey puck itself.
Now they pick some lucky fan out of the stands, give them a puck at center ice, and then ask them to shoot the puck into the net with the Plexiglas in front of it. If they get it through that tiny little square at the bottom of the Plexiglas, they win a car or some such great prize.
Well, Windows Server 2012 R2 with the GUI is like regular hockey with a net, and Windows Server 2012 R2 Server Core is the Plexiglas version.
Server Core supports a limited number of roles.
■ Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS)
■ Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS)
■ Active Directory Federation Services (AD FS)
■ Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS)
■ Active Directory Rights Management Services (AD RMS)
■ Application Server
■ DHCP Server
■ DNS Server
■ Fax Server
■ File and Storage Services
■ BITS Server
■ BranchCache
■ Hyper-V
■ Network Policy and Access Services
■ Print and Document Services
■ Remote Access
■ Remote Desktop Services
■ Volume Activation Services
■ Web Server (IIS)
■ Windows Deployment Services
■ Windows Server Update Services
■