This section covers how to: ■
Determine Windows Server 2016 installation requirements
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Determine appropriate Windows Server 2016 editions per workloads
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Install Windows Server 2016
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Install Windows Server 2016 features and roles
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Install and configure Windows Server Core
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Manage Windows Server Core installations using Windows PowerShell, command line, and remote management capabilities Implement Windows PowerShell Desired State Configuration (DSC) to install and maintain integrity of installed environments Perform upgrades and migrations of servers and core workloads from Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2012 to Windows Server 2016 Determine the appropriate activation model for server installation, such as Automatic Virtual Machine Activation (AVMA), Key Management Service (KMS), and Active Directory-based Activation
Determine Windows Server 2016 installation requirements Planning a Windows Server 2016 installation requires several important decisions that affect not only the initial deployment of the server, but also its ongoing maintenance. While the Windows installation process is relatively simple, there are options to be considered both before you purchase the server hardware and the operating system, and after the initial installation is complete. Some of the questions you must consider when planning a server deployment are as follows: ■
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CHAPTER 1
Which Windows Server 2016 edition should you install? Microsoft provides Windows Server 2016 in several editions, which vary in the features they include, the resources they support, and the cost of the license. The details of the editions are described later in this chapter. Which installation option should you use? Most of the Windows Server 2016 editions include two installation options: Desktop Experience and Server Core. Desktop Experience includes all of the Windows features and a full graphical user interface (GUI). Server Core has a minimal user interface and a significantly reduced resource footprint, so it can utilize less memory and disk space than a Desktop Experience installation. There is also a third installation option, Nano Server, which requires an even smaller resource footprint, but this option does not appear in the initial installation wizard; you deploy Nano Server later, using Windows PowerShell. Which roles and features does the server need? The type and number of roles and features you plan to install can greatly affect the hardware resources the server will need, as well as the edition you purchase. For example, complex roles such as Install Windows Servers in host and compute environments