Advantages and Disadvantages of Windows Server 2008 Server Core and Virtual Servers
Analysis 1 Randy Murphy NT2670
Advantages and Disadvantages of Windows Server 2008 Server Core and Virtual Servers
Benefits
Windows Server Core offers a number of benefits, regardless of its intended use reduced maintenance. By default, a Windows Server Core system has very few binaries installed. When a role is added, only the components that are necessary for the role are installed. The binaries are still present on the system, which allows for those components to be updated during normal patch cycles. No longer will your Windows Servers need updates for little-used components. Systems running Windows Server Core can see up to 40 percent fewer patches compared to systems running Windows Server 2003. Reduced attack surface. Because fewer applications and services are running on the server, there are fewer avenues to exploit. Exploits aimed at components that don’t exist on the server don’t get a chance to work. Reduced management uses fewer components that are installed on the system and there’s less administrative overhead. Less disk space required, because fewer binaries being installed on disk mean that less disk space is required. Windows Server Core requires only 10GB of disk space, as opposed to 20GB for a full installation of Windows Server 2008. (Author Unknown, 2009).
Disadvantages Although the Server Core installation option sounds great in theory, administrators need to be aware of the following concerns. Remote management, because Windows Server Core provides no local GUI-based administration tools, you perform the bulk of administration for the system from another system with a full installation of Windows Server 2008 or enterprise-management tools. Many of the Windows administration tools that are
Advantages and Disadvantages of Windows Server 2008 Server Core and Virtual Servers
Benefits
Windows Server Core offers a number of benefits, regardless of its intended use reduced maintenance. By default, a Windows Server Core system has very few binaries installed. When a role is added, only the components that are necessary for the role are installed. The binaries are still present on the system, which allows for those components to be updated during normal patch cycles. No longer will your Windows Servers need updates for little-used components. Systems running Windows Server Core can see up to 40 percent fewer patches compared to systems running Windows Server 2003. Reduced attack surface. Because fewer applications and services are running on the server, there are fewer avenues to exploit. Exploits aimed at components that don’t exist on the server don’t get a chance to work. Reduced management uses fewer components that are installed on the system and there’s less administrative overhead. Less disk space required, because fewer binaries being installed on disk mean that less disk space is required. Windows Server Core requires only 10GB of disk space, as opposed to 20GB for a full installation of Windows Server 2008. (Author Unknown, 2009).
Disadvantages Although the Server Core installation option sounds great in theory, administrators need to be aware of the following concerns. Remote management, because Windows Server Core provides no local GUI-based administration tools, you perform the bulk of administration for the system from another system with a full installation of Windows Server 2008 or enterprise-management tools. Many of the Windows administration tools that are
References: Author Unknown (2009). Windows Server 2008 R2 [Informative Blog] Retrieved 2/9/2014 from http://computertechnos.blogspot.com/2009/10/windows-server-core-architecture.html Savill, J (2008). Windows Server Core Overview Retrieved from http://www.informit.com/articles/article.aspx?p=1245848 Touring, E. L (2014) Virtual Servers: Advantages and Disadvantages Retrieved from http://www.cloudcomputinginsights.com/virtualization/virtual-servers-advantages-and-disadvantages/?mode=featured