Paul Schnackenburg16 October 2006, 11:53 PM
It must be a great irony for Linux proponents that the next version of Windows Server can run without any GUI at all. Script jockeys rejoice; the rest of us despair! Time to dust off your command-line skills.
It must be a great irony for Linux proponents that the next version of Windows Server can run without any GUI at all. Script jockeys rejoice; the rest of us despair!
This version, called Server Core, provides only a command prompt for local administration. The advantage of this setup is a "reduced attack surface" as well as increased stability. Another benefit is less software maintenance as there should be less to patch with fewer installed components. It also takes up less diskspace at just over 1 GB.
Microsoft sees Server Core being used in two scenarios: high security environments and in large corporations where some of the roles could be best served by a minimalist OS.
It's amazing to see Microsoft changing its tune -- the company with a GUI wizard for everything is suddenly promoting the command line like there are no mice left on the planet. It's a smart option to provide, though: corporate IT departments frequently use scripts to automate tasks, while small businesses will still prefer the GUI approach.
Server Core only provides four different roles: DHCP server, DNS server, file server and domain controller. This should cover a large proportion of "work horse" scenarios where Windows Servers are deployed. Server Core is an option during installation, not a separate version of the product (you don't buy Server Core separately.)
A command-line-allergic administrator might think they can be saved using Remote Desktop to connect to the server. This still only gives you a command prompt however. Your best bet for remote administration is to use the MMC associated with the specific role. A DNS server for instance can be managed using the normal DNS console.
A few steps need to be completed on a fresh server core before any remote administration is possible however. The local administrator password needs to be set using net user administrator *. After this a fixed IP address should be set using Netsh interface ipv4 set address name. Before the server can be joined to an existing domain the right DNS server needs to be set with Netsh interface ipv4 add dnsserver name.
It's a surreal experience configuring a Server Core installation. Everything is difficult and commands that I rarely use have to be dusted off and checked for exact spelling before they'll work. Once it's all up and running though, it's easy to manage.
