Microsoft Releases Windows Server 2016 Small Business Edition – Virtualization Review

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Microsoft releases Windows Server 2016 Small Business Edition

This is the only new release that retains the processor-based licensing model.

Microsoft has released the small business version of Windows Server 2016, intended for up to 25 users and 50 devices.

It’s called Windows Server 2016 Essentials and Microsoft announced its general availability yesterday.

Microsoft recommends using Windows Server 2016 Essentials for organizations that previously used its Windows Server 2012 Foundation edition. Microsoft stopped offering a Foundation edition with the rollout of its new Windows Server product line.

Reaching the GA stage means products can be purchased and deployed into production environments. Microsoft previously announced the Windows Server 2016 GA earlier this month, but that announcement omitted a description of the available editions. In total, Microsoft lists six editions of Windows Server 2016 in its Licensing Datasheet (PDF) publication. These editions are Essentials, Standard, and Datacenter, as well as Multipoint Premium Server, Windows Storage Server, and Hyper-V Server.

Microsoft is moving to core-based licensing for the Standard and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2016. However, the Essentials edition follows the old processor-based licensing model, along with the Multipoint Premium Server and Storage Server editions.

Organizations do not need to purchase Client Access Licenses (CALs) with Essentials and Storage Server editions. However, Windows Server CALs must be purchased when licensing Standard and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2016.

Microsoft documentation on Windows Server 2016 Essentials is available on this TechNet Library page. Essentials is described as the “first cloud-connected server” for small businesses.

There are three new Essentials features, according to the TechNet Library. First, the Essentials edition integrates with Azure Site Recovery Services, which ensures that operations will continue in the event of an Essentials VM failure. Second, organizations can leverage Azure Virtual Network Service, which allows organizations to manage Azure resources as if they were on the local network. Finally, Essentials offers options for large-scale deployments, including support for “multiple domains” and “multiple domain controllers”. Organizations can also specify the domain controller to use with the server.

Three years ago, Microsoft outlined many ease-of-use benefits for Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials for small and medium businesses. At the time, it was possible to run Essentials in two different ways. It could be a server role of Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard or Datacenter editions (which Microsoft called “the Windows Server Essentials Experience”) or it could be running in a virtual machine, which was the option of preferred deployment, according to Microsoft.

Microsoft’s descriptions of Windows Server 2016 Essentials do not mention these two installation options. Installation options are described on this page. However, it is still possible to run Essentials as a server role from the Standard or Datacenter editions, if desired, according to this September. We have been served article.

It is possible to migrate domains from older Small Business Server installations when upgrading to Windows Server 2016 Essentials. Migration steps from Windows Small Business Server 2003 are described on this page. Steps for migrating from Windows Small Business Server 2008 can be found here.

Microsoft lists Windows Server 2016 Essentials pricing and licensing on this page. The feature differences between it and the Standard and Datacenter editions, if any, are not described.