Server 2012 R2 Essentials Emphasizes Cloud, Virtualization

Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials adds virtualization, improves deployment features, and enables integration with the cloud through Azure, Intune, and Office 365, extending the small business server to more customers. The changes may make the product more attractive to customers wanting to move into virtualization and to large customers who would like to add a basic, low-cost server for a particular group or in a branch office, without the need for dedicated IT staff.

What’s New

Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials (Essentials) is a low-cost, complete, entry-level server with Active Directory (AD). It replaces the previous Small Business Server (SBS), although Essentials does not include Exchange Server as SBS did. Essentials installs easily and is intended for small businesses without dedicated IT staff, and it can be used to manage client PC connections, shared folders, and online services. Non-IT personnel can set up Essentials via a wizard that guides them through the steps to perform the configuration quickly and correctly. A simple dashboard allows Essentials to be monitored and managed by staff without specialized server management skills. (For more information, see the illustration “Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials Dashboard“).