Server Core Application Compatibility

Michael analyzed and wrote about Microsoft's operating systems, including the Windows client OS, as well as compliance and governance. Michael... more

The new Server Core installation of Windows Server 2008 installs only a minimal set of components for network infrastructure functions, such as file or domain name services. The Server Core mode reduces server maintenance and improves security for these server roles, but these advantages may be offset by the lack of an ASP.NET-capable Web server role and the requirement to manage the server by remote management consoles or a command line and VBScript.

Server Core was not designed to be a complete application platform; therefore, developers will have to ensure that a Server Core installation includes the necessary services and components for their applications.

In particular, Server Core does support the execution of applications such as management tools and agents, which can be divided into two categories:

Remote management tools. Typically, developers will not have to modify these tools to run on Server Core, provided that the tools use one of the protocols supported in Server Core, such as remote procedure calls, to communicate with the remote management workstation.

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