You may be wondering which version of Windows Server 2022 is best for your organization. After all, Microsoft offers the following four versions of Windows Server 2022:
Windows Server 2022 Datacenter This version is designed for organizations that are looking to migrate to a highly virtualized, private cloud environment. Windows Server 2022 Datacenter has full Windows Server functionality with unlimited virtual instances.
Windows Server 2022 Standard This version is designed for organizations with physical or minimally virtualized environments. Windows Server 2022 Standard has full Windows Server functionality with two virtual instances.
Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: Azure Edition Windows Server Azure Edition is a Windows Server version designed specifically to operate either as an Azure IaaS VM or as a VM on an Azure Stack HCI cluster.
Windows Server 2022 Essentials This version is ideal for small businesses that have as many as 25 users and 50 devices. Windows Server 2022 Essentials has a simpler interface and preconfigured connectivity to cloud‐ based services but no virtualization rights.
Table 1.1 shows the locks and limitations of Windows Server 2022 Standard and Windows Server 2022 Datacenter. The information in this chart was taken directly from Microsoft’s website.
TABLE 1.1 Windows Server 2022 locks and limits
| Locks and Limits | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| Maximum number of users | Based on CALs | Based on CALs |
| Maximum SMB connections | 16,777,216 | 16,777,216 |
| Maximum RRAS connections | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Maximum IAS connections | 2,147,483,647 | 2,147,483,647 |
| Maximum RDS connections | 65,535 | 65,535 |
| Locks and Limits | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| Maximum number of 64- bit sockets | 64 | 64 |
| Maximum number of cores | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Maximum RAM | 24 TB | 24 TB |
| Can be used as virtualization guest | Yes, two virtual machines, plus one Hyper-V host per license | Yes, unlimited virtual machines, plus one Hyper- V host per license |
| Server can join a domain | Yes | Yes |
| Edge network protection/firewall | No | No |
| DirectAccess | Yes | Yes |
| DLNA codecs and web media streaming | Yes, if installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, if installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Windows Server roles available | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| Active Directory Certificate Services | Yes | Yes |
| Active Directory Domain Services | Yes | Yes |
| Active Directory Federation Services | Yes | Yes |
| AD Lightweight Directory Services | Yes | Yes |
Table 1.2 shows the differences between Windows Server 2022 Standard and Windows Server 2022 Datacenter. The information in this chart was also taken directly from Microsoft’s website.
TABLE 1.2 Windows Server 2022 Standard vs. Datacenter
TABLE 1.2
| Windows Server roles available | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| AD Rights Management Services | Yes | Yes |
| Device Health Attestation | Yes | Yes |
| DHCP Server | Yes | Yes |
| DNS Server | Yes | Yes |
| Fax Server | Yes | Yes |
| File and Storage Services | Yes | Yes |
| Host Guardian Service | Yes | Yes |
| Hyper- V | Yes | Yes, including Shielded Virtual Machines |
| Network Controller | No | Yes |
| Network Policy and Access Services | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Print and Document Services | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Access | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Desktop Services | Yes | Yes |
| Volume Activation Services | Yes | Yes |
| Web Services (IIS) | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Deployment Services | Yes* | Yes |
| Windows Server Essentials Experience | No | No |
| Windows Server Update Services | Yes | Yes |
Table 1.3 shows the features of Windows Server 2022 Standard and Windows Server 2022 Datacenter. The information in this chart was also taken directly from Microsoft’s website.
TABLE 1.3 Windows Server 2022 Standard vs. Datacenter
| installable with Server Manager (or PowerShell) | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| .NET Framework 3.5 | Yes | Yes |
| .NET Framework 4.7 | Yes | Yes |
| Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) | Yes | Yes |
| BitLocker Drive Encryption | Yes | Yes |
| BitLocker Network Unlock | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| BranchCache | Yes | Yes |
| Client for NFS | Yes | Yes |
| Containers | Yes (unlimited Windows containers; up to two Hyper- V containers) | Yes (unlimited Windows and Hyper- V containers) |
| Data Center Bridging | Yes | Yes |
| Direct Play | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Enhanced Storage | Yes | Yes |
| Failover Clustering | Yes | Yes |
| Group Policy Management | Yes | Yes |
| Host Guardian Hyper-V Support | No | Yes |
| I/O Quality of Service | Yes | Yes |
| IIS Hostable Web Core | Yes | Yes |
Windows Server features
TABLE 1.3
| installable with Server Manager (or PowerShell) | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| Internet Printing Client | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| IPAM Server | Yes | Yes |
| iSNS Server service | Yes | Yes |
| LPR Port Monitor | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Management OData IIS Extension | Yes | Yes |
| Media Foundation | Yes | Yes |
| Message Queueing | Yes | Yes |
| Multipath I/O | Yes | Yes |
| MultiPoint Connector | Yes | Yes |
| Network Load Balancing | Yes | Yes |
| Peer Name Resolution Protocol | Yes | Yes |
| Quality Windows Audio Video Experience | Yes | Yes |
| RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Remote Assistance | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Remote Differential Compression | Yes | Yes |
| RSAT | Yes | Yes |
| RPC over HTTP Proxy | Yes | Yes |
Windows Server features
| installable with Server Manager (or PowerShell) | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| Setup and Boot Event Collection | Yes | Yes |
| Simple TCP/IP Services | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support | Installed | Installed |
| SMB Bandwidth Limit | Yes | Yes |
| SMTP Server | Yes | Yes |
| SNMP Service | Yes | Yes |
| Software Load Balancer | Yes | Yes |
| Storage Replica | Yes | Yes |
| Telnet Client | Yes | Yes |
| TFTP Client | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| VM Shielding Tools for Fabric Management | Yes | Yes |
| WebDAV Redirector | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Biometric Framework | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Windows Defender features | Installed | Installed |
| Windows Identity Foundation 3.5 | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Windows Internal Database | Yes | Yes |
| Windows PowerShell | Installed | Installed |
Windows Server features
| Best Practices Analyzer | Yes | Yes |
| Direct Access | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic Memory (in virtualization) | Yes | Yes |
| Hot Add/Replace RAM | Yes | Yes |
TABLE 1.3
| Windows Server features installable with Server Manager (or PowerShell) | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| Windows Process Activation Service | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Search Service | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Windows Server Backup | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Server Migration Tools | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Standards- Based Storage Management | Yes | Yes |
| Windows TIFF IFilter | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| WinRM IIS Extension | Yes | Yes |
| WINS Server | Yes | Yes |
| Wireless LAN Service | Yes | Yes |
| WoW64 support | Installed | Installed |
| XPS Viewer | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience | Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience |
| Features available generally | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| Features available generally | Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| Microsoft Management Console | Yes | Yes |
| Minimal Server Interface | Yes | Yes |
| Network Load Balancing | Yes | Yes |
| Windows PowerShell | Yes | Yes |
| Server Core installation option | Yes | Yes |
| Server Manager | Yes | Yes |
| SMB Direct and SMB over RDMA | Yes | Yes |
| Software- Defined Networking | No | Yes |
| Storage Migration Service | Yes | Yes |
| Storage Replica | Yes, (1 partnership and 1 resource group with a single 2TB volume) | Yes, unlimited |
| Storage Spaces | Yes | Yes |
| Storage Spaces Direct | No | Yes |
| Volume Activation Services | Yes | Yes |
| VSS (Volume Shadow Copy Service) integration | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Server Update Services | Yes | Yes |
| Windows System Resource Manager | Yes | Yes |
| Server license logging | Yes | Yes |
| Inherited activation | As guest if hosted on Datacenter | Can be a host or a guest |
| Work Folders | Yes | Yes |
Once you choose what roles are going on your server, you must then decide how you’re going to install Windows Server 2022. There are two ways to install Windows Server 2022: you can upgrade a Windows Server 2012 R2 (or above) machine to Windows Server 2022, or you can do a clean install of Windows Server 2022. If you are running any version of Server before 2012 R2, you must first upgrade to Windows Server 2012 R2 or 2016 before upgrading to Windows Server 2022. If you decide that you are going to upgrade, you must follow specific upgrade paths.
Microsoft best practice recommendation for installing servers is to always do a clean install and not an upgrade. Upgrading from Windows Server 2012 R2 and higher is possible. But Microsoft recommends that you always do a clean install of a server.
Your choice of Windows Server 2022 version is dictated by how your current network is designed. If you are building a network from scratch, then it’s pretty straightforward. Just choose the Windows Server 2022 version based on your server’s tasks. However, if you already have a version of Windows Server 2012 installed, you should follow the recommendations in Table 1.4, which briefly summarize the supported upgrade paths to Windows Server 2022.
TABLE 1.4 Supported Windows Server 2022 upgrade path recommendations
| Current system | Upgraded system |
| Windows Server 2012 Standard | Windows Server 2016 Standard or Datacenter |
| Windows Server 2012 Datacenter | Windows Server 2016 Datacenter |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard | Windows Server 2022 Standard or Datacenter |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter | Windows Server 2022 Datacenter |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials | Windows Server 2022 Essentials |
| Windows Storage Server 2016 Standard | Windows Storage Server 2022 Standard |
| Windows Storage Server 2016 Datacenter | Windows Storage Server 2022 Datacenter |
Deciding on the Type of Installation
One of the final choices you must make before installing Windows Server 2022 is what type of installation you want. There are three ways to install Windows Server 2022, which we’ll look at next.
Windows Server 2022 (Desktop Experience)
This is the version with which most administrators are familiar. This is the version that uses Microsoft Management Console (MMC) windows, and it is the version that allows the use of a mouse to navigate through the installation.
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