Windows Server 2022 allows you to set up a type of server installation called Nano Server. Nano Server lets you remotely administer the server operating system. It was primarily designed and optimized for private clouds and datacenters. Nano Server is very similar to Server Core, but the Nano Server operating system uses significantly smaller hard drive space, has no local logon capability, and only supports 64‐b it applications and tools. Nano Server has no local logon and must be administered remotely.

Removed Features

As with all new versions of Windows Servers, Microsoft decided to remove or retire features or services that are no longer needed. The following are features and services that were replaced starting with Windows Server 2022:

IIS 6 Management Compatibility The following features were removed in the first release of Windows Server 2022: IIS 6 Metabase Compatibility (Web‐ Metabase),  IIS 6 Management Console (Web‐ Lgcy‐ Mgmt‐ Console), IIS 6 Scripting Tools  (Web‐ Lgcy‐ Scripting), and IIS 6 WMI Compatibility (Web‐W MI).

IIS Digest Authentication Microsoft plans to replace the IIS Digest Authentication method. You should use other authentication methods. These methods include Client Certificate Mapping and Windows Authentication.

Internet Storage Name Service (iSNS) iSNS is being replaced by the Server Message Block (SMB) feature. This feature offers basically the same functionality with additional features.

RSA/AES Encryption for IIS The RSA/AES Encryption for IIS method is being replaced by the improved Cryptography API: Next Generation (CNG) method.

Windows PowerShell 2.0 The Windows PowerShell 2.0 version has been surpassed by several more recent versions. You can get the superior features and performance if you use Windows PowerShell 5.0 or later.

The following are features and services that are being replaced starting with Windows Server 2022 version 1803:

File Replication Service File Replication Services were first introduced in Windows Server 2003 R2. They have now been replaced by DFS Replication.

Hyper‐ V Network Virtualization (HNV) Hyper‐ V Network Virtualization (HNV) has been replaced because Network Virtualization is now included in Windows Server 2022 as part of the Software‐ Defined Networking (SDN) solution. SDN also includes items such as the Network Controller, Software Load Balancing, User‐ Defined Routing, and Access Control Lists.

Removed Features

Table 1.5 shows all the features and roles that are no longer being developed.

The information in the next two charts was taken directly from Microsoft’s website.

TABLE 1.5 Features and roles no longer being developed

Business Scanning, also called Distributed Scan Management (DSM)	The Scan Management functionality was introduced in Windows Server 2008 R2 and enabled secure scanning and the management of scanners in an enterprise. Microsoft is no longer investing in this feature, and there are no devices available that support it.
IPv4/6 Transition  Technologies (6to4, ISATAP, and Direct Tunnels)	6to4 has been disabled by default since Windows 10/11, version 1607 (the Anniversary Update), ISATAP has been disabled by default since Windows 10/11, version 1703 (the Creators Update), and Direct Tunnels has always been disabled by default. Please use native IPv6 support instead.
MultiPoint Services	Microsoft is no longer developing the MultiPoint Services role as part of Windows Server. MultiPoint Connector services are available through Features on Demand for both Windows Server and Windows 10/11. You can use Remote Desktop Services, in particular the Remote Desktop Services Session Host, to provide RDP connectivity.
Offline symbol  packages (Debug symbol MSIs)	Microsoft is no longer making the symbol packages available as a downloadable MSI. Instead, the Microsoft Symbol Server is moving to be an Azure- based symbol store. If you need the Windows symbols, connect to the Microsoft Symbol Server to cache your symbols locally or use a manifest file with SymChk.exe on a computer with Internet access.
Remote Desktop  Connection Broker and Remote Desktop Virtualization Host in a Server Core installation	Most Remote Desktop Services deployments have these roles co- located with the Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH), which requires Server with Desktop Experience; to be consistent with RDSH Microsoft is changing these roles to also require Server with Desktop Experience. Microsoft is no longer developing these RDS roles for use in a Server Core installation. If you need to deploy these roles as part of your Remote Desktop infrastructure, you can install them on Windows Server 2016 with Desktop Experience.

These roles are also included in the Desktop Experience installation option of Windows Server 2022. You can test them in the Windows Insider build of Windows Server 2022— just be sure to choose the LTSC image.

RemoteFX 3D Video                                  Microsoft is developing new graphics acceleration options for virtu-

Adapter (vGPU)                       alized environments. You can also use Discrete Device Assignment (DDA) as an alternative.

TABLE 1.5 Features and roles no longer being developed (Continued)

Feature or roles	You can use . . .
Software Restriction Policies in Group Policy	Instead of using the Software Restriction Policies through Group Policy, you can use AppLocker or Windows Defender Application Control to control which apps users can access and what code can run in the kernel.
Storage Spaces in a Shared configuration using an SAS fabric	Deploy Storage Spaces Direct instead. Storage Spaces Direct supports the use of HLK- certified SAS enclosures, but in a nonshared configuration, as described in the Storage Spaces Direct hardware requirements.
Windows Server  Essentials Experience	Microsoft is no longer developing the Essentials Experience role for the Windows Server Standard or Windows Server Datacenter SKUs. If you need an easy- to- use server solution for small- to- medium businesses, check out the new Microsoft 365 for Business solution, or use Windows Server 2016 Essentials.

Table 1.6 shows the features that are no longer being developed starting with Windows Server 2022.

TABLE 1.6 Features no longer being developed in Server 2022

Hyper- V vSwitch on LBFO	In a future release, the Hyper- V vSwitch will no longer have the capability to be bound to an LBFO team. Instead, it must be bound via Switch Embedded Teaming (SET).
XDDM- based remote display driver (new)	Starting with this release the Remote Desktop Services uses a Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM)- based Indirect Display Driver (IDD) for a single session remote desktop. The support for Windows 2000 Display Driver Model (XDDM)-b ased remote display drivers will be removed in a

future release. Independent software vendors (ISVs) that use the XDDM- based remote display driver should plan a migration to the WDDM driver model. For more information on implementing remote display indirect display drivers, ISVs can reach out to rdsdev@microsoft.com.

UCS log collec-      The UCS log collection tool, while not explicitly intended for use with tion tool (new)          Windows Server, is nonetheless being replaced by the Feedback hub on Windows 10/11.

Summary

Feature	Instead, you can use . . .
Key Storage Drive in Hyper- V	Microsoft is no longer working on the Key Storage Drive feature in  Hyper-V . If you’re using generation 1 VMs, check out Generation 1 VM  Virtualization Security for information about options going forward. If you’re creating new VMs, use Generation 2 virtual machines with TPM devices for a more secure solution.
Trusted Platform Module (TPM) management console	The information previously available in the TPM management console is now available on the Device security page in the Windows Defender Security Center.
Host Guardian Service Active Directory attestation mode	Microsoft is no longer developing Host Guardian Service Active Directory attestation mode— instead, they have added a new attestation mode, host key attestation, that’s far simpler and equally as compatible as Active Directory–based attestation. This new mode provides equivalent functionality with a setup experience, simpler management, and fewer infrastructure dependencies than the Active Directory attestation. Host key attestation has no additional hardware requirements beyond what Active Directory attestation required, so all existing systems will remain compatible with the new mode.
OneSync service	The OneSync service synchronizes data for the Mail, Calendar, and People apps. Microsoft has added a sync engine to the Outlook app that provides the same synchronization.
Remote Differential Compression API support	Remote Differential Compression API support enabled synchronizing data with a remote source using compression technologies, which minimized the amount of data sent across the network.
WFP lightweight filter switch extension	The WFP lightweight filter switch extension enables developers to build simple network packet filtering extensions for the Hyper- V virtual switch. You can achieve the same functionality by creating a full filtering extension. As such, Microsoft will remove this extension in the future.