Microsoft Server 2012

This server version is aimed at businesses, IT departments, data centres, and service providers that require stable server operating systems for mission-critical applications.

Windows Server 2012 Editions

Essentials 2012: For small businesses with up to 25 users. Essentials is easy to set up and provides basic server functions without the complexity of larger editions.

Standard 2012: For small to medium-sized businesses with physical or limited virtualized environments. Standard offers two virtualization licenses and all server core features.

Datacenter 2012: For highly scalable data centres with unlimited virtualization. Datacenter includes all features of Standard plus Software-Defined Networking and Storage Replica.

When do you need Windows Server 2012?

• File Server: Central file management for networks
• Active Directory: User and rights management in domains
• Hyper-V Virtualization: Running multiple virtual machines
• Web Server (IIS): Hosting websites and web applications
• Database Server: Microsoft SQL Server hosting
• Remote Desktop Services: Terminal services for remote access

Client Access Licenses (CALs)

In addition to the server license, CALs (Client Access Licenses) are required for each access to the server:

User CALs: License per user – ideal when employees access the server from multiple devices.

Device CALs: License per device – more cost-effective when multiple users share a device (e.g., shift work).

RDS CALs: Separate licenses for Remote Desktop Services when users access the server via Remote Desktop.

Windows Server 2012 Features

Windows Server 2012 offers enterprise features such as Hyper-V for virtualization, Failover Clustering for high availability, Storage Spaces for software-defined storage, Windows Defender for security, and PowerShell for automation.

The version supports modern workloads, containers (Docker), Nano Server, and integrates with Azure cloud services for hybrid scenarios.