WSV314

The Faces of WS2012: Bare

Metal, Server Core, Minimal
Server Interface…
Ian Lucas
Principal Program Manager
Agenda
Deployment choices
Image Based Setup and Lite touch deployment (MDT)
What’s new in Windows Deployment Services (WDS)
Windows Server 2012 Installation Options
Server Core & “Server with GUI”
Configuration Levels (Minimal Server Interface)
Minimizing disk space using Features on Demand
Role and Feature Deployment
High Touch – Image Based Setup
Provides a single unified process with which all customers can install
Windows
Essentially the same as Windows Server 2008 R2 Setup
Existing scripts and deployment tools that you have for Windows
Server 2008 R2 will work with Windows Server 2012
Speed improvements
IBS Setup options
Upgrade: Keep files, settings,
and applications
Custom: Install only
Lite Touch – Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012
Step 1: Obtain the Required Software
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=76620
Step 2: Prepare the MDT Environment
Step 3: Configure MDT to Create the Reference Computer
Step 4: Deploy Windows Server 2012 and Capture an Image of the
Reference Server
Step 5: Configure MDT to Deploy Windows Server 2012 to the Target
Server
Step 6: Deploy the Captured Image of the Reference Server to the Target
Server
Windows Deployment Services (WDS)
End-to-end solution for clean installations over the network
using PXE boot
Why use WDS?
Reliable – in use since 2006
Proven – by external and internal customers
Scalable – can deploy over 300 machines at a time
Powerful – flexible and extensible
Simple – improved manageability
WDS Deployment Process

Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot

manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE

Standalone modex86 UEFI support In-place WIM

Variable-size transmission multicast apply
window
MMC improvements TFTP shared UDPMulticast
IPv6 PXE support performance improved
port allocation
VHDX
WDS infrastructure to customizeTFTP shared client apply
buffer
Diagnosability enhancements
Standalone Mode
Standalone server
New server configuration option
Decoupled from Active Directory
Local data store
Works with management tools
MMC GUI snap-in and WDSUtil command line tool

Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot

manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE
MMC Improvements
Device management now in the MMC
Client Unattend file generator
New server properties options
Max TFTP block size
UDP port policy
Image priority
Expected Deployment Results wizard
See the results of your choices before you deploy
Presents the deployment options for a certain device
MMC and CLI
Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot
manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE
WDS and Metadata
A new extension model for WDS
WDS infrastructure for custom deployments
Exposed in UI
Additional low-level metadata configuration using WDSUtil
Management possibilities with metadata
Generic device management
Device groups
Boot/install image filtering

Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot

manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE
Diagnose Your Deployments
Server trace log updates
ETW-based logs
Support for /trace parameter
Setuperr.log/Setupact.log still available
Performance counters
Provides better understanding of what the server is “doing”
Added many for Windows 8 – now over 50

Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot

manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE
x86 UEFI and IPv6 PXE Support
UEFI 2.3.1 support
PXE extended to x86 UEFI architecture
Separate settings for BIOS and UEFI
IPv6 support for PXE
UEFI requires firmware support in UNDI and UEFI version (2.3.1 or
later)
Requires stateful DHCPv6
IPv6 is also supported in TFTP, multicast, WDS client, and
setup.exe
Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot
manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE
TFTP Download Enhancements
Dynamically determined variable-size transmission window
3X performance on Gb networks from ~8 MB to ~25 MB /sec
Accommodates clients with “small” NIC buffers
Shared UDP port allocation
Improves scalability - Uses 16 ports by default
Shared client buffer
Detects clients downloading the same file
Uses shared in-memory buffer of the file for all clients
Reduces memory use and improves performance

Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot

manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE
In-place WIM Multicast Apply
What it does
Eliminates download of the WIM before applying to the local disk
Allows the WIM to be decompressed on-the-fly as received over
the network
Why it’s good
Faster process that uses a smaller disk footprint
What’s needed to use it?
Minimum of 2 GB RAM

Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot

manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE
Multicast Performance Improved
Smaller block size by default
Eliminates fragmentation
Higher MC transmission rate on Gb network
New congestion control algorithm
More concurrent operations on both the server and client sides

Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot

manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE
VHDX Apply
What it does
Applies VHDX file directly to disk using sector-based deployment
Multiple-partition deployment for OS & recovery partition in
single image
Must use VHDX format, not VHD
WDS does not create the VHDX
Available for
WDSMCast.exe and WDSClient.exe

Plan, Boot Get Apply Inject First boot

manage, with into full OS drivers and
diagnose PXE WinPE image OOBE
Windows Server 2012 Deployment Options
Server Core
The default deployment option
RSAT for remote GUI management
PowerShell support achieves
critical mass with 2300+ cmdlets
More roles and features available
Server with a GUI
Equivalent of full Server in Windows Server 2008 R2
Provided for backwards compatibility
Windows Server 2012 Configuration Levels
Classic “Full Server”
Server • Full Modern-style GUI shell
Server with
with a
a GUI
GUI • Install Desktop Experience to run Modern-style
apps
NEW Full Server without Server Graphical Shell
• No Explorer, Internet Explorer or associated files
• MMC, Server Manager, and a subset of Control
Minimal Server Interface Panel applets are still installed
• Provides many of the benefits of Server Core for
those applications or users that haven’t yet made
the transition

Server Core
• NEW Can move between Server Core and Full
Server Core Server by simply installing or uninstalling
components
Transitioning between Server Core and Server
Server Manager (remote)
Transitioning between Server Core and Server
PowerShell Cmdlets
Full Server to Server Core
POWERSHELL

Uninstall-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra -Restart

Single reboot required to restart

Server Core to Full Server all services

POWERSHELL

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell -Restart

NEW Can install multiple features with one command by

separating with commas
demo
Transitioning between
Server Core and Server with
a GUI
Minimal Server Interface
It’s a Server with a GUI…
…but without Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer
Provides some of the benefits of Server Core for those products or admins
that can’t fully make the transition to Server Core

Enables administrators and developers to begin shifting to support

headless servers
Remove dependencies on Shell and Internet Explorer
Enable full remote management
Higher availability
Converting to and from Server Graphical Shell
Server Manager
Uninstall Server Graphical Shell:
POWERSHELL

Uninstall-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Shell -Restart

Install Server Graphical Shell:

POWERSHELL

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Shell -Restart

Server Core to Minimal Server Interface

POWERSHELL

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra -Restart

Limitations of the Minimal Server Interface
(1/2)
Common Dialog box is functional (except networking)

Any UI with dependencies on items implemented as Shell

Namespace Extensions will not work
Certain CPLs are namespace extensions, e.g. Networking

Internet Explorer is not available when Server Graphical Shell is

uninstalled
Links in UI won’t work
Help isn’t available – calls to HTML Help API will return NULL!
Limitations of the Minimal Server Interface
(2/2)
Some file associations and protocol handlers are not
available
http://
file://
*.chm

Some DLL files not installed

Check for dependencies or delay loads might fail!
DUMPBIN (Windows SDK)
Dependency Walker (http://www.dependencywalker.com, freeware)
Test your applications on the Minimal Server Interface!
Detecting the state of Server Graphical Shell
Using the Registry
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Server\
ServerLevels

Server Core Minimal Server Server Graphical

Interface Shell
ServerCore = 1 Set Set Set
ServerGuiMgmt = 1 Not Set Set Set
ServerGuiShell = 1 Not Set Not Set Set

WMI
Win32_ServerFeature class can be used to determine installed roles and features
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/cc280268
Server-Gui-Shell has an ID of 99
Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra has an ID of 478
Local Shell Capabilities
Server Core Minimal Server Interface Server with a GUI Desktop Experience
Command Prompt a a a a

PowerShell/.NET a a a a

Server Manager x a a a

MMC x a a a

Control Panel x x a a

CPL Applets x Some a a

Explorer Shell x x a a

Taskbar x x a a

System Tray x x a a

Internet Explorer x x a a

Help x x a a

Themes x x x a

Start screen (Modern) x x a a

Modern-style apps x x x a

Media Player x x x a
demo

Minimal Server Interface

Reducing on Disk Footprint
All Roles and Features are copied to the Windows Side by
Side store (\windows\winsxs) during Setup
Uses disk space to store roles and features that may never be
installed
Windows Server 2012 now has Features on Demand
Allows an administrator to remove unneeded roles and features
Files for removed roles and features are deleted from the Side by
Side store
Can be used to minimize VHD footprint
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj127275
Server Core Installation Option
Server Core installation option is created using Features on
Demand
Unsupported Roles and Features are removed from \windows\
winsxs to maintain minimal footprint
Show as Removed in PowerShell

Show as Payload Removed in Dism.exe

Removing Roles and Features
Files for <FeatureName> will be deleted from the \
windows\winsxs folder
POWERSHELL

Uninstall-WindowsFeature <FeatureName> -Remove

Must use PowerShell, remove is not available in Server

Manager
Sources for Removed Roles and Features
Reinstallation Sources
Windows Update
If server has Internet access, it can use WU
Use the WIM directly
Mount WIM
Can mount the install WIM
Running Server’s \windows\winsxs folder
Location can be specified via Group Policy:
Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System >
“Specify settings for optional component installation and
component repair”
Mounting the WIM
Create a folder to mount the WIM in:
CMD

mkdir c:\mountdir
Determine the index of Server with a GUI:
CMD

Dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:<drive>:sources\install.wim

Mount the WIM:
CMD

dism /mount-wim /WimFile:<drive>:\sources\install.wim

/Index:<#_from_step_2> /MountDir:c:\mountdir /readonly
Install role or feature:
POWERSHELL with mounted WIM

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell –Restart

–Source c:\mountdir\windows\winsxs
Using the WIM Directly
Determine the index of Server with a GUI:
CMD

Dism /get-wiminfo /wimfile:<drive>:sources\install.wim

Install role or feature specifying a source of

WIM:<path>:<#_from_step_1>
POWERSHELL

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell –Restart

–Source wim:<drive>:\sources\install.wim:4
Reinstalling Roles and Features
Server Manager

PowerShell
POWERSHELL

Install-WindowsFeature <FeatureName> -Source <Source>

Server Core Installation Option to Server
If Server Core was installed using Setup converting to
Server requires a source
With a mounted WIM
POWERSHELL with mounted WIM

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell –Restart

–Source c:\mountdir\windows\winsxs

Using the WIM directly

POWERSHELL

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra,Server-Gui-Shell –Restart

–Source wim:d:\sources\install.wim:4
demo
Reducing Disk Footprint
with Features on Demand
.NET 3.5 and Features on Demand
Not included in the Windows Server 2012 image
Application Compatibility shim will prompt to install if
running an application that requires .NET 3.5
Installation sources
Windows Update
Install media \sources\sxs
Whitepaper on .NET 3.5 in Windows Server 2012
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh831809#BKMK_FoD
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/windows/hardware/hh975396
Covers Client and Server
Role and Feature Deployment
Improvements over WS2008 R2
Consolidate Role and Feature deployment
Simplify initial server configuration
New deployment options
Deploy to offline VHD
Reduce footprint by removing unwanted source files
Deployment configuration templates
Batch deploy via automation
Distributed deployments (RDS)
Summary
Shift towards Server Core as recommended configuration
Easily move between Server Core and ‘Server with a GUI’
Minimal server interface option (as an intermediary step)
Features on Demand -> reduces footprint
Overall setup/deploy improvements
WDS enhancements and performance work
Remote Role/Feature deploy, offline VHD, batch through
scripting
Related Content
WSV317 - WS2012 Server Manager for Remote and Multi-Server Mgt)

Hands-on Labs (session codes and titles)

Product Demo Stations (demo station title and location)

Related Certification Exam

Find Me Later in the Speaker Lounge (Thu 11am)

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