When should I use Windows Server Datacenter?

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Comparison of Standard and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2019
In this article
Features generally available
Locks and Limits
Server roles
When should I use server Datacenter?
What is Windows Server Datacenter used for?
Which is better Windows Server Standard or Datacenter?
When should I use Windows Server?

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Comparison of Standard and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2019

Article
09/19/2022
6 minutes to read

Features generally available

Full Comparison
Version Differences

Features available generally	Windows Server 2019 Standard	Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
Best Practices Analyzer	Yes	Yes
Direct Access	Yes	Yes
Dynamic Memory (in virtualization)	Yes	Yes
Hot Add/Replace RAM	Yes	Yes
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
Server license logging	Yes	Yes
Inherited activation	As guest if hosted on Datacenter	Can be a host or a guest
Work Folders	Yes	Yes

Features available generally	Windows Server 2019 Standard	Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
Software-defined Networking	No	Yes
Storage Replica	Yes, (1 partnership and 1 resource group with a single 2TB volume)	Yes, unlimited
Storage Spaces Direct	No	Yes
Inherited activation	As guest if hosted on Datacenter	Can be a host or a guest

Locks and Limits

Full Comparison
Version Differences

Locks and Limits	Windows Server 2019 Standard	Windows Server 2019 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
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; 2 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

Locks and Limits	Windows Server 2019 Standard	Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
Can be used as virtualization guest	Yes; 2 virtual machines, plus one Hyper-V host per license	Yes; unlimited virtual machines, plus one Hyper-V host per license

Server roles

Full Comparison
Version Differences

Windows Server roles available	Role services	Windows Server 2019 Standard	Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
Active Directory Certificate Services		Yes	Yes
Active Directory Domain Services		Yes	Yes
Active Directory Federation Services		Yes	Yes
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services		Yes	Yes
Active Directory 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	File Server	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	BranchCache for Network Files	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	Data Deduplication	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	DFS Namespaces	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	DFS Replication	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	File Server Resource Manager	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	File Server VSS Agent Service	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	iSCSI Target Server	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	iSCSI Target Storage Provider	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	Server for NFS	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	Work Folders	Yes	Yes
File and Storage Services	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 Update Services		Yes	Yes

Note

WDS Transport Server is new to Server Core installations in Windows Server 2019 and also included in the Semi-Annual Channel starting with Windows Server version 1803.

Windows Server roles available	Role services	Windows Server 2019 Standard	Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
Network Controller		No	Yes

Features

Full Comparison
Version Differences

Windows Server Features available	Windows Server 2019 Standard	Windows Server 2019 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
Internet Printing Client	Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience	Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience
IP Address Management (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 (CMAK)	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
Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT)	Yes	Yes
RPC over HTTP Proxy	Yes	Yes
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	Yes	Yes
SMB Bandwidth Limit	Yes	Yes
SMTP Server	Yes	Yes
SNMP Service	Yes	Yes
Software Load Balancer	Yes	Yes
Storage Migration Service	Yes	Yes
Storage Migration Service Proxy	Yes	Yes
Storage Replica	Yes	Yes
System Data Archiver	Yes	Yes
System Insights	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 Antivirus	Yes	Yes
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	Yes	Yes
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 Subsystem for Linux	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	Yes	Yes
XPS Viewer	Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience	Yes, when installed as Server with Desktop Experience

Windows Server Features available	Windows Server 2019 Standard	Windows Server 2019 Datacenter
Containers	Yes (unlimited Windows containers; up to two Hyper-V containers)	Yes (unlimited Windows and Hyper-V containers)
Host Guardian Hyper-V Support	No	Yes

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When should I use server Datacenter?

The Standard edition is designed for small-to-medium-sized organizations that need no more than two instances of the server software in a virtual operating system. The Datacenter edition is optimized for large-scale virtualization; its license allows one server to run an unlimited number of Windows Server instances.

What is Windows Server Datacenter used for?

The Datacenter license allows 1 server to run an unlimited number of Windows Server virtual machines with 1 Hyper V host for each license. It allows you to use all types of containers and does not limit the number of containers.

Which is better Windows Server Standard or Datacenter?

Standard edition also lacks support for software-defined networking and the Storage Spaces Direct software-defined storage feature. The biggest difference between the Standard and Datacenter editions relates to virtual-machine licensing. Both editions support an unlimited number of Windows Server containers.

When should I use Windows Server?

Essentially, Windows Server is a line of operating systems that Microsoft specifically creates for use on a server. Servers are extremely powerful machines that are designed to run constantly and provide resources for other computers. This means in almost all cases, Windows Server is only used in business settings.