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Comparison of Standard and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2019
- Article
- 09/19/2022
- 6 minutes to read
In this article
Use this article to compare Standard and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2019 to see which will be most appropriate.
Features generally available
- Full Comparison
- Version Differences
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 |
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
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 |
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
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.
Network Controller | No | Yes |
Features
- Full Comparison
- Version Differences
.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 |
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.