I need an operating system for an IIS-based web server that should serve both public and private (authentication required) web content and -services. (In other words, it should host all the stuff we develop with ASP.NET.)
Looking at the Windows Server 2012 Editions, it seems that the Essentials edition would be a good fit:
- It does not require CALs.
- The 25 user limit should not be an issue, since the only Active Directory users are admins uploading or configuring software, or "servce accounts", for example, for SQL Server.
On the other hand, other documents from Microsoft present Server 2012 Essentials as a successor to Windows Small Business Server, which is quite different from a typical web server.
Are there any nasty surprises to be expected when using Server 2012 Essentials as a public web server?
Best Answer
Server 2012 Essentials has to be a Domain Controller, which is the first DC in the root of a new forest. It's very similar to SBS. So, no, most people wouldn't consider deploying it as a web server.