Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform Team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:44:29 GMT

Q: Why Powershell? Windows Services for UNIX should be part of the Windows server core / minimal installation, and they should include a decent software management subsystem, like SVR4 packaging, as well as a decent selection of freeware applications, so that there are enough dependencies available to build and package other freeware.

A: Many of us have deep backgrounds in and respect for UNIX. UNIX has a number of very good tools for Administrators and this was one of the reasons why we made Services for UNIX widely available to Windows users. What we learned was that these tools are highly optimized for UNIX and less helpful on Windows. AWK doesn’t work on WMI, grep doesn’t help with AD, and SED doesn’t work in the Registry. Windows needed a tool that matched its architecture. PowerShell is that tool. When we designed PowerShell we tried to invent as little as possible and take advantage of the great work that had gone on before us. We started with the POSIX shell specification and reimagined it, using some syntax from Perl as well as some great approaches used by the superstar engineers that worked on VMS and AS400. Someone once explained why they instantly love a new Aerosmith album say that it sounded familiar and new at the same time. I think you’ll have a similar experience with PowerShell.

You’ll find that many of the types of tools you are used to having in UNIX environments are also available in PowerShell. For example, Enter-PSSession gives you an interactive PowerShell environment over an encrypted connection that is similar to the TTY shell you are used to with SSH, and Select-String gives you full regular expression matching. However, there are also many more specialized commands that interact directly with Windows Server roles and features. We hope that you’ll find the trade-off of learning these tools worthwhile when you consider that in exchange, you don’t have to figure out how to configure your server at a low level by manually editing configuration files and registry entries.

Jeffrey Snover (Microsoft)

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform Team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:40:09 GMT

Q: We're a small business. A full time / fully qualified IT /admin/ is beyond our means. But headless Windows Server would actually be very appealing for several of our applications we currently serve from under Linux; however - we specifically chose Windows Server for our administrative machines precisely *because* of the GUI. Two words: Active Domain.

A: You can continue to use the GUI, you just run them on a client machine and remotely manage your server. You can try this with your current installation using the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) for Windows 7 (www.microsoft.com/.../details.aspx) to manage a Windows Server 2008 R2 server. There are also versions of RSAT available for previous version of Windows client and server.

Jeffrey Snover (Microsoft)

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform Team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:38:41 GMT

Q: Will Windows Installer technology still be supported? I have server apps that are installed via setup programs that use Windows Installer technology. Some parts of the installers use MSXML, will MSXML be available in Server Core or Minimal Server?

A: Yes, both Windows Installer and MSXML are available today in Server Core in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2. On Server Core, Windows Installer supports unattended mode only, so be sure that your MSI installation routines support unattended installation.

Andrew Mason (Microsoft)

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform Team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:37:19 GMT

Q: And the windowites have all been so proudly pronouncing the CLI Dead and Burried Ha ! right for sure welcome back CLI your place in histort will never be GUI'ed out

A: It is true that in the past some of us have underestimated the importance of the CLI. Customers told us we got that wrong. We listened and responded to their feedback. We build products for you guys so keep telling us where we get it right and where we get it wrong and we’ll adjust.

Jeffrey Snover (Microsoft)

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform Team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:36:00 GMT

Q: Talk about a step backwards! As if a server admin's job wasn't busy enough, Ms now wants us to right 3 lines of power shell command code to do what could be done with a simple click. Ridiculous.

A: We do not view this as a CLI vs. GUI issue. Microsoft is, and always has been, committed to simplifying the administrative experience through rich GUIs. The only changes here are that we have dramatically improved our PowerShell coverage and the strong recommendation to run those rich GUIs on client machines and remotely manage the server. All of the GUI management tools included in Windows Server are available for installation on the Windows Client.

That said, PowerShell does have some value to offer in exchange for its learning curve. PowerShell enables administrators to more easily automate their management operations. For example, it is much easier to use PowerShell to configure 100 servers than to perform the same operation 100 times using GUI tools. PowerShell also works very well over slower connections, which can come in handy when dealing with servers located in multiple datacenters around the world, or when performing management operations across a metered connection such as a cellular broadband wireless card.

Jeffrey Snover (Microsoft)

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform Team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:34:06 GMT

Q: One of our biggest pain points on our development team is the fact that when some part of a build crashes on our Windows build machines, the entire build gets stuck because Windows is sitting around waiting for a human to come along and dismiss the "MSBuild.exe or vc.exe or some other process crashed for some strange reason" dialog box. Being able to have a headless continuous integration server that wouldn't get stuck on such things would be wonderful. When you guys are testing the GUI-less servers, please take the build farm use case into account.

A: We hear you Jason. These are exactly the type of scenarios and issues we are addressing with this effort.

Jeffrey Snover (Microsoft)

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform Team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:32:49 GMT

Q: This is great but..... How do you remote in? Telnet? Now that's secure! I think it is time for you all to but a ssh licenses for Windows server and install it by default/

A: The recommended methods for remote access are remote PowerShell (Enter-PSSession –ComputerName x) and Remote Desktop (RDP). Enter-PSSession gives you an interactive PowerShell environment over an encrypted connection that is similar to the TTY shell you are used to with SSH. Remote Desktop Connection uses an encrypted connection that allows you to interact with Windows graphically.

Jeffrey Snover (Microsoft)

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform Team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:30:36 GMT

Q: When a Server is installed in 'minimal server interface' mode does Powershell still have have access to XAML, and can we run XAML windows from Powershell?!

A: Yes PowerShell will run XAML workflows in all Server configurations.

Jeffrey Snover (Microsoft)

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Microsoft Server and Cloud Platform Team — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:28:23 GMT

Q: Does application developer must test their programs in all three environment (core/minimal/full) ?

A: Hi there – great question.

Each of the environments is a superset of the level below it. Everything in Server Core is included in Minimal Server Interface and everything in Minimal Server Interface is included in Server with a GUI. Because of this, if your application has the same functionality across all three you only need to test your installer and application in the lowest supported configuration. For example if your application has two pieces:

1. A server service that is supported on Server Core, Minimal Server Interface, and Server with a GUI

2. A GUI admin tool that is supported on the Minimal Server Interface and Server with a GUI

We would recommend:

• Installer/Setup – run your full test pass on Server Core and regression test on Minimal Server Interface and Server with a GUI

• Server service – run your full test pass on Server Core and regression test on Minimal Server Interface and Server with a GUI

• GUI Admin tool – run your full test pass on the Minimal Server Interface and regression test on Server with a GUI.

As part of your regression testing on the higher levels you should move from Server Core to Minimal Server Interface to Server with a GUI and verify everything continues to work post the change.

If your application enables additional functionality at a higher level, then yes you would need to test in any levels where there is a change in functionality. For example if your app detected it was running on Server with a GUI and that then allowed the user to use some additional functionality not available when running in the Minimal Server Interface you would have to test in both.

Andrew Mason (Microsoft)

re: Windows Server 8: Server Applications and the Minimal Server Interface

Shahid Roofi — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:44:41 GMT

Now atlast we hope to install MS Exchange or other server install on windows server 8 and scale back to minimal core after that.

In 2008 R2 Sp1. Limitation comes around RPC_HTTPS component which is not available on server core edition but now with this model of switching back and forth, things seems really to ignite the ideas !!!

Really appreciate the decision makers for this !