Windows Server Core Characteristics:

• Minimal server installation for running specific server roles
• Reduces servicing, management and hardware requirements and attack surface!!!
  • No Windows/Internet Explorer
  • No .NET Framework
  • No Powershell
  • No features or whatever depending on the features listed above this one like for example notifications and balloons

• Disk space required for a normal server: approx (min.) 7-8 GB
• Disk space required for a server core server: approx (min.) 2-3 GB
• Supported server roles (OCLIST.EXE): IIS (without ASP.NET), Print Server, Hyper-V, ADDS, ADLDS, DHCP Server, DNS, File Server (incl. NTFRS, DFS-R and DFS)
  REMARK: available roles may depend on Server Edition (standard, enterprise, datacenter, web)
• Supported server features (OCLIST.EXE): Bitlocker, Clustering, NLB, Subsystem for UNIX apps, Windows Server Backup, Multipath IO, Removable Storage Management, SNMP, WINS (why the heck is this a feature and not a role?)
• Install and Upgrade:
  • Not possible to upgrade from whatever windows version to server core
  • Manual install and after the server still needs to be configured (initial configuration tasks)
  • Unattended install using a UNATTEND.XML file where it is possible to configure the "initial configuration tasks" and other settings (e.g. enabling TS, configuring screen resolution, enabling and configuring WinRM/WinRS) during unattended install.
    • UNATTEND.XML file can be created with the "Windows System Image Manager"
    • Boot using WinPE and execute SETUP /unattend:<path>\unattend.xml
      OR
    • Place UNATTEND.XML in a default location (e.g. floppy)

• Can be managed through
  • Locally and remotely via the Command Prompt (tools and scripts)
  • Remotely via Terminal Server --> admin mode must be enabled first!
  • Remotely via Windows Remote Shell --> remote management must be enabled first!
  • Remotely via MMC --> watch out for the firewall on the server which is enabled by default!

Command Line Utilities:

• Command Line Reference
  (This setting displays a list of common tasks and how to perform them from the command line)
  • CSCRIPT.EXE %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\SCREGEDIT.WSF /CLI
• Viewing installed roles/features
  • OCLIST.EXE
• Install/Uninstall component (roles/features)
  (To get a list of component names use OCLIST and copy the name into the command line. The name of the components is CASE-SENSITIVE!!!)
  • Start /W OCSETUP <component>
  • Start /W OCSETUP <component> /Uninstall
  • To install AD either one of the following IS required:
    • DCPROMO /UNATTEND:<answer file>
    • DCPROMO /ANSWER:<answer file>
    • DCPROMO /UNATTEND /OPTION1:<value1> /OPTION2:<value2> /OPTION1:<value3> /OPTION1:<value3> …..

• Managing Registry
  • REGEDIT.EXE
  • REG.EXE

• Creating notes/text files
  • NOTEPAD.EXE
  • EDIT.EXE
  • EDLIN.EXE

• Disk/partition management:
  • DISKPART.EXE
  • FORMAT.EXE
  • CHKDSK.EXE
  • DEFRAG.EXE

• Performance Related Stuff
  • DISKPERF.EXE
  • RELOG.EXE
  • LOGMAN.EXE
  • tracerpt.exe
  • typeperf.exe

• Managing Power Related Options
  • POWERCFG.EXE
• Managing Auditing on the local server
  • AUDITPOL.EXE
• Network management (incl. firewall):
  • IPCONFIG.EXE
  • PATHPING.EXE
  • PING.EXE
  • TRACERT.EXE
  • NSLOOKUP.EXE
  • NBTSTAT.EXE
  • NETSTAT.EXE
  • NETSH.EXE (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=49654)

• Service and driver management:
  • SC.EXE (http://www.ss64.com/nt/sc.html)
  • NET STOP and NET START
  • DRVLOAD.EXE
  • PNPUTIL.EXE
  • PRINTUI.EXE (for printer drivers only)
  • driverquery.exe

• Backup and Restore
  • WBADMIN.EXE
• Windows Management Interface (for all kinds of things to manage)
  • WMIC.EXE
• Local User and group management:
  (http://support.microsoft.com/?id=251394 & http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/net_group.mspx?mfr=true)
  • NET.EXE USER …
  • NET.EXE LOCALGROUP…
• Domain and computer name/account management:
  (http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/460e3705-9e5d-4f9b-a139-44341090cfd41033.mspx?mfr=true)
  • NETDOM.EXE
  • NLTEST.EXE

• To change the time zone:
  • CONTROL.EXE TIMEDATE.CPL
• To change international settings:
  • CONTROL.EXE INTL.CPL
• To manage other CUSTOM CPLs (when available)
  • CONTROL.EXE <NAME>.CPL
• Shutdown/reboot/restart server
  • SHUTDOWN.EXE
• Manage Activation
  • CSCRIPT.EXE %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\SLMGR.VBS
• Manage Automatic Updates
  • CSCRIPT.EXE %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\SCREGEDIT.WSF /AU [/v][value]
• Allow Remote Administration Connections
  • CSCRIPT.EXE %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\SCREGEDIT.WSF /AR [/v][value]
• Allow connections from previous versions of Windows
  • CSCRIPT.EXE %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\SCREGEDIT.WSF /CS [/v][value]
• IP Security (IPSEC) Monitor - allow remote management
  • CSCRIPT.EXE %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\SCREGEDIT.WSF /IM [/v][value]
• Windows Remote Management/Shell
  • WINRM.CMD
  • WINRS.EXE
• Applying a patch
  • Wusa.exe <patchname>.msu [/quiet] [/norestart]
• Managing the Event Viewer
  • wecutil.exe
  • eventcreate.exe
  • wevtutil.exe

• Managing CA & Certificates stuff
  • CERTREQ.EXE
  • CERTUTIL.EXE

• File Server Management (role may need to be installed first):
  • NET.EXE SHARE …
  • NTFRSUTL.EXE (http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Library/3673b5af-26ff-4902-bf53-18abe5b9dc781033.mspx?mfr=true)
  • DFSCMD.EXE (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=49658)
  • DFSUTIL.EXE
  • FSUTIL.EXE (http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/windows/xp/all/proddocs/en-us/fsutil.mspx?mfr=true)
  • XCACLS.EXE
  • ICACLS.EXE
  • CACLS.EXE
  • dfsrdiag.exe
  • dfsradmin.exe
  • DFSDIAG.EXE

• DNS Management:
  • DNSCMD.EXE (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=49656)
  • DNS SRV priority - changes the priority for DNS SRV records (only useful on Domain Controllers)
    • CSCRIPT.EXE %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\SCREGEDIT.WSF /DP [/v][value]
  • DNS SRV weight - changes the weight for DNS SRV records (only useful on Domain Controllers)
    • CSCRIPT.EXE %WINDIR%\SYSTEM32\SCREGEDIT.WSF /DW [/v][value]

• DHCP Management:
  • NETSH.EXE DHCP (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=49654)
• AD Management
  • NTDSUTIL.EXE
  • DSAMAIN
  • dsadd.EXE
  • dsget.EXE
  • dsmod.EXE
  • dsmove.EXE
  • dsquery.EXE
  • dsrm.EXE
  • LDIFDE.EXE
  • GPUPDATE.EXE
  • GPRESULT.EXE
  • dcgpofix.exe
  • dfsrmig.exe
  • REPADMIN.EXE
  • redircmp.exe
  • redirusr.exe
  • gpfixup.exe
  • rendom.exe
  • DCDIAG.EXE
  • DSACLS.EXE

• AD LDS Management
  • adaminstall.exe
  • adamuninstall.exe
  • adamsync.exe

More information about Server Core:

• http://blogs.technet.com/server_core/default.aspx
• http://blogs.dirteam.com/blogs/sanderberkouwer/archive/2007/05/04/installing-server-core-domain-controllers.aspx
• http://blog.joeware.net/2007/05/12/877/