4 ms·

Note: this article appears to be talking about Nano Server as an a traditional OS. Microsoft has abandoned[1] that approach and is instead only offering Nano Se

Note: this article appears to be talking about Nano Server as an a traditional OS. Microsoft has abandoned[1] that approach and is instead only offering Nano Server as a container image[2]. Compared to more conventional Windows images whose size are measured in gigabytes, the Nano Server docker images take ~120MB to pull and ~300MB of disk space. [1]: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/nano-in-semi-annual-channel https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/... [2]: https://hub.docker.com/_/microsoft-windows-nanoserver https://hub.docker.com/_/microsoft-windows-nanoserver

creshal 5y ago
Shame really, it does look like a neat OS for hypervisors. What's Microsoft's current recommendation for that? Still a full blown graphical UI?
- friseurtermin 5y ago
  I'm guessing you'd want to go with Server Core [0], which is not a full-blown GUI but still supports windows. [0]: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/server-core/what-is-server-core https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administrati...
- p_l 5y ago
  I think it was relatvely recently still possible to get HyperV minimal hypervisor (it was also one of the use cases for NanoServer, essentially minimal HyperV + tiny layer of userspace)
- pjmlp 5y ago
  You can do everything via Powershell, or remote Web UI, and Nano Server or Server Core are the ones to go to. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/about/ https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowsconta... Naturally on Azure, how the server looks like is meaningless when using AppService, AKS or Azure Functions.
  - sebazzz 5y ago
    Server Core or Hyper-V Server still contains quite some GUI dependencies. Things like task manager, Notepad (different between versions), and a basic file picker for applications. A floating console window appears and even wallpapers applied via SysInternals are supported. A good thing too, because the driver installation tools from Dell for instance depend on these.
    - pjmlp 5y ago
      I only use classical VMs, accessed via RDP, or do everything via the various managed services from Azure, so wasn't aware of that being the case.
    - creshal 5y ago
      > A good thing too, because the driver installation tools from Dell for instance depend on these. …on task manager, or on the wallpaper API? With how eccentric Dell drivers can be I feel like I have to ask.

creshal 5y ago

Shame really, it does look like a neat OS for hypervisors. What's Microsoft's current recommendation for that? Still a full blown graphical UI?

friseurtermin 5y ago
I'm guessing you'd want to go with Server Core [0], which is not a full-blown GUI but still supports windows. [0]: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administration/server-core/what-is-server-core https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/administrati...
p_l 5y ago
I think it was relatvely recently still possible to get HyperV minimal hypervisor (it was also one of the use cases for NanoServer, essentially minimal HyperV + tiny layer of userspace)
pjmlp 5y ago
You can do everything via Powershell, or remote Web UI, and Nano Server or Server Core are the ones to go to. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowscontainers/about/ https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/virtualization/windowsconta... Naturally on Azure, how the server looks like is meaningless when using AppService, AKS or Azure Functions.
- sebazzz 5y ago
  Server Core or Hyper-V Server still contains quite some GUI dependencies. Things like task manager, Notepad (different between versions), and a basic file picker for applications. A floating console window appears and even wallpapers applied via SysInternals are supported. A good thing too, because the driver installation tools from Dell for instance depend on these.
  - pjmlp 5y ago
    I only use classical VMs, accessed via RDP, or do everything via the various managed services from Azure, so wasn't aware of that being the case.
  - creshal 5y ago
    > A good thing too, because the driver installation tools from Dell for instance depend on these. …on task manager, or on the wallpaper API? With how eccentric Dell drivers can be I feel like I have to ask.