In this article, you can clearly see all the differences between Windows Server 2016 Standard and Windows Server 2016 Datacenter.
You can download the Windows Server 2016 installer from our catalog!
You can also purchase original product keys for each version in our catalog:
Windows Server 2016 Standard – 11.5 €
Windows Server 2016 Datacenter – 11.3 €
| Feature | Windows Server 2016 Standard | Windows Server 2016 Datacenter |
|---|---|---|
| General Features | ||
| Compliance Analyzer | ✅ | ✅ |
| Direct Access | ✅ | ✅ |
| Dynamic Memory (in virtualization) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hot Add and Replace RAM | ✅ | ✅ |
| Microsoft Management Console (MMC) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Minimal Server Interface | ✅ | ✅ |
| Network Load Balancing | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows PowerShell | ✅ | ✅ |
| Core Server Components Installation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Nano Server Installation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Server Manager | ✅ | ✅ |
| SMB Direct and SMB over RDMA | ✅ | ✅ |
| Software-Defined Network | ❌ | ✅ |
| Storage Replica | ❌ | ✅ |
| Disk Spaces | ✅ | ✅ |
| Local Disk Spaces | ❌ | ✅ |
| Volume Licensing Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| VSS Integration (Volume Shadow Copy Service) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Server Update Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Server License Logging | ✅ | ✅ |
| Legacy Activation | As a guest hosted in the data center | Node or guest |
| Work Folders | ✅ | ✅ |
| Locks and Limitations | ||
| Maximum Number of Users | Based on client licenses | Based on client licenses |
| 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 64-bit Sockets | 64 | 64 |
| Maximum Number of Cores | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Maximum RAM Volume | 24 TB | 24 TB |
| Can Be Used as a Virtualization Guest | Yes; 2 virtual machines and 1 Hyper-V host per license | Yes; unlimited virtual machines and 1 Hyper-V host per license |
| Server Can Join Domain | ✅ | ✅ |
| Border Network Protection and Firewall | ❌ | ❌ |
| DirectAccess | ✅ | ✅ |
| DLNA Codecs and Web Media Streaming | Yes, if server with desktop experience is installed | Yes, if server with desktop experience is installed |
| Server Roles | ||
| Active Directory Certificate Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Active Directory Domain Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Active Directory Federation Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Active Directory Rights Management Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Device Health Attestation | ✅ | ✅ |
| DHCP Server | ✅ | ✅ |
| DNS Server | ✅ | ✅ |
| Fax Server | ✅ | ✅ |
| File Server | ✅ | ✅ |
| BranchCache for Network Files | ✅ | ✅ |
| Data Deduplication | ✅ | ✅ |
| DFS Namespaces | ✅ | ✅ |
| DFS Replication | ✅ | ✅ |
| File Server Resource Manager | ✅ | ✅ |
| File Server VSS Agent Service | ✅ | ✅ |
| iSCSI Target Server | ✅ | ✅ |
| iSCSI Target Storage Provider | ✅ | ✅ |
| NFS Server | ✅ | ✅ |
| Work Folders | ✅ | ✅ |
| Storage Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Host Guardian Service | ✅ | ✅ |
| Hyper-V | ✅ | ✅ |
| MultiPoint Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Network Controller | ❌ | ✅ |
| Network Policy and Access Services | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| Print and Document Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Remote Access | ✅ | ✅ |
| Remote Desktop Services | Yes | ✅ |
| Volume Licensing Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Web Services (IIS) | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Deployment Services | ✅ | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| Windows Server Essentials | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Server Update Services | ✅ | ✅ |
| Features | ||
| .NET Framework 3.5 | ✅ | ✅ |
| .NET Framework 4.6 | ✅ | ✅ |
| Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) | ✅ | ✅ |
| BitLocker Disk Encryption | ✅ | ✅ |
| BitLocker Network Unlock | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| BranchCache | ✅ | ✅ |
| Client for NFS | ✅ | ✅ |
| Containers | Yes (Windows containers - no limitations; Hyper-V containers - up to 2) | Yes (Windows and Hyper-V containers - no limitations) |
| Data Center Bridging | ✅ | ✅ |
| DirectPlay | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| Enhanced Storage | ✅ | ✅ |
| Failover Clustering | ✅ | ✅ |
| Group Policy Management | ✅ | ✅ |
| Host Guardian Hyper-V Support | ❌ | ✅ |
| Quality of Service | ✅ | ✅ |
| IIS Hostable Web Core | ✅ | ✅ |
| Internet Printing Client | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| IP Address Management (IPAM) | ✅ | ✅ |
| iSNS Server Service | ✅ | ✅ |
| LPR Port Monitor | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| OData IIS Management Extension | ✅ | ✅ |
| Media Foundation | ✅ | ✅ |
| Message Queuing | ✅ | ✅ |
| Multipath I/O | ✅ | ✅ |
| MultiPoint Connector | ✅ | ✅ |
| Network Load Balancing | ✅ | ✅ |
| PNRP Protocol | ✅ | ✅ |
| qWave | ✅ | ✅ |
| RAS Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK) | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| Remote Assistance | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| Remote Differential Compression | ✅ | ✅ |
| Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) | ✅ | ✅ |
| RPC over HTTP Proxy | ✅ | ✅ |
| Setup and Boot Event Collection | ✅ | ✅ |
| Simple TCP/IP Services | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| SMB 1.0/CIFS File Sharing Support | ✅ | ✅ |
| SMB Bandwidth Limit | ✅ | ✅ |
| SMTP Server | ✅ | ✅ |
| SNMP Service | ✅ | ✅ |
| Software Load Balancer | ❌ | ✅ |
| Storage Replica | ❌ | ✅ |
| Telnet Client | ✅ | ✅ |
| TFTP Client | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| Shielded VM Management Tools | ✅ | ✅ |
| WebDAV Redirector | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Biometric Framework | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| Windows Defender Antivirus | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Identity Foundation 3.5 | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| Windows Internal Database | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows PowerShell | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Activation Service | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Search Service | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| Windows Server Backup | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Server Migration Tools | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows Storage Management | ✅ | ✅ |
| Windows TIFF IFilter | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
| WinRM IIS Extension | ✅ | ✅ |
| WINS Server | ✅ | ✅ |
| Wireless LAN Service | ✅ | ✅ |
| WoW64 Support | ✅ | ✅ |
| XPS Viewer | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience | Yes, if installed as a server with desktop experience |
