What to follow Windows Server 2008 R2 with?

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Since Windows Server 2008 R2 is out of maintenance as from mid-January, what should it be replaced with, for a charity with about 30 PCs which uses the server only for file and print and communications purposes, and has no interest in Azure or virtualisation?

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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MS recommend 2016 or 2019, but you can’t upgrade directly, you need to go through 2012. See the bottom of this article.
Alternatively it’s a fresh install, but that depends on your system.
Is it AD or user/password shares?

cheers, Paul

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Thanks, Paul – no AD just a workgroup.  No, I didn’t set it up like that!

I would be installing on a new(er!) PC, and didn’t like the implied MS assumption that WS2019 was an Azure device.  Would WS2016 be more like the current WS2008R2 (which still works perfectly well)?

Of course in the fairly near future we will examine putting files into The Cloud, so the new server is just a stop-gap.

BATcher

Plethora means a lot to me.

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Try this
https://www.synology.com/en-global/products/DS918+
Synology DS918+

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If you want or need to stay with Windows and it is only estimated to be short term, Windows 2012 R2 is very solid, the most solid, reliable and supported server OS as of today. It will go out of support in few years though and is so-called ‘N-2’ version, if this is a criteria for your purpose.
There is nothing cloud limiting in all server GUI versions though, so Windows 2019 is more than suitable for the purpose.

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I’m not up with the latest server software but I think it’s more about 2019s ability to use / integrate with Azure.
You can download a trial ISO to install on your new box here.

cheers, Paul

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If you’re feeling adventurous and a little brave, you can easily set up a Ubuntu Server as a Samba file and print server. For more info and walkthroughs: https://help.ubuntu.com/lts/serverguide/samba.html

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Or FreeNAS.

cheers, Paul

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wavy

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[alQamar]

Paul T wrote:

MS recommend 2016 or 2019, but you can’t upgrade directly, you need to go through 2012. See the bottom of this article.
Alternatively it’s a fresh install, but that depends on your system.
Is it AD or user/password shares?

cheers, Paul

Please do yourself a favor in do an inplace upgrade as follows:

Windows Server 2012 R2 > Windows 2019, do not use 2012 as a step.

I recommend to patch the offline WIM File of 2012 R2 and 2019 using OSD Tools by David Segura. WIMWitch can be a great help to keep your WIM Updated in addition but does not support older OS anymore.

https://www.osdeploy.com/

https://www.scconfigmgr.com/2019/10/04/wim-witch-a-gui-driven-solution-for-image-customization/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by alQamar.

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alQamar wrote:

Please do yourself a favor in do an inplace upgrade as follows: Windows Server 2012 R2 > Windows 2019, do not use 2012 as a step.

I disagree, and I’ve done this multiple times already this year.

2008 R2 to 2012 to 2016/2019 is a lot shorter hop than 2008 R2 to 2012 R2 to 2016/2019.

2008 R2 to vanilla 2012 is a quick step (maybe an hour on a vm); going to 2012 R2 is slower and there’s nothing to be gained. There’s also nothing to be gained by pre-patching 2012 (or 2012 R2), or by patching it either as part of the in-place upgrade or post-install.

Slam 2012 in, then move directly to your 2016/2019 install. 2012/2012 R2 will be in your rear window immediately, and any patches applied will be wasted time and energy.

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