# Windows Server

ZCP Windows Server images ship with the paravirtual drivers and guest agent needed for good performance and clean management, and set a unique administrator password on first boot for immediate sign-in.

Windows Server is licensed bring-your-own-license (BYOL). The images are not activated, and you supply your own valid Windows Server license. See [Licensing](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/operating-systems/windows-server/#licensing-bring-your-own-license-byol) below.

Windows Server is available under BYOL: 2025 in both Standard and Datacenter, plus 2022 Standard. Windows Server 2022 Datacenter is still in preparation.

## Availability

ZCP offers the Windows Server lineup across the 2022 and 2025 releases in the Standard and Datacenter editions.

| Version | Edition | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Windows Server 2025 | Standard | ✅ Available |
| Windows Server 2025 | Datacenter | ✅ Available |
| Windows Server 2022 | Standard | ✅ Available |
| Windows Server 2022 | Datacenter | 🚧 Pending |

## Editions: Standard vs Datacenter

Both editions share the same core Windows Server operating system, roles, and management tooling. The difference is virtualization rights and the advanced software-defined datacenter features.

| Capability | Standard | Datacenter |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Core OS, roles, and features | Full | Full |
| Virtualization rights (per license) | Limited (low-density) | High-density / unlimited\* |
| Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) | Not included | ✅ |
| Software-Defined Networking (SDN) | Not included | ✅ |
| Shielded VMs / Host Guardian | Not included | ✅ |

\* Datacenter’s broad virtualization rights are a licensing benefit tied to the physical host. Confirm how your entitlement applies to hosted/cloud instances with Microsoft or your reseller.

## Use cases

### Windows Server 2022 Standard

The default choice for most Windows workloads:

- Active Directory domain controllers, DNS, and DHCP for a Windows environment.
- File and print servers, including DFS and Storage Replica for branch/HQ data.
- IIS web and application hosting, .NET application servers, and middleware.
- Database hosting (e.g. SQL Server) for line-of-business applications.
- General-purpose, low-density server roles where you run one workload per instance.

### Windows Server 2022 Datacenter (Pending)

Standard’s full feature set plus the software-defined datacenter capabilities:

- High-density virtualization where many Windows Server guests run on the same licensed host.
- Hyperconverged infrastructure using Storage Spaces Direct (S2D) for software-defined storage.
- Software-Defined Networking with the Network Controller for micro-segmentation and policy.
- Shielded VMs for hardened, encrypted guest workloads in regulated environments.

### Windows Server 2025 Standard

The same role coverage as 2022 Standard, on the newest Long-Term Servicing Channel release:

- New workloads that should start on the latest LTSC for the longest support runway.
- Modern file access with SMB over QUIC for secure access without a VPN.
- Reduced reboots via hotpatching to keep services available during updates.
- Improved Active Directory, security defaults, and management experience.

### Windows Server 2025 Datacenter

The 2025 feature set plus every Datacenter capability:

- Hyperconverged and software-defined datacenter builds on the latest release.
- GPU partitioning and advanced virtualization for AI/graphics and dense consolidation.
- The longest support runway for software-defined storage and networking estates.

## Licensing: bring your own license (BYOL)

Windows Server images are provided without a license. ZCP does not include or sell a Windows Server license with the instance. You must provide and activate your own. Until you activate, the instance runs as an unactivated copy of Windows Server but is otherwise fully usable.

You are responsible for holding a valid Windows Server license (and any required CALs) whose terms permit use on hosted or cloud infrastructure, and for keeping that license compliant. Edition rights (Standard vs Datacenter) and virtualization entitlements differ. Confirm your entitlement with Microsoft or your reseller before relying on a Windows instance for production.

### Activate after first sign-in

Sign in (see [First sign-in](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/operating-systems/windows-server/#first-sign-in)), then activate with whichever method matches your license, from an elevated PowerShell:

- Retail / MAK key

  ```powershell
  slmgr /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
  slmgr /ato
  ```
- Volume licensing (KMS): point the instance at your KMS host:

  ```powershell
  slmgr /skms your-kms-host:1688
  slmgr /ato
  ```

Confirm activation with `slmgr /xpr`.

## Deploy a Windows Server instance

1. Go to Compute → Create Instance (see [Create Instance](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/compute/create-instance/)).
2. Choose a Windows Server image. Available editions: Windows Server 2025 (Standard and Datacenter) and Windows Server 2022 Standard. Windows Server 2022 Datacenter is in preparation.
3. Pick a region and a plan. Windows Server needs at least 4 GB RAM and 2 vCPUs. Size the plan for your workload, not the minimum.
4. Attach to a network and create the instance.

## First sign-in

1. Open your instance and retrieve its auto-generated admin password from the portal (the image sets a unique password per instance on first boot).
2. Connect with Remote Desktop (RDP) to the instance’s public IP. See [Connect via RDP](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/compute/connect-rdp/), or use [Console Access](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/compute/console-access/) from the portal.
3. Sign in as `Administrator` with that password.

Regenerate the admin password from the portal at any time. The new password applies after the next reboot. Keep RDP locked down with a [firewall rule](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/compute/settings/firewall/) that allows port 3389 only from your own IPs.

## Recommended first steps

- Activate Windows Server with your license (see [Licensing](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/operating-systems/windows-server/#licensing-bring-your-own-license-byol)).
- Change the `Administrator` password to one only you know.
- Set the time zone and run Windows Update.
- Add only the server roles and features you need.

## Microsoft documentation

For Windows Server administration, roles and features, editions, licensing, and security guidance, see the official Microsoft documentation:

- [Windows Server documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/)
- [Windows Server 2025 documentation](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/whats-new-windows-server-2025)
- [Compare Standard and Datacenter editions](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/editions-comparison-windows-server-2022)
- [Windows Server 2022 licensing](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/windows-server-2022-licensing)

## Good to know

- Snapshots and backups work with the guest agent installed. See [VM Snapshots](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/backups-snapshots/vm-snapshots/) and [Backups](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/backups-snapshots/backups/).
- Images are rebuilt and re-validated for each release. Existing instances are unaffected.
- For a desktop client OS, see [Windows 11 Pro](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/operating-systems/windows-11/).
- For the full image catalog, see [Operating System Images](https://docs.zcp.zsoftly.ca/public-cloud/operating-systems/).