Microsoft Windows Server 2019 Essentials

Windows Server 2019 Essentials: Windows Server for small businesses

Windows Server 2019 Essentials is the edition of Windows Server 2019 for small businesses. Its most important characteristic is the licensing model: the server licence includes the access licences for up to 25 users or 50 devices, so separate Windows Server CALs are not required within this scope. The edition is therefore suitable for offices and small companies that want to run their own server for user accounts, file shares and printers or for a line-of-business application.

Features and conditions of use

Technically, Essentials is based on Windows Server 2019 and, according to Microsoft, contains the new hardware support as well as the features and improvements that Windows Server 2019 Standard also offers. These include Storage Migration Service, which transfers the data and configuration of an older file server to the new server, and System Insights, which analyses the server's performance data locally and makes predictions from it. Traditional tasks such as file and printer sharing and running conventional server applications are also supported. New in Essentials is support for Azure Active Directory via AAD Connect.

If the server is set up as a domain controller, fixed conditions apply: it must be the only domain controller in the domain, hold all FSMO (Flexible Single Master Operations) roles and must not have any two-way trust relationships with other Active Directory domains. Essentials is therefore designed for a network with a single domain.

The Windows Server Essentials Experience role with its dashboard is no longer included in Windows Server 2019. This also means that the client backup and Remote Web Access of this role are no longer available. Management and configuration are carried out with the usual Windows Server tools; for this, Microsoft recommends Windows Admin Center, a locally installed browser-based management interface.

Difference from Windows Server 2019 Standard

Essentials is designed for up to 25 users or 50 devices. For businesses with more than 25 users or 50 devices, Microsoft names Windows Server 2019 Standard as an alternative, in which access is licensed via Windows Server CALs and two virtual machines are permitted per fully licensed server. In this case, choose Windows Server 2019 Standard.

Buy Windows Server 2019 Essentials: licence and scope of delivery

You receive a product key to activate Windows Server 2019 Essentials. The licence includes the access licences for up to 25 users or 50 devices. Windows Server 2019 is installed exclusively as a 64-bit version. The scope of delivery includes:

• the product key for Windows Server 2019 Essentials
• the download link for the installation file (all downloads are also available under Software Download)
• instructions for installation and activation (see also Guides and FAQ)
• the invoice with VAT shown separately

Once your payment has been received, your product key is displayed directly on the order confirmation page and also sent to you by email. After that, you can retrieve it again at any time: with a customer account under My Product Codes, without a customer account via the Guest Portal.

If you have any questions about installation or activation, our Support team is available around the clock by email. For businesses, schools and public authorities, there are offers in the B2B Area. You will find further editions in the category Windows Server and under Operating Systems.