Windows Server 2012 features are independent components that often support role services or support the server directly. For example, Windows Server Backup is a feature because it only provides backup support for the local server; it is not a resource that other servers on the network can use.
Windows Server 2012 includes the features that are listed in the following table.
Feature Description
.NET Framework 3.5 Features Installs .NET Framework 3.5 technologies.
.NET Framework 4.5 Features Installs .NET Framework 4.5 technologies. This feature is installed by default.
Background Intelligent Transfer
Service (BITS) Allows asynchronous transfer of files to ensure that other network applications are not adversely impacted.
Windows BitLocker® Drive
Encryption Supports full-disk and full-volume encryption, and startup environment protection.
BitLocker network unlock Provides a network-based key protector that can unlock locked BitLocker–protected domain-joined operating systems.
Windows BranchCache® Allows the server to function as either a hosted cache server or a BranchCache content server for BranchCache clients.
Client for NFS Provides access to files stored on network file system (NFS) servers.
Data Center Bridging Allows you to enforce bandwidth allocation on Converged Network Adapters.
Enhanced Storage Provides support for additional functionality available in Enhanced Storage Access (IEEE 1667 protocol) device, including data access restrictions.
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Installing and Configuring Windows Server® 2012 1-11
Feature Description
Failover Clustering A high availability feature that allows Windows Server 2012 to participate in failover clustering.
Group Policy Management An administrative management tool for administering Group Policy across an enterprise.
Ink and Handwriting Services Allows use of Ink Support and Handwriting Recognition.
Internet Printing Client Supports use of Internet Printing Protocol.
IP Address Management (IPAM)
Server Centralized management of IP address and namespace
infrastructure.
Internet SCSI (iSCSI) Target Storage
Provider Provides iSCSI target and disk management services to Windows Server 2012.
Internet Storage name Service (iSNS)
Server service Supports discovery services of iSCSI storage area networks (SANs).
Line Printer Remote (LPR) Port
Monitor Allows computer to send print jobs to printers that are shared using the Line Printer Daemon (LPD) service.
Management Open Data Protocol
(OData) IIS Extension Allows you to expose Windows PowerShell cmdlets through an OData–based web service running on the Internet Information Services (IIS) platform.
Media Foundation Supports media file infrastructure.
Message Queuing Supports message delivery between applications.
Multipath input/output (I/O) Supports multiple data paths to storage devices.
Network Load Balancing (NLB) Allows traffic to be distributed in a load-balanced manner across multiple servers that host the same stateless application.
Peer Name Resolution Protocol
(PNRP) Name resolution protocol that allows applications to resolve names on the computer.
Quality Windows Audio Video
Experience Supports audio and video streaming applications on IP home networks.
Remote Access Server (RAS)
Connection Manager Administration Kit
Allows you to create connection manager profiles that simplify remote access configuration deployment to client computers.
Remote Assistance Allows remote support through invitations.
Remote Differential Compression
(RDC) Transfers the differences between files over a network, minimizing bandwidth utilization.
Remote Server Administration Tools Collection of consoles and tools for remotely managing roles and features on other servers.
Remote Procedure Call (RPC) over
HTTP Proxy Relays RPC traffic over HTTP as an alternative to VPN connections.
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1-12 Deploying and Managing Windows Server 2012
Feature Description
Simple TCP/IP Services Supports basic TCP/IP services, including Quote of the Day.
Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
(SMTP) Server Supports transfer of email messages.
Simple Network Management
Protocol (SNMP) Service Includes SNMP agents that are used with the network management services.
Subsystem for UNIX-based
Applications Supports Portable Operating System Interface for UNIX (POSIX)–compliant UNIX-based applications.
Telnet Client Allows outbound connections to Telnet servers and other Transmission Control Protocol (TCP)–based services.
Telnet Server Allows clients to connect to the server using the Telnet protocol.
Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
Client Allows you to access TFTP servers.
User Interfaces and Infrastructure Contains the components necessary to support the graphical interface installation option on Windows Server 2012. On graphical installations, this feature is installed by default.
Windows Biometric Framework
(WBF) Allows use of fingerprint devices for authentication.
Windows Feedback Forwarder Supports sending of feedback to Microsoft when joining a Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP).
Windows Identity Foundation 3.5 Set of .NET Framework classes that support implementing claims based identity on .NET applications.
Windows Internal Database Relational data store that can only be used by Windows roles and features such as WSUS.
Windows PowerShell Task-based command-line shell and scripting language used to administer computers running Windows operating systems.
This feature is installed by default.
Windows PowerShell Web Access Allows remote management of computers by running Windows PowerShell sessions in a web browser.
Windows Process Activation service
(WAS) Allows applications hosting Windows Communication
Foundation (WCF) services that to not use HTTP protocols to use features of IIS.
Windows Search service Allows fast searches of files hosted on a server for clients compatible with the Windows Search service.
Windows Server Backup Backup and recovery software for Windows Server 2012.
Windows Server Migration Tools Collection of Windows PowerShell cmdlets that assist in the migration of server roles, operating system settings, files, and shares from computers running previous versions of Windows Server operating systems to Windows Server 2012.
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Installing and Configuring Windows Server® 2012 1-13
Feature Description
Windows Standards-Based Storage
Management Set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that allow the discovery, management, and monitoring of storage devices that use standards such as Storage Management Initiative Specification (SMI-S).
Windows System Resource Manager
(WSRM) Allows you to control the allocation of CPU and memory resources.
Windows TIFF IFilter Supports Optical Character Recognition on Tagged Image File Format (TIFF) 6.0-compliant files.
WinRM IIS Extension Windows Remote Management for IIS.
Windows Internet Naming Service
(WINS) Server Supports name resolution for NetBIOS names.
Wireless local area network (LAN)
Service Allows the server to use a wireless network interface.
Windows on Windows (WoW) 64
Support Supports running 32-bit applications on Server Core installations. This feature is installed by default.
XPS Viewer Supports the viewing and singing of documents in XPS formats.