All posts tagged Server Core

Application Compatibility Feature on Demand for Server Core

If you know me, you know that I’m a big fan of Windows Server Core. Server Core is a refactored and streamlined version of Windows Server that offers a smaller attack surface and reduced maintenance requirements. It’s ideally suited for roles like domain controllers (DCs), certification authority servers (CAs), DHCP and DNS servers, and file servers that can easily be managed remotely. Server Core lacks a Graphical User Interface (GUI), which can make administrative tasks more difficult. To support Server Core, administrators must have a firm grasp of the command line and PowerShell. Many organizations are reluctant to deploy Windows Server Core for this reason. For example, network interface configuration and disk management are common pain points for command-line administration. However, I’ve recently discovered something that might reduce this barrier to adoption.

GUI for Server Core?

I honestly don’t know how I missed this, but recently I learned of the Application Compatibility Feature on Demand for Windows Server Core. First introduced in October 2018 for Windows Server 2019 Core and supported through Windows Server 2025, the Application Compatibility Feature on Demand enables important GUI management consoles that help administrators configure and deploy Windows Server Core. It does not add the entire Windows Desktop Experience, of course, but it does introduce support for some critical GUI tools that administrators will find very helpful for installing and configuring various workloads on Server Core. Here are some examples.

Installation

To install the Application Compatibility Feature on Demand for Windows Server Core, open an elevated PowerShell command window and run the following PowerShell command.

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name ServerCore.AppCompatibility~~~~0.0.1.0

After running the command, restart the server to complete the installation.

Features and Capabilities

After installing the Application Compatibility Feature on Demand for Windows Server Core, administrators can perform local administration using many GUI tools they are already experienced with. Here are a few examples.

Network Control Panel

Having a GUI for network interface configuration is arguably the most essential benefit of this feature. Many administrators struggle with assigning IP addresses, DNS servers, DNS suffixes, and other network configuration-related tasks using the command line. Here, the classic Network Control Panel applet (ncpa.cpl) gives administrators the familiar GUI experience for managing network settings in Windows Server Core.

Disk Management

Right behind network configuration, disk configuration in Windows Server Core is one of the most challenging administrative tasks using the command line. The Application Compatibility Feature on Demand for Windows Server Core adds support for the well-known Disk Management GUI (diskmgmt.msc), which many administrators have used before.

Event Viewer

While using PowerShell is effective for parsing event log information on Windows Server Core, it’s sometimes easier to view event log information using the GUI (eventvwr.msc).

File Explorer

Copying files to and from a Windows Server Core instance is much easier with the Application Compatibility Feature on Demand for Windows Server Core installed. To perform file operations on Windows Server Core, simply open the Windows File Explorer (explorer.exe) as you would on Windows Server GUI.

Device Manager

Working with device drivers on Windows Server Core can be challenging even for the most experienced command-line administrators. Thankfully, the Application Compatibility Feature on Demand for Windows Server Core adds support for the Device Manager GUI (devmgmt.msc), which significantly simplifies this task.

Task Scheduler

Creating basic scheduled tasks using PowerShell isn’t terribly difficult. However, things become much more difficult when creating tasks with complicated requirements, such as odd schedules, and when using event-based triggers. The familiar Task Scheduler GUI (taskschd.msc) reduces this complexity, allowing administrators to use the GUI they are likely already experienced with.

Resource and Performance Monitor

Both the Resource Monitor (resmon.exe) and Performance Monitor (perfmon.exe) are essential tools for troubleshooting resource consumption and performance bottleneck issues on Windows Server. Both tools are included with this feature.

Resource Monitor (resmon.exe)

Performance Monitor (perfmon.exe)

What’s Missing

Sadly, installing the Application Compatibility Feature on Demand for Windows Server Core does not add GUI support for user and device certificate stores (certmgr.msc and certlm.msc, respectively). Administrators must continue to use certutil.exe or PowerShell to manage certificate stores on Windows Server Core. Alternatively, administrators can use a remote management workstation to perform these tasks using the GUI. However, even with this limitation, the Application Compatibility Feature on Demand greatly improves the Server Core administration experience.

Additional Tools

This feature update includes many other GUI tools in addition to the popular administrative GUI tools listed above. These are available ad hoc using the generic Microsoft Management Console (mmc.exe). Here are a few more GUI tools you might find helpful.

Routing and Remote Access Management Console – This will be especially helpful for Always On VPN administrators using RRAS in their environments.

Windows Firewall with Advanced Security – Managing Windows Firewall and IPsec Connection Security policies is now much easier using the same GUI included with Windows Server Desktop Experience.

Local Users and Groups – Local user and group administration tasks can now be performed using the same GUI that administrators are already comfortable with.

Group Policy, Security Policy, and Resultant Set of Policy (RSoP) – GUI management tools are now available for common local group and security policy administration. In addition, administrators have access to the RSoP policy GUI for GPO troubleshooting.

Other Tools – Administrators will also find the Hyper-V Manager and Failover Cluster Manager GUI consoles are included with this feature update.

Run mmc.exe at the command line and choose File > Add/Remove Snap-in to access these GUI tools.

Summary

Don’t let the lack of a full GUI stop you from deploying Server Core! The Application Compatibility Feature on Demand makes Server Core accessible without sacrificing its core benefits. If command-line concerns have held you back from deploying Server Core, this feature removes that barrier. Start with a test deployment on a non-critical server and experience how Server Core’s reduced attack surface and lower maintenance overhead can work in your environment—without abandoning the GUI tools you rely on.

Additional Information

Application Compatibility Feature on Demand for Windows Server Core

Always On VPN and RRAS on Windows Server Core

10 PowerShell Commands Always On VPN Administrators Should Know

1 Comment
by Richard M. Hicks on October 14, 2025  •  Permalink
Posted in Windows Server
Tagged ,

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on October 14, 2025

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2025/10/14/application-compatibility-feature-on-demand-for-server-core/

10 PowerShell Commands Always On VPN Administrators Should Know

Managing a secure and reliable VPN infrastructure is critical for supporting today’s highly mobile workforce. For Always On VPN administrators, PowerShell is an indispensable tool for achieving this goal. Not only can PowerShell be used to automate the installation and configuration of Windows Server Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) server, but it can also be used to audit configuration and monitor system health and user activity as well. In addition, it is highly recommended that the RRAS role be installed on Server Core for optimum security and performance. Administrators must be familiar with these PowerShell commands and more to support RRAS on Windows Server Core in their environment.

RemoteAccess Module

The RemoteAccess PowerShell module should be installed when the RRAS server is configured. There are 122 commands in this module, but only a subset of those pertain to the VPN server role. Here are ten popular commands for monitoring and managing an Always On VPN RRAS server.

Configuration Review

The following PowerShell commands are useful for reviewing the current RRAS server configuration.

Get-RemoteAccess – Displays the current configuration of the VPN server. Details include installation status, TLS certificate configuration, VPN client IP address assignment method, IPv4 and IPv6 addressing information (if using the static address assignment method), authentication type, and configured RADIUS servers.

Get-VpnAuthProtocol – Displays authentication configuration details such as accepted authentication types for both user and device connections, root certification authority (CA) certificate restrictions (if enabled), and certificate advertisement and EKU restrictions if enabled.

Get-VpnServerConfiguration – Displays additional VPN server configuration information, such as the IPsec configuration for IKEv2, the number of VPN ports configured, and more.

System Health

Get-RemoteAccessHealth – Displays the current health status of various VPN server services. The command’s default output is a little noisy. I recommend filtering it as follows:

Get-RemoteAccessHealth | Where-Object HealthState -NotMatch Disabled | Format-Table -AutoSize

User Activity

The following PowerShell commands can be used to view current and historical user activity details.

Get-RemoteAccessConnectionStatistics – Displays all active VPN connections on the server.

Get-RemoteAccessConnectionStatisticsSummary – Displays cumulative information about VPN connections on the server since the last service restart or reboot, such as the total number of connections, the number of unique users, the maximum number of concurrent connections, and the amount of data transferred.

Get-RemoteAccessUserActivity – Displays all active VPN connections for a specific user or device.

Management

The following PowerShell commands are helpful for reviewing authentication and logging settings.

Get-RemoteAccessRadius – Allows the administrator to view the currently configured RADIUS servers on the VPN server.

Get-RemoteAccessAccounting – Allows the administrator to view the current accounting repository (RADIUS or inbox) on the VPN server.

Clear-RemoteAccessInboxAccountingStore – Allows the administrator to remove log data from the Inbox Accounting database. Removing log data from the database can be helpful when transitioning a test server to production or to free up disk space by reducing the size of the logging database.

Additional Modules

In addition to the PowerShell commands above, Always On VPN administrators can leverage my custom PowerShell modules for advanced server and client configuration. These modules are published in the PowerShell Gallery.

AovpnTools – PowerShell module to configure and optimize Windows RRAS servers to support Always On VPN.

Install-Module -Name AovpnTools

InboxAccountingDatabaseManagement – PowerShell module to configure and manage the Inbox Accounting database for logging system information and user activity on the VPN server.

Install-Module -Name InboxAccountingDatabaseManagement

Additional Information

Always On VPN and RRAS on Windows Server Core

Inbox Accounting Database Management

AovpnTools PowerShell Module on GitHub

Inbox Accounting Database Module on GitHub

2 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on November 2, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, Microsoft Intune, PowerShell, Windows Server
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Posted by Richard M. Hicks on November 2, 2023

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2023/11/02/10-powershell-commands-always-on-vpn-administrators-should-know/

Always On VPN and RRAS on Windows Server Core

Windows Server Core is a refactored version of the full Windows Server operating system. Server Core does not include a Graphical User Interface (GUI) and must be managed via the command line or with PowerShell. The Routing and Remote Access Service (RRAS) is a supported workload on all supported versions of Windows Server including Windows Server 2022. Always On VPN administrators should consider installing and configuring RRAS on Windows Server Core to ensure their VPN infrastructure’s best security and performance.

Server Core Benefits

Windows Server Core is a minimal installation option of the Windows Server operating system that provides numerous benefits, particularly for environments where security, resource efficiency, and reduced maintenance overhead are essential. Here are some of the key benefits of using Windows Server Core.

Minimized Attack Surface – Windows Server Core has a smaller footprint compared to the full GUI version, which means fewer components and services are installed by default. This reduces the potential attack surface and minimizes security vulnerabilities.

Enhanced Security – With fewer components and a reduced attack surface, there are fewer potential vectors for malware or unauthorized access. This makes Windows Server Core a more secure choice for critical server roles like RRAS.

Reduced Maintenance – Since there are fewer components to update, patching and maintaining a Windows Server Core system is quicker and requires less effort. This is especially beneficial in large-scale server deployments.

Improved Stability – By removing the graphical user interface (GUI), Windows Server Core has fewer processes running in the background, leading to a more stable and predictable server environment.

Simplified Management – Windows Server Core is designed for remote administration. It allows the administrator to manage it using command-line tools, PowerShell, or remote management tools like the Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) and Windows Admin Center. This makes it easier to manage multiple servers from a single location.

Faster Reboots – Windows Servers require periodic reboots. With Windows Server Core, reboot times are considerably faster, resulting in less downtime during maintenance periods.

RSAT

The Remote Server Administration Tools (RSAT) can be installed on Windows clients and servers to enable remote administration using the familiar Routing and Remote Access Management console (rrasmgmt.msc) and Remote Access Management console (ramgmtui.exe) GUI tools.

Windows Client

To install the Remote Access Management tools on Windows client operating systems, navigate to Settings > Apps > Optional Features. Click Add a feature, select RSAT: Remote Access Management Tools, then click Install.

Optionally the Remote Access Management tools can be installed by running the following PowerShell command.

Add-WindowsCapability -Online -Name Rsat.RemoteAccess.Management.Tools~~~~0.0.1.0

Windows Server

To install the Remote Access Management tools on Windows Server run the following PowerShell command.

Install-WindowsFeature -Name RSAT-RemoteAccess

Windows Admin Center

The Windows Admin Center is a free remote management tool from Microsoft for managing Windows Server (core and GUI) remotely. It is especially helpful for Server Core management as it provides a GUI for many common administrative tasks.

You can download Windows Admin Center here.

Additional Information

Windows Server Core Installation Option

Windows Server Core vs. Desktop

PowerShell Remote Server Administration

Windows Admin Center

2 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on October 2, 2023  •  Permalink
Posted in Always On VPN, PowerShell, Windows Server
Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on October 2, 2023

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2023/10/02/always-on-vpn-and-rras-on-windows-server-core/

DirectAccess on Windows Server 2016 Core

DirectAccess on Windows Server 2016 CoreDeploying DirectAccess on Windows Server 2016 core is recommended to ensure the highest level of security and availability for the remote access solution. Server core is a stripped-down, command-line only version of Windows that removes many features unnecessary to support common server workloads. It’s reduced attack surface improves security, and this leaner version of the Windows OS requires less maintenance (patching), resulting in fewer reboots which increases overall availability. It has a smaller disk and memory footprint too which results in quicker system restarts, when required.

Removing the GUI

Historically I’ve recommended that DirectAccess administrators deploy Windows server with the full GUI first, then remove it later after validation testing is complete. Prior to placing it in production, the GUI can be removed by running the following PowerShell command.

Uninstall-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra -Restart

This works flawlessly in Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2012 R2. However, when running this command on a Windows Server 2016 server you will receive the following error message.

Uninstall-WindowsFeature : ArgumentNotValid: The role, role service, or feature name is not valid:
‘Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra’. The name was not found.

DirectAccess on Windows Server 2016 Core

Changes in Windows Server 2016

This happens because Microsoft quietly removed the option to switch back and forth between the full GUI version and the core version of Windows beginning with Windows Server 2016.

DirectAccess on Windows Server 2016 Core

Source: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/getting-started-with-server-core

It is still recommended that DirectAccess be deployed on server core to provide the most secure and reliable experience. However, since it is no longer possible to switch from GUI to core, it must be deployed in serve core configuration upon initial installation.

Additional Information

DirectAccess and Windows Server 2012 R2 Core

Configure Windows Server Core to use PowerShell by Default

Planning and Implementing DirectAccess with Windows Server 2016 Video Training Course

Managing and Supporting DirectAccess with Windows Server 2016 Video Training Course

Implementing DirectAccess with Windows Server 2016 Book

3 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on August 28, 2017  •  Permalink
Posted in DirectAccess, PowerShell, Windows Server
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on August 28, 2017

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2017/08/28/directaccess-on-windows-server-2016-core/

DirectAccess and Windows Server 2012 R2 Core

Important Note: The ability to switch back and forth between the full GUI and core versions of Windows was removed from Windows Server 2016. If you are deploying DirectAccess on Windows Server 2016, you must install server core initially. More details here.

DirectAccess and Windows Server 2012 R2 Core

Windows Server Core is an operating system configuration option that does not include a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Server Core was first introduced with Windows Server 2008 and originally included only a limited number of supported roles. With each subsequent release, Microsoft continues to add support for additional roles on Server Core. Beginning with Windows Server 2012, the Routing and Remote Access (RRAS) role, which includes DirectAccess, is a supported workload on Server Core.

Advantages of Server Core

There are a number of important advantages that come with running DirectAccess on Server Core. Server Core has a greatly reduced attack surface compared to the full GUI version, which is positive from a security perspective. Server Core also features a dramatically reduced footprint, consuming less RAM and disk space. System startup times are faster, and this refactored installation option also reduces servicing requirements (patching), eliminating many reboots and increasing availability and overall system uptime.

DirectAccess and Windows Server 2012 R2 Core

Figure 1 – Windows Server 2012 R2 Core Desktop (Yes, that’s it!)

Server Core Configuration

DirectAccess is a workload that lends itself well to running on Server Core, and I highly recommend leveraging this configuration whenever possible. Based on my experience, I suggest performing initial configuration and testing of the DirectAccess solution with the GUI installed, and then removing the GUI just before placing the DirectAccess server in to production. Removing the GUI can be accomplished by executing the following PowerShell command:

Remove-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Mgmt-Infra –Restart

Once the server has been converted to Server Core, all administration must be performed at the command line on the server, or remotely from a management server or workstation using the command line or GUI administration tools. You can install the Remote Access Management console on any Windows Server 2012 R2 server using the following PowerShell command:

Install-WindowsFeature RSAT-RemoteAccess

Optionally you can download and install the Windows Server Remote Administrations Tools (RSAT) on a Windows client workstation, if desired.

Minimal Server Interface Configuration

If you prefer to be able to manage the DirectAccess server locally using the GUI, consider enabling the Minimal Server Interface. Minimal Server Interface is a configuration option that lies between Server Core and the full GUI interface. It features some of the benefits of Server Core, while at the same time providing local access to GUI management tools such as the Remote Access Management console. You can configure Minimal Server Interface using the following PowerShell command:

Remove-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Shell -Restart

You can access the Remote Access Management console by entering RaMgmtUI.exe from the command line.

Revert to Full GUI

If at any point in the future you require the GUI for some reason, re-installing it can be accomplished using the following PowerShell command:

Install-WindowsFeature Server-Gui-Shell –Restart

Summary

With the Unified Remote Access role supported on Windows Server Core, consider implementing DirectAccess using this option to improve the security and increase the availability of your remote access solution. You’ll find that almost all ongoing server maintenance and support can be accomplished remotely using GUI tools, or locally using PowerShell. And if you ever need the GUI again, you can always add it back if necessary!

Additional Resources

DirectAccess on Windows Server 2016 Core

3 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on November 16, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in DirectAccess, Load Balancing, PowerShell, Windows Server
Tagged , , , , , , ,

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on November 16, 2015

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2015/11/16/directaccess-and-windows-server-2012-r2-core/

Configure Windows Server Core to use PowerShell by Default

Beginning with Windows Server 2012, the core installation mode is now the default and preferred installation mode. For workloads that are supported on Windows Server core, which includes the remote access role and DirectAccess, server core should be used to provide the highest levels of security and availability.

When installing Windows Server 2012/R2 core, the operating system defaults to using the old DOS command prompt. I find this particularly annoying since the majority of administration I do on a server core installation is in PowerShell. Also, most DOS commands can be run from the PowerShell console anyway, so why not have PowerShell as the default shell? Well, that’s easy enough to fix. To begin, at the command prompt enter start powershell.

DirectAccess Windows Server Core PowerShell

In the PowerShell window enter the following command:

Set-ItemProperty -Path ‘HKLM:SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon’ -Name Shell -Value PowerShell.exe

DirectAccess Windows Server Core PowerShell

Log off the computer and when you log back in, PowerShell will be the default shell! If you need to execute DOS commands that don’t seem to work in PowerShell, simply enter cmd and you’re good to go.

DirectAccess Windows Server Core PowerShell

2 Comments
by Richard M. Hicks on September 24, 2013  •  Permalink
Posted in PowerShell, Windows Server
Tagged , ,

Posted by Richard M. Hicks on September 24, 2013

https://directaccess.richardhicks.com/2013/09/24/configure-windows-server-core-to-use-powershell-by-default/