Windows Server 2016 Standard is a server operating system developed by Microsoft. It is designed to provide a robust, secure, and scalable platform for managing business workloads, applications, and services. It is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized businesses and enterprise environments requiring a balance between features and cost.

Windows Server 2016 Standard Features –

• Hybrid Cloud Capabilities:

Integration with Microsoft Azure for extended hybrid cloud solutions.
Support for Azure Backup, Azure File Sync, and disaster recovery.

• Enhanced Security:

Windows Defender Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) for advanced security against threats.
Shielded Virtual Machines to protect sensitive workloads from unauthorized access.

• Improved Application Support:

Support for containers, including Windows containers and Kubernetes.
Enhanced development environments for modern applications.

• Storage Enhancements:

Storage Spaces Direct for high-performance, scalable, and fault-tolerant storage.
Deduplication and compression for efficient storage utilization.

• Virtualization:

Support for Hyper-V, enabling efficient virtualization of server environments.
Ability to run two virtual machines and one Hyper-V host per license.

• Networking Improvements:

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) for better network management and performance.
Enhanced support for IPv6 and DNS.

• Scalability and Performance:

Improved performance for multi-threaded applications.
Scalable across a variety of hardware configurations.

• Simplified Management:

Windows Admin Center for centralized and simplified management of servers and clusters.
Improved PowerShell capabilities for automation.

System Requirements for Windows Server 2016 Standard

Processor: 1.4 GHz 64-bit processor
RAM: Minimum 512 MB (2 GB for GUI installations)
Storage: 32 GB or more
Network: Gigabit Ethernet adapter
Other: TPM 2.0 (optional for enhanced security)

Windows Server 2016 Standard installation Process –

• Download the Windows Server 2016 ISO from Microsoft’s official site.
• Create a bootable USB drive or DVD using tools like Rufus.
• Insert the USB or DVD into the server.
• Restart the server and access the BIOS/UEFI to set the boot priority to the USB/DVD.
• Select the installation language, time, and keyboard settings, then click Next.
• Click Install Now.
• Select Windows Server 2016 Standard (with or without Desktop Experience).
• The installation will proceed. The server may restart several times during this process.
• Once the installation is complete, set a password for the Administrator account.
• Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete, log in using the Administrator account, and the password you set.
• Configure the server using the Server Manager.
• Install updates, configure roles, and set network settings as needed.

Your server is now ready for use!