Which Windows Server edition would be best for a company with 60 workstations and no server virtualization?StandardDatacenter AzureEssentialsDatacenter

Step 1: Break Down the Problem

To determine the best Windows Server edition for a company with 60 workstations and no server virtualization, we need to review each edition's capabilities and limitations while considering the company's infrastructure needs.

Step 2: Relevant Concepts

1. Windows Server Essentials: Ideal for small businesses with up to 25 users and 50 devices. It doesn't support more than this limit, making it unsuitable for 60 workstations.
2. Windows Server Standard: Designed for small to medium businesses, it allows for up to two OSEs (operating system environments) or VMs if virtualization is needed. It supports an unlimited number of users and devices, beneficial for a larger scale.
3. Windows Server Datacenter: Best suited for highly virtualized environments, allowing an unlimited number of VMs but is more expensive and unnecessary in a non-virtualized scenario.
4. Windows Server Azure: Not a traditional on-premises server; it refers to cloud services. If the company is not using cloud infrastructure, this edition is irrelevant.

Step 3: Analysis and Detail

• Windows Server Essentials

  • Maximum Users: 25
  • Maximum Devices: 50
  • Conclusion: Not suitable for 60 workstations.

• Windows Server Standard

  • Maximum Users: Unlimited
  • Maximum Devices: Unlimited
  • Suitable for handling the requirements of 60 workstations without virtualization.

• Windows Server Datacenter

  • Maximum Users: Unlimited
  • Maximum Devices: Unlimited
  • Designed for environments needing heavy virtualization; excessive for the company's needs.

• Windows Server Azure

  • Not applicable for an on-premises server scenario.

Step 4: Verify and Summarize

Given the detailed analysis:

• Windows Server Essentials is ruled out due to user and device limits.
• Windows Server Standard offers the necessary support without the complexities of virtualization and is cost-effective.
• Windows Server Datacenter is overpriced for a non-virtualized setup.
• Windows Server Azure does not apply.

Final Answer

The best Windows Server edition for a company with 60 workstations and no server virtualization is Windows Server Standard.