Windows Server Essentials (formerly Windows Small Business Server) is a flexible, affordable, and easy-to-use server solution designed and priced for small businesses with up to 25 users and 50 devices. Windows Server Essentials is an ideal first server, and it can also be used as the primary server in a multi-server environment for small businesses. Download the Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials evaluation.

Windows Server Essentials is now available as the Windows Server Essentials Experience server role in the Standard and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2012 R2. Installing Windows Server Essentials Experience in Windows Server 2012 R2 provides you with all the features and functionalities (such as the Dashboard, client computer backups, and Remote Web Access) of Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials without the locks and limits that are imposed on it. For more information about this new server role, see the Windows Server Essentials Experience Overview.