Tips for Choosing Windows Server 2022 Essentials vs Standard vs Datacenter

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September 28, 2025

On September 28, 2025

Do you know the difference between Windows Server 2022 Essentials vs Standard vs Datacenter? Choosing the right edition is crucial for enhancing your business’s performance and productivity.

In 2025, businesses are interested in adopting hybrid cloud and virtualization solutions with data storage, management, applications, and communication. Windows Server 2022 is designed to serve businesses or organizations of different sizes and complexities. In this article, we provide a comparison between Server 2022 Essentials, Standard and Datacenter, discuss their features, licensing systems, and tips for choosing the right Windows Server 2022 version for your needs.

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Windows Server 2022 Essentials Features

Windows Server 2022 Essentials is an edition with basic server functionalities. It is designed for small businesses with up to 25 employees, with a centralized network, managed files, and enhanced data security. Also, it has essential tools and functionalities to manage simple workloads with minimal IT requirements.

Simple Management: Windows Server 2022 Essentials includes a simple management system to access organizational Servers. It’s effortless to manage users, devices, and resources for small businesses.
Remote Access: Server 2022 Essentials allows users to access their files and applications remotely. Its strong security protects users’ access from remote locations.
Security with Basic Data Protection: Windows Server Essentials 2022 includes foundational security features such as Windows Defender, Secured-core server, and Advanced Threat Protection, and more, which protect against unauthorized access.

Windows Server 2022 Standard Features

Windows Server 2022 Standard is a perfect server edition for medium to larger organizations. It provides advanced security and functionality for enhanced data management and protection, allowing organizations to run applications and virtual machines efficiently. This version allows a greater number of users and devices compared to the Essentials edition. To access this Server, you must purchase CALs (Client Access Licenses) for both users and devices.

Hybrid Cloud: Server 2022 Standard edition allows Azure integration and enhances the on-premises structure of the cloud. Unlike Server Essentials editions, users get a better hybrid cloud facility using Server Standard 2022.
Improved Security: The Windows Server 2022 Standard edition has improved security features, such as a secure-core server, HTTPS transport, encrypted DNS, and other benefits. These features help protect against various threats.
Advanced Storage Solutions: Server 2022 Standard has advanced storage solutions, such as Storage Migration Service and Storage Spaces. This capability increases storage flexibility and migration ability.
Virtualization Rights for VMs: Server Standard 2022 allows users to create two virtual machines and one Hyper-V host per license. Moreover, it enables multi-server deployment and app testing to increase virtualization.

Windows Server 2022 Datacenter Features

Microsoft designed the Windows Server 2022 Datacenter for large-scale enterprises. This edition is used in a highly virtualized environment. With Windows Server Datacenter, you can operate unlimited virtual machines (VMs) with advanced storage and network capabilities. Users need user or device CALs to access the server.

Unlimited Virtualization Rights: Windows Server Datacenter 2022 includes unlimited virtualization rights, and users can use multiple virtual machines in this datacenter edition.
SDN and Storage Spaces Direct: The Datacenter 2022 version has Software-Defined Networking (SDN) and Storage Spaces Direct. These features improve storage and networking capacity.
Shielded VMs: Securing your devices by preventing unauthorized access, Server 2022 Datacenter edition includes Shielded VMs.

Differences Between Windows Server 2022 Essentials vs Standard vs Datacenter

We include a side-by-side comparison review that helps you understand the differences between Windows Server 2022 versions. Let’s check these:

Features	Essentials 2022	Standard 2022	Datacenter 2022
Max Users	Up to 25 Users or 50 devices	Depends on CALs	Depends on CALs
Virtualization Rights	Physical server (No Hyper-V role)	2 VMs + 1 Hyper-V host	Unlimited VMs + 1 Hyper-V host
Security Features	Basic	Advanced	Full Advanced Security
Storage and Networking	Basic file and device sharing	Storage Migration Service, Storage Spaces, and basic networking	Advanced storage, including Storage Spaces Direct, Storage Replica, and Software-Defined Networking
Cloud Integration	Limited (basic Azure services)	Hybrid cloud with Azure Arc, On-premises + Cloud management	Full-hybrid cloud with Azure Arc, Azure Automanage, and a large-scale datacenter integration

Windows Server 2022 Licensing & Pricing

As we mentioned earlier, Microsoft offers multiple licensing options for each edition of Server 2022. Understanding these licensing choices is crucial when purchasing a server, as they can significantly impact your decision-making process. Prices may differ based on sellers, regions, and specific agreements. Below is an overview of how the cost structure operates:

Windows Server 2022 Essentials: This version is a cost-effective solution for small businesses, which includes 25 users and 50 devices. It doesn’t require a Client Access License (CALs) and is best for small teams with basic IT needs.
Windows Server 2022 Standard: The Standard 2022 version has a core-based licensing model, which requires CALs for each user or device to access the server. This version requires higher costs than the Server Essentials, and is an ideal choice for medium-sized businesses with up to 2 virtual machines (VMs) and hybrid cloud capabilities.
Windows Server 2022 Datacenter: This version is made for large-scale enterprises with advanced features and a higher licensing cost. Similar to the Standard edition, Datacenter follows a core-based licensing model with CALs. This edition offers unlimited VMs for heavy virtualization workloads, and the advanced features ensure maximum scalability.

What to Choose Between Windows Server 2022 Essentials, Standard & Datacenter

Choosing the best Windows Server 2022 edition for your needs is essential. Here we provide a breakdown that you can easily understand, which edition you should use for your business:

1. Windows Server 2022 Essentials

The Essentials edition is built for small businesses that need only basic server functionality. Choose Server 2022 Essentials if you have the following scenarios:

Windows Server Essentials 2022 is ideal for small businesses, supporting file and printer sharing with basic user management features.
Businesses with a limited budget and a single license work for 25-50 devices.
Users don’t need CALs to operate Server Essentials, and it is used as a physical server.
Essentials is fit for using cloud services and is limited to an on-premises structure.

2. Windows Server 2022 Standard

If you need a Server for a growing business with limited virtualization, choose Windows Server 2022 Standard. Check these characteristics below why you choose:

If your business has over 25 employees and needs advanced management and customization capabilities, Windows Server Standard 2022 is the best choice.
A business that requires a hybrid cloud benefits from modern security, and the Standard edition is the proper fit for your business.
Windows Server Standard edition allows two virtual machines and one Hyper-V host.
The Standard edition needs CALs for users or devices and is suited to medium-level enterprises.
Server 2022 Standard can host the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) user and device CALs efficiently.

Note: Follow the Windows Server 2022 Standard download- activation guide.

3. Windows Server 2022 Datacenter

Windows Server 2022 Datacenter is designed for large-scale businesses and organizations with unlimited VMs and advanced features. Here we described why you should pick this edition:

This edition supports unlimited virtual machines and hybrid cloud facilities that are necessary for large organizations.
If you have a genuine Server 2022 Datacenter license, there are no limitations on users or devices.
This version can efficiently host the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) user and device Client Access Licenses (CALs).
Server 2022 Datacenter provides advanced storage and networking facilities with Software-defined Networking and Storage Spaces Direct features.
It has a Hotpatching feature that updates security without rebooting.

Note: Follow the Windows Server 2022 Datacenter download- activation guide.

Final Thoughts

Choosing the right edition of Windows Server 2022 depends on your business size, IT needs, and budget. This article provides a clear overview of Windows Server 2022 versions, their differences, licensing systems, and tips to choose the best Windows Server for your needs.

Still confused which one you should go with? Share your condition in the comments below, and we would love to hear your thoughts and help you choose the best one.

FAQs

1. How do I know which Windows Server is suitable for my business?

If your company employees up to 25 users and 50 devices, consider Windows Server 2022 Essential for the best output. If the number exceeds 25 users and 50 devices, consider the Standard edition. For large-scale or better virtualization, Datacenter is the perfect edition. Windows Server 2022 Essentials doesn’t support advanced security features and Hyper-V virtualization.

2. Which edition is better for virtualization?

Windows Server Datacenter contains unlimited virtualization with advanced features, whereas the Standard edition has limited (up to 2 VMs) virtualization. So, choose any of them based on your needs.

3. What should I look for when choosing a Windows Server 2022 version?

You should consider these factors: business size (users and devices), virtualization needs (VM number), advanced features (SDN, cloud benefits), and budget (Costs and CALs).