Identity, Access & Security	Windows Server 2012	Windows Server 2012 R2	Windows Server 2016
Active Directory Services
Dynamic Access Control
Just Enough Admin/Just in Time
Windows Defender Built-in
Virtualization	Windows Server 2012	Windows Server 2012 R2	Windows Server 2016
Hyper-V clustering
Hyper-V Replica
Shielded virtual machines
Host Guardian Services (for Virtual Machines)
Windows Containers
Virtual Desktop Infrastructure
Storage	Windows Server 2012	Windows Server 2012 R2	Windows Server 2016
Shared VHDX
Storage Quality of Service (QoS)
Storage Spaces Direct and Storage Replica
Enhanced Clusters (Site Aware Clusters, Rolling OS upgrades)
Management & Automation	Windows Server 2012	Windows Server 2012 R2	Windows Server 2016
Multi-server management
Windows PowerShell Enhancements

Enterprise class technology to drive any sized business

Windows Server 2016 Editions			Windows Storage Server 2016 Editions
Windows Server 2016 Essentials	Windows Server 2016 Standard	Windows Server 2016 Datacenter	Windows Storage Server 2016 Workgroup	Windows Storage Server 2016 Standard
Small companies with basic IT needs purchasing a first server; likely small or no dedicated IT department	SMBs that need advanced features, support for distributed office locations, and require a flexible way to virtualize their environment	Companies of all sizes that have demanding IT workloads, require advanced storage, virtualization and application deployment	For OEM NAS appliances	For OEM NAS appliances
25 users / 50 devices No server CALs required	Unlimited, based on CALs	Unlimited, based on CALs	1 Procs	2 Procs
1 physical or virtual1	2 VMs	Unlimited VMs	32GB RAM	12TB RAM
Must be root of domain	2 Hyper-V containers2	Unlimited Hyper-V containers	250 SMB links	Unlimited SMB links
	Unlimited Windows Server containers	Unlimited Windows Server containers	Max Users: 50	Unlimited Users
		Storage features including: Storage Replica & Storage Spaces Direct	Disk number: 6	Disk number: Unlimited
		New Networking Stack
		Shielded VMs and Host Guardian Service

1.	One physical or one virtual + Hyper-V.
2.	Windows Server 2016 Standard Edition entitles up to 2 VMs or 2 Hyper-V containers.