Applies to: Azure Stack HCI, versions 22H2 and 21H2; Windows Server 2022
This article explains key differences between Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server and provides guidance about when to use each. Both products are actively supported and maintained by Microsoft. Many organizations choose to deploy both as they are intended for different and complementary purposes.
When to use Azure Stack HCI
Azure Stack HCI is Microsoft’s premier hyper-converged infrastructure platform for running VMs or virtual desktops on-premises with connections to Azure hybrid services. Azure Stack HCI can help to modernize and secure your datacenters and branch offices and achieve industry-best performance with low latency and data sovereignty.
Use Azure Stack HCI for:
- The best virtualization host to modernize your infrastructure, either for existing workloads in your core datacenter or emerging requirements for branch office and edge locations.
- Easy extensibility to the cloud, with a regular stream of innovations from your Azure subscription and a consistent set of tools and experiences.
- All the benefits of hyperconverged infrastructure: a simpler, more consolidated datacenter architecture with high-speed storage and networking.
Note: When using Azure Stack HCI, run all of your workloads inside virtual machines or containers, not directly on the cluster. Azure Stack HCI isn’t licensed for clients to connect directly to it using Client Access Licenses (CALs).
For information about licensing Windows Server VMs running on an Azure Stack HCI cluster, see Activate Windows Server VMs.
When to use Windows Server
Windows Server is a highly versatile, multi-purpose operating system with dozens of roles and hundreds of features and includes the right for clients to connect directly with appropriate CALs. Windows Server machines can be in the cloud or on-premises, including virtualized on top of Azure Stack HCI.
Use Windows Server for:
- A guest operating system inside of virtual machines (VMs) or containers
- As the runtime server for a Windows application
- To use one or more of the built-in server roles such as Active Directory, file services, DNS, DHCP, or Internet Information Services (IIS)
- As a traditional server, such as a bare-metal domain controller or SQL Server installation
- For traditional infrastructure, such as VMs connected to Fibre Channel SAN storage
Compare product positioning
The following table shows the high-level product packaging for Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server.
| Attribute | Azure Stack HCI | Windows Server |
| Product type | Cloud service that includes an operating system and more | Operating system |
| Legal | Covered under your Microsoft customer agreement or online subscription agreement | Has its own end-user license agreement |
| Licensing | Billed to your Azure subscription | Has its own paid license |
| Support | Covered under Azure support | Can be covered by different support agreements, including Microsoft Premier Support |
| Where to get it | Download from Azure.com/HCI or comes preinstalled on integrated systems | Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Center or Evaluation Center |
| Runs in VMs | For evaluation only; intended as a host operating system | Yes, in the cloud or on premises |
| Hardware | Runs on any of more than 200 pre-validated solutions from the Azure Stack HCI Catalog | Runs on any hardware with the “Certified for Windows Server” logo. See the WindowsServerCatalog |
| Sizing | Azure Stack HCI sizing tool | None |
| Lifecycle policy | Always up to date with the latest features. You have up to six months to install updates. | Use this option of the Windows Server servicing channels: Long-Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) |
Compare workloads and benefits
The following table compares the workloads and benefits of Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server.
| Attribute | Azure Stack HCI | Windows Server |
| Azure Kubernetes Service (AKS) | Yes | Yes |
| Azure Arc-enabled PaaS Services | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Server 2022 Azure Edition | Yes | No |
| Windows Server subscription add-on (Dec 2021) | Yes | No |
| Free Extended Security Updates (ESUs) for Windows Server and SQL 2008/R2 and 2012/R2 | Yes | No 1 |
1 Requires purchasing an Extended Security Updates (ESU) license key and manually applying it to every VM.
Compare technical features
The following table compares the technical features of Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server 2022.
| Attribute | Azure Stack HCI | Windows Server 2022 |
| Hyper-V | Yes | Yes |
| Storage Spaces Direct | Yes | Yes |
| Software-Defined Networking | Yes | Yes |
| Adjustable storage repair speed | Yes | Yes |
| Secured-core Server | Yes | Yes |
| Stronger, faster network encryption | Yes | Yes |
| 4-5x faster Storage Spaces repairs | Yes | Yes |
| Stretch clustering for disaster recovery with Storage Spaces Direct | Yes | No |
| High availability for GPU workload | Yes | No |
| Restart up to 10x faster with kernel-only restarts | Yes | No |
| Simplified host networking with Network ATC | Yes | No |
| Storage Spaces Direct on a single server | Yes | No |
| Storage Spaces Direct thin provisioning | Yes | No |
| Dynamic processor compatibility mode | Yes | No |
| Cluster-Aware OS feature update | Yes | No |
| Integrated driver and firmware updates | Yes (Integrated Systems only) | No |
For more information, see What’s New in Azure Stack HCI, version 22H2 and Using Azure Stack HCI on a single server.
Compare management options
The following table compares the management options for Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server. Both products are designed for remote management and can be managed with many of the same tools.
| Attribute | Azure Stack HCI | Windows Server |
| Windows Admin Center | Yes | Yes |
| Microsoft System Center | Yes (sold separately) | Yes (sold separately) |
| Third-party tools | Yes | Yes |
| Azure Backup and Azure Site Recovery support | Yes | Yes |
| Azure portal | Yes (natively) | Requires Azure Arc agent |
| Azure portal > Extensions and Arc-enabled host | Yes | Manual 1 |
| Azure portal > Windows Admin Center integration (preview) | Yes | Azure VMs only 1 |
| Azure portal > Multi-cluster monitoring for Azure Stack HCI (preview) | Yes | No |
| Azure portal > Azure Resource Manager integration for clusters | Yes | No |
| Azure portal > Arc VM management (preview) | Yes | No |
| Desktop experience | No | Yes |
1 Requires manually installing the Arc-git statusConnected Machine agent on every machine.
Compare product pricing
The table below compares the product pricing for Azure Stack HCI and Windows Server. For details, see Azure Stack HCI pricing.
| Attribute | Azure Stack HCI | Windows Server |
| Price type | Subscription service | Varies: most often a one-time license |
| Price structure | Per core, per month | Varies: usually per core |
| Price | Per core, per month | See Pricing and licensing for Windows Server 2022 |
| Evaluation/trial period | 60-day free trial once registered | 180-day evaluation copy |
| Channels | Enterprise agreement, cloud service provider, or direct | Enterprise agreement/volume licensing, OEM, services provider license agreement (SPLA) |
This article appears courtesy of Microsoft.