Server Core Installation of Windows Server 2008 introduces a new concept called Server Core. Server Core is a minimal server installation option for computers running Ws 2008. It provides a low-maintenance server environment with limited functionality.
This is a specialized role. Applications having dependency on .Net, IIS or IE will have issues on Server Core.The server core supports a limited set of roles and does not support any application installs.
Active Directory Domain Services
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services (AD LDS)
Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) Server
DNS Server
File Services
Print Server
Streaming Media Services
The following optional features are also supported:
Microsoft Failover Cluster
Network Load Balancing
Subsystem for UNIX-based Applications
Windows Backup
Multipath I/O
Removable Storage Management
Windows Bitlocker Drive Encryption
Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Windows Internet Naming Service (WINS)
Telnet client
Quality of Service (QoS)