Install Windows Server 2012 R2 - MCSA Windows Server 2012 R2: Installation and Configuration Study Guide - page 17

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Volume Activation Services

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Web Server (IIS)

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Windows Deployment Services

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Windows Server Update Services

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.NET Framework 3.5 Features

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.NET Framework 4.5 Features

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Streaming Media Services

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Failover Clustering

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iSCSI

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Network Load Balancing

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MPIO

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qWave

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Telnet Server/Client

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Windows Server Migration Tools

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Windows PowerShell 4.0

Server Core does not have the normal Windows interface or GUI. Almost everything
has to be configured via the command line or, in some cases, using the Remote Server
Administration Tools from a full version of Windows Server 2012 R2. While this might
scare off some administrators, it has the following benefits:
Reduced Management Because Server Core has a minimum number of applications
installed, it reduces management effort.
Minimal Maintenance Only basic systems can be installed on Server Core, so it reduces
the upkeep you would need to perform in a normal server installation.
Smaller Footprint Server Core requires only 1GB of disk space to install and 2GB of free
space for operations.
Tighter Security With only a few applications running on a server, it is less vulnerable to

attacks.
The prerequisites for Server Core are basic. It requires the Windows Server 2012 R2
installation media, a product key, and the hardware on which to install it.
After you install the base operating system, you use PowerShell or the remote
administrative tools to configure the network settings, add the machine to the domain,
create and format disks, and install roles and features. It takes only a few minutes to install
Server Core, depending on the hardware.