Windows Server 2012 Release Candidate: Metro Lives!

Microsoft on Thursday rolled out the Release Candidate of Server 2012. RC versions are typically the last beta version of a Microsoft server operating system before the final release, and the Server 2012 RC confirms Microsoft's dedication to the Metro interface.

Despite skepticism among IT professionals and technologists about the usefulness of including a consumer-oriented touch UI in a server product aimed for business and professional use, Metro remains in Server with a GUI install option. The RC edition does have a few minor changes over Server "8" beta, most of them cosmetic.

The most obvious change is that the moniker Server 8 Beta has been completely replaced with Server 2012 in the splash screen and installation screens when performing a Server with a GUI install.

During installation, within the screen where users must select a checkbox to accept license terms, the products listed have changed from the beta to the RC version. In beta, the products displayed in the screen are Microsoft Windows Small Business Server Code Named "8", Microsoft Windows Storage Server Code Named "8", and Microsoft Windows Server 2012. In RC, Code Named "8", is replaced with "Server 2012" and "Microsoft Windows Essentials 2012" has replaced the SBS listing. It's hard to determine what, if any, implication this change has for the SBS SKU, and it's unclear why the general SBS listing would be replaced with the Essentials listing. Essentials is an SBS edition, which falls under the SBS SKU.

A less thought-proving change is the background color during install and in the Metro-style Start screen. It's changed from the drab green in the beta release to a vivid dark blue. Unlike with the beta releases of the Windows 8 client OS, server administrators have no option to change the background of the Start screen.

Server 2012's Charms Menu has an extra option under Settings, dubbed Tiles. The option doesn't provide any new settings controls over the beta release; it simply launches the settings that allow enabling and disabling administrative tools and let admins clear personal info from the tiles. In beta, these same options were available directly, under Settings; Microsoft just added an extra step to access them.

Under Settings, there are now two "Unavailable" icons at the bottom. In the beta, there's only one "Unavailable" icon. This looks like a bug or mistake. In any case, both icons are not active when clicked.

The Start screen in the Release Candidate has eight tiles by default that comprise the Start menu as opposed to the seven in the beta. These tiles are: Server Manager, Windows PowerShell, Administrative Tools, Computer, Task Manager, Control Panel, IE, and Desktop.

Finally, the only other change I could see with a relatively quick look is that when you right-click on the start screen, The "All Apps" icon is now on the bottom, right-hand side instead of the left.

There is no apparent option to disable Metro in the RC. It's safe to assume that the UI will be a part of the final release. Of course, server administrators can opt to bypass the Metro UI and just use the Desktop and Server Manager for administration, or chose to install Server 2012 in command-line Core mode.

With few changes from the beta to RC, it's likely that the RC gives a good indication of what the final release of Server 2012 will look like, and that any last minute changes will be more under-the-hood.

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