Servers - GUI or not to GUI

[Stormborn15]

Does anybody create non GUI versions of of servers?

Experience of pros and cons

Already googled it so would like real life experiences please .

 

TIA

[FN-GM]

My HyperV hosts don'e have a GUI. There isn't much to say really, they work fine. Windows updates seem quicker to install. That is about it really.

[ricki]

I used to use a lot of severs with Linux without a GUI not not windows

[free780]

I guess you just have to bear in mind if something fails. You then need to know the powershell to retrieve information/fix the issue. Most people are fimilar with the GUI.

[sparkeh]

I use GUI, it does increase the footprint and attack vector but it's faster for me than using PS. If I invested the time to set myself up with PS scripts for common tasks I would consider dropping the GUI but who's got the time for that right?

[Michael]

I use GUI also. A Hyper-V setup makes some sense as you can RDP as required.

 

If it's a physical instance (not with the Hyper-V role), less so. It would probably appeal to web hosts a lot more, but then again Linux dominates this area quite considerably.

[localzuk]

All GUI here for the simple reason that most engineers are familiar with it. If I get hit by a bus, the system should be as simple as possible to take over.

[mjk]

Most of our servers are non-gui . No need really.

Ideally, no changes should be made manually on an individual server *ever* so having a gui just isn't very useful. If a change is made it should be made through the management interface so that it can be: 1) tested 2) documented 3) backed up 4) replicated across as many server as you need.

If you go ahead using a gui and make individual changes on individual machines you will have to do 1-4 manually which is extremely time consuming if you have more than a couple of servers.

[DJ-1701]

All GUI here for the simple reason that most engineers are familiar with it. If I get hit by a bus, the system should be as simple as possible to take over.

 

This.

 

Though we have got a couple of Linux Servers that don't have a GUI, but for the same reason, that is the standard and how most would be familiar with them.

[Blue_Cookeh]

No GUI on any Linux servers, no GUI on any Windows servers where I can. This means DCs, file servers, Hyper-V, and DA (even more so because they're Internet facing). I *do* have the UI turned on on our DPM and SCCM servers, though.

 

I have a Hyper-V VM and an IT laptop that both have all the remote access tools up to date and setup with various other tools and utilities that are all documented... it negates the 'hit by a bus' factor a little more but still gives me the easy patching and reliability

[free780]

SCCM DPS can't be GUI less. WDS requires it last time I looked.