Run Windows Server on Raff
Guides, software compatibility, version comparisons, and PowerShell references for Windows Server hosting.
Featured guides by topic
Curated reads in each area, with a link to the full catalogue.
Getting started
Connect to a Windows VPS via RDP (Windows, macOS, Linux, Mobile)
Step-by-step RDP connection from Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android to a Raff Windows Server 2025 VPS, plus the five errors that block first logins.
Windows VPS for Remote Desktop: What SMBs Should Know
Learn when a Windows VPS makes sense for Remote Desktop, how to choose admin RDP vs RDS, and what to plan for sizing, security, licensing, and performance.
Run your software
Active Directory Replication Topology for 2-DC Setups
For 2 DCs in one site, default replication just works. Multi-site needs Sites/Subnets/Site Links. FSMO placement + repadmin /replsummary monitoring.
Active Directory Group Policy from Scratch
Create your first GPO in 30 minutes: open gpmc.msc, link to an OU, set policies, test on one OU before broad deployment. Backup + restore included.
Always On Availability Groups on Two Windows VPSes
Set up basic Always On Availability Groups across two Raff Windows VPSes for automatic MSSQL failover. WSFC, listener, sync vs async commit.
Licensing
Windows Server Licensing on Raff: Evaluation, SPLA, and BYOL Explained
Three license paths for Windows Server on a Raff Cloud Server: the 180-day evaluation, SPLA monthly via Raff, or BYOL with Software Assurance. Plus RDS CALs, M365 Apps SCA, and per-core minimums — cited to Microsoft Learn.
Microsoft 365 Apps with Shared Computer Activation
Install Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise on a Windows VPS RDS host with Shared Computer Activation. Office Deployment Tool, configuration.xml, common errors.
RDS CAL Licensing on Windows Server: Per-User vs Per-Device, BYOL vs SPLA
2 admin RDP sessions are free; multi-user RDP needs an RDS CAL per user or device. How to pick per-user vs per-device, and when to use BYOL vs SPLA in 2026.
Security & networking
Windows Update Strategy on Production Servers
Update Windows Server safely on a production VPS: snapshot first, patch on a controlled schedule, scan with PowerShell, and verify reboot state.
Configure Windows Firewall on a Windows VPS
Check Windows Firewall profiles, inspect RDP rules, create a safe test inbound rule, and clean it up on a Raff Windows Server VPS.
Windows Server Hardening Checklist: Secure Your VPS Before Production
Harden a Windows Server VPS before production with practical checks for accounts, RDP, firewall rules, Defender, audit logging, updates, and services.
Comparisons
MSSQL Standard vs Enterprise — When to Pay More
Compare SQL Server Standard and Enterprise for Windows VPS workloads, including SQL Server 2025 limits, licensing, high availability, and when Enterprise is worth paying for.
Azure VM vs Raff Windows VPS — Real Cost Comparison
Honest cost + capability comparison: Azure D2s v3 vs Raff $36 Windows VPS. Egress, licensing, Hybrid Benefit math, when each wins, migration path.
Multi-User RDP: 2 Admin Sessions vs RDS Session Host
Decide when built-in 2-admin-session RDP is enough, when RDS Session Host is required, and how CAL licensing affects your Windows VPS workload.
Performance & tuning
Configure TempDB for MSSQL Performance on a Windows VPS
Eliminate TempDB allocation contention with multiple equal-sized data files. Min(8, vCPU) files, fixed autogrowth, optional separate disk.
RDP Performance Tuning for Smooth Remote Desktop
Tune Remote Desktop on a Windows VPS by checking RDP connectivity, AVC 444 policy, visual effects, client settings, and server CPU/RAM usage.
IIS Application Pool Tuning for Production on Windows Server
Tune IIS application pools for production on a Windows VPS: idle timeout, AlwaysRunning, No Managed Code, recycling, identity, and memory limits.
Software compatibility
Tested and recommended sizing for common business software.
| Software | Vendor | Category | Min vCPU | Min RAM | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| QuickBooks Desktop 2024 | Intuit | accounting | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | Verified | Learn more |
| Sage 100 ERP | Sage | accounting | 4 vCPU | 8 GB | Should work | |
| Sage 300 (Accpac) | Sage | accounting | 4 vCPU | 8 GB | Should work | |
| Sage 50 | Sage | accounting | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | Should work | |
| Tally Prime | Tally Solutions | accounting | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | Should work | |
| Microsoft Dynamics GP | Microsoft | crm erp | 4 vCPU | 8 GB | Should work | |
| SAP Business One (SQL) | SAP | crm erp | 4 vCPU | 16 GB | Should work | |
| Microsoft SQL Server 2022 | Microsoft | database | 4 vCPU | 8 GB | Verified | Learn more |
| Microsoft SQL Server 2025 | Microsoft | database | 4 vCPU | 8 GB | Verified | Learn more |
| PostgreSQL 16 | PostgreSQL Global Development Group | database | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | Should work | |
| Git for Windows | Git for Windows project | development | 1 vCPU | 1 GB | Verified | |
| .NET 10 SDK | Microsoft | development | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | Verified | Learn more |
| Visual Studio 2022 | Microsoft | development | 4 vCPU | 8 GB | Should work | |
| IIS (Internet Information Services) | Microsoft | infrastructure | 1 vCPU | 2 GB | Verified | Learn more |
| Microsoft 365 Apps for Enterprise | Microsoft | office | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | Verified | |
| MetaTrader 4 | MetaQuotes | trading | 1 vCPU | 2 GB | Verified | |
| MetaTrader 5 | MetaQuotes | trading | 1 vCPU | 2 GB | Verified | |
| NinjaTrader 8 | NinjaTrader Group | trading | 2 vCPU | 4 GB | Should work |
Showing 18 of 18 software entries
Windows Server version comparison
Pick the right version for stability, security, or legacy software. Dates verified against Microsoft Lifecycle.
| Feature | Windows Server 2025 | Windows Server 2022 | Windows Server 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Release & support | |||
| Released | November 2024 | August 2021 | November 2018 |
| Mainstream support ends | November 13, 2029 | October 13, 2026 | Ended Jan 9, 2024 |
| Extended support ends | November 14, 2034 | October 14, 2031 | January 9, 2029 |
| Status | Recommended | Most popular | Legacy |
| Security defaults | |||
| TLS 1.3 (LDAP) | |||
| Kerberos RC4 TGT blocked | |||
| SMB authentication rate limiter | |||
| SMB over QUIC | Standard + Datacenter | Datacenter Azure Edition only | |
| Hotpatching | |||
| Hotpatch eligibility | Azure / Azure Arc subscription | Datacenter Azure Edition Core only | |
| Runtime defaults | |||
| .NET Framework | 4.8.1 | 4.8 | 4.7.2 |
| PowerShell | 5.1 | 5.1 | 5.1 |
| Microsoft 365 Apps support | Ended Oct 2025 | ||
| Recommendation | |||
| Recommended for | New deployments in 2026 — longest support runway, modern security defaults | Production workloads with certified vendor compatibility (QuickBooks, Sage, MetaQuotes) | Legacy LOB software with hard 2019 dependency only |
| Avoid if | Your software vendor has not certified 2025 yet | Starting fresh mid-2026 or later — short mainstream window | Starting fresh — 5-year shorter support vs 2025 |
Sources: Microsoft Lifecycle 2025 · 2022 · 2019 · full comparison article →
PowerShell command library
Copy-paste commands for common Windows Server tasks.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about Windows Server hosting on Raff.
How is Windows licensed on a Raff server?
Can I bring my own Windows license (BYOL)?
How does RDS CAL licensing work for multi-user access?
What’s the realistic RAM recommendation for QuickBooks, MSSQL, or MetaTrader?
Can I run QuickBooks Desktop on a Windows VPS?
Do you support Active Directory domain joins?
Can I use Microsoft Office or Microsoft 365?
Which Windows Server version should I choose?
Recently updated
Latest revisions to the Windows Server docs.
Authors & engineers
The team writing and maintaining these docs.
Aybars is a Platform Engineer & Technical Writer at Raff Technologies. He works on Linux VM templates, self-hosted application workflows, and security-focused deployment validation, turning tested infrastructure procedures into clear, practical tutorials for developers and teams.
Can't find what you need?
Our Windows team handles licensing questions, RDS CAL setup, AD migration plans, and custom workloads.