When you add a role to Windows Server 2016, you have actually assigned the task that the server needs to do. So, the server role is a primary task that a server should perform. In the best scenario, the server has only one role. However, the server can have multiple roles too. Remember the Understanding server hardware and software section from Chapter 1, Introducing Windows Server, where the importance of selecting the server's hardware was mentioned including a list of the important hardware components that affect the overall performance of the server. Thus, the activity of selecting the server's hardware entirely depends on the role that your server will have. Just because of that, always try to understand the exact role that your server needs to perform so that you can then choose the right hardware for it.
In Windows Server 2016, when adding a role to your server you will encounter situations where, besides the role, you should also add role services. So the question arises, what are role services? Let us try to understand role services with the following example. Assume that you want to have an internet print server so that employees can print from outside the company's network. To do that, you add the Print and Document Services (PDS) role to your server and then you add Internet Printing as a role service. That way, you augment the functionality of the role.
Other than roles and role services, features are added to the server to support the given role. For example, there are situations where you are asked to install .NET Framework 3.5 Features so that you can complete the role you are adding, or you need to install an IP Address Management (IPAM) server to support the DHCP or DNS roles in your network infrastructure, or maybe you want to have a WINS server alongside DNS so you can solve problems arising from NetBIOS name resolution in routed environments, or other similar situations.
To add roles in Windows Server 2016, you will use Server Manager. Introduced with Windows Server 2008, Server Manager is an administrative tool used by system administrators to add, set up, and manage server roles. Its user interface is simple and easy to navigate. Usually (see Figure 5.1), the Scope Pane has the installed roles, and the Details Pane displays the details of a selected role. It acts as an entry point for adding roles, and as an administrative console for managing roles. Without a doubt, as its name implies, Server Manager is a one-stop station for adding roles, configuring services, managing resources, and administering tasks in Windows Server:
