This Image is hardened with a base profile, suitable for use in HVM instance types only. The image contains just enough packages to run within AWS, bring up an RDP Server, and allow users to login.

Windows Server 2016 Minimal Installation is optimized for automated use at scale, with a tiny package set and minimal security cross-section.

The Minimal Server Interface is a configuration option that does not include significant aspects of the Server Graphical Shell. It enables most local GUI management tasks without requiring the Server Graphical Shell or Internet Explorer to be installed. This reduces the security and servicing footprint of the server thereby increasing safety and uptime while expanding deployment scenarios.

The Image is specially hardened for AWS Marketplace and pre-configured for fast and secure deployment.

Amazon EC2 running Microsoft Windows Server is a fast and dependable environment for deploying applications using the Microsoft Web Platform. Amazon EC2 enables you to run any compatible Windows-based solution on AWS' high-performance, reliable, cost-effective, cloud computing platform. Common Windows use cases include Enterprise Windows-based application hosting, website and web-service hosting, data processing, media transcoding, distributed testing, ASP.NET application hosting, and any other application requiring Windows software.