When deploying Windows Server 2008 R2, consider the following security best practices:

Using a pre-activated version without a genuine Microsoft Volume Licensing or OEM license constitutes software piracy. Microsoft can audit organizations, and fines range from tens of thousands to millions of dollars plus legal damages. Individuals risk civil liability.

Have you encountered this specific July 2013 build in the wild? Share your experiences in the comments below—especially if you’re running it in a sandboxed lab for legacy application testing.

Installing and deploying Windows Server 2008 R2 involves several steps:

This paper provides an overview of Windows Server 2008 R2 (64-bit)

Windows Server 2008 R2 is built on the same foundation as Windows 7 and introduced critical enhancements for scalability and virtualization. Microsoft Support Architecture