An IT infrastructure technician is setting up a specialized CAD workstation equipped with a dual-socket motherboard and 1.5 TB of system RAM. The workstation must support full-disk BitLocker encryption, incoming Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) hosting, and Local Group Policy management. Company purchasing policy restricts licenses to standard standalone retail or OEM licenses, prohibiting enterprise volume licensing agreements. Which of the following Windows 11 editions is the minimum edition that meets all hardware requirements and administrative features without violating licensing constraints?
- AWindows 11 Home
- Windows 11 ProAnswer
- CWindows 11 Enterprise
- DWindows 11 Pro for Workstations
Answer
Windows 11 Pro is the minimum cost-effective edition that supports dual physical CPU sockets, up to 2 TB of RAM, BitLocker, RDP server hosting, and Local Group Policy, while being accessible through retail/OEM licensing.
Windows 11 Pro is the exact minimum edition required. It supports up to 2 physical CPU sockets and up to 2 TB of system RAM (fitting the 1.5 TB specification). Additionally, it includes BitLocker drive encryption, host capability for Remote Desktop connections, and Local Group Policy management, and it can be purchased under standard retail or OEM licensing.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Windows 11 Pro hardware limits (2 CPU sockets, 2 TB RAM) and feature availability (BitLocker, RDP host, GPO) under retail/OEM licensing models.