Carrying on with my SharePoint 2010 vs. SharePoint 2013 analysis, below is a chart indicating the key differences in the hardware, software and browser requirements between SharePoint 2010 and the new SharePoint 2013.
The most key differences in my opinion are the increased RAM requirements for the hardware. I’ve tried to highlight and point out the key differences in the chart below. Please let me know if you find any discrepancies.
This data is taken is taken from the following Microsoft TechNet sources:
Hardware and software requirements (SharePoint Server 2010)
Hardware and software requirements for SharePoint 2013
Plan browser support (SharePoint Server 2010)
Plan browser support in SharePoint 2013
Disclaimer: As SharePoint 2013 RTM has just been released, I’m sure there are still updates being made to these articles so please refer to the TechNet articles for any more information required as well as updates. Microsoft states that some values in this article are based on test results from SharePoint 2010 Products and may not represent the final values for SharePoint Server 2013 and that they will update the article with appropriate values as SharePoint Server 2013 data becomes more generally available.
I will try and update this chart as they release more information.
| Requirement/Component | SharePoint 2010 | SharePoint 2013 |
| Hardware requirements—location of physical servers | ||
| Physical Farm Location | Not Published | All servers that belong to a server farm, including database servers, must physically reside in the same datacenter. Redundancy and failover between closely located data centers that are configured as a single farm (“stretched farm”) is not supported in SharePoint 2013. |
| Hardware requirements—web servers, application servers, and single server installations | ||
| Single server with a built-in database or single server that uses SQL Server (Foundation 2010/2013) | 8 GB (4 GB Developer/Evaluation) 64-bit, 4 cores 80 GB for system drive |
8 GB 64-bit, 4 cores 80 GB for system drive |
| Single server with a built-in database or single server that uses SQL Server (Server 2010/2013) | 8 GB (4 GB Developer/Evaluation) 64-bit, 4 cores 80 GB for system drive |
24 GB 64-bit, 4 cores 80 GB for system drive |
| Web server or application server in a three-tier farm | 8 GB (4 GB Developer/Evaluation) 64-bit, 4 cores 80 GB for system drive |
12 GB 64-bit, 4 cores 80 GB for system drive |
| Hardware requirements—database servers in farm | ||
| Processor | 64-bit, 4 cores for small deployments 64-bit, 8 cores for medium deployments |
64-bit, 4 cores for small deployments 64-bit, 8 cores for medium deployments |
|
RAM
|
8 GB for small deployments 16 GB for medium deployments |
8 GB for small deployments 16 GB for medium deployments |
| Hard disk | 80 GB for system drive | 80 GB for system drive |
| Domain Names | ||
| Single label domain names | Not Supported | Not Supported |
| Minimum software requirements for a database server in a farm | ||
| SQL | One of the following: -64-bit edition of Microsoft SQL Server 2012 (w/ SharePoint SP1) -64-bit edition of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 -64-bit edition of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and CU2 or CU5 -64-bit edition of Microsoft SQL Server 2005 with Service Pack 3 (SP3) and CU3 |
One of the following: -The 64-bit edition of Microsoft SQL Server 2012. -The 64-bit edition of SQL Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 |
| OS | Any compatible OS for the above versions of SQL Server | -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2012 Standard or Datacenter |
| Updates/Patches | -SQL Server 2008 SP1 and CU2 or CU5 -SQL Server 2005 SP3 and CU3 |
-SharePoint parsing process crashes in Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB 2554876) -FIX: IIS 7.5 configurations are not updated when you use the ServerManager class to commit configuration changes (KB 2708075) -Hotfix: ASP.NET (SharePoint) race condition in .NET 4.5 RTM (KB 2759112) –Microsoft .NET Framework version 4.5 |
| Minimum requirements for a single server with built-in database | ||
| SQL |
Setup installs Microsoft SQL Server 2008 SP1 – Express Edition
|
Setup installs Microsoft SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 – Express Edition |
| OS | -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise, Data Center, or Web Server with SP2; -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, Enterprise, Data Center, or Web Server -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Standard, Enterprise, Data Center, or Web Server |
-64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2012 Standard or Datacenter |
| Updates/Patches | -KB979917 – QFE for SharePoint issues – Perf Counter fix & User Impersonation | -SharePoint parsing process crashes in Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB 2554876) -FIX: IIS 7.5 configurations are not updated when you use the ServerManager class to commit configuration changes (KB 2708075) -Hotfix: ASP.NET (SharePoint) race condition in .NET 4.5 RTM (KB 2759112) |
| Pre-Requisites | -Web Server (IIS) role -Application Server role -Microsoft .NET Framework version 3.5 SP1 -SQL Server 2008 Express with SP1 -Microsoft Sync Framework Runtime v1.0 (x64) -Microsoft Filter Pack 2.0 -Microsoft Chart Controls for the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 -Windows PowerShell 2.0 -SQL Server 2008 Native Client -Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services ADOMD.NET -ADO.NET Data Services Update for .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 -A hotfix for the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 that provides a method to support token authentication without transport security or message encryption in WCF. -Windows Identity Foundation (WIF) |
-Web Server (IIS) role -Application Server role -Microsoft .NET Framework version 4.5 -SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Native Client -Microsoft WCF Data Services 5.0 -Microsoft Information Protection and Control Client (MSIPC) -Microsoft Sync Framework Runtime v1.0 SP1 (x64) -Windows Management Framework 3.0 which includes Windows PowerShell 3.0 -Windows Identity Foundation (WIF) 1.0 and Microsoft Identity Extensions (previously named WIF 1.1) -Windows Server AppFabric -Cumulative Update Package 1 for Microsoft AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server (KB 2671763) |
| Minimum requirements for front-end web servers and application servers in a farm | ||
| OS | -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise, Data Center, or Web Server with SP2; -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, Enterprise, Data Center, or Web Server -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Standard, Enterprise, Data Center, or Web Server |
-64-bit edition of Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Standard, Enterprise, or Datacenter -64-bit edition of Windows Server 2012 Standard or Datacenter |
| Updates/Patches | -KB979917 – QFE for SharePoint issues – Perf Counter fix & User Impersonation | -SharePoint parsing process crashes in Windows Server 2008 R2 (KB 2554876) -FIX: IIS 7.5 configurations are not updated when you use the ServerManager class to commit configuration changes (KB 2708075) -Hotfix: ASP.NET (SharePoint) race condition in .NET 4.5 RTM (KB 2759112) |
| Pre-Requisites | -Web Server (IIS) role -Application Server role -Microsoft .NET Framework version 3.5 SP1 -SQL Server 2008 Express with SP1 -Microsoft Sync Framework Runtime v1.0 (x64) -Microsoft Filter Pack 2.0 -Microsoft Chart Controls for the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 -Windows PowerShell 2.0 -SQL Server 2008 Native Client -Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services ADOMD.NET -ADO.NET Data Services Update for .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 -A hotfix for the .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 that provides a method to support token authentication without transport security or message encryption in WCF. -Windows Identity Foundation (WIF) |
-Web Server (IIS) role -Application Server role -Microsoft .NET Framework version 4.5 -SQL Server 2008 R2 SP1 Native Client -Microsoft WCF Data Services 5.0 -Microsoft Information Protection and Control Client (MSIPC) -Microsoft Sync Framework Runtime v1.0 SP1 (x64) -Windows Management Framework 3.0 which includes Windows PowerShell 3.0 -Windows Identity Foundation (WIF) 1.0 and Microsoft Identity Extensions (previously named WIF 1.1) -Windows Server AppFabric -Cumulative Update Package 1 for Microsoft AppFabric 1.1 for Windows Server (KB 2671763) |
| Client Computer Browser Support | ||
|
Internet Explorer 10 32-bit
|
Supported | Supported |
|
Internet Explorer 10 64-bit
|
Supported with Limitations | Supported with Limitations |
| Internet Explorer 9 32-bit | Supported | Supported |
| Internet Explorer 9 64-bit | Supported with Limitations | Supported with Limitations |
| Internet Explorer 8 32-bit | Supported | Supported |
| Internet Explorer 8 64-bit | Supported with Limitations | Supported with Limitations |
| Internet Explorer 7 32-bit | Supported | Not supported |
| Internet Explorer 7 64-bit | Supported with Limitations | Not supported |
| Internet Explorer 6 | Not supported | Not supported |
| Google Chrome (latest released version) | Supported with Limitations | Supported with Limitations |
| Mozilla Firefox (latest released version) | Supported with Limitations | Supported with Limitations |
| Apple Safari (latest released version) | Supported with Limitations | Supported with Limitations |