While SQL-Server 2012 has been tested and and is fully supported by Microsoft, this is not the case for SQL-Server 2008R2. However is it still possible to install and run this version of SQL-Server on Windows Server Core installations.
Here's what to do to install SQL 2008R2 on a Server 2008R2 core edition:
install dot.NET Framework 3.51
pkgmgr /iu:NetFx2-ServerCore;NetFx2-ServerCore-WOW64
ocsetup ServerCore-WOW64
ocsetup NetFx2-ServerCore
ocsetup NetFx2-ServerCore-WOW64
DISM /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3-ServerCore
DISM /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3-ServerCore-WOW64
install PowerShell
pkgmgr /iu:MicrosoftWindowsPowerShell
Prepare a SQL-Server setup configuration file, this example is for SQL-Express:
;SQLSERVER2008 Configuration File
[SQLSERVER2008]
INSTANCEID="MSSQLSERVER"
INSTANCENAME="MSSQLSERVER"
ACTION="Install"
FEATURES=SQLENGINE,FullText
HELP="False"
INDICATEPROGRESS="False"
QUIET="True"
QUIETSIMPLE="False"
X86="False"
ENU="True"
ERRORREPORTING="False"
INSTALLSHAREDDIR="C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server"
INSTALLSHAREDWOWDIR="C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server"
INSTANCEDIR="C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server"
;The Database Engine root data directory.
INSTALLSQLDATADIR="D:\SqlData"
;Directory for Database Engine TempDB files.
SQLTEMPDBDIR="D:\SqlData\SysData"
;Directory for the Database Engine TempDB log files.
SQLTEMPDBLOGDIR="D:\SqlData\SysLogs"
SQLSVCSTARTUPTYPE="Automatic"
FILESTREAMLEVEL="0"
ENABLERANU="False"
SQLCOLLATION="SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS"
SQLSVCACCOUNT="NT SERVICE\MSSQLSERVER"
SAPWD = "*********"
SECURITYMODE = "SQL"
ADDCURRENTUSERASSQLADMIN="True"
TCPENABLED="1"
NPENABLED="0"
BROWSERSVCSTARTUPTYPE="Disabled"
SQLBACKUPDIR = "D:\Backups\Sql"
SQLUSERDBDIR = "D:\SqlData\UserData\Data"
SQLUSERDBLOGDIR = "D:\SqlData\UserData\Logs"
For more information about the configuration file see the TechNet article: How to: Install SQL Server 2008 Using a Configuration File
If you have downloaded an .exe rather than using a DVD/ISO, you have to extract the setup files first:
SQLEXPRADV_x64_ENU.exe -x
Run the installed in quiet mode:
setup.exe /ACTION=Install /IACCEPTSQLSERVERLICENSETERMS /q /ConfigurationFile=C:\SQL2008ForCore.ini
Extract the Service Pack files:
SQLServer2008R2SP1-KB2528583-x64-ENU.exe -x
Installing the service pack from a network drive did not work for me, make sure the files are on a local disk.
You should now be able to connect to the instance from a remote SQL-Server Management Studio. You can also use sqlcmd.exe on the command line.
If you need a local GUI tool to run your queries, you can use Query Express, a small no-install single file application that works in Server Core.
I've been using SQL 2008R2 on Server Core for about six months now. I have not tested it with heavy loads but I don't see why it would behave any different from a version installed on a full-GUI windows.