title: Multiple versions of .NET on the same server
body: <p>So I've always known it's okay to run multiple versions of the .NET framework on a single computer (client or server alike). <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/407306/running-many-versions-of-net-on-a-machine">This question</a>, though a bit old, talks about this. </p>
  
  <p>A while back, however, I was tasked with creating a new ASP.NET application, and I was trying to decide whether to use the full .NET framework or .NET Core, and I came across <a href="https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/standard/choosing-core-framework-server" rel="noreferrer">this article</a> from Microsoft. The article states that if I need side-by-side installations of the framework, I should use .NET Core. Here's the full quote:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>To install applications with dependencies on different versions of
    .NET, we recommend .NET Core. <em>.NET Core offers side-by-side
    installation of different versions of the .NET Core runtime on the
    same machine.</em> This side-by-side installation allows multiple services
    on the same server, each of them on its own version of .NET Core.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>But I thought side-by-side installations of the Framework were already possible without .NET Core? What am I missing?</p>
  
  <p>The reason I ask is that I currently have an old ASP.NET application that uses the .NET Framework 2.0, and I am now working on one that uses .NET Core. I ran into some issues that got me considering switching the .NET Core app to the full .NET Framework 4.6, but that Microsoft article got me a bit confused. </p>
  
  <p>The question is: will I be able to run both apps (.NET framework 2.0 and 4.6) on the same Windows 2008 R2 server without issues? If so, then what is that article referring to?</p>
  
  <p>One last thing: both my apps (old and new) use Crystal Reports. There's a possibility that the new app might need a newer version of Crystal Reports than the old app. Will I be able to run different versions of Crystal Reports like this on the same server? Is this the situation in which I would require .NET Core like the Microsoft article says?</p>
  
  <p>Thank you</p>