What licensing do you need to have in place in order for it to be legal. Guide to microsoft server licensing articles and howtos. I am trying to understand how the licensing works in a virtual environment. To run windows server 2016, you need to purchase licenses for a minimum of 16 cores, per two physical processors. I have a couple of doubts regarding windows server licensing using vmware hypervisor. We talked about this a bit on brian and gabe live this week, but we havent written about it. For more information about microsoft windows server pricing, see compute pricing. While i always recommend that you talk to a credentialed expert in microsoft licensing about your situation, its imperative that you do so when it comes to desktop oss.
Windows server 2012 licensing is based on the number of cpus and virtual machines that servers are running. Jan 06, 2012 so, for all the windows server licenses bought through the volume licensing program, if those vms need to be freely moveble within an esx farm such as drs initiated vmotion, each esx host physical hardware need to be licensed for the worst case scenario aka. Essential server functionality without virtualization rights. Microsoft goes public with windows server 2012 versions, licensing. By next year, rds cals with active sa software assurance will permit access to windows azure or an authorized mobility partners shared windows server software running in a dedicated operating. It is a server with two cores that will be running vmware hypervisor with 56, give or take a. Windows 7 32bit and 64bit, windows 8 32 and 64bit and windows 8. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments june 2016 6 products licensing all products in each of the microsoft server licensing models in the volume licensing product terms, for example. With the release to manufacturing rtm and impending launch of windows server 2012, our sdn solution is ready for you to deploy.
Microsoft server licensing in a virtual environment revisited. Licensing a vm on a server as compared to a physical os is a completely different set of requirements. Select the edition of windows server 2012 r2 based on your virtualization needs and edition features. Windows server 2012 editions comparison thomaskrennwiki. Sep 25, 20 windows server 2012 licensing is based on the number of cpus and virtual machines that servers are running. Windows server 2012 licensing in virtual environments. With windows server 2012, you can manage identities across your datacenter and federated into the cloud, provide flexible remote access to applications and resources. Windows server 2012 virtualization licensing example. Windows server 2012 and system center 2012 sp1, virtual machine manager deliver the best value for public, private, and hybrid clouds. Commercial licensing reference guide windows server 2012. The windows server datacenter edition will allow an unlimited. I think going forward, in case, we grow more then we should look into datacenter license. The cost of a microsoft windows server license is an additional cost, on top of the underlying compute instance price. In 2012 release there has been a change in product licensing and it.
Feb 12, 2015 the bottom line is that windows desktop operating systems do not have a simplistic licensing model in a virtual environment the way that windows server operating systems do. Peak usage where all vms may end up running in 1 esx server hardware for example unless you can ensure this will never happen. Apr, 2020 microsoft biztalk server 2009, biztalk server 2006 r2, biztalk server 2006, and biztalk server 2004 are fully supported when they are installed on a supported operating system that is running on windows server 2008 hyperv. Administrators can use any available technique for profile redirection such as folder redirection or other profile management. Nov 19, 20 microsoft has an edition of windows server 2012 called datacenter edition, which allows an unlimited number of vms per processor socket. For example, the windows server 2016 datacenter supports. Planning for windows server 2012 r2 if you are planning to deploy windows server 2012 r2, remember.
The first thing you need to know is that windows server 2012 standard is licensed per processor, not per physical box. Nov 29, 2012 i dont envision the virtualization requirements around the windows os changing much in the future. For example, a physical server running windows server 2012 and exchange server 20 would require a windows server 2012 server license and an appropriate number of client access licenses, as well as an exchange server license and an. You can help protect yourself from scammers by verifying that the contact is a microsoft agent or microsoft employee and that the phone number is an official microsoft global customer service number. In the past we would have used enterprise edition on each host. The windows server datacenter edition will allow an unlimited number of. May, 2019 the windows server 20162019 standard license also allows you to run up to two vms with windows server on the same physical host. Licensing windows server 2016 in a virtual environment. In windows server 2012 ws2012 and windows server 2012 r2 ws2012 r2, things were pretty simple. So if i buy one windows 2012 standard i can install two server 2012 standard in the vms on the same license. There is nothing preventing you from licensing this version for your vmware esxi hosts. Thats just my opionion though, as i dont have 100% knowledge on the windows vdi licensing road map. Software defined networking, enabled in windows server.
By default, azure virtual machines include a license for using windows server in the microsoft azure environment. Apr 15, 2020 windows server 2012 r2 standard windows server 2008 r2 user profile data in the appdataroaming folder and the hkcu hive should roam with user so that they are synced on the server instance where the user logs in. This article discusses the support policy for running microsoft server software in the microsoft azure virtual machine environment infrastructureasaservice. For 2012 and 2012 r2, the bound hardware is one or two physical cpus in a single motherboard. Also available windows sever 2012 all version license. With each license, you have the right to install the product on a physical box with up to two processors.
In addition to the base windows server cal or external connector license, some functionalities will continue to require the purchase of an. This means customer can support workload mobility as it relates to external user access to its onpremises servers. In my last post, we covered the basics of virtualization rights with windows server 2012. Windows server 2012 is currently the most popular, and stable version of the os windows server 2012 comes with a slew of features and licensing models. Tech support scams are an industrywide issue where scammers trick you into paying for unnecessary technical support services. However, other microsoft server licenses can be used in both the physical operating system environment and in one or more virtual environments. Windows server 2012 r2 exchange server 2016 use terms for each software license1 specify the number of instances of.
Will this suffice for the above scenario or do we need to buy additional licenses. For each additional windows server 2012 standard edition you purchase this will. Licensing windows server for use with virtualization technologies. The third virtual machine and any virtual machines after that require additional purchases. Licensing windows server for use with virtualization. Server 2012 also allows 2 vms with one standard license, so you only. Solved vdi licensing on server 2012 rds spiceworks. We have the licenses for windows standard 16 core license1 nos and 2 numbers of windows 2012 r2 standard. How do i license windows server 2012 for virtualization. Understanding windows server virtual machine licensing. Microsoft supports server software that runs in the microsoft azure virtual machine environments, as described in the more information section.
The licence to run windows server in the azure environment is, by default, included in the perminute cost of your windows virtual machine. Microsoft goes public with windows server 2012 versions. Buy windows server 2012 r2 halfrain microsoft retail partner. Software defined networking, enabled in windows server 2012.
Microsoft has an edition of windows server 2012 called datacenter edition, which allows an unlimited number of vms per processor socket. Licensing windows server 2012 for use with virtualization. We are looking forward to hearing about your experiences building public, private. Jul 05, 2012 microsoft goes public with windows server 2012 versions, licensing.
Windows server licensing for virtual environments windows. Because processors always have an even number of cores, licenses are sold in twocore packs. That has been replaced by windows server 2012 standard edition, that now has all the features and scalability of the datacenter edition. Microsoft holds that the minimum licensing purchase of windows server standard edition licenses 8x 2core packs allows for no more than two virtual instances of windows server standard edition. Licensing nano server will require software assurance sa what doesnt this change. Billing for the windows server license is based on perocpu, per. If choosing licenses for your microsoft server products is making your head spin, our guide to microsoft server and client licensing is here to help. So youve upgraded to windows server 2012 standard and youre ready to virtualize. Apr 16, 20 windows server 2012 virtualization licensing example. Windows server licensing for virtual environment ms. Automatic virtual machine activation avma acts as a proofofpurchase mechanism, helping to ensure that windows products are used in accordance with the product use rights and microsoft software license terms.
A virtual processor is a processor in a virtual or otherwise emulated hardware system. I know that on the standard edition i can have two vms. Introduction to windows server 2012 r2 virtualization. Licensing microsoft server in a virtual environment youtube. For each additional windows server 2012 standard edition you. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual. When this is the case, if the server operating system or application is installed in more than one environment on a single server computer, a separate license is required for each environment. Features like live migration, dynamic memory, network virtualization, remotefx, hyperv replica, etc. The bottom line is that windows desktop operating systems do not have a simplistic licensing model in a virtual environment the way that windows server operating systems do.
The editions are suitable for the following application areas. Windows server standard licenses were already bought long ago and then vmware was introduced to the environment. Windows terminal server acrobat virtualization guide. Since its inception in 2008, microsoft released many versions of the os. Features exclusive to the windows server datacenter edition include shielded virtual machines, software defined networking, storage spaces direct, and storage replica. But what if i dont want server 2012 standard in my. An introduction to microsoft server and client licensing. Automatic virtual machine activation microsoft docs. Aug 22, 2012 windows server 2012 and system center 2012 sp1, virtual machine manager deliver the best value for public, private, and hybrid clouds. How to calculate proper windows server 2012 virtualization. Server limited to 15 users see microsoft software in the thomaskrenn web shop. With microsofts announcement of windows server 2012 versions, licensing, and pricing, i thought it would be a good idea to take a look at what a typical environment might look like. If you are planning to deploy windows server 2012 r2, remember. Windows server standard and datacenter editions continue to require windows server cals for every user or device accessing a server see the product terms for exceptions, or windows server external connector licenses for servers accessed by external users.
Licensing windows server 2012 in virtual machines on non. With the release of windows server 2012 and windows server 2012 r2, microsoft has made lot of improvements in their hyperv virtualization platform. Windows server 2012 is no doubt the new cloud os and its super combination with system center 2012 truly qualifies it to be the most powerful server operating system in the world today. You pay separately for the compute instance and the windows server license. Microsoft server software support for microsoft azure. Microsoft server software support for microsoft azure virtual. Windows server 2012 2012 r2 hyperv high performance live migration. So, for all the windows server licenses bought through the volume licensing program, if those vms need to be freely moveble within an esx farm such as drs initiated vmotion, each esx host physical hardware need to be licensed for the worst case scenario aka. Buy windows server 2012 r2 cpubased digitalretail license from microsoft partner for your business, office or enterprise. The new windows server 2012 licensing for virtual environments, its per cpu model.
Microsoft server software and supported virtualization. Windows server 2016 and 2019 datacenter support a number of new technologies that are useful in a virtualization and the azure cloud environment. That means we need to assign 2 copies of windows server 2012 standard edition to each host. You might be paying too much for windows server licensing. Windows server 2012 licensing in virtual environment ms. Windows server 2012 rds cals can be used with windows server 2012 r2, i. It allows to run two vms installed with windows server 2012 as an os the windows server standard edition will allow a limited number of 2 vms to run on up to two processors. The quality, features, and functionality of nano server.
Windows server 2012 r2 which is at the heart of microsofts revolutionary new cloud os platform brings microsofts experience to. Datacenter edition for highly virtualized private clouds. Microsoft licensing for virtual environments can be tricky and there are a lot of misconceptions out there on how to ensure you comply, but also. With the launch of windows server 2016, server licensing transitioned to a corebased model and the processor. Commercial licensing reference guide for windows server 2012 r2. With the windows server 2012 r2 standard edition licensing model, you can grow your virtualization environment by either buying a stepup license to datacenter edition if you have software assurance, or by simply buying additional standard edition licenses and assigning them to the same physical server. With the launch of windows server 2016, server licensing transitioned to a corebased model and the processorbased server licensing model has been retired. The windows server 20162019 standard license also allows you to run up to two vms with windows server on the same physical host. Windows server is a server side operating system from microsoft. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments june 2016 5 figure 4. We currently have a couple of licenses of windows server 2012 r2 standard and we are deploying a new server.
Most frequently asked questions regarding windows server. Dec 19, 2014 microsoft licensing for virtual environments can be tricky and there are a lot of misconceptions out there on how to ensure you comply, but also special benefits some may be unaware of. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments december 2017 4 products licensing do apply to windows server external connector licenses with software assurance coverage. Organizations that have software assurance on top of their windows server 2012 licensing wont pay extra for the upgrade if the software assurance coverage period extends through windows server.
Windows server also includes features like unlimited windows server containers. Windows server licences are not eligible for licence mobility through software assurance, but customers licensing windows server with software assurance can utilise the azure hybrid benefit for a cheaper perminute cost when running a windows virtual machine. This article was adapted from an article authored by chris peters in march 2009. What windows server 2012 virtualization rights do i have. For vmware, we have licenses for each esxi blade socket. Jul 24, 2019 all microsoft, software thats installed in the azure virtual machine environment must be licensed correctly. We talked about this a bit on brian and gabe live this week, but we havent written about it or flushed out any thoughts.
Windows server 2019, windows server semiannual channel, windows server 2016, windows server 2012 r2. Jul 12, 2012 with microsofts announcement of windows server 2012 versions, licensing, and pricing, i thought it would be a good idea to take a look at what a typical environment might look like. Microsoft biztalk server 2009, biztalk server 2006 r2, biztalk server 2006, and biztalk server 2004 are fully supported when they are installed on a supported operating system that is running on windows server 2008 hyperv. Licensing microsoft server in a virtual environment. An ose that is configured to run on a virtual or otherwise emulated hardware system. Virtual servers are licensed similarly to physical servers. Windows server 2012 is currently the most popular, and stable version of the os. Windows server 2012 datacenter edition will allow you to run unlimited virtual instances with each license on a single server. Now lets talk about moving virtual servers from one physical host to another.