Windows Server 2019 Standard & Datacenter Licensing Policies for Virtualization Platform

Question

One of our customers who are planning to procure a server with 96 physical cores in which they will create around 20 VMs and will use that server for R&D purposes.

The customer was enquiring about the Windows Server Std 2019 licensing policy for this proposed server.

Can you please help us with the same?

Looking for your kind reply at the earliest.

Answer 1

Some general info

• Each host needs to be licensed.
• A minimum of 8 core licenses is required for each physical processor and a minimum of 16 core licenses is required for each server.
• Core licenses are sold in packs of two.
• Standard Edition provides rights for up to 2 Operating System Environments or Windows Servers containers with Hyper-V isolation when all physical cores in the server are licensed. For each additional 1 or 2 VMs, all the physical cores in the server must be licensed again.
• DataCenter Edition provides rights for unlimited Operating System Environments or Windows Servers containers with Hyper-V isolation when all physical cores in the server are licensed.
  AVMA keys can be used only when the host is DataCenter edition
  https://download.microsoft.com/download/7/C/E/7CED6910-C7B2-4196-8C55-208EE0B427E2/Windows_Server_2019_licensing_datasheet_EN_US.pdf

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Answer 2

Hi

How many CPU and it's just one server ?

You need to licence each physical core, and you need to cover the 20 VM.

In your situation you might be more winning by using a datacenter licence, as it dont have a maximum number of VM you can on your host.

You can try the calculator there; https://techlibrary.hpe.com/us/en/enterprise/servers/licensing/index.aspx. I tried the simulator with 4 CPU x 24 cores (For a total 96 cores).

In standard;

Base License Required
Windows Server® Standard (16 core) 1
Additional Cores To Be Licensed 80
Additional Licenses Required for Compliance
Windows Server® Standard Additional License APOS (16 core) 5
Windows Server® Standard Additional License APOS (4 core) 0
Windows Server® Standard Additional License APOS (2 core) 0
To License Additional Virtual Machines (VM's)
Note: 2 VMs are included in the Standard Base License once all physical cores are properly licensed.
VM's included when all cores are licensed 2
Additional VM's desired
Total VM's 20
Additional cores required to license additional VM's 864 additional cores need to be licensed
Note: Additional VMs/OSEs can be added in increments of 2 VMs/OSEs by re-licensing the total number of cores in the Server
Additional Core Licenses Required
Windows Server® Standard Additional License APOS (16 core) 54
Windows Server® Standard Additional License APOS (4 core) 0
Windows Server® Standard Additional License APOS (2 core) 0

In datacenter;

Base License Required
Windows Server® Datacenter (16 core) 1
Additional Cores To Be Licensed 80
Additional Licenses Required for Compliance
Windows Server® Datacenter Additional License (16 core) 5
Windows Server® Datacenter Additional License (4 core) 0
Windows Server® Datacenter Additional License (2 core) 0

Answer 3

2 physical processors with 48-Cores in each processor.

You'll need to license all for a total of 96 cores. If you use a DataCenter license the VM count is unlimited and AVMA keys can be used.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/automatic-vm-activation

for a Standard license you just re-license the 96 cores again for each additional 2 virtual machines.

but 2008 R2 is not included so that product will need it's own activations.

Licensing calculation is included in this document.
https://download.microsoft.com/download/7/C/E/7CED6910-C7B2-4196-8C55-208EE0B427E2/Windows_Server_2019_licensing_datasheet_EN_US.pdf

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--