The product terms describe the use terms for all microsoft products in volume licensing. Oracle has determined that the following technologies are permitted as a means to limit the number of oracle processor licenses required for a given server. Server windowswindows server, monthly microsoft azure credits, a developer account for publishing apps to the windows store and an office 365 developer subscription. Guide to microsoft server licensing techsoup canada. In windows server 2012 standard, licensing is measured by the number of cpu pairs and users. Microsoft supports server software that runs in the microsoft azure virtual machine environments, as described in the more information section.
The brief has been updated for windows 8 and windows server 2012 definitions. The license to run windows server in the azure environment is by default included in the perminute cost of your windows virtual machine. Software licensing howtos for virtual server environments. Windows server licensing for virtual environments windows os hub. The details are not complicated, but usually catch the uninitiated by surprise. Feb 12, 2015 software and server applications are well beyond what we can reasonably cover on a blog dedicated to hyperv. From the sql server 2012 licensing quick reference guide march 2012 sql server 2012 offers expanded virtualization rights, options and benefits to provide greater flexibility for customers deploying in virtual environments.
Microsoft server licensing in a virtual environment revisited. Microsoft offers four editions of windows server 2012, and the licensing model varies with the different versions. To run instances of the server software in virtual operating system environments on a server, you need a software license for each virtual processor that each of those virtual operating system environments uses. Physical server showing physical processors, physical cores and hardware threads instance. Windows server update services wsus for software update point role. Most servers contain a number of processing units called cores, and under this licensing model, every server running sql server 2012 software or any of its components must be assigned an. Microsoft sql server, processor licensing, and virtual servers. Windows server 2012 licensing in virtual environments. The remainder of this paper provides an overview of the visual studio product line and the licensing requirements for. If a virtual operating system environment uses a fraction of a virtual processor, the fraction counts as a full virtual processor. Fslogix solutions may also be used to create more portable computing sessions when using physical devices. In the foundation and essentials versions, one license per server is required. 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. It can help you understand how to use microsoft server.
To give you a more consistent licensing experience across multicloud environments, we transitioned from processorbased licensing to corebased licensing for windows server 2019 datacenter and standard editions. Sql server is at the heart of microsofts business intelligence solution and is required in solutions containing microsoft sharepoint server, microsoft skype for business server and the microsoft system center products. According to the licensing agreement, you can move the licensed oses once every 90 days to another physical device, but with vmotion, live migration, drs, ha, etc. However, licensing microsoft products for commercial hosting environments under a services provider license agreement spla can be especially daunting, due to the different use rights and license. Let this guide help you understand how to license virtual products for your clients. Storing instances with a licensed copy of windows server 2012 r2 you can make any number of copies of the software and store them. Microsoft licensing for virtual environments can be tricky and there are a lot of misconceptions out there on how to ensure you comply, but. Microsoft takes a shot at vmware with windows server 2016. An installed copy of the windows server 2012 operating system on a hard disk. Licensing microsoft server in a virtual environment youtube. Check with your account team to determine if your specific license agreement covers multiple instances in multiple environments. Microsoft licensing for development and production virtual. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments january 20 3 figure 2. Introduction to microsoft products and volume product.
Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments june 2016 3 figure 2. Feb 16, 2015 how virtualization can get you into software licensing trouble maintaining proper software licensing in virtual environments can be a challenge. For those of you that have virtual environments with microsoft solutions, check the updated microsoft documentation to licensing microsoft server products in virtual environments. Today i was looking up some licensing information for someone and i came across an updated white paper, licensing microsoft server products in virtual environments. Multiplexing hardware, software, or connections does not reduce. Sql server is at the heart of microsoft s business intelligence solution and is required in solutions containing microsoft sharepoint server, microsoft skype for business server and the microsoft system center products. Most large enterprises have already had a taste of negotiating licensing and support policies for software deployed to virtual environments or to cloud platforms. This white paper describes microsoft licensing models for the server operating systems and server applications under virtual environments. You can also visit microsofts product licensing search page for detailed licensing information on individual products and product families, including current. An introduction to microsoft server and client licensing. Fslogix is a set of solutions that enhance, enable, and simplify nonpersistent windows computing environments. For most, licensing concerns focused on deploying server applications to server virtualization infrastructures.
Guide to microsoft server licensing articles and howtos. Software assurance sa provides the right to transfer the product license between physical hosts for most microsoft server products. For specific pricing, contact your microsoft reseller. Products in the microsoft per corecal licensing model of the product terms, for example. Vmware esxesxi, microsoft system center virtual machine manager, virtuozzo and azure hub. Learn the basics of microsoft server licensing, including licensing models and licensing operating system environments. It includes updated references and diagrams to all current microsoft licensed products. Licensing microsoft os and office in virtual environment. Before we continue, if you run or manage virtual environments that have. Apr, 2020 microsoft supports microsoft server software that is running in the supported virtualization environments that are listed in the more information section. To clarify, i want to understand the implications of my planned design with respect to compliance with microsofts current. Microsoft server 2008 licensing and virtual environments.
Windows server licensing for virtual environments windows. Software license management for virtual environments and. Serverwindowswindows server, monthly microsoft azure credits, a developer account for publishing apps to the windows store and an office 365 developer subscription. Guide to system center products and licensing itportal. We refer to the use of software in virtual machines or vms in this brief.
Just as most applications have the same licensing requirements for both physical and virtual environments, server client access licenses usually work the same way in a virtual environment that they do in a physical data center. This was originally published on october 28, 2016, by following changes to microsoft s server licensing models. It can help you understand how to use microsoft server products with virtualization technologies, such as microsoft hyperv technology, microsoft virtual server 2005 r2, or thirdparty virtualization. With microsoft sql server 2012, a new server software licensing model has been introduced that more accurately assesses computing power.
This article discusses the support policy for running microsoft server software in the microsoft azure virtual machine environment infrastructureasaservice. The licence to run windows server in the azure environment is, by default, included in the perminute cost of your windows virtual machine. Pricing and licensing support by windows server sku. Licensing microsoft server in a virtual environment. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments september 2012 5 web workload.
Note the virtual machine for microsoft office groove server relay should be configured to use a physical hard. Aug 25, 2008 today i was looking up some licensing information for someone and i came across an updated white paper, licensing microsoft server products in virtual environments. System center and sql server all of the system center products include sql server technology. A clarification of windows server 2016 license stacking behavior for physical. Microsofts licensing terms for these products allow you to run one instance of the sql server technology in one physical or virtual operating system environment ose on one server, but only to support the system center software. Datacenter edition permits use of the server software in any number of. Virtual environments may include, but are not limited to. Software licensing agreements pose new challenges in virtual server environments where virtual machine cloning and insufficient licensing is common. Technical support boundaries for virtualized or server. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual. Since virtualization is a really hot topic at the moment, and i have recently been asked licensing questions specifically covered in this white paper, i thought it would be useful. Licensing windows server for use with virtualization technologies.
Microsoft server software support for microsoft azure. A workload where the software is used as a frontend web server for development and deployment of internetaccessible web pages, web sites, web applications, and web services and pop3 mail serving and access to. However, for windows server 2012 ecs, under certain conditions, there is a rule for license mobility within a server farm. Oracle technology software licensing server partitioning environments server partitioning environments. You can also visit microsoft s product licensing search page for detailed licensing information on individual products and product families, including current. The hyperv server license microsoft licensing provides special benefits when the server operating systems are used in a virtual environment.
In our license terms, these are virtual operating system environments or. Microsoft license advisor does not list this, it does so only if i select windows 8. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments. A full client environment is virtualized within a serverbased hypervisor. Understanding windows server virtual machine licensing altaro.
The basics of microsoft server licensing, models, and operating system environments. This page provides an overview of microsoft server licensing. Unique virtual licensing models are used across a number of software vendors not all software vendors have a clear position on virtual licensing can easily get out of compliance if not monitored deployments of virtual server are done rapidly with ease, leading to increased software deployments few reporting tools available to. It doesnt supersede or replace any documentation covering configuration manager licensing. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments december 2017 provides an overview of microsoft licensing models for the server operating system and server applications under virtual environments. Mar 20, 2012 from the sql server 2012 licensing quick reference guide march 2012 sql server 2012 offers expanded virtualization rights, options and benefits to provide greater flexibility for customers deploying in virtual environments. Microsoft server software and supported virtualization. For more details on using sql server 2016 in a virtual environment, you can download microsofts sql server 2016 licensing guide here. Windows server licenses are not eligible for license mobility through software assurance, but customers licensing windows server with software assurance can utilize 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. 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. The current licensing rules for microsoft sql server enterprise provide that when licensed under a. Microsoft server software and supported virtualization environments. Instances of software can run on physical or virtual hardware systems. 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. Software and server applications are well beyond what we can reasonably cover on a blog dedicated to hyperv. A workload where the server software is used to run a cluster. Microsoft licensing for virtual environments can be tricky and there are a. According to the licensing agreement, the license can be migrated between the hosts once in 90 days. For the server farm definition and more information about license mobility rules, including a comprehensive list of eligible server and ec licenses, read the licensing microsoft server products in virtual environments volume. Licensing windows server 2012 r2 for use with virtualization. If all four instances you run are in virtual oses, you may also run an instance in the physical ose solely to run hardware virtualization.
This is an update to the licensing microsoft server products in virtual environments volume licensing brief that was published in april 2012. 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. Licensing microsoft server products in any environment can be a challenging undertaking, given the complexity of some of microsofts licensing rules. This brief applies to all microsoft commercial licensing programs.
Physical server showing physical processors, physical cores, and hardware threads high performance computing hpc workload. Windows server licenses are not eligible for license mobility through software assurance, but customers licensing windows server with software assurance can utilize the azure hybrid benefit for a cheaper perminute cost when. Jul 21, 2016 for more details on using sql server 2016 in a virtual environment, you can download microsofts sql server 2016 licensing guide here. Emerset helps enterprises like yours in software licensing, license agreements. Product and licensing faq configuration manager microsoft. Nov 22, 2016 for windows server 2016 standard you are only licensing 2 x virtual oses and that does not grant you license mobility rights to move those virtual servers between hosts. An instance of software is the set of files that make up the software, stored in executable form and ready to run. Licensing windows server 2012 for use with virtualization. Microsoft server software support for microsoft azure virtual. Technical support boundaries for virtualized or serverbased. Licensing microsoft server products in virtual environments. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments december 2017 3 products licensing individual product entries in the product terms to determine if these rights are available for a specific product. When deploying sql server 2012 software in virtualized environments, customers have the choice to license either.
License mobility has been explained in further detail. It contains the hypervisor, windows server driver model, virtualization. Find a strategy to cope or you could find yourself out of compliance and in hot water. Virtualizing sql server on vsphere licensing virtualize. An instance of software is the set of files that make up the software, stored in. For questions related to microsoft server operating systems in a virtual environment, we hope that these documents have provided enough information to get you started. An ose that is configured to run on a virtual or otherwise emulated hardware system. Or make things easier on yourself and give mirazon call at 5022400404 or email us to talk it over with one of our specialists.
Windows server 2008 enterprise and windows server 2008 enterprise without hyperv each software license allows you to run, at any one time, four instances of the server software in four oses on one server. 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 free windows server 2016 datacenter license program is kind of a joke for anyone. This was originally published on october 28, 2016, by following changes to microsofts server licensing models. If you run into issues, adobe customer care can help on a besteffort basis. A virtual processor is a processor in a virtual or otherwise emulated hardware system. Msdn licensing is on a per user basis, so id limit access to any nonproduction virtual machine via active directory user groups. Svvp does not apply to vendors that are hosting windows server or other microsoft products through the microsoft service provider license agreement program. For nonproduction virtual machines, id like to use visual studiomsdn subscriptions to satisfy licensing requirements which include the virtual development server os as well as other software like sql server.
This faq addresses common licensing questions about configuration manager current branch and the longterm servicing branch ltsb versions, available through microsoft volume licensing programs. Software license management for virtual environments and the. This is an update to the licensing microsoft server products in virtual environments volume licensing brief published in may 2011. Im planning my first microsoft hyperv deployment of virtual environments for both nonproduction i. Server in vmware virtual machines on products like vmware. To make matters worse, there is a great deal of misinformation being passed around. The new windows server 2012 licensing for virtual environments, its per cpu model. Licensing microsoft server products for use in virtual environments june 2016 5 figure 4. Windows server 2008 enterprise licenses per server need a license for every windows server you run allows you to run 1 physical and 4 virtual instances on the same server hyperv, vmware server, etc.
Prior versions of the server software instead of windows server 2008 standard windows 2003 r2 etc. May, 2019 software assurance sa provides the right to transfer the product license between physical hosts for most microsoft server products. The remainder of this paper provides an overview of the visual studio product line and the. Microsoft s licensing terms for these products allow you to run one instance of the sql server technology in one physical or virtual operating system environment ose on one server, but only to support the system center software. This support is subject to the microsoft support lifecycle policy. You are locked into buying windows server 2016 datacenter licenses, except in only the smallest of environments. Introduction to microsoft products and volume product licensing.