Windows Datacentre License and Vmware

[ranj]

Hi

Got a question with regards to Microsoft Licensing and VMware ESX hosts.

We have a Microsoft schools agreement and a lot of our windows servers are running standard edition. One is running enterprise. All on physical servers.

We are virtualising some of our Windows Servers and schools agreement pricing is very favourable if we buy a datacentre license. Its about £70 and it means we can run an unlimited number of Microsoft server VM's in VMware. compared to enterprise which is only £5 cheaper but only allows you to run a maximum of 4 guests.

Question, I understand that a Windows license for Data centre would be per processor, so if I have 2 physical processorsin each esx host I need to get 2 X datacentre license per ESX host, Is that correct?

If I purchased 6 data centre licenses (3 ESX hosts with 2 physical processors in each), what version of Windows server can be used, I understand its only standard or enterprise, can someone confirm this? Does this cover Windows XP also?

Thanks

[FN-GM]

The host machine has to be Windows Server not VMware ESXito benefit with the licensing. When licensing your VM’s you have to buy one Server OS licence for each host the machine will run on. But if the virtual machines stay static to the server you wont need to do this.

If your host machine is running Windows Server Datacentre i think you can run any version of Windows Server

[ranj]

What about if your running the full ESX hypervisor rather than ESXi? I dont intend to have windows server as a host. Its just that a particular ESX host may have 5/6 windows VM's running hosting a variety of services.

Thanks

[FN-GM]

Sorry i should have made it clear.

To benefit with the unlimited Windows Server Datacentre virtual machines the host machine has to be Windows Server Datacentre edition

[Theblacksheep]

FN The host does not have to be MS. You can run datacenter VMs on ESX.


"In addition to Windows Server and Microsoft Virtual Server, the use rights apply to any virtualization technology or host operating system, although they may need to be acquired, licensed, and supported separately from third-parties."

Pricing and Licensing

[FN-GM]

Sorry i am wrong, has it been changed at any point?

[Theblacksheep]

Sorry i am wrong, has it been changed at any point?

MS did have a change round with some of the licences, quite a few clarifications from MS have been needed over time. VMware: Virtual Reality: January 2009


Ranj - You can get 6 Datacenter Licences for your 3 ESX servers (with 2 CPUs each) and run as many versions of server 2008 (and below if downgrade rights apply).

[ranj]

great thats what I wanted to confirm. I thought that was the case.

Its so confusing especially Microsoft Licensing. You dont know where you stand with this sort of stuff.

Thanks