Windows Server 2012 Standard/Datacenter Additional License Install (4 cpu) Activate

[dbmix]

I have a 4 x 10 core (80 threads) machine. I've installed windows server datacenter 2012 and now i'm only able to use 2 cpu. Windows server datacenter 2012 only allows 2 cpu per license key. I do have 2 license key but i got no idea where to input the 2nd key. I'm only using 1 license right now. When i use cinebench, the cpu usage stays at 50% in the task manager.

I've been searching everywhere for an answer. Can anyone help me?

[john]

How do you know it is only using the 2 CPUs out of interest? From what I can find its just a paperwork exercise the CPU locking nothing more than that.

 

The Task Manager in 2012 has changed and doesn't show each CPU anymore like it did in previous OS's

[dbmix]

Its using only 50% cpu for sure.. It shouldn't use 100% anyway as I did not input the 2nd product key yet, which is my question exactly! where do I insert the 2nd key in?

[tmcd35]

Have a look in task manager and see how menu CPU cores are showing. I think the fact it's only using 50% of the available resource is a coincidence not a licensing issue. @john is right, it's a paperwork issue. You don't to put a second license key in anywhere. It would have worked even if you'd bought only 1 license - it's just that Microsoft would have been very, very unhappy with you

[CHR1S]

 

Should show something like that

[dbmix]

task man detects all 4 processors with 80 logical processor.. I've tried cpu-z and only 2 processors are being used.. its varies from time to time what processors are being used..

 

1 more thing:

I also installed windows server 2008 r2 which allows 4 processors simultaneously but with a max of 64 logical processors and my cinebench score is 30 whereas on the server 2012 i score 18 only.

 

Its not just paperwork. They do lock the processors.

[DMcCoy]

Is it Intel CPUs with hyperthreading?

[dbmix]

Yes.. They are Xeons processors.. E7-8870.. four of them. 40 cores (80 logical cores) total.. Edited July 19, 2013 by dbmix

[CHR1S]

No CPU lock out -

 

Licenses and Physical Hardware

 

Client Access Licenses (CALs) remain required for access to Windows Server 2012. Therefore, CAL requirements have not changed. As in the past, CALs must be equivalent or higher in version as compared to the Windows Server version being accessed. Therefore, Windows Server 2012 requires Windows Server 2012 CALS. Licensing requirements for Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and Active Directory Rights Management Service (ADRMS) remain the same and still require appropriate CALs for access.

 

What is different is what the Windows Server license provides. A single license for either available edition provides use of up to two physical processors. If you have additional physical processors in the same server, simply assign additional licenses for Windows Server 2012 for the edition purchased as needed for the additional set of physical processors. When I say ‘assign’ another license, I might as well say allocate because this is for licensing compliance. Currently you can only register one license key per server. Just make certain you have enough licenses purchased to cover the number of physical processors and for any virtualization needs (discussed in the next section). Remember, each license provides for up to two additional physical processors. The number of cores available per processor is irrelevant. If you have an odd number of physical processors, you can’t purchase server licenses for individual physical processors; they cover up to two. For purposes of example, if you assign four Windows Server 2012 Standard edition licenses to the same server, that server is licensed for use of eight physical processors and as many cores per physical processor as the OS will support.

 

Windows Server and Processor Cores

Edited July 19, 2013 by CHR1S

[tmcd35]

Yes.. They are Xeons processors.. E7-8870.. four of them. 40 cores (80 logical cores) total..

 

[DMcCoy]

Yes.. They are Xeons processors.. E7-8870.. four of them. 40 cores (80 logical cores) total..

 

Then I should think It's 2012 being more careful with the CPU scheduling under load to only the physical cores. I suggest you try another application to see if the task is scheduled on all the virtual cores too.

[dbmix]

here is a screen shot.

[Hefferzzzz]

Isnt it licenced per core now? Or is that SQL? Or is it just too late on a Friday afternoon??

[Hefferzzzz]

Why wont my quote or edit buttons work?

 

It is per CPU and SQL is per core.

[DMcCoy]

Well it's pretty obvious from the screenshot

 

Cinebench does not recognise your cpu correctly

 

It says 16 cores, 32 threads. It's probably not starting enough threads to utilise all the cores.

[dbmix]

It is licensed per cpu. I'm not using sql. And I do have 2 licenses. I don't know if i need to insert both license or something..

[dbmix]

on windows server 2008 r2 its still say 16 cores but it uses 64 threads total.. and i'm scoring 30 on the server 2008 r2.. whereas server 2012 i'm scoring 18. Edited July 19, 2013 by dbmix

[dbmix]

On windows server 2008 R2 it still say 32 threads but uses all 64 thread that server 2008 r2 is limited to. I'm scoring 30 on server 2008 r2 and scoring 18 on server 2012.

 

its only that cinebench doesn't say the proper number of threads being used. please see the picture for scores.

[DMcCoy]

The problem appears to be Cinebench only supporting 64 threads. USE SOMETHING ELSE.

 

Different scores on 2008/2012 could be due to many things, you need to try a more reliable benchmark to tell.

[CHR1S]

It is licensed per cpu. I'm not using sql. And I do have 2 licenses. I don't know if i need to insert both license or something..

 

Or you could just read my earlier post which explains everything?

[dbmix]

Yes!

 

i'm using hyper-v and i'm able to get 64 threads out of 80. Without hyper-v server 2012 i can't use 100% cpu usage for some reason.. but it is using all the processors, just not the full power. something to do with cpu scheduling??

Edited July 22, 2013 by dbmix

[CHR1S]

I'm starting to get the impression that you're not entirely sure what you're doing. You seem to focus on using all the cores/threads in one go and when a program fails to do this you're panicking.

 

Can we start again, list what you are trying to achieve in what program?

We have worked out that you are licenced and that you can only input one licence by design and your not penalised by doing this.

We have also worked out that cinebench only supports 64 threads.

 

So, what else do we need to know?

[dbmix]

Dude.. Panicking is a pretty big word for what I'm going through..

 

But anyway.. My problem is i'm unable to get 100% cpu usage from softwares i'm using like 3ds max and cinema 4d. The softwares are supposed to allows max cpu usage. Windows server 2012 isn't allowing this. Without hyper-v installed i'm unable to use more than 50% cpu usage. With hyper-v installed i'm able to use 64 threads only on the OS. I'm not using any VMs and don't really need more than 1 user on my OS..

 

Any info about this issue would help me greatly.

 

Thx

[tmcd35]

@dbmix, stop worrying. You have 80 cores!!! getting 100% CPU usage is very, very, very difficult. Build 80 virtual machines and run 3DMax inside each of them at the same time and you might have a stab of achieving it.

 

For comparison my best server: 24 cores and 96Gb Ram. It's currently sitting at 18% CPU utilisation and 33% Ram utilisation. It's running 12 virtual machines including about 5-6 SQL servers and a pretty beffy Terminal Server (Quad-core, 16Gb max (I think)).

 

As others have said the software your testing with probably wasn't written with that configuration in mind. Resource Monitor is showing everything present and correct, that's all that really matters.

[dbmix]

@dbmix, stop worrying. You have 80 cores!!! getting 100% CPU usage is very, very, very difficult. Build 80 virtual machines and run 3DMax inside each of them at the same time and you might have a stab of achieving it.

 

For comparison my best server: 24 cores and 96Gb Ram. It's currently sitting at 18% CPU utilisation and 33% Ram utilisation. It's running 12 virtual machines including about 5-6 SQL servers and a pretty beffy Terminal Server (Quad-core, 16Gb max (I think)).

 

As others have said the software your testing with probably wasn't written with that configuration in mind. Resource Monitor is showing everything present and correct, that's all that really matters.

 

Thx tmcd35..

 

that's what i thought.. what would be the best config you reckon?? 2 vms (1. 64 logical cores, 2. 16 logical cores) or 80 vms rendering parallel with the softwares??

 

windows server 2012 hyper-v supports up to 64 logical (Virtual) processors on the vm apparently..

Hyper-V Scalability in Windows Server 2012

 

that kinda sugars..