[windows software] Quick licencing question - Server 2012

[DavePa]

Quick licencing question for Windows server 2012...

 

I have a server that has quad processors. As I understand it both Server 2012 datacentre and standard editions only support 2 processors per licence. Therefore I need 2 licences of whichever version I install. As I want to run 3 guest VMs on this machine I am intending to use standard version on the basis that I need 2 licences for the host OS and each of these gives me the right to run 2 guests OSs.

 

Is that assumption correct?

[VeryPC_Ed]

Quick licencing question for Windows server 2012...

 

I have a server that has quad processors. As I understand it both Server 2012 datacentre and standard editions only support 2 processors per licence. Therefore I need 2 licences of whichever version I install. As I want to run 3 guest VMs on this machine I am intending to use standard version on the basis that I need 2 licences for the host OS and each of these gives me the right to run 2 guests OSs.

 

Is that assumption correct?

 

Hi Dave,

 

That is correct, both licenses are sold in 2 Proc Bundles and in a Quad CPU server you would require 2 of either SKU's.

 

2 x Standard would be the cheapest way to do this to license the 3 VM's although if you are going to run a lot of machines, it maybe worth looking at Datacentre.

 

A good guide is available here http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/7/0/7707E736-4557-4310-9709-87358F7E6D1A/WindowsServer2012VirtualTech_VLBrief.pdf

 

Thanks,

 

Ed

[featured_spectre]

I would say go for datacentre, you can expand as you need too with the licence, so you are not limited. @VeryPC_Ed is right with that. So if you want to add say 2 more VMs in a years time for x reason, you would need to look at more licences anyway, better to have and not need than need and not have (I learnt from experience).l

[fiza]

I would say your assumption is correct.

 

http://download.microsoft.com/download/E/6/4/E64F72BF-55E9-4D85-9EFE-39605D7CE272/WindowsServer2012R2_Licensing_Guide.pdf

[DavePa]

Thanks All, I thought that would be the case. At present we run a DC a file/print and a SQL server and that's what we are replicating onto the new server so 4 VMs should hopefully be enough, at least to start with.

 

I actually have a 2nd identical server that also needs 2 OS licences but only needs to run 2 guests so between the 2 hosts I should have the capacity for 3 further VMs if required.

 

I downloaded and read that PDF before asking the question so I was fairly confident of the answer but thought I ought to make sure

Edited February 17, 2014 by DavePa

[VeryPC_Ed]

Thanks Ed, I thought that would be the case. At present we run a DC a file/print and a SQL server and that's what we are replicating onto the new server so 4 VMs should hopefully be enough, at least to start with.

 

I actually downloaded and read that PDF before asking the question so I was fairly confident of the answer but thought I ought to make sure

 

Hi Dave,

 

No worries - always best to check with these things I find.

 

I'm always amazed at the amount of people who should look before they leap - especially with Microsoft licensing as it can be a minefield!, so props to you for looking into it !

 

Thanks,

 

Ed

[rmistry22]

Hi All,

 

I'm trying to get my head around this at the moment I'll be building two new servers, each probably hosting 3/4 virtual servers, should one server crash, the other should take over and host all machines. Both machines are 2 processor (E5-2665). Is the licencing per processor or per core? i.e for each server do I need 2 licences for datacentre or 8 licences one per core + 8 licences for hyper-threading? And if I just purchase standard licences do I need enough for each server to be able to host 7/8 machines? Arghhhhhh..... confused!

 

Thanks for help in advance.

[Norphy]

Hi All,

 

I'm trying to get my head around this at the moment I'll be building two new servers, each probably hosting 3/4 virtual servers, should one server crash, the other should take over and host all machines. Both machines are 2 processor (E5-2665). Is the licencing per processor or per core? i.e for each server do I need 2 licences for datacentre or 8 licences one per core + 8 licences for hyper-threading? And if I just purchase standard licences do I need enough for each server to be able to host 7/8 machines? Arghhhhhh..... confused!

 

Thanks for help in advance.

 

Windows licenses are per socket, not per core or thread. You need a windows license for every two sockets your server has.

 

So if you have four processors with eight cores each, you have a 32 core server but you still only need two Windows licenses.

[VeryPC_Ed]

Hi All,

 

I'm trying to get my head around this at the moment I'll be building two new servers, each probably hosting 3/4 virtual servers, should one server crash, the other should take over and host all machines. Both machines are 2 processor (E5-2665). Is the licencing per processor or per core? i.e for each server do I need 2 licences for datacentre or 8 licences one per core + 8 licences for hyper-threading? And if I just purchase standard licences do I need enough for each server to be able to host 7/8 machines? Arghhhhhh..... confused!

 

Thanks for help in advance.

 

Hi Rmistry,

 

Essentially you are looking at a Failover Cluster so you will need to license both nodes with Windows Server O/S

 

Both SKU's - Standard and Datacentre are licensed per Processor and sold in 2 Processor Bundles.

 

You need to license the sockets so in your case you will need 1 x Datacentre License per Node.

 

See this for more information - http://download.microsoft.com/download/0/4/B/04BD0EB1-42FE-488B-919F-3981EF9B2101/WS2012_Licensing-Pricing_Datasheet.pdf

 

Thanks,

 

Ed

Edited February 26, 2014 by VeryPC_Ed