[windows software] Windows Server licensing utilization on VMware ESXi

[albertwt]

Hi All,

 

Suppose i got the Windows Server serial numbers with both type of serial (Physical and virtual) and the server is using VMware ESXi, can i deploy a VM using the physical serial number as well ?

 

the number of running Windows instance is still the same as the serial number though.

 

can anyone confirms this if possible ?

 

Thanks.

[albertwt]

example I've purchased Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter edition which gives me 1x Physical license and 4x Virtual license so in total i can deploy 5 VM of this OS on VMware ESXi ?

[Theblacksheep]

2008 enterprise is limited to 4 virtual instances. 2008 Datacenter = as many as you can get on your host.

[albertwt]

yes i understand that, but in this case i was just wondering what is the option in case the datacenter license is not viable at the moment.

[Ric_]

@albertwt: Enterprise edition allows you to run 4 virtual instances on one physical host. The 'physical license' is simply there for if you decide to run Hyper-V as your hypervisor. If you have a second host that will potentially host the VMs (perhaps you will use V-motion?) then you will also need to license the VMs on that host.

 

If you have multiple hosts in a pool, your options are:

1x Windows Server Standard license per VM x number of hosts

1x Windows Server Enterprise licence per 4 VMs x number of hosts

1x Windows Server Datacenter license per physical processor

[albertwt]

Thanks for the reply Ric, i guess by getting the Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition simplifies everything :-o)

[BIST]

Just to clarify on the above answers Ric is correct but the only information missing is that although Datacentre is licensed per processor it still requires CALS same as all the other windows Server licences.

 

also here is Microsofts exact answer on your question

If I have one license for Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard and want to run it in a virtual operating system environment, can I continue running it in the physical operating system environment?

 

A. Yes, with Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, you may run one instance in the physical operating system environment and one instance in the virtual operating system environment; however, the instance running in the physical operating system environment may be used only to run hardware virtualization software, provide hardware virtualization services, or to run software to manage and service operating system environments on the licensed server.

 

Shaun Dibble

VSP MCP

[albertwt]

great, thanks for the clarification man

[tmcd35]

1x Windows Server Datacenter license per physical processor

 

I think it's worth re-iterating this.

 

Server DC and Server Ent cost the same for schools, about £180 per copy last time I looked. However Enterprise is 1 copy for the server no matter how meny physical CPU's it has, but limited to 4 VM's per copy.

 

And Datacenter is unlimited VM's but you need a copy for each physical CPU.

 

So if you want to run 8 VM's and have 4 CPU's - two copies of Enterprise is cheaper.

If you have 2 CPU's then Datacenter is the same price but allows you to run more VM's.

 

And again, that's Physical processors, not cores - so 1xQuad Core processor needs 1xDatacenter license, but 2xDual Core processors would need 2xDatacenter licenses even though they are the same number of cores.

[jamesfed]

I was under the impression that Microsoft Virtual Licences for Server only applied if you were running Hyper-V?

Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter Edition Overview - just under where it says Large-Scale Virtualization and if true I'd of thought it applies to lower versions too.

[BIST]

Hyper V is Microsoft Virtualisation hypervisor which is equivalent to VMwares ESX and ESXi Hypervisors.

 

The hypervisor is software kernel that sits directly on the hardware and then the windows server OS enviroments sit on top of the hypervisor.

 

and tmcd35 is correct in that datacentre is not always best, it is always best to cross check number of virtual enviroments against number of physical processor.

 

Shaun

Edited October 13, 2010 by BIST

[jamesfed]

This should give you a rough idea about processor lics - naturaly its not for the education world but should give some idea as to how it all works.

Windows Server 2008 R2: Virtualization Licensing Calculators

[Chris_]

This should give you a rough idea about processor lics - naturaly its not for the education world but should give some idea as to how it all works.

Windows Server 2008 R2: Virtualization Licensing Calculators

 

Sorry to bump an old thread but looking at those licensing calculators... If I have a server running ESXi and I have a copy of Server 2008 R2 Standard, I can run two VM's of Server 2008 R2 Standard with the one license?

[DMcCoy]

No. It's VM environment + 1, if you choose not to use windows as the host, you aren't freeing up another license.

 

Q. If I have one license for Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard and want to run it in a virtual operating system environment, can I continue running it in the physical operating system environment?

 

A.

Yes, with Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, you may run one instance in the physical operating system environment and one instance in the virtual operating system environment; however, the instance running in the physical operating system environment may be used only to run hardware virtualization software, provide hardware virtualization services, or to run software to manage and service operating system environments on the licensed server.

[Ric_]

@Chris_: One license of standard server allows you to run one instance of windows (i.e. ESXi and one server VM).

[Chris_]

Have a look at this calculator: WindowsServerCalculator

 

Change the virtualisation technology used to be 3rd party bare metal hypervisor, add 2x VM's and then it says that you need 1 license of Server 2008 R2 Standard

Edited November 27, 2010 by Chris_
spelling error

[DMcCoy]

Then it doesn't tie up with their documentation.

 

"Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard

Each software license allows you to run, at any one time, one instance of the server software in an OSE on one server. If the instance you run is in a virtual OSE, you may also run an instance in the physical OSE solely to run hardware virtualization software, provide hardware virtualization services, or run software to manage and service OSEs on the licensed server. We refer to this in shorthand as 1+1."

 

"However, unlike Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise, each license for Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard allows you to run only one instance in the physical OSE and one instance in the virtual OSE. If you run the two instances, the instance running in the physical OSE is restricted to running hardware virtualization software, providing hardware virtualization services, or running software to manage and service OSEs on the licensed server."

 

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/volume-licensing-briefs.aspx#tab=4

 

"Licensing Windows Server 2008 to Run with Virtualization Technologies"

 

Also listed as one in "Licensing peak Capacity" in the "Licensing Microsoft Server Products in Virtual Environments" document.

[oxide54]

A. Yes, with Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, you may run one instance in the physical operating system environment and one instance in the virtual operating system environment; however, the instance running in the physical operating system environment may be used only to run hardware virtualization software, provide hardware virtualization services, or to run software to manage and service operating system environments on the licensed server.

 

I read that as I can install ESXi install one windows server VM standard and then do a physcial installation of windows server on my workstation and install the RSAT tools and VSPhere client as I am them using that physical machine to manage the host??

 

I don't think thats true but thats how it reads to me,

[DMcCoy]

I read that as I can install ESXi install one windows server VM standard and then do a physcial installation of windows server on my workstation and install the RSAT tools and VSPhere client as I am them using that physical machine to manage the host??

 

I don't think thats true but thats how it reads to me,

 

You have to assign the license to *one* physical host.