KMS Question

[ironmaidenrule]

Hi All,

 

Have been lurking in the shadows and decided it was time to sign up and join in.

 

I have a quick question to ask regarding KMS.

 

I know KMS client machine contacts the server side client to validate the license to make sure it is active.

 

What happens if I License 20 machines that in a few years are no longer needed and go out of commission..will I get these 20 licenses back to reuse?

 

Thanks.

[simpsonj]

I think, and I might be very wrong on this, that its the KMS Server that counts, rather than the clients attached to it. But if anyone has a difinitive answer I'd be very interested too!

[glennda]

I was told that the KMS server will just keep activating machines - and its up to you to ensure that you purchase enough licenses to cover yourselves and you can reuse them as you would with xp etc

[ironmaidenrule]

I was told that the KMS server will just keep activating machines - and its up to you to ensure that you purchase enough licenses to cover yourselves and you can reuse them as you would with xp etc

 

Thanks for that, was slightly concerned that once a machine is activated it will take that one key away forever, regardless of it dying or being decommissioned....etc.

[glennda]

that was my concern - i cant remember who told me but it was somebody on here in a thread i started

[ZeroHour]

Thanks for that, was slightly concerned that once a machine is activated it will take that one key away forever, regardless of it dying or being decommissioned....etc.

 

Basically KMS doesnt really care, it does not know nor report how many clients you have. All it cares about is having the minimum count to activate that edition. For example for KMS to activate servers you need 5 as the count where as windows desktop is 20/25 but many dont realise that if you had say 25 servers activated it would allow desktop to activate as well as the count is over the number required and the count does not care what edition is activated, they are not exclusive counts. If a client doesnt activate/reactivate every 90 (I think) days then it gets removed and the count decreases by one which can cause an issue if you go under the minimum but other then that your fine.

 

Basically put KMS doesnt tell MS how many pc's you have or care as long as its over the min. Machines will be removed from the count total when they are replaced automatically.