2008r2 standard hyper-v confusion

[edutech4schools]

I am confused about the hyper-v licencing in 2008r2 standard.

 

Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard

– A customer licensed with Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard may run one instance of the server software in the physical operating system environment (POSE) and one instance of the server software in a virtual operating system environment (VOSE). If the customer is running the instance in the VOSE then the instance running in the POSE can only be used to manage the instance of the OS running in the VOSE.

 

OK so we seem to need separate licences for each vm and standard comes with one.

 

Why does it say the physical machine can only be used to manage the virtual machine? Do you in effect get a free copy of server 2008r2? So with my single copy I can install the os, install hyper-v role and then using the same licence install 2008r2 as a vm?

 

What if I have purchased 2 copies of 2008r2 can I install this with all the server roles (ad, DNS) and then using my other licence install 2008r2 as a vm, so both servers have roles?

 

NB Just woken up so the above might not make much sense.

[Rozzer]

If you buy an enterprise license you can add 4 VMS for no extra cost or you can buy data centre and have as many as you like.

 

Ross

[Arthur]

The following link does a great job of explaining the licensing...

 

Licensing Windows Server in a Virtual Environment

[Michael]

Think about it like this - you have real physical server licenses and these are bundled with an additional 'free' virtual server license.

 

So with 2008 R2 Standard - One purchased physical license, includes one free virtual license. You couldn't use the virtual license as a second physical license. For this you'd need two purchased physical licenses.

[edutech4schools]

from the linked page:

What that means is, when I

assign

a Windows Server 2008 Standard license to a physical box, I get the added benefit of not only being able to install the Windows Server 2008 OS on the physical hardware (and thus enable the Hyper-V Role), but I also get 1 free Windows Server guest OS, which can be

Windows Server 2008 Standard or Downgraded

 

and

 

So, in the example directly above, that physical box, with Windows Server 2008 Standard & Hyper-V running on it, can only be used to support the VM(s) above it, and not be providing

other

infrastructure features into the environment, such as Active Directory, Domain Controller, Web Server etc. It should be used purely for Hyper-V and managing the VMs running on it.

 

So if I purchase 1 server 2008r2 licence, install this on to the hardware, only enable hyper-v role, I can then install server 2008r2 as a full server with all roles as a vm without having had to purchase another licence.

[Arthur]

Correct.

 

How many Windows VMs do you need to create?

[edutech4schools]

If I was to get enterprise and install roles on this physical box, does that mean I can not install any virtual servers without additional licence.

 

If I was not to install the roles on the physical box I can then install up to 4 virtual servers.

 

Is that correct?

[sonofsanta]

What I've never understood is what licence key you give to the VM. Do you just give it the same MAK key or let it activate against KMS? They still whine about activation so it needs something

[plexer]

Install the free d/l of core with Hyper-V doesn't need you to use one of your keys then.

 

Ben