CALs and 2K8 R2 Datacenter Virtual Instances

[vladker]

Hello all,

 

Do you need to buy CALs for each virtual instance of Server 2k8 R2, or do you need to just buy CALs for the Host OS (e.g 2k8 R2 Datacenter)

 

To me this seems a simple question, but google has failed me. I am going to be completly replacing the server infrastructure in my school. Its going to be highly visualised and hence my attention has been drawn to the datacenter edition because of the virtualisation rights. I am hoping to increase the number of server instances to make it simpler to manage and more resistant to failure. However, if I have to purchase CALs for each instance, then it might be too expensive to do so.

 

Please give me good news.

 

FYI: I don't have an EES, traditionally we have bought through our LEA.

[glennda]

Wait a week and buy server 2012 licenses (you can use 2008) and its so much more cost effective.

[Firefox]

Oh the joys of Microsoft Licensing.

 

Hopefully this helps shed some light on the subject Licensing Windows Server in a Virtual Environment - virtualboy blog - Site Home - TechNet Blogs

 

The biggest change for the Datacenter Edition is that it's licensed per processsor and not per physical server

[glennda]

basicly with Server 2012 if you purchase the datacenter version you are then entitled to run as many vm's are you require on a two socket server. If you have 3 virtual hosts then you need to buy 3 datacenter licenses you can run as many vm's as you like on three hosts.

[vladker]

Thanks all' particularly the link. I'm still confused about the cal situation. Eg for each pc, do I need a call for every VM ? Or have I fundamentally misunderstood the way cals work.

[Arthur]

If you have 500 PCs that access servers running Windows Server 2012, you have to buy 500 Windows Server 2012 CALs.

[plexer]

Depends on if ms still do per seat or per user licencing on the cals.

 

Ben

[oxide54]

basicly with Server 2012 if you purchase the datacenter version you are then entitled to run as many vm's are you require on a two socket server. If you have 3 virtual hosts then you need to buy 3 datacenter licenses you can run as many vm's as you like on three hosts.

 

is each server license 2 socket now?

[glennda]

is each server license 2 socket now?

 

With 2012 server os yes. unsure on products like sql. You license per physical host

 

1 Standard edition license covers a single physical dual socket host and 2 vm's (you can assign multiple standard licenses to a physical host).

 

Datacenter edition entitles you to as many vm's on a single physical dual socket host.

 

The catcha is that with it being licensed per physical host - if you have a 3 node cluster and want to be able to live migrate between all you need to license each host for the total count of VM's.

 

I.e if you have 3 node cluster with with 20 vm's loadbalanced you would need to buy 3 datacenter licenses or 10 x standard licenses for each host (so 30 in all allowing 60 vm's)

 

RRP's

Datacenter $4,809

Standard $882

 

More explained in attached pdf

So basicaly as soon as you go above licensing 10 vm's (5 x standard licenses) its cheaper to buy datacenter.

ws2012_licensing-pricing_faq.pdf

Edited October 24, 2012 by glennda

[Arthur]

is each server license 2 socket now?

Yes. Microsoft changed it because it was confusing.

 

For Datacenter there is 1 change: You buy 1 copy of Datacenter and it includes 2 processors. The whole minimum-of-2-procs-per-host thing confused people. So Microsoft consolidated the 2 licenses into 1 and left the price at $4,809. We continue to have the unlimited virtualization licensing. That means if you buy 1 copy of Datacenter for a 2 CPU host (any virtualisation) and you get unlimited installations of Windows Server 2012 or lower (any edition) for unlimited VMs on that host … no changes there! (Source)

 

Edit. Also worth mentioning is that if your Hyper-V hosts run Windows Server 2012, but all of your VMs run Windows Server 2008 R2, you don't need to buy Server 2012 CALs.

 

You only buy CALs for the services your users/devices are accessing. Your users don't access Hyper-V. You can buy WS2012 for your hosts, and continue to run WS2008 R2 in your VMs. If no VM runs WS2012 as the guest OS, then your W2008 R2 CALs are OK. But upgrade a virtual Exchange, a virtual SharePoint, or a virtual file server to WS2012 and you’ll need WS2012 CALs. (Source)

Edited October 24, 2012 by Arthur

[Arthur]

unsure on products like SQL.

SQL Server is now licensed per core or per VM.

 

http://i.imgur.com/KDBgB.png

 

http://i.imgur.com/1jpIA.png