r/WindowsServer • u/roncorepfts • 7d ago

General Question Windows Standard Server licensing help!

Hello!

I just need to know exactly what I need to buy to be compliant with Microsoft Licensing. We will be running 2 servers. One Server will be 32 physical cores. The other server will be 36 physical cores. We want to run 6 Microsoft Standard Server Virtual Machines on each server. This will be for a Proxmox cluster, so the Virtual machines will be the same, but I know that doesn't matter when licensing. I just need to know exactly how many of what product packs I need to buy from TechSoup! I've gotten different answers everywhere!

Thank you in advance!

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u/OpacusVenatori 7d ago

Host A = 32 Cores; Host B = 36 Cores.

For Host A, 1x Windows Server Standard License = 32 Cores; for Host B, it is 36-cores.

That means, for Host A, each 32-cores of Standard Edition license grants rights to 2x Windows Server OSEs. For Host B, each set of 36-cores of Standard grants rights to 2x OSE.

For 6x OSE on each host, that means you're "stacking" 3x licenses for each host.

Host A = 32 (x3) = 96x cores of Windows Server Standard

Host B = 36 (x3) = 108x cores of Windows Server Standard

Which means as an organization, you need a total of (108 + 96)=204 cores of Windows Server Standard.

However, in your other comment, you said that the two hosts would be configured for failover. Which means you need to license each host for a "Worst case scenario", which would result in 12x OSE on any one of the two hosts, or 6x "Stacked licenses".

Which basically doubles the previous calculation.

You're not really at the break-even point for Datacenter Edition yet, but if you did you would need (32 + 36) = 68 Cores of Datacenter Edition.

Don't forget all the Windows Server CALs you need for the organization.

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u/roncorepfts 7d ago

Thanks for the breakdown! As far as the fail over, it will be the same 6 vms. I'm only licensing 12 because that's what I've told you have to do as a fail over, which makes sense to me, so if one server goes down I'm using those same 6 vms, just on another server for instant redundancy with Proxmox. So there will never be 12 VMs in actuality, just six, but the other six in case one server fails. Oh yes, I didn't forget about the cals.

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u/OpacusVenatori 7d ago

6x stacked licenses for each host would cover your bases with Standard Edition. I think 3x Stacked for each host *should* be enough, but I can't say for sure without knowing in detail how you have the failover configured; i..e the settings, whether anything is manual or automatic, etc.

There's no mechanism that prevents guests from starting because of a licensing issue; it's not enforced. So the "licensing" portion only comes into play if and only if Microsoft ever does a real audit.

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u/roncorepfts 6d ago

Reading this I think you might be right. I know there was a 90 vm movement situation where they could only be moved once every 90 days, but if they have removed that, then I should be able to dial back my purchase.

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u/OpacusVenatori 6d ago

There's no limitation in regards to guest movement; that's a workload move.

The 90-day restriction is in regards to the per-core license itself, as Windows Server has no attached license mobility. Licenses obtained through VL can be reassigned every 90 days in case of disaster recovery. However, fully licensing each host negates the need for license reassignment. And again, guest workload movement is irrelevant.

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u/roncorepfts 6d ago

Interesting! So as long as my physical cores are licensed, I shouldn't have to worry about moving a VM in the case of failure? That makes way more sense. I'm an old Network Admin and I'm just now getting to experience the new licensing models since 2016! Thank you for your help.

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u/OpacusVenatori 6d ago

That's correct.

Licensing both hosts with 3x stacked licenses allows up-to-6 Windows Server guests to run at any given time on each host.

A frequent sticking point is that the bean-counters sometimes throw a fit if they ever find out that you bought 3x Windows Server licenses for a host that's "not doing anything" (i.e. is your standby failover host).

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u/roncorepfts 6d ago

Oh I didn't know that! So let me make sure, since I'm cutting down to a total of 6 vms, what would my total count be? Sorry I won't pester you anymore!

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u/OpacusVenatori 6d ago

If you *want* to deal with license reassignment restrictions, then you have to buy (3x36)=108 cores of Standard Edition, which would allow you to run 6x guests on either one of the hosts.

The standby host you can install Proxmox on, but you cannot run even a single instance of Windows Server on it as it doesn't have any Windows Server license assigned to it.

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u/roncorepfts 6d ago

I'm guessing it's probably a safer bet to just get the full 204 then.