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khughes
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Windows Server Licensing

I've been reading up and there have been seeing mixed answers in the threads. Has the 90 days per vMotion been lifted? Trying to figure out what license edition I'll need to purchase to be on Microsofts greedy, yet good graces...

-- Kyle

"RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "

-- Kyle "RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "
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Dave_Mishchenko
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This document is linked to from W2K8 R2 pages on ms.com. Note that the 90 day limit has not been removed for Windows.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/9/5/695BA00D-C790-4C90-813A-F10539D97991/Application_Server...

This is accomplished by allowing customers to reassign licenses freely across servers within a server farm. The changes apply to software licenses for certain server applications and all external connector (EC) licenses. In these cases, the limitation on short-term (90 days or less) license reassignment is waived. This change does not apply to software licenses for the Windows Server® operating system, Client Access Licenses (CALs), User Subscription Licenses (USLs), Device Subscription Licenses (DSLs), Add-on Subscription Licenses (Add-on SLs), or Management Licenses (MLs). This change applies only to licenses acquired under a Volume Licensing program. It does not apply to licenses acquired through other retail sources.

This document defines the prohibition against short term moves (less than 90 day) - http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/C/A/FCAB58A9-CCAD-4E0A-A673-88A5EE74E2CC/Licensing_Microsof....

As I read it, if I'm moving Windows then I need a license for each physical host (whether that be standard, ent or DC). Products like SQL / Exchange can be moved anytime as long as the running instance is licensed (i.e. the license follows the VM and is not tied to a host).






Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

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vmroyale
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You should have posted this one in the "legal" forum! Smiley Happy

Brian Atkinson | vExpert | VMTN Moderator | Author of "VCP5-DCV VMware Certified Professional-Data Center Virtualization on vSphere 5.5 Study Guide: VCP-550" | @vmroyale | http://vmroyale.com
khughes
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Ok Mr. Moderator, go ahead and move me to that "legal" section. In all seriousness I'm looking for the true legal answers, I know its a blurred line that not everyone follows but if one was to follow the EULA 100% what would the direction be? We're looking to upgrade a few servers from 2000 to 2003 (downgrade 2008 lic) or 2008.

-- Kyle

"RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "

-- Kyle "RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "
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Dave_Mishchenko
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This document is linked to from W2K8 R2 pages on ms.com. Note that the 90 day limit has not been removed for Windows.

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/9/5/695BA00D-C790-4C90-813A-F10539D97991/Application_Server...

This is accomplished by allowing customers to reassign licenses freely across servers within a server farm. The changes apply to software licenses for certain server applications and all external connector (EC) licenses. In these cases, the limitation on short-term (90 days or less) license reassignment is waived. This change does not apply to software licenses for the Windows Server® operating system, Client Access Licenses (CALs), User Subscription Licenses (USLs), Device Subscription Licenses (DSLs), Add-on Subscription Licenses (Add-on SLs), or Management Licenses (MLs). This change applies only to licenses acquired under a Volume Licensing program. It does not apply to licenses acquired through other retail sources.

This document defines the prohibition against short term moves (less than 90 day) - http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/C/A/FCAB58A9-CCAD-4E0A-A673-88A5EE74E2CC/Licensing_Microsof....

As I read it, if I'm moving Windows then I need a license for each physical host (whether that be standard, ent or DC). Products like SQL / Exchange can be moved anytime as long as the running instance is licensed (i.e. the license follows the VM and is not tied to a host).






Dave

VMware Communities User Moderator

Now available - vSphere Quick Start Guide

Do you have a system or PCI card working with VMDirectPath? Submit your specs to the Unofficial VMDirectPath HCL.

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khughes
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Thanks Dave appreciate the links and the clarification.

-- Kyle

"RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "

-- Kyle "RParker wrote: I guess I was wrong, everything CAN be virtualized "
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FredPeterson
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As the previous links explain - in many cases it simply makes sense to license your ESX hosts for Windows Enterprise or Datacenter (depending upon the inflection point of price per windows OS per host)

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