Windows licensing for fault tolerence

[Alceryes]

I was planning on running 4 VM's in a fault tolerant environment.

I'm now reading that I should get 2, Windows server 2008 R2 Ent. licences because they are counted as seperate servers (even though they are just redundent).

Is this true?

[vmroyale · Accepted solution]

Do you mean 4 virtual machines protected with VMware Fault Tolerance (FT) or using HA to protect them from an ESXi host failure?

Windows Enterprise gets you 4 total licenses for VMs, but it is licensed per ESXi host. So if you have two ESXi hosts, you would need two copies of Windows Enterprise to protect the 4 total VMs. Datacenter is a far better deal, if you plan to have more than 4 VMs.

[Alceryes]

Both VM hosts have 2 physical CPU's so that's 4x datacenter licenses. 2x Enterprise licenses is a much better deal.

We don't plan on loading that many VM's on the hosts.

[Jusplayin]

Hello,

Does this same rule apply to Windows Server 2012 Standard edition?  For example, I want to FT protect 4 VM's across two host, do I need to purchase 2 x Windows Server 2012 Standard edition licenses per each host for a total of 4?  If so, is there a article to EULA you can point me to so I can show the boss?

Thanks

[dzint]

Hello,

im planning to protect 2 VM with Fault Tolerance, OS Guest Windows Server 2012 R2 standard. How many licence must i buy ?

Best regards

[Alceryes]

2012 R2 Std gives you license for 2 virtual servers on ONE physical server (physical server can have up to 2 processor sockets). You will need to buy 1, 2012 R2 Std license for each of your physical servers. If you add any more virtual server 2012 R2 servers to the mix you'll need to buy more licenses.

Microsoft doesn't care if the VM's will only exist on the other server for 5 minutes over the next 2 years. If they ever go live on that server you need to purchase a license to be compliant with Microsoft licensing - period.

Edit - Microsoft has a few confusing licensing articles floating around but I usually just have the vendor I'm dealing with get their MS guy on the line so I can throw scenarios at him and have him explain the depth and breadth of Microsoft's greed.

[dzint]

Thank you for your fast answer

i have two ESXi on the same Cluster, i have Two VM with OS Guest : Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard edition

i must buy 4 licences for Folt tolerance ? if yes, where i must put this licence ???

Best regards