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smittyra
Contributor
Contributor

VM Ware and MS Windows licenses

If I am running two virtual servers in one machine, how many licenses for Windows 2003 Server do I need to buy??

smittyra

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esiebert7625
Immortal
Immortal

Running Windows 2003 you need a license for every instance you have installed. If you are running ESX you don't need a host license you just need licenses for any of your VM's that have 2003 installed. So you only only need 2 licenses for your VM's.

If you run Server you need a license for your host OS and also for your virtual machines. So you would need 3 licenses for 2 VM's + your host.

If you find this post helpful, please award points by clicking the Helpful/Correct buttons...thanks

chandlm
Expert
Expert

Well...it depends Smiley Happy

The normal answer is you need to license just as in a physical world so if this is hosted on ESX it would be two licenses. There are many possible scenarios based on what version of 2003 however.

See the following links:

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/highlights/virtualization/faq.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/calculator.mspx

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/8/9/68964284-864d-4a6d-aed9-f2c1f8f23e14/virtualization_whi...

smittyra
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks that was just what I needed. The link was very special in the answer it lead me to.

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smittyra
Contributor
Contributor

Yes your response was helpful, it sent me to figure out exactly what the environment is that we want to create. APpreciate it.

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