Windows Server 2012
SPLA Licensing FAQ
What’s new for Windows Server 2012 licensing in SPLA?
As part of the alignment with the Microsoft Private Cloud licensing model, Windows Server 2012 and
Microsoft System Center 2012 will have the same licensing structure.
 Server licenses will be based on a processor model.
 Each license will be assigned to a single physical server and covers one physical processor. Each
processor in the server must be licensed.
 Windows Server 2012 Standard Edition and Windows Server 2012 Datacenter Edition will be
differentiated by virtualization rights only (one for Standard; unlimited for Datacenter).
 Windows Server 2012 Datacenter allows you to run an unlimited number of Windows Server instances
on the licensed server.
 Windows Server 2012 Standard allows you to run one Windows Server instance on the licensed
server.
What’s the difference between Windows Server Standard Edition and
Datacenter Edition?
Both Standard and Datacenter editions provide the same set of features. What differentiates the editions
is the number of Virtual Machines (VMs). Standard Edition license will entitle you to run one VM on a
physical server (subject to the VM terms outlined in the Services Provider Use Rights document), while a
Datacenter Edition license will entitle you to run an unlimited number of VMs on a physical server.
How do I determine which Windows Server 2012 Edition is right
for me?
Since each edition (Standard and Datacenter) offers the same features and is only differentiated based on
virtualization rights, choosing between the two will be based on your virtualization strategy. If your
strategy depends on a highly virtualized environment, Datacenter Edition would be an appropriate choice,
as it provides you with optimum flexibility with its unlimited capacity for virtualization. If your strategy
depends primarily on a physical environment, Standard Edition provides you with the same full features as
Datacenter Edition, but with fewer virtualization rights.
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What features are now available in Windows Server 2012 Standard
that were previously only available in Windows Server 2008 R2
Enterprise and Datacenter Editions?
There are a variety of new features in the Windows Server 2012 Standard Edition product; here are just a
few examples of what was previously available only in the premium editions.
 Windows Server Failover Clustering
 BranchCache Hosted Cache Server
 Active Directory Federated Services
 Additional Active Directory Certificate Services capabilities
 Distributed File Services (support for more than 1 DFS root)
 DFS-R Cross-File Replication
For more information about Windows Server capabilities, see www.microsoft.com/en-us/servercloud/windows-server/v8-capabilities.aspx
How do I calculate the number of licenses I need for a server?
The number of licenses you will need depends on the number of physical processors there are on the
server, and the number of instances that you will be running (this only applies to Standard Edition, since
Datacenter Edition allows for unlimited VMs).
Determining the number of physical processor licenses
Each license covers one physical processor, so you must count the number of physical processors on
the server.
Here are some examples:
 You have a 2-processor server. You will need two licenses to cover a 2-processor server.
 You have a 4-processor server. You will need four licenses to cover a 4-processor server.
Determining the number of virtual instances running
If you want to run additional VMs and you do not require the highly virtualized environment that
Datacenter provides (which has unlimited VMs), then you can purchase additional Standard Edition
licenses for each processor and assign them all to a single physical server to increase your VM entitlement
on that server.
For example, for Standard Edition, if you assign two Standard Edition licenses to a 2-processor server, you
will be able to run 1 VM on that server. If you add 2 additional Standard Edition licenses to that server, the
number of allowed VMs on that particular server will increase by one.
Here are some examples:
 You have a 2-processor server with 4 VMs. You will need eight licenses for 4 VMs on a 2-processor
server.
 You have a 2-processor server with 6 VMs. You will need twelve licenses for 6 VMs on a 2-processor
server.
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Can I split my Windows Server 2012 license across multiple servers?
No. Each license can only be assigned to a single physical server.
Can I assign a Windows Server 2012 license to a virtual machine?
No. A license is assigned to the physical server. Each license will cover one physical processor.
Can I mix Datacenter and Standard licenses on the same server?
No. All of the processors on a given server must be licensed with the same version and edition. You can
run different editions or older versions of Windows Server software as guests within VMs. But you cannot
assign multiple licenses of different versions or editions to the same physical server to license the
processors on the server.
Is Enterprise Edition going away as part of Windows Server 2012,
and why?
Yes. Enterprise edition will be retiring as part of the Windows Server 2012 release. There are a few reasons
for this change. First, we wanted all of our customers to have access to the features that were previously
only available in our premium editions. Next, we found that virtual machine density is continuing to grow,
limiting the value of a 4 VM package. And, we are able to simplify our offering by consolidating the
available editions into two (Standard and Datacenter) and only differentiate based on a customer’s
virtualization needs.
Is Web Server going away as part of Windows Server 2012, and why?
Yes. Consistent feedback from customers and partners has been that they prefer to use an edition of
Windows Server that does not restrict usage to running web workloads.
Is HPC Server OS going away as part of Windows Server 2012,
and why?
Yes. We are delivering enhancements for HPC in both cloud and on-premise environments through a free
downloadable pack. As a result, we are eliminating HPC Server OS with the release of Windows Server
2012. Customers who want to run HPC workloads will have the ability to do so with Windows Server
(Standard or Datacenter editions) and the HPC Pack 2008 R2 Express. (Click here for a free download.)
Is the Subscriber Access License (SAL) SKU going away from the
Windows Server 2012 Standard and Datacenter, and why?
Yes. Windows Server 2012 Standard and Datacenter will be offered on a processor basis to simplify our
product lineup in SPLA.
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Are Windows Server OEM SKUs going away from
Windows Server 2012?
Yes. Windows Server OEM SKUs are removed to simplify our product lineup in SPLA.
If I have Enterprise Edition in SPLA when Windows Server 2012
is released, what will I be able to order?
The SPLA subscription program rule is: if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was
removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier
of: a) they migrate to the newer version, or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.
If I have Web Server Edition in SPLA when Windows Server 2012 is
released, what will I be able to order?
The SPLA subscription program rule is: if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was
removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier
of: a) they migrate to the newer version; or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.
If I have HPC Server OS Edition in SPLA when Windows Server 2012 is
released, what will I be able to order?
The SPLA subscription program rule is: if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was
removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier
of: a) they migrate to the newer version; or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.
If I have Itanium Edition in SPLA when Windows Server 2012 is
released, what will I be able to order?
The SPLA subscription program rule is: if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was
removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier
of: a) they migrate to the newer version; or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.
If I have Windows Server Extended Term Licenses (ETLs), can I run
Windows Server 2012 instead of Windows Server 2008 R2?
Yes. You can run Windows Server 2012 bits, for the licensed ETL product, instead of Windows Server 2008
R2 for the remaining term of the ETL agreement.
Do I still need a separate SAL to access Remote Desktop Services
(RDS) and Active Directory Rights Management Service (ADRMS)?
Yes. The licensing requirements for Remote Desktop Services (RDS) and Active Directory Rights
Management Service (ADRMS) have not changed with Windows Server 2012. You are still required to
purchase an ADRMS or RDS SAL.
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What support is available for an older version of Windows Server?
See the Microsoft Support Lifecycle website for details.
Can I order licenses for Windows Server 2012 editions and Windows
Server 2008 R2 editions under the same SPLA agreement?
Yes. If you licensed Windows Server 2008 R2 editions when they were published on the SPLA price list,
you may continue to license Windows Server 2008 R2 editions and license Windows Server 2012 editions
under the same SPLA agreement as you transition your datacenter to Windows Server 2012 editions. You
may not assign Windows Server 2008 R2 licenses and Windows Server 2012 licenses to the same server.
You may only order Windows Server 2012 editions on new or renewal SPLA agreements signed after the
Windows Server 2012 release.
What is Windows Server 2012 Essentials?
Windows Server 2012 Essentials is the latest version of Windows Small Business Server. It is a flexible,
affordable, and easy-to-use server solution designed and priced for small businesses to help reduce costs
and increase productivity. It is an ideal first server, and can be used as the primary server in a multi-server
environment for small businesses. It helps small businesses protect, centralize, organize and access their
applications and information from almost anywhere, using virtually any device.
How will Windows Server 2012 Essentials be licensed in SPLA?
Windows Server 2012 Essentials will be licensed on a processor model. It will no longer be offered as a
SAL license model in SPLA.
Each license will be assigned to a single physical server and covers one physical processor. All of the
processors in the server must be licensed with no virtualization rights. (See Services Provider Use Rights
for details.)
What are some of the features that are now available in
Windows Server 2012 Essentials?
Windows Server 2012 Essentials incorporates best-of-breed 64-bit product technologies to deliver a
server environment well suited for the vast majority of small businesses. The product technologies include:
 Windows Server 2012 Operating System
 Data Protection
 Anywhere Access
 Health Monitoring
 Workload Flexibility
 Extensibility
 Add-ons for many small business solutions, including a connector to Microsoft Office 365
Customers can use Windows Server 2012 Essentials as a platform to run critical line-of-business
applications, as well as to provide an integrated management experience when running cloud-based
applications and services, such as email, collaboration, online backup, and more.
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What are the different editions available with Windows Server 2012
Essentials?
There is only one edition, Windows Server 2012 Essentials, a flexible offering which provides a platform for
running on-premise or cloud-based workloads.
Will there be a next version of Windows Small Business Server 2011
Premium Add-on?
No. Windows SBS 2011 Premium Add-on, which includes SQL Server as a component product, will be the
final such Windows Server offering.
Will there be a next version of Windows Small Business Server
2011 Standard?
No. Windows SBS 2011 Standard, which includes Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Standard and Microsoft
SharePoint Foundation 2010 as component products, will be the final such Windows Server offering.
If I have Windows SBS 2011 Essentials in SPLA when Windows Server
2012 is released, what will I be able to order?
The SPLA subscription program rule is: if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was
removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier
of: a) they migrate to the newer version; or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.
If I have Windows SBS 2011 Premium Add-on in SPLA when
Windows Server 2012 Essentials is released, what will I be able to
order?
The SPLA subscription program rule is: if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was
removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier
of: a) they migrate to the newer version; or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.
If I have Windows SBS 2011 Standard Edition in SPLA when Windows
Server 2012 is released, what will I be able to order?
The SPLA subscription program rule is: if a partner was licensing a particular product at the time it was
removed from the SPUR/Price List, they can continue licensing/ordering that product/SKU until the earlier
of: a) they migrate to the newer version; or b) their SPLA agreement expires and is renewed.
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When will these changes become effective?
Licensing changes will come into effect one month after the release of Windows Server 2012 Datacenter
and Standard. Windows Server 2012 is expected to be released in the second half of the calendar year
2012.
What Windows Server Edition should I purchase prior to the release
of Windows Server 2012?
Whichever Windows Server Edition that will best meet your virtualization needs based on the new product
available:
 Datacenter is designed for highly virtualized Private Cloud environments.
 Standard targets physical or low virtualized environments.
 Essentials targets small businesses with limited virtualization rights
© 2012 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
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