Vlume Licensing brief Licensing Windws Server 2012 fr use with virtualizatin technlgies (VMware ESX/ESXi, Micrsft System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager, and Parallels Virtuzz) Table f Cntents This brief applies t all Micrsft Vlume Licensing prgrams. Summary... 2 What s New in this Brief?... 2 Intrductin... 2 Licensing Mdel... 2 Assignment f Licenses... 2 String Instances... 2 Licensing f Running Instances f the Sftware... 3 Licensing fr Peak Capacity... 4 Running Prir Versins r Other Editins... 5 Client Access Licenses and External Cnnectrs... 5 Clustering, Failing Over, and Mving Instances... 6 Windws Server Licensing n tp f VMware s ESX/ESXi hsts... 7 Licensing fr VMware vmtin and Micrsft System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager... 8 Licensing fr Parallels Virtuzz...13 Cmparing ESX/ESXi Server, Virtuzz, and Micrsft Hyper-V...14 Additinal Resurces...14 Appendix 1...15 Determining Which Editin f Windws Server Is Mst Cst-effective...15 September 2012 1
Summary This dcument discusses hw Micrsft Windws Server 2012 is licensed when used with virtualizatin technlgies like VMware ESX/ESXi, Micrsft System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager, r Parallels Virtuzz. Highlighted in the gray text bxes thrughut the dcument are excerpts frm the July 2012 Micrsft Vlume Licensing Prduct Use Rights (PUR) and ther relevant pieces f infrmatin. The PUR describes the use terms fr all Micrsft prducts in Vlume Licensing. What s New in this Brief? This brief replaces a previus versin published in January 2009. It has been updated t reflect Windws Server 2012. Intrductin With the grwing prevalence f virtualizatin technlgies, many custmers ask hw they shuld license Windws Server prducts with these technlgies. Befre delving int licensing details and examples, hwever, it is useful t review sme basic licensing cncepts t understand hw they apply in virtualized scenaris. Licensing Mdel Windws Server is licensed under the Prcessr/Client Access License (CAL) mdel. Assignment f Licenses T run an instance f Windws Server sftware n yur server, yu must license every prcessr n the server. Each Windws Server license cvers up t tw physical prcessrs n a single server. By licensing all f the prcessrs n the server, yu designate that server fr use f the sftware and may run the sftware n that server. The number f instances yu may run depends n the Windws Server editin license that is assigned. Fr Vlume Licensing (VL) Windws Server licenses, yu can reassign the sftware licenses frm ne server t anther, but nt mre ften than every 90 days. There are sme exceptins t this rule utlined in the Prduct Use Rights dcument. Fr example, yu may reassign the license earlier than 90 days if yu must retire the licensed server due t permanent hardware failure. Similar rules apply t Windws Server 2012 External Cnnectr (EC) licenses. Hwever, fr Windws Server 2012 ECs, under certain cnditins, there is a rule fr license mbility within a server farm. Fr the server farm definitin and mre infrmatin abut license mbility rules, including a cmprehensive list f eligible server and EC licenses, read the Licensing Micrsft Server Prducts in Virtual Envirnments Vlume Licensing brief. String Instances Yu may make any number f cpies f the sftware. Yu may stre cpies f the sftware n any f yur servers r strage media withut requiring an additinal Windws Server licenses. Yu can als stre instances n a large strage area netwrk (SAN) r stre instances n yur servers withut needing additinal licenses fr each instance. September 2012 2
Figure 1. The physical server has ne Windws Server license assigned t it, s the 10 stred instances acrss the SAN and server s hard drive d nt require additinal licenses because they are nt running instances. Operating System Envirnments T understand hw licensing wrks under virtualizatin, it is critical t understand the definitin f an perating system envirnment (OSE). An perating system envirnment is the fllwing: all r part f an perating system instance, r all r part f a virtual (r therwise emulated) perating system instance which enables separate machine identity (primary cmputer name r similar unique identifier) r separate administrative rights, and instances f applicatins, if any, cnfigured t run n the perating system instance r parts identified abve. There are tw types f perating system envirnments, physical and virtual. A physical perating system envirnment is cnfigured t run directly n a physical hardware system. The perating system instance used t run hardware virtualizatin sftware (fr example, Micrsft Virtual Server r similar technlgies) r t prvide hardware virtualizatin services (fr example, Micrsft virtualizatin technlgy r similar technlgies) is cnsidered part f the physical perating system envirnment. A virtual perating system envirnment is cnfigured t run n a virtual (r therwise emulated) hardware system. A physical hardware system can have either r bth f the fllwing: ne physical perating system envirnment ne r mre virtual perating system envirnments OSEs that include all r part f an perating system instance require separate licenses. Likewise, OSEs that include all r part f a virtual instance and enable separate machine identity r separate administrative rights require separate licenses. Licensing f Running Instances f the Sftware Bth Windws Server 2012 Standard and Datacenter editin have the exact same features and capabilities, the nly difference between these tw editins are the virtualizatin rights. Fr custmers that want t have a lightly virtualized envirnment, Windws Server 2012 Standard editin is the rights editin t use. Windws Server 2012 Standard editin will entitle yu t run ne instance in the physical OSE and tw instances in the virtual OSE with each license. If all f the allwed instances are running then the instance in the physical can nly be used t manage the virtual instances. If yu want t run fur instances, yu can assign tw Windws Server 2012 Standard editin licenses t a single server; this is ften called stacking licenses. With each additinal Windws Server 2012 Standard editin license yu assign t a server yu will be able t run an additinal tw instances f Windws Server. September 2012 3
Fr custmers that want t have a highly virtualized envirnment, Windws Server 2012 Datacenter editin is the right editin t use. Windws Server 2012 Datacenter editin will allw yu t run unlimited virtual instances with each license n a single server. This allws yu t grw as much as yu need t, and with n limit there is n need t track hw many instances yu are running t ensure that yu are cmpliant. Instance. Yu create an instance f sftware by executing the sftware s setup r install prcedure. Yu als create an instance f sftware by duplicating an existing instance. References t sftware include instances f the sftware. Run an Instance. Yu run an instance f sftware by lading it int memry and executing ne r mre f its instructins. Once running, an instance is cnsidered t be running (whether r nt its instructins cntinue t execute) until it is remved frm memry. Fr Windws Server 2012 Datacenter Editin: Running Instances f the Server Sftware. Fr each server t which yu have assigned the required number f sftware licenses, yu may run n the licensed server, at any ne time: One instance f the server sftware in the physical OSE, and Any number f instances f the server sftware in virtual OSEs (nly ne instance per virtual OSE). Hwever, the ttal number f physical prcessrs used by thse OSEs cannt exceed the number f sftware licenses assigned t that server. The sftware r yur hardware may limit the number f instances f the server sftware that can run in physical r virtual perating system envirnments n the server. Fr Windws Server 2012 Standard: Running Instances f the Server Sftware. Fr each license yu assign: Fr each server t which yu have assigned the required number f sftware licenses, yu may run n the licensed server, at any ne time: ne instance f the server sftware in ne physical perating system envirnment, and tw instance f the server sftware in ne virtual perating system envirnment. If yu run all allwed instances in the virtual perating system envirnment, the instance f the server sftware running in the physical perating system envirnment may be used nly t: run hardware virtualizatin sftware prvide hardware virtualizatin services run sftware t manage and service perating system envirnments n the licensed server. Licensing fr Peak Capacity Because a server must have assigned licenses equal t r exceeding the number f running instances, yu need t cnsider what the peak capacity fr the server will be. Even if yu typically nly need ne running instance, yu must license fr the peak capacity if yu ccasinally need a secnd running instance at the same time. Fr example, if yu have ne Windws Server 2012 Standard license assigned t a server, yu may run ne instance f Windws Server 2012 Standard in the physical OSE and tw instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard virtual OSEs n the server at the same time. Yu may nt run a third instance f the sftware in anther virtual OSE n the September 2012 4
server. If yu need t run a third instance in a virtual OSE peridically, then yu must assign a secnd license f Windws Server 2012 Standard editin t the server. The fllwing utlines the maximum number f running instances in virtual OSEs each Windws Server 2012 editin license permits the fllwing: Prduct Windws Server 2012 Standard Windws Server 2012 Datacenter Maximum permitted running instances in virtual OSE per license Tw Unlimited Running Prir Versins r Other Editins In place f the licensed versin, yu may run prir versins r lwer editins in any f the OSEs f the licensed server. If yu have Windws Server 2012 Datacenter editin yu will have the right t run the bits f any prir versin r lwer editin (Datacenter, Enterprise, Standard r Essentials). If yu have Windws Server 2012 Standard editin, yu will have the right t run the bits f any prir versin f Enterprise, Standard r Essentials editin. Yu shuld remember that the ability t run previus versin r editin bits des nt change the licensing r supprt terms in which yu can use the prduct; the purchased prduct (Windws Server 2012) rights apply. This means that the license will cntinue t cver tw physical prcessrs and the virtualizatin rights d nt change. Client Access Licenses and External Cnnectrs Mst Micrsft servers require Client Access Licenses (CALs) and have an ptinal external cnnectr (EC). The CAL and EC requirements are the same whether an instance is running in a physical r virtual OSE. CALs are required fr each device r user that accesses an instance f server sftware directly r indirectly. Yu d nt need CALs fr up t tw devices r users t access yur instances as lng as these users r devices are nly administering the instances. In the case f Windws Server 2012 nly, yu d nt need a CAL t access an instance f the server sftware running n the physical OSE that is being used slely t: run hardware virtualizatin sftware, prvide hardware virtualizatin services, r, run sftware t manage and service perating system envirnments n the licensed server. Hwever, yu d need the apprpriate CAL t access instances f the server sftware in any virtual OSEs n the server. Yu als d nt need Windws Server CALs t access any instance f Windws Server 2012 that is running a Web r an HPC wrklad Users and devices licensed with a CAL can access any instances (physical and virtual) running n any physical server. Outside f the exceptins abve, each physical server that requires external user access must have an EC assigned t it. Each EC permits external users t access any instance running n a server whether it be in a physical r virtual OSE. Yu d nt need additinal ECs fr each virtual instance n a physical server. In general, yu may reassign an EC license, but nt n a shrt-term basis. Hwever, yu may reassign an EC license sner if yu retire the server t which it was assigned due t permanent hardware failure. In additin, there is a rule that permits greater EC license mbility, under certain cnditins, within a server farm. Fr the server farm definitin and mre infrmatin abut the server sftware license mbility rule, including a list f eligible server and EC licenses, read the Licensing Micrsft Server Prducts in Virtual Envirnments Vlume Licensing brief. Multiplexing hardware, sftware, r cnnectins des nt reduce the number f CALs required t access servers. September 2012 5
Multiplexing. Hardware r sftware yu use t: Pl cnnectins, Rerute infrmatin, Reduce the number f devices r users that directly access r use the prduct, r Reduce the number f devices r users the prduct directly manages (smetimes referred t as multiplexing r pling ) des nt reduce the number f licenses f any type that yu need. Clustering, Failing Over, and Mving Instances Tw cmmn scenaris fr higher availability and dynamic datacenters invlve: Running the same wrklad simultaneusly n tw servers, r Running a wrklad n a primary server and peridically mving it t a secnd server due t a failure, lad balancing, patching, r planned dwntime. In bth scenaris, regardless f whether the wrklads are running in physical r virtual OSEs, each server must have the apprpriate number f licenses assigned t it prir t the wrklad running n it. This hlds true regardless f whether yu plan the wrklad t: Always run n a single server. Run in parallel n the server as a backup when the primary server fails. Run the wrklad if the primary server is dwn. Lad balance when the primary server has high use. Only run the wrklad during maintenance. Figures 2A, 2B, and 2C demnstrate three examples f usage scenaris that are prperly licensed. Figure 2A. Example: The servers are clustered, each licensed with Windws Server, and bth running the same wrklad in parallel. September 2012 6
Figure 2B. Example: The servers are clustered, each licensed with Windws Server and bth running the same virtualized wrklad in parallel. Figure 2C. Example: Bth servers are licensed with Windws Server. The wrklad is mved frm the first server t the secnd server. Windws Server Licensing n tp f VMware s ESX/ESXi hsts If a server is running ESX/ESXi as the virtualizatin technlgy, then Windws Server is nt deplyed as a hst perating system in the physical OSE. Hwever, a license is required fr every physical prcessr n the server and every instance running in a virtual OSE shuld be apprpriately licensed (Standard editin will allw up t tw virtual instances with each license and Datacenter editin will allw an unlimited number f virtual instances with each license). If yu have assigned a single license fr Windws Server 2012 Standard t a server running ESX/ESXi, then yu may run tw instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard at a time. The right t run an instance f Windws Server 2012 in the physical OSE cannt be used in this case since ESX/ESXi runs n the physical OSE (and as a result, Windws Server 2012 cannt be deplyed as the perating system n the physical OSE.) If yu have assigned a secnd Windws Server 2012 Standard editin t the server running ESX/ESXi, then yu may run up t fur instances at a time f Windws Server 2012 Standard. Yu may nt run a fifth instance under the same license since that right requires that the fifth instance be running hardware virtualizatin sftware and sftware managing and servicing the OSEs n the server. September 2012 7
Licensing fr VMware vmtin and Micrsft System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager The same licensing rules apply t Windws Server Clustering Services as vmtin and System Center Virtual Machine Manager. While VMware vmtin and System Center Virtual Machine Manager mve instances f virtual OSEs between physical servers, the licenses remain with the physical server t which they were assigned. When an instance is mved t a new physical server, that new server must already have apprpriate licenses assigned t it (see Clustering, Failing Over, and Mving Instances abve). Since Windws Server 2012 Datacenter permits an unlimited number f instances f the server sftware t run in virtual OSEs, in multi-server installatins with VMware vmtin, and System Center Virtual Machine Manager, it ffers the greatest flexibility t mve instances between servers withut having t track the number f instances running r wrry abut being under-licensed. Fr Windws Server sftware, except in a few cases (see Assignment f Licenses abve), licenses may nly be reassigned t new hardware after 90 days. This, hwever, des nt restrict the dynamic mvement f virtual OSEs between licensed servers. As lng as the servers are licensed and each server individually des nt run mre instances than the number fr which it is licensed, yu are free t use VMware vmtin and System Center Virtual Machine Manager t mve virtualized instances between licensed servers at will. Reassignment f license: Fr Windws Server sftware: Yu may reassign a sftware license, but nt n a shrt-term basis (in ther wrds, nt within 90 days f the last assignment). Yu may reassign a sftware license sner if yu retire the licensed server due t permanent hardware failure. If yu reassign a license, the server t which yu reassign the license becmes the new licensed server fr that license. Server Repartitining. Yu may reassign licenses sner than permitted abve, when yu: Reallcate prcessrs frm ne licensed hardware partitin t anther, Create tw r mre partitins frm ne licensed hardware partitin, Create ne partitin frm tw r mre licensed hardware partitins as lng as (i) prir t repartitining, each hardware partitin is fully licensed, and (ii) the ttal number f licenses and prcessrs remains the same. September 2012 8
Figure 3. Example: If each server has tw licenses f Windws Server 2012 Standard, and the secnd server is already running three instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard in virtual OSEs, then VMware vmtin r System Center 2012 Virtual Machine Manager (Windws Server Clustering Services, scripting, r manual administratin) may mve ne (Example A abve) instance f Windws Server 2012 Standard frm the first server t the secnd server. But the user may nt mve a secnd instance (Example B abve), because mving the secnd instance wuld cause the secnd server t becme under-licensed; it wuld have five running instances but nly the rights t run fur at ne time. The fllwing scenaris demnstrate hw t license three dual-prcessr servers prperly fr use with VMware vmtin and System Center Virtual Machine Manager t mve instances amng the three servers. The first scenari (Figure 4A) shws the standard running state f the three servers where the three servers are each licensed with tw licenses f Windws Server 2012 Standard. They are running fur instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard in virtual OSEs. The secnd, third, and furth scenaris (Figures 4B, 4C, and 4D) shw the result f VMware vmtin r System Center Virtual Machine Manager s mvement f tw f the instances frm the first server t the secnd server and the remaining tw instances t the third server. In the secnd scenari (Figure 4B), the secnd and third servers are under-licensed. The third and furth scenaris (Figures 4C and 4D) shw tw ptins t license the migratin f instances f Windws Server prperly. September 2012 9
Figure 4A. The instances f Windws Server running in a virtual OSE may nt be mved frm the first server t the secnd r third server, because the secnd and third servers are each licensed with fur instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard and are already running fur instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard befre the attempted migratin begins. September 2012 10
Figure 4B. The instances f Windws Server running in a virtual OSE may nt be mved frm the first server t the secnd r third server, because the secnd and third servers are each licensed with fur instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard and are already running fur instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard befre the attempted migratin begins. September 2012 11
Figure 4C. Tw f the instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard may be mved frm the first server t the secnd and the remaining tw instances may be mved frm the first t third server, because the secnd and third servers each have three licenses f Windws Server 2012 Standard and were nly running fur instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard prir t the migratin. September 2012 12
Figure 4D. Instead f licensing the servers with enugh Windws Server 2012 Standard licenses t meet the largest number f simultaneusly running instances f Windws Server, the prcessrs in the servers culd be licensed with Windws Server 2012 Datacenter. This wuld allw an unlimited number f instances f Windws Server t run simultaneusly in virtual OSEs. Because the servers have tw prcessrs, ne Windws Server 2012 Datacenter licenses wuld be required fr each server. Windws Server 2012 Datacenter licensing prvides the flexibility t mve instances f Windws Server withut cncern abut maintaining license cmpliance. Licensing fr Parallels Virtuzz On a single physical server, Parallels Virtuzz sftware creates running instances f Windws Server in virtual OSEs that run n tp f Windws Server. These running instances als referred t as a sil, islated partitin, r VE (Virtualized Envirnment) act as the hst perating system. They share the same kernel f the hst Windws Server perating system, but have islated registry settings, perating system libraries, perating system prcesses, and applicatin sftware. These virtual OSEs als enable separate machine identity r administratin rights. As with ther virtualizatin technlgies, each physical and virtual running instance f Windws Server requires a Windws Server license. Hwever, because every instance shares the same kernel as the hst perating system, Virtuzz is technically unable t run mre than ne editin f Windws Server n the physical server. As a result, yu must chse a single editin when using Virtuzz fr bth physical and virtual OSEs. Furthermre, all instances are expsed t all physical prcessrs in the server. Fr example, the instances n a twprcessr server wuld each have tw virtual prcessrs, and the instances n a fur-prcessr server wuld each have fur virtual prcessrs. This distinctin is imprtant fr Micrsft server applicatins that are licensed n a per September 2012 13
prcessr licensing mdel, such as Micrsft SQL Server 2008 and Micrsft BizTalk Server 2010. Finally, it is imprtant t nte that sme Prducts Use Rights permit yu t run different editins in different OSEs n the licensed server. Because Virtuzz instances share the same kernel, yu cannt take advantage f this right. Figure 5: Example: A tw-prcessr server with three instances f BizTalk Server 2010 Enterprise running in virtual OSEs nly needs tw prcessr licenses f BizTalk Server 2010 Enterprise due t the unlimited virtualizatin rights f BizTalk Server Enterprise when the physical prcessrs are licensed. Tw Windws Server 2012 Standard licenses are required since the server is running three instances f Windws Server 2012 Standard in the virtual OSEs and ne instance in the physical OSE. Cmparing ESX/ESXi Server, Virtuzz, and Micrsft Hyper-V The cst f using Windws Server des nt change based n the hypervisr being used since the use rights (virtualizatin, number f permitted instances etc.) d nt vary with the type f hypervisr (ESX/ESXi r Virtuzz r Hyper-V). As explained earlier the price fr Windws Server is dependent n the number f physical prcessrs n the server, the editin and, in the case f Windws Server Standard, the number f instances that yu want t run n a server. T research Micrsft Vlume Licensing fr Windws Server, use Micrsft License Advisr. Additinal Resurces Micrsft Virtualizatin Slutins: http://www.micrsft.cm/en-us/server-clud/virtualizatin/default.aspx September 2012 14
Vlume Licensing Briefs: Licensing Micrsft Server Prducts in Virtual Envirnments: http://www.micrsft.cm/licensing/abut-licensing/briefs/virtual-licensing.aspx Step-up Licenses: http://www.micrsft.cm/licensing/abut-licensing/briefs/stepup-license.aspx Vlume Licensing Prduct Use Rights: http://www.micrsft.cm/licensing/abut-licensing/prductlicensing.aspx Micrsft License Advisr: http://www.micrsft.cm/licensing/mla/default.aspx Appendix 1 Determining Which Editin f Windws Server Is Mst Cst-effective Windws Server Standard and Datacenter have the exact same features, s the mst cst-effective editin f Windws Server fr yur virtualizatin needs will depend slely n the number f instances that will run n the server. If yu want t run a lightly virtualized r physical envirnment, then Windws Server 2012 Standard editin is the right editin. With this editin yu can grw yur virtualizatin needs tw instances at a time with each assigned license t the server. If yu want t run a highly virtualized envirnment with rm fr grwth and d nt want t have t wrry abut tracking the number f virtual instances yu are running (and allw any previus versin r editin t run in thse virtual instances), then Windws Server 2012 Datacenter editin is the right editin. 2012 Micrsft Crpratin. All rights reserved. This dcument is fr infrmatinal purpses nly. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT. This infrmatin is prvided t help guide yur authrized use f prducts yu license; it is nt yur agreement. Yur use f prducts licensed under yur vlume license agreement is gverned by the terms and cnditins f that agreement. In the case f any cnflict between this infrmatin and yur agreement, the terms and cnditins f yur agreement cntrl. Prices fr licenses acquired thrugh Micrsft resellers are determined by the reseller. September 2012 15