how to license our windows server VMs in esxi7?

Hi Khalid

When using VMware virtualization, licensing Windows Server VMs typically involves acquiring the appropriate Windows Server licenses and ensuring compliance with Microsoft's licensing requirements. Here are some key considerations and steps to license your Windows Server VMs in a VMware environment:

1. Acquire Windows Server licenses: Purchase the necessary Windows Server licenses from Microsoft. The specific licensing options available to you may depend on factors such as your organization's size, requirements, and licensing agreement with Microsoft. Common licensing options include:

   - Per Core Licensing: Under this model, you need to purchase licenses for each core on the host server that will run Windows Server VMs. The number of cores required depends on the total number of cores in the physical host server.

   - Volume Licensing: Microsoft offers various volume licensing programs that provide cost-effective options for organizations with multiple VMs. Examples include the Microsoft Open License, Enterprise Agreement, and Software Assurance.

   - Azure Hybrid Benefit: If you have Windows Server licenses with Software Assurance, you may be eligible for the Azure Hybrid Benefit. This program allows you to use your existing licenses to run Windows Server VMs in Azure, potentially reducing costs.

2. Determine licensing requirements: Review Microsoft's licensing guidelines to ensure compliance with licensing requirements. Factors such as the number of VMs, virtual cores, and use cases may impact licensing requirements. Consider factors like whether the VMs will be used for production or development purposes, and whether they will run Windows Server Standard or Datacenter editions.

3. Assign licenses to VMs: Once you have acquired the appropriate Windows Server licenses, assign the licenses to the respective VMs. This can typically be done through the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT) or by using the slmgr command-line tool within the Windows Server VMs.

4. Keep track of license usage: Maintain accurate records of your Windows Server license usage, including the number of licenses acquired, their activation status, and the VMs to which they are assigned. This will help ensure compliance during license audits.

5. Stay informed about licensing changes: Microsoft periodically updates its licensing policies and requirements. It is essential to stay informed about any changes to ensure continued compliance. Review Microsoft's official licensing documentation, consult with Microsoft licensing specialists, or seek guidance from Microsoft partners for the latest information.

Remember that licensing requirements can vary based on factors such as the specific edition of Windows Server, the virtualization technology being used, and your organization's licensing agreement with Microsoft. It is crucial to consult with Microsoft or licensing experts for specific advice based on your organization's needs and circumstances.

Some general info

• Each host needs to be licensed.
• A minimum of 8 core licenses is required for each physical processor and a minimum of 16 core licenses is required for each server.
• Core licenses are sold in packs of two.
• Standard Edition provides rights for up to 2 Operating System Environments or Windows Servers containers with Hyper-V isolation when all physical cores in the server are licensed. For each additional 1 or 2 VMs, all the physical cores in the server must be licensed again.
• DataCenter Edition provides rights for unlimited Operating System Environments or Windows Servers containers with Hyper-V isolation when all physical cores in the server are licensed.

Only the host is licensed. Guests are only activated. Use the same host product key to activate guests when using a third-party hypervisor.

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I can't imagine this scenario in a production environment but for your Server 2019 Standard product.

A minimum of 8 core licenses is required for each physical processor and a minimum of 16 core licenses is required for each server.

Standard Edition provides rights for up to 2 Operating System Environments or Windows Servers containers with Hyper-V isolation when all physical cores in the server are licensed. For each additional 1 or 2 VMs, all the physical cores in the server must be licensed again.

Above applies regardless of the host hypervisor being used.

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I inherited a network with all roles installed on the physical server and I would like to virtualize the environment utilizing VMware Workstation.

This seems an odd choice for hypervisor in a production setting.

The current license is Server 2019 Standard. Can I create VMs and use the Server2019 Standard key to activate?

A minimum of 8 core licenses is required for each physical processor and a minimum of 16 core licenses is required for each server. Standard Edition provides rights for up to 2 Operating System Environments or Windows Servers containers with Hyper-V isolation when all physical cores in the server are licensed. For each additional 1 or 2 VMs, all the physical cores in the server must be licensed again.

If so, how many VMs can I use, and how would you go about splitting up the roles between the servers?

Standard edition provides rights for up to 2 Standard virtual machines. As to splitting the roles we have no clue about that yet. Please start a new thread to discuss that topic.

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The current license is Server 2019 Standard. Can I create VMs and use the Server2019 Standard key to activate?

Yes, you can activate two virtual machines using your 2019 product key.

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