Microsoft
Server 2012 Standard R2 License - For Windows

Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Standard R2 License

Microsoft Storage Server 2012 is a special version of Windows server sold only with hardware appliances. It is not intended or licensed to be used as a general purpose Windows machine, but allows for creating a full-featured NAS appliance. The Storage Server 2012 license is owned by the user who owns the machine, as the two go together. No CALs are required with Storage Server. Microsoft does not intend this OS to be used for general server or workstation purposes, but allows loading standard Windows backup apps, storage apps, anti-virus, and security applications onto Storage Server 2012 or Storage Server 2008 R2.

Standard

Standard edition is ideal for those customers who want to have a physical or lightly virtualized environment. This edition enables you to run up to two virtual instances of Windows Server with each license and provides all the same features as Datacenter edition. The licensing for Standard edition will continue to be processor plus CAL, with each license covering up to two physical processors on a single server, just like Datacenter edition.

Features

• Enterprise-class virtual machine density, performance and mobility with best-in-class performance and scale for Microsoft workloads
• High-performance file-based storage on cost-effective, industry-standard hardware with inbox storage virtualization and tiering
• Highly available, in-box hybrid networking for bridging physical and virtual networks in a multi -tenant environment and across premises
• Protection and recovery of assets for all your workloads with simple and affordable disaster recovery options
• Flexible remote access to corporate resources from virtually anywhere and any device while helping to protect corporate information

If I have a Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard edition license, how can I increase my virtualization rights?

With the Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard edition licensing model, you can grow your virtualization environment by either buying a step-up license to Datacenter edition if you have Software Assurance, or by simply buying additional Standard edition licenses and assigning them to the same physical server. The server must have the appropriate number of licenses assigned to it to ensure coverage of all of the virtual OSE’s that are running at any given time. For example, if you have a 2-processor server and want to run a total of 4 VOSEs, you can purchase two Standard edition licenses and assign them to the same server. Additional examples are shown in the table below.

# of Standard edition licenses on a single server and Total number of VOSEs

• # of Standard edition licenses on a single server = 1 ; Total number of VOSEs = 2
• # of Standard edition licenses on a single server = 2 ; Total number of VOSEs = 4
• # of Standard edition licenses on a single server = 3 ; Total number of VOSEs = 6
• # of Standard edition licenses on a single server = 4 ; Total number of VOSEs = 8

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 on the server and the number of server instances that you will be running. (This only applies for Standard edition because Datacenter edition allows for unlimited VOSEs.) The larger of these two numbers determines the number of total licenses required.

First determine the number of physical processor licenses

Each license covers up to two physical processors, so to determine the number of licenses needed to fully license a physical server, simply count the number of physical processors in the server, divide that number by two and that tells you the number of licenses that will be needed. (Note: number of cores on the physical processor are irrelevant). Here are some examples:

• 2-processor server: 2 physical processors / 2 (number of processors covered by a license) equals 1. You will need one license to cover a 2-processor server.
• 4-processor server: 4 physical processors / 2 (number of processors covered by a license) equals 2. You will need two licenses to cover a 4-processor server.
• 8-processor server: 8 physical processors / 2 (number of processors covered by a license) equals 4. You will need four licenses to cover an 8-processor server.

Secondly, determine the number of virtual instances running You can either count the number of VOSEs that are running and determine number of Standard Edition licenses (1 license covers up to 2 VOSEs) or purchase Datacenter which enables unlimited VOSEs on the server.

Each Standard edition license provides you with the rights to run up to two VOSEs, so to determine the number of Windows Server Standard edition licenses you need, count the total number of total VOSEs that you will run on the server; divide that number by two, and round up to the nearest whole number.

Once the number of licenses needed to cover physical processors and/or VOSEs is determined, the higher of those two numbers represents the total number of licenses required. Please remember that the server must have the appropriate number of licenses assigned to it to ensure coverage of all of the virtual OSE’s that are running at any given time

For example, if you are running 3 virtual machines (VOSEs) on a 2-processor server, you will require 2 licenses to cover the 3 virtual machine.

If you assign 2 Standard edition licenses to a single server, you will be able to run a total of 4 VOSEs on that server. If you add additional Standard edition licenses to that server the number of allowed VOSEs on that particular server will increase by two for a total of six VOSEs on that server.