Why are all Azure server templates all Datacenter editions?

Question

Hey guys,

I am new to Azure and trying to spin up new servers. We do not have licensing for datacenter editions, but notice that all of the templates in Azure are datacenter. Does anyone know why standard and enterprise are not options in the templates? Do you forcefully have to change them over to remain compliant with your licensing or something.

Thanks,

Answer 1

The redirect question here is why would you want to go out of your way figuring out how to deploy a non-DC edition in Azure? There are two licensing models:

1. Licensing bundled as part of the VM fee, in which case you have right to use a datacenter instance of Windows running in Azure;
2. Licensing provided as part of the hybrid benefit, in which case you also have right to use the datacenter editions provided by Azure templates.

You do not loose anything by deploying datacenter edition. So the bottom line answer is simply deploy the provided datacenter edition version of Windows, and select the licensing model you wish to use.

For clarity sake, you cannot simply take any version of Windows Server Standard you already own and port it to a VM running in Azure. You must own a license type that qualifies for the hybrid benefit.

Answer 2

Amazing how all the "MSFT" people seem like they have never created a VM from an Azure template before. They should never have replied since they had no idea how to resolve the problem. Thanks very much for coming back and posting your final comment. The exact answer we need. Attached is another screen shot of this problem with the Server 2022 images. Note the search was for all WS 2022 templates and every single one is "datacenter".

162925-screenshot-2022-01-06-092748.png

Answer 3

I emailed our Microsoft rep and he checked into it and here is his answer.

when you deploy Windows servers in Azure, you will deploy the DC edition. There’s not a Standard edition in Azure. With Standard, you can use the licenses either on premise or in Azure, even to deploy Azure DC edition images, plus concurrently for 30 days during migrations.

Answer 4

Hi @Dave Bryan Did you try and edit the json file to hard code the OS you need. Or you can also make it available as a parameter during deployment.

Answer 5

Hi DaveBryan-5712 ,

You can use your standard licences in Azure with Hybrid benefit.

Take a look at the FAQ.
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-in/pricing/hybrid-benefit/faq/