Windows Server 2019 Standard Hyper-V licensing question

Question

I have a MAK key for Server 2019 standard.

Is this license limited to a single host with 2 Hyper-V VM's?

What happens if more than 2 VM's are on a single host with that license?

How does one add additional licenses, if needed?

Thanks

Answer 1

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.

What happens if more than 2 VM's are on a single host with that license?

For each additional 1 or 2 VMs, all the physical cores in the server must be licensed again.

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Answer 2

How do "core licenses" translate into a MAK license?

It doesn't. When you purchase a windows server license you specify and pay based on the cores. The license is assigned a MAK key

Assume single physical processor servers.

yes correct

By being licensed again, does it use another MAK activation? Is there a prompt for this?

Yes, and then no. Licensing is simply maintaining the proper documentation in case of an audit. Activation is another operation.

For example, using Standard server, I load the Standard server host, activate the host with a single use of the MAK license. I then load a Hyper-V VM. I use another activation of the MAK license to activate that VM's OS. How does that model translate to what you explained?

Yes, you use the host product key(s) to active the guest virtual machines.

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Answer 3

What is the process to ensure I'm covered if I choose to install 3+ VM's on a standard license?

You'll license all cores a second time to cover the additional virtual machine. You can run msinfo32.exe to check thenumber of CPUs and core count

They offered a license. I bought it. I now have a MAK key.

You can try contacting them, or just assume it was a 16 core.

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Answer 4

No, there is no licensing monitor, honor system only as far as that goes.

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Answer 5

How do I know if I'm properly licensed and how do you input additional licenses?

A minimum of 16 core licenses is required for each server. You can run msinfo32.exe and check the number of processors times the core count then compare with the licensing documentation. If you needed additional you can purchase enough 2-core packs to cover the difference from your reseller.

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