VmWare ESXi 8.x and Windows Server 2002 Datacenter VM licensing

Question

Hi.

I read lots of threads on this argument but I didn't find a complete and clear answer yet.

I will implement a phisical server with VmWare ESXi 8.x soon and will need to run say 8-10 VMs with Microsoft Windows Server 2022.

I'm evaluating the datacenter license but I can not understand whether the "unlimited" OSE is valid even on VmWare Hypervisor or only if I install Windows Server 2002 on the host and activare the Hyper-V role.

I know that with I have to cover all cpu (2) and cores (24) to be ok with license but the real question is:

can I use the same datacenter key to activate the "unlimitied" VMs?

I contacted a reseller who told that using ESXi I can use use datacenter product key for 5 VMs only: can you confirm this?

Thanks a lot, Michele.

Answer 1

A DataCenter license provides for unlimited hosting but does not provide unlimited activations of host product key. In order to make use of unlimited hosting you should install a DataCenter host and use AVMA activations. This also provides the benefit of allowing activation ranging from Server 2012 R2 to Server 2022 both editions.

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/automatic-vm-activation

When you use another hypervisor the only option is to reuse the product key over and over, but unlimited activations of the host product key is not possible and at some point you'll run out at which time you'll need to contact microsoft in order to reset the activations count.

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 2

Is that right that I can use the same product key 5 times at max?

I'd guess more than five but you may just have to try it.

I have to use VmWare hypervisor so I need this information as I have to decide whether to use the standard or the datacenter version.

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.

--please don't forget to upvote and Accept as answer if the reply is helpful--

Answer 3

Hi and thanks for the answer.

I read that "...unlimited activations of the host product key is not possible and at some point you'll run out..." in other threads but my question is: how many activations can I do with the same product key? Is that right that I can use the same product key 5 times at max?

I have to use VmWare hypervisor so I need this information as I have to decide whether to use the standard or the datacenter version.

Thanks and best ragards,

Michele.

Answer 4

I'd guess more than five but you may just have to try it.

So there's no fixed number of activation per product key for the datacenter version on Windows??? It's unlimited in a Hyper-V environment but noone knows how many activations can be done in a VmWare hypervisor environment? People just have to try? That's quite weird, let me tell...

Best regards,

Michele.

Answer 5

Dave Patrick thanks for all the informations you gave me.

Best regards,

Michele.