How much VM I can provision on a single windows E3 license

Question

How many vm I can provision under single windows E3 license? is it automatically assigned? say I run 3 vm then deallocate 3 of them then provision 3 again. will that count as 6 windows e3 license usage? or only 3?

Answer 1

Hi,

• Under a single Windows Enterprise E3 license, a licensed user is entitled to remotely access up to four virtual instances of Windows. This means you can provision up to four virtual machines (VMs) under a single Windows E3 license. The activation of these VMs is covered by the E3 license without the need for separate Windows 10 Pro licenses, as the rights permit both access and use of virtual instances of Windows 10 Pro. This applies to VMs on a dedicated device or a dedicated on-premise server. However, these remote virtualization rights are specific to certain licensing agreements and may not be available under a Microsoft Cloud Agreement or Microsoft Customer Agreement, or for Student Use Benefits​​.
• Regarding your question about deallocating and provisioning VMs, the licensing typically covers the number of active instances rather than the total number created over time. Therefore, if you run 3 VMs, deallocate them, and then provision 3 more, it would typically count as 3 licenses used, provided that you don't exceed the limit of four active virtual instances per licensed user at any given time. However, for specific scenarios or detailed licensing questions, especially regarding your usage pattern and agreement terms, it's advisable to consult directly with Microsoft or a licensed Microsoft partner.

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