Azure Hybrid Benefit

Question

Azure Hybrid Benefit

Massimiliano Canicattì 20

Hi, for our customer we have completed a migration to Azure from a traditional VMware infrastrutture. All workload are running on Azure. Most of them are Windows Server VMs: some VMs have the Data Center Edition and other the Standard Edition. We are a CSP tier 1 provider. We ha proposed to the customer to buy Windows Server Standard Ed. CSP licenze and user Azure Hybrid Benefit for all Windows VMs. The question is: can I use a Windows Server Standard Ed. CSP license (subscription), that is eligible AHB, on a VM with Windows Server DC Ed.? I didn't find any source that confirm in an explicit way this possibility. Can you help me?

Ashok Gandhi Kotnana 10,350 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-10T13:12:54.2866667+00:00

Hi @Massimiliano Canicattì

You cannot use a Windows Server Standard Edition CSP license on a VM that is running Windows Server Datacenter Edition. The Azure Hybrid Benefit for Windows Server requires that the licenses used must match the edition of the Windows Server running on the VM. Therefore, if a VM is running Windows Server Datacenter Edition, you would need to use a Datacenter Edition license to take advantage of Azure Hybrid Benefit.

Reference:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/azure-hybrid-benefit?tabs=azure

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/hybrid-use-benefit-licensing

Please feel free to let us know, as we are always here to help whenever you need us.

If the comment is helpful, please click "Upvote it".
Massimiliano Canicattì 20 Reputation points

2025-04-10T13:33:18.86+00:00

Hi Ashok,

I found this posts that say the opposite:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/865195/how-to-use-azure-hybrid-benefit-with-bring-your-ow

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1475061/windows-server-standard-license-with-software-assu?utm_source=chatgpt.com

In addition as I said I didn't find an explicit statement in the references you sent me.

Can you tell me where can I find an explicit statement about that?

Thanks,

Massimiliano
Madugula Jahnavi 495 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-16T14:58:35.4933333+00:00

Hello Massimiliano Canicattì, Are you still facing the same issue!
Massimiliano Canicattì 20 Reputation points

2025-04-16T15:09:25.14+00:00
Hi,

I found the follwing details in the product terms of Windows Server:

Limited Right to Use Datacenter Images with Standard Licenses🔗

Customers with Windows Server Standard subscription licenses acquired through CSP and assigned on a Virtual OSE basis may run Windows Server Datacenter images instead of Standard images.

Subject to the following conditions:

Customer may run Datacenter images as guest OSEs only.

Customer must use its existing Windows Server Datacenter activation infrastructure to activate Datacenter guests (e.g., existing KMS server), or access the Datacenter guests provided by a Cloud Solution Provider-Hoster.

All other Windows Server Standard Use Rights apply.

If I right understand this confirm the possibility to use Windows Server St. Ed. CSP subscription to licence an Azure VM with Windows Server DC Ed.
Vinay B 500 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-22T11:02:52.5466667+00:00
Hi Massimiliano Canicattì,

Yes, the clause you found "Limited Right to Use Datacenter Images with Standard Licenses" does confirm that customers with Windows Server Standard licenses acquired via CSP are allowed to use Datacenter edition images as long as:

The usage is limited to guest VMs.

The Datacenter VMs are activated using your existing activation infrastructure.

You adhere to all other Standard edition rights, such as licensing per 2 VMs per core pack.

So yes, you can use a Standard edition CSP license to license an Azure VM running Datacenter edition, but only under those conditions.

That said, this scenario is a bit nuanced and not widely publicized, so it’s easy to find conflicting interpretations. But your understanding is correct, and Microsoft’s product terms back it up.

Please let us know if it was helpful, and feel free to reach out if you have any further queries.
Massimiliano Canicattì 20 Reputation points

2025-04-22T14:57:00.7533333+00:00

Hi Vinay,

thank you so much for your reply and confirmation.

Regards,

Massimiliano
Vinay B 500 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-23T10:20:44.3166667+00:00

Hi Massimiliano Canicattì,

Just checking in, was the earlier response regarding Azure Hybrid Benefit and the use of Standard licenses for Datacenter VMs helpful for your scenario? Let me know if you need any further clarification or if there's anything else you'd like to go over.
Madugula Jahnavi 495 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-24T12:17:06.2066667+00:00

Hi Massimiliano Canicattì, As you mentioned that the provided suggestion by Vinay worked for you, I will convert into an answer with few modifications for better understanding. If you still have any queries, feel free to reach out here.

Accepted answer

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Your answer

Ashok Gandhi Kotnana 10,350 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-10T13:12:54.2866667+00:00

Hi @Massimiliano Canicattì

You cannot use a Windows Server Standard Edition CSP license on a VM that is running Windows Server Datacenter Edition. The Azure Hybrid Benefit for Windows Server requires that the licenses used must match the edition of the Windows Server running on the VM. Therefore, if a VM is running Windows Server Datacenter Edition, you would need to use a Datacenter Edition license to take advantage of Azure Hybrid Benefit.

Reference:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/azure-hybrid-benefit?tabs=azure

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-machines/windows/hybrid-use-benefit-licensing

Please feel free to let us know, as we are always here to help whenever you need us.

If the comment is helpful, please click "Upvote it".
Massimiliano Canicattì 20 Reputation points

2025-04-10T13:33:18.86+00:00

Hi Ashok,

I found this posts that say the opposite:

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/865195/how-to-use-azure-hybrid-benefit-with-bring-your-ow

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1475061/windows-server-standard-license-with-software-assu?utm_source=chatgpt.com

In addition as I said I didn't find an explicit statement in the references you sent me.

Can you tell me where can I find an explicit statement about that?

Thanks,

Massimiliano
Madugula Jahnavi 495 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-16T14:58:35.4933333+00:00

Hello Massimiliano Canicattì, Are you still facing the same issue!
Massimiliano Canicattì 20 Reputation points

2025-04-16T15:09:25.14+00:00

Hi,

I found the follwing details in the product terms of Windows Server:

Limited Right to Use Datacenter Images with Standard Licenses🔗

Customers with Windows Server Standard subscription licenses acquired through CSP and assigned on a Virtual OSE basis may run Windows Server Datacenter images instead of Standard images.

Subject to the following conditions:

Customer may run Datacenter images as guest OSEs only.

Customer must use its existing Windows Server Datacenter activation infrastructure to activate Datacenter guests (e.g., existing KMS server), or access the Datacenter guests provided by a Cloud Solution Provider-Hoster.

All other Windows Server Standard Use Rights apply.

If I right understand this confirm the possibility to use Windows Server St. Ed. CSP subscription to licence an Azure VM with Windows Server DC Ed.
Vinay B 500 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-22T11:02:52.5466667+00:00

Hi Massimiliano Canicattì,

Yes, the clause you found "Limited Right to Use Datacenter Images with Standard Licenses" does confirm that customers with Windows Server Standard licenses acquired via CSP are allowed to use Datacenter edition images as long as:

The usage is limited to guest VMs.

The Datacenter VMs are activated using your existing activation infrastructure.

You adhere to all other Standard edition rights, such as licensing per 2 VMs per core pack.

So yes, you can use a Standard edition CSP license to license an Azure VM running Datacenter edition, but only under those conditions.

That said, this scenario is a bit nuanced and not widely publicized, so it’s easy to find conflicting interpretations. But your understanding is correct, and Microsoft’s product terms back it up.

Please let us know if it was helpful, and feel free to reach out if you have any further queries.
Massimiliano Canicattì 20 Reputation points

2025-04-22T14:57:00.7533333+00:00

Hi Vinay,

thank you so much for your reply and confirmation.

Regards,

Massimiliano
Vinay B 500 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-23T10:20:44.3166667+00:00

Hi Massimiliano Canicattì,

Just checking in, was the earlier response regarding Azure Hybrid Benefit and the use of Standard licenses for Datacenter VMs helpful for your scenario? Let me know if you need any further clarification or if there's anything else you'd like to go over.
Madugula Jahnavi 495 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2025-04-24T12:17:06.2066667+00:00

Hi Massimiliano Canicattì, As you mentioned that the provided suggestion by Vinay worked for you, I will convert into an answer with few modifications for better understanding. If you still have any queries, feel free to reach out here.

Answer 1

Hello Massimiliano Canicattì,

As provided by Vinay B, The clause you found "Limited Right to Use Datacenter Images with Standard Licenses" does confirm that customers with Windows Server Standard licenses acquired via CSP are allowed to use Datacenter edition images as long as:

The usage is limited to guest VMs.
The Datacenter VMs are activated using your existing activation infrastructure.
You adhere to all other Standard edition rights, such as licensing per 2 VMs per core pack.

So yes, you can use a Standard edition CSP license to license an Azure VM running Datacenter edition, but only under those conditions.

That said, this scenario is a bit nuanced and not widely publicized, so it’s easy to find conflicting interpretations. But your understanding is correct, and Microsoft’s product terms back it up.

Note: You still can’t run unlimited VMs as you could with a full Datacenter license. Ensure that the activation setup is working and the VMs are properly licensed according to their Standard edition rules.

Hope this helps!

If the answer is really helpful, please click on Accept Answer. Feel free to reach out if you have any further queries.

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