Windows Server 2016 Virtual Machine License

Question

Hi,

I have a licensed windows server 2016 installed in a physical server. Now I want to convert it to a virtual machine. Does the virtual machine copy will be licensed too?

Answer 1

Only the host is licensed so the question is where will the 2016 guest machine reside?

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.
  http://download.microsoft.com/download/7/2/9/7290EA05-DC56-4BED-9400-138C5701F174/WS2016LicensingDatasheet.pdf

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

Answer 2

If you plan on setting up Windows Server 2016 in Azure, it is licensed by default as part of price. However you can reduce the cost by using "Azure hybrid benefit" whereby you can get a discount on the cost if you already have a valid license. See the link below.

hybrid-benefit