Convert from SPLA to Open Licensing

Question

Hi Folks,

We need to re-license a 2016 Stnd. Server to Open licensing, from SPLA. We entered into an agreement with a managed service provider and are now discontinuing their services. We originally had a physical 2008r2 server (with Open licensing) that acted as our domain controller and had some shares on it. We paid our MSP (beyond the MSP monthly contract) to upgrade that server to 2016 and transition it to a HyperV enviroment on a server that is at our location and we lease from the MSP. They licensed the 2016 server with SPLA licensing. We have recently purchased our own physical server, setup the HyperV, and purchased licensing for Server 2019 and the appropriate amount of user CALs. Our intention was to move the VM to the new server, deactivate the SPLA license, apply and activate our open license, and not have to rebuild a whole new server. Our MSP is now trying to hold us hostage and has taken steps to block this transition. They are saying that they own the server and the licensing and that we cannot apply our open license to the server. So, the question is; Can open licensing replace SPLA licensing?
@Joe Rosenfels @gillespie-graphics.com

Answer 1

We have recently purchased our own physical server, setup the HyperV, and purchased licensing for Server 2019 and the appropriate amount of user CALs

Then the simplest solution may be to stand up a new 2019 domain controller guest for replacement and be done with it. If the host happened to be DataCenter then you could utilize AVMA keys for activation.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started-19/vm-activation-19

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

Answer 2

In fact, for specific licensing question, you’d better ask for help from Microsoft Licensing Activation Center or your Microsoft Partner, they can depend on your scenario to provide advice.
Microsoft Licensing Activation Centers worldwide telephone numbers
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/licensing/existing-customer/activation-centers
Connect with trusted Microsoft solution providers
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/solution-providers/home
Thank you for understanding.