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Windows Server 2016 Core Licensing Calculator from HPE walk through [VIDEO]

Today's Coffee Coaching session walks you through HPE’s Microsoft® Windows Server® 2016 Core Licensing Calculator, a useful, and easy to use, tool that can help customers retain economic control with their business's Microsoft Windows Server 2016 licensing.

With the Core-Based Licensing model, server licensing is based on the total number of cores on the physical server. You can learn more about Core-Based Licensing here: Windows Server 2016 core based licensing explained.


To see how many Windows Server 2016 licenses are needed for a specific server solution, customers, and reseller partners, can use the HPE Windows Server 2016 Core Licensing Calculator.

Watch our latest Coffee Coaching session to get a walk through of the calculator:

Now, let's take a moment to dive into how the calculator works, the server information you will need to input in the calculator, and the helpful calculations it can provide.  


1) Select the edition of Windows Server 2016 that will be used
The first step of the Windows Server 2016 Core Licensing Calculator is to select which edition of Windows Server 2016 will be used, Standard edition or Datacenter edition. Which option we choose may depend mainly on how many virtual machines are needed to run on the server.

You may notice that Windows Server 2016 Essentials edition is not an option for this calculator. This is because Essentials edition uses a different licensing model (processor-based) and licensing needs are calculated differently. This calculator is only for Windows Server 2016 Standard or Datacenter licensing needs.

In today’s example, we are calculating licensing needs for Windows Server 2016 Standard edition.In today’s example, we are calculating licensing needs for Windows Server 2016 Standard edition.

2) Enter the server's physical core parameters
The second step is to input the server's physical core information to define the licensing needs, simply enter the number of physical processors the server has, followed by the number of physical cores per processor.In today’s example, we are licensing a server with 2 processors, with a total of 10 cores per processor.In today’s example, we are licensing a server with 2 processors, with a total of 10 cores per processor.

It is important to keep in mind the 3 rules that must be followed for core-based licensing:
- All physical cores in the server must be licensed
- A minimum of 8 core licenses is required for each physical processor
- A minimum of 16 core licenses is required for each server

You may see the tool make accommodations for these rules if your server has less than 8 cores per processor, or less than 16 cores total.

 

3) Get calculations for core licensing requirements
When the number of physical processors and cores per processor is entered, the calculator automatically calculates the number of Base Licenses and Additional Licenses that are needed to properly license the server solution.  

In today’s example, the calculator tells us we need one Windows Server 2016 Standard Base License (which covers 16 cores) and we will also need Additional Licenses to cover 4 more cores. The calculator recommends we purchase one 4 core Windows Server 2016 Standard Additional License APOS.In today’s example, the calculator tells us we need one Windows Server 2016 Standard Base License (which covers 16 cores) and we will also need Additional Licenses to cover 4 more cores. The calculator recommends we purchase one 4 core Windows Server 2016 Standard Additional License APOS.
NOTE: Windows Server 2016 Standard Additional After Point of Sale (APOS) licensing is available in 2, 4, or 16 cores. The calculator will make recommendations of the required Additional License(s) to cover your additional cores to be licensed.

Windows Server 2016 Standard Additional APOS Licenses include enhanced benefits: they can be sold with or without a server, and they can also be reassigned to another server that has a Windows Server 2016 Standard Base License. Standard Additional APOS Licenses do not include media or product key, they leverage the media and product key included within the Base License.


4) Enter Virtual Machine (VM) needs
HPE OEM Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Standard edition includes up to two virtual instances of the Operating System Environment (VMs/OSEs) or up to two Hyper-V Containers when all physical cores on the server are licensed. For every two additional VMs/OSEs or Hyper-V Containers, all of the cores in the server must be licensed again. If you need to license more than 2 VMs/OSEs or Hyper-V Containers need to be licensed, the additional number of VMs desired are entered now.

In today’s example, we need to license a total of 4 VMs. Because licensing for 2 VMs is included in the Standard Base License (once all of the physical cores are licensed), we will require licensing for 2 additional VMs.In today’s example, we need to license a total of 4 VMs. Because licensing for 2 VMs is included in the Standard Base License (once all of the physical cores are licensed), we will require licensing for 2 additional VMs.
5) 
Get calculations for VM licensing requirements
Once you enter how manyadditional VMs are desired, the calculator will tell you the number of additional cores required to license the additional VMs and make recommendations of the required Additional License(s) for the additional cores.
In today’s example, the calculator tells us that to license all of the VMs (4 total), 20 additional cores will need to be licensed. The calculator recommends we license these additional cores with one 16 core Windows Server 2016 Standard Additional License APOS and one 4 core Windows Server 2016 Standard Additional License APOS.In today’s example, the calculator tells us that to license all of the VMs (4 total), 20 additional cores will need to be licensed. The calculator recommends we license these additional cores with one 16 core Windows Server 2016 Standard Additional License APOS and one 4 core Windows Server 2016 Standard Additional License APOS.
Once you have entered your processors, cores, and additional VM licensing needed, you will have the complete results of your licensing needs.


Windows Server 2016 Datacenter edition
Windows Server 2016 Datacenter edition includes unlimited virtual instances of VMs/OSEs and Hyper-V Containers on the licensed server. Therefore, when using the Windows Server 2016 Core Licensing Calculator for Datacenter edition, you are not required to enter any data about VMs needs, you simply input the data on physical processors and cores.


If you need to run more than 12 VMs, then it might be a better option economically to use Windows Server 2016 Datacenter edition as it allows for unlimited VMs. This is especially helpful if you have plans to grown the number of VMs later on down the road.


Are you ready to calculate licensing needs for HPE OEM Windows Server 2016?! With this simple tool all you need to know is the ideal HPE ProLiant Gen10 Server (the processor model and total cores per processor) and the VM needs. 

 


Have questions about HPE OEM Microsoft products/solutions, Windows Server 2016, or HPE Servers? Join the Coffee Coaching community to keep up with the latest HPE OEM Microsoft news and interact with HPE and Microsoft experts.

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About the Author

Willa

Willa manages the HPE | Microsoft Coffee Coaching program. Follow along to learn more about the latest HPE OEM Microsoft product releases and how the HPE Microsoft partnership can benefit partners and customers.