Understanding additional licenses for Windows Server 2019

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It’s been quite a few years since Microsoft^® tweaked its Windows Server^® licensing structure to help businesses get just the licenses they need without overpaying for licenses that are not being used. Most organizations know that they need a minimum of one base license per server, which includes the product software, Certificate of Authenticity (COA), license key, and the software license terms. This license covers one server with up to 16 cores, which is the minimum number of core licenses required for each server. If the license is for Windows Server 2019 Standard edition, the base license also covers two virtual machines (VMs); Windows Server 2019 Datacenter edition covers unlimited VMs when all physical cores in the server are properly licensed.

Once a server has more than 16 cores or more than two VMs (for standard edition), additional licenses come into play. Keep reading for an overview of how additional licenses work.

Additional licenses for Windows Server 2019 Standard

•           Servers with more than 16 cores: Additional licenses are required for all cores more than the minimum requirement of 16. So, a server with 20 cores would require one base license (for the first 16 cores) and four additional licenses.
•           Servers with more than two VMs: Two additional VMs are allowed each time all physical cores in the server are licensed. So, for a server with 16 cores and four VMs, 16 additional licenses are required.

It’s important to note that HPE OEM Windows Server 2019 Standard additional licenses may be purchased at the same time as the server as well as after the initial server purchase; the latter are known as After Point Of Sale (APOS) licenses. APOS licenses can be reassigned to another server that already has a Windows Server 2019 Standard base license once every 90 days.

Additional licenses for Windows Server 2019 Datacenter

•           Servers with more than 16 cores: Additional licenses are required for all cores more than the minimum requirement of 16. So, a server with 20 cores would require one base license (for the first 16 cores) and four additional licenses.
•           Servers with more than two VMs: Datacenter edition includes unlimited VMs, so no additional licenses are required.

It’s important to note that Windows Server Datacenter additional licenses must be purchased at the same time as the base license and HPE server; APOS licenses are not available for Datacenter edition.

Buying additional licenses from HPE

HPE offers OEM Windows Server 2019 Standard and HPE OEM Windows Server 2019 Datacenter additional licenses in increments of two, four, and 16 cores. The additional license is delivered as a paper license card with a COA sticker permanently affixed to the license card or packaging.

As always, remember to let your customers know that HPE ProLiant Gen10 servers and Windows Server 2019 were made to work together, providing more flexibility, enhanced security, and innovation.

Want to know more?

Check out these valuable resources:

•           FAQ: HPE FAQ for Microsoft OEM licensing—Windows Server
•           Blog: Windows Server 2019 licensing requirements for Remote Desktop Service (RDS) to enable remote working
•           Blog: The Ultimate Guide to Windows Server 2019 Licensing
•           HPE Windows Server Core Licensing Calculator