Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

[Guest HybridStudio]

Can I run Windows Server 2008 datacenter on vmware virtual server enterprise

and benefit from unlimited virtual machines?

 

I don't want to use Hyper-V

[Guest Meinolf Weber]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

Hello HybridStudio,

 

Would be nice, but licensing is easy this way, one server installation, one

license, doesn't matter if VM or physical machine.

 

Best regards

 

Meinolf Weber

Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers

no rights.

** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups

** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

> Can I run Windows Server 2008 datacenter on vmware virtual server

> enterprise and benefit from unlimited virtual machines?

>

> I don't want to use Hyper-V

>

[Guest HybridStudio]

Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

But datacentre allows unlimited virtual machines in its licensing and

enterprise allows 4 instances on the same box.

 

Perhaps if i rephrase my question to Does Windows Server 2008 Datacentre

require you to use Hyper-V to benefit from unlimited virtual machine

licensing or can a third party virtualisation technology be used?

[Guest Meinolf Weber]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

Hello HybridStudio,

 

Seems that my first reply wasn't correct. Have a look here about datacenter

licensing:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/licensing-faq.aspx#webdata\

 

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=3383969&SiteID=17

 

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/calculator.mspx

 

Best regards

 

Meinolf Weber

Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers

no rights.

** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups

** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

> But datacentre allows unlimited virtual machines in its licensing and

> enterprise allows 4 instances on the same box.

>

> Perhaps if i rephrase my question to Does Windows Server 2008

> Datacentre require you to use Hyper-V to benefit from unlimited

> virtual machine licensing or can a third party virtualisation

> technology be used?

>

[Guest Meinolf Weber]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

Hello HybridStudio,

 

Especially check out the last link about the Windows Server Virtualization

Calculators

 

 

Best regards

 

Meinolf Weber

Disclaimer: This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers

no rights.

** Please do NOT email, only reply to Newsgroups

** HELP us help YOU!!! http://www.blakjak.demon.co.uk/mul_crss.htm

> But datacentre allows unlimited virtual machines in its licensing and

> enterprise allows 4 instances on the same box.

>

> Perhaps if i rephrase my question to Does Windows Server 2008

> Datacentre require you to use Hyper-V to benefit from unlimited

> virtual machine licensing or can a third party virtualisation

> technology be used?

>

[Guest DevilsPGD]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

In message <16EC49A1-6D59-437D-9096-CB5669E23118@microsoft.com>

HybridStudio <HybridStudio@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>Can I run Windows Server 2008 datacenter on vmware virtual server enterprise

>and benefit from unlimited virtual machines?

 

From what I can tell, and from what Microsoft licensing told me when I

inquired about 2003 datacenter, the particular VM technology doesn't

matter.

 

I don't see anything in the 2008 license that requires a specific VM

technology either, but I might have missed it -- Call Microsoft to

confirm.

>I don't want to use Hyper-V

 

Mind if I ask why not? I've been very impressed by Hyper-V RC in the

lab, and plan on rolling out a semi-live installation this week to give

it some real world testing.

 

So far, Hyper-V has blown VMWare out of the water internally.

[Guest DiamondBill]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

"DevilsPGD" wrote:

> So far, Hyper-V has blown VMWare out of the water internally.

 

Mind if I ask what you mean by "blown out of the water?" Performance, ease

of use, something else? Our VMware ESX cluster is the only technology product

that I have ever had that works better than advertised. The ability to

dynamically load balance via VMotion is awesome -- over 2,000 transitions to

date -- and HyperV doesn't offer that. Add to that the ability to run

something besides Windows in the same cluster, consolidated backup, support

from 3rd parties such as SAN vendors, etc.

 

To me HyperV seems long on grandiose claims but short on delivery. On the

other hand, I am willing to entertain the notion that I missed something.

[Guest Dmitrij Malakhov]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

Hello.

 

Please excuse if it is not appropriate to continue discussion in this thread.

 

Do you think you could dissect another scenario:

 

3 node VMWare infrastructure Standard with HA, 2 nodes actively hosting

Windows virtual machines and the 3rd one empty, used for fail-over.

 

The 2 active nodes covered with Windows 2008 Datacenter licenses.

 

 

It is obvious that the 3rd one needs some kind of ms license coverage if it

is hosting Windows VMs. The vague point is - do we need to license the

third, stand-by host with an MS license if it is "empty", i.e. not serving

any virtual machines?

 

Thanks for you insight on this

 

Dmitrij

 

"DevilsPGD" wrote:

> In message <16EC49A1-6D59-437D-9096-CB5669E23118@microsoft.com>

> HybridStudio <HybridStudio@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>

> >Can I run Windows Server 2008 datacenter on vmware virtual server enterprise

> >and benefit from unlimited virtual machines?

>

> From what I can tell, and from what Microsoft licensing told me when I

> inquired about 2003 datacenter, the particular VM technology doesn't

> matter.

>

> I don't see anything in the 2008 license that requires a specific VM

> technology either, but I might have missed it -- Call Microsoft to

> confirm.

>

> >I don't want to use Hyper-V

>

> Mind if I ask why not? I've been very impressed by Hyper-V RC in the

> lab, and plan on rolling out a semi-live installation this week to give

> it some real world testing.

>

> So far, Hyper-V has blown VMWare out of the water internally.

>

[Guest Bill Grant]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

The licences are linked to Server 2008 Datacenter Edition. What you use

for virtualization does not matter. If the host is running Datacenter

Edition you can run as many instances of Windows Server as you like as

virtual machines on that host.

 

"Dmitrij Malakhov" <Dmitrij Malakhov@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

message news:257BF18C-5FD1-48E9-AAEF-8D88E57DFD11@microsoft.com...

> Hello.

>

> Please excuse if it is not appropriate to continue discussion in this

> thread.

>

> Do you think you could dissect another scenario:

>

> 3 node VMWare infrastructure Standard with HA, 2 nodes actively hosting

> Windows virtual machines and the 3rd one empty, used for fail-over.

>

> The 2 active nodes covered with Windows 2008 Datacenter licenses.

>

>

> It is obvious that the 3rd one needs some kind of ms license coverage if

> it

> is hosting Windows VMs. The vague point is - do we need to license the

> third, stand-by host with an MS license if it is "empty", i.e. not serving

> any virtual machines?

>

> Thanks for you insight on this

>

> Dmitrij

>

> "DevilsPGD" wrote:

>

>> In message <16EC49A1-6D59-437D-9096-CB5669E23118@microsoft.com>

>> HybridStudio <HybridStudio@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>>

>> >Can I run Windows Server 2008 datacenter on vmware virtual server

>> >enterprise

>> >and benefit from unlimited virtual machines?

>>

>> From what I can tell, and from what Microsoft licensing told me when I

>> inquired about 2003 datacenter, the particular VM technology doesn't

>> matter.

>>

>> I don't see anything in the 2008 license that requires a specific VM

>> technology either, but I might have missed it -- Call Microsoft to

>> confirm.

>>

>> >I don't want to use Hyper-V

>>

>> Mind if I ask why not? I've been very impressed by Hyper-V RC in the

>> lab, and plan on rolling out a semi-live installation this week to give

>> it some real world testing.

>>

>> So far, Hyper-V has blown VMWare out of the water internally.

>>

[Guest Dmitrij Malakhov]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

Thank you for your prompt reply, Bill.

 

I am afraid I do not fully understand your answer. I am aware of the fact

that Datacenter Virtualization benefit is as valid for VMWare, Parallels as

for Hyper-V. What we are trying to clear up is if we have to buy Datacenter

license for the third, stand-by, VMWare host. The other two are covered with

such licenses.

 

"Bill Grant" wrote:

> The licences are linked to Server 2008 Datacenter Edition. What you use

> for virtualization does not matter. If the host is running Datacenter

> Edition you can run as many instances of Windows Server as you like as

> virtual machines on that host.

>

> "Dmitrij Malakhov" <Dmitrij Malakhov@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

> message news:257BF18C-5FD1-48E9-AAEF-8D88E57DFD11@microsoft.com...

> > Hello.

> >

> > Please excuse if it is not appropriate to continue discussion in this

> > thread.

> >

> > Do you think you could dissect another scenario:

> >

> > 3 node VMWare infrastructure Standard with HA, 2 nodes actively hosting

> > Windows virtual machines and the 3rd one empty, used for fail-over.

> >

> > The 2 active nodes covered with Windows 2008 Datacenter licenses.

> >

> >

> > It is obvious that the 3rd one needs some kind of ms license coverage if

> > it

> > is hosting Windows VMs. The vague point is - do we need to license the

> > third, stand-by host with an MS license if it is "empty", i.e. not serving

> > any virtual machines?

> >

> > Thanks for you insight on this

> >

> > Dmitrij

> >

> > "DevilsPGD" wrote:

> >

> >> In message <16EC49A1-6D59-437D-9096-CB5669E23118@microsoft.com>

> >> HybridStudio <HybridStudio@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> >>

> >> >Can I run Windows Server 2008 datacenter on vmware virtual server

> >> >enterprise

> >> >and benefit from unlimited virtual machines?

> >>

> >> From what I can tell, and from what Microsoft licensing told me when I

> >> inquired about 2003 datacenter, the particular VM technology doesn't

> >> matter.

> >>

> >> I don't see anything in the 2008 license that requires a specific VM

> >> technology either, but I might have missed it -- Call Microsoft to

> >> confirm.

> >>

> >> >I don't want to use Hyper-V

> >>

> >> Mind if I ask why not? I've been very impressed by Hyper-V RC in the

> >> lab, and plan on rolling out a semi-live installation this week to give

> >> it some real world testing.

> >>

> >> So far, Hyper-V has blown VMWare out of the water internally.

> >>

>

[Guest Bill Grant]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

You would need to talk to a Microsoft rep about that. Me guess would be

"Yes".

 

"Dmitrij Malakhov" <Dmitrij Malakhov@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

message news:EEC59D1E-1D25-4134-8666-6369EB3E8678@microsoft.com...

> Thank you for your prompt reply, Bill.

>

> I am afraid I do not fully understand your answer. I am aware of the fact

> that Datacenter Virtualization benefit is as valid for VMWare, Parallels

> as

> for Hyper-V. What we are trying to clear up is if we have to buy

> Datacenter

> license for the third, stand-by, VMWare host. The other two are covered

> with

> such licenses.

>

> "Bill Grant" wrote:

>

>> The licences are linked to Server 2008 Datacenter Edition. What you

>> use

>> for virtualization does not matter. If the host is running Datacenter

>> Edition you can run as many instances of Windows Server as you like as

>> virtual machines on that host.

>>

>> "Dmitrij Malakhov" <Dmitrij Malakhov@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

>> message news:257BF18C-5FD1-48E9-AAEF-8D88E57DFD11@microsoft.com...

>> > Hello.

>> >

>> > Please excuse if it is not appropriate to continue discussion in this

>> > thread.

>> >

>> > Do you think you could dissect another scenario:

>> >

>> > 3 node VMWare infrastructure Standard with HA, 2 nodes actively hosting

>> > Windows virtual machines and the 3rd one empty, used for fail-over.

>> >

>> > The 2 active nodes covered with Windows 2008 Datacenter licenses.

>> >

>> >

>> > It is obvious that the 3rd one needs some kind of ms license coverage

>> > if

>> > it

>> > is hosting Windows VMs. The vague point is - do we need to license the

>> > third, stand-by host with an MS license if it is "empty", i.e. not

>> > serving

>> > any virtual machines?

>> >

>> > Thanks for you insight on this

>> >

>> > Dmitrij

>> >

>> > "DevilsPGD" wrote:

>> >

>> >> In message <16EC49A1-6D59-437D-9096-CB5669E23118@microsoft.com>

>> >> HybridStudio <HybridStudio@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

>> >>

>> >> >Can I run Windows Server 2008 datacenter on vmware virtual server

>> >> >enterprise

>> >> >and benefit from unlimited virtual machines?

>> >>

>> >> From what I can tell, and from what Microsoft licensing told me when I

>> >> inquired about 2003 datacenter, the particular VM technology doesn't

>> >> matter.

>> >>

>> >> I don't see anything in the 2008 license that requires a specific VM

>> >> technology either, but I might have missed it -- Call Microsoft to

>> >> confirm.

>> >>

>> >> >I don't want to use Hyper-V

>> >>

>> >> Mind if I ask why not? I've been very impressed by Hyper-V RC in the

>> >> lab, and plan on rolling out a semi-live installation this week to

>> >> give

>> >> it some real world testing.

>> >>

>> >> So far, Hyper-V has blown VMWare out of the water internally.

>> >>

>>

[Guest Dmitrij Malakhov]

Re: Windows 2008 DataCentre and VMWare licensing

 

Thanks again, Bill, I will try to arrange for this.

 

Best regards,

 

Dmitrij

 

"Bill Grant" wrote:

> You would need to talk to a Microsoft rep about that. Me guess would be

> "Yes".

>

> "Dmitrij Malakhov" <Dmitrij Malakhov@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

> message news:EEC59D1E-1D25-4134-8666-6369EB3E8678@microsoft.com...

> > Thank you for your prompt reply, Bill.

> >

> > I am afraid I do not fully understand your answer. I am aware of the fact

> > that Datacenter Virtualization benefit is as valid for VMWare, Parallels

> > as

> > for Hyper-V. What we are trying to clear up is if we have to buy

> > Datacenter

> > license for the third, stand-by, VMWare host. The other two are covered

> > with

> > such licenses.

> >

> > "Bill Grant" wrote:

> >

> >> The licences are linked to Server 2008 Datacenter Edition. What you

> >> use

> >> for virtualization does not matter. If the host is running Datacenter

> >> Edition you can run as many instances of Windows Server as you like as

> >> virtual machines on that host.

> >>

> >> "Dmitrij Malakhov" <Dmitrij Malakhov@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in

> >> message news:257BF18C-5FD1-48E9-AAEF-8D88E57DFD11@microsoft.com...

> >> > Hello.

> >> >

> >> > Please excuse if it is not appropriate to continue discussion in this

> >> > thread.

> >> >

> >> > Do you think you could dissect another scenario:

> >> >

> >> > 3 node VMWare infrastructure Standard with HA, 2 nodes actively hosting

> >> > Windows virtual machines and the 3rd one empty, used for fail-over.

> >> >

> >> > The 2 active nodes covered with Windows 2008 Datacenter licenses.

> >> >

> >> >

> >> > It is obvious that the 3rd one needs some kind of ms license coverage

> >> > if

> >> > it

> >> > is hosting Windows VMs. The vague point is - do we need to license the

> >> > third, stand-by host with an MS license if it is "empty", i.e. not

> >> > serving

> >> > any virtual machines?

> >> >

> >> > Thanks for you insight on this

> >> >

> >> > Dmitrij

> >> >

> >> > "DevilsPGD" wrote:

> >> >

> >> >> In message <16EC49A1-6D59-437D-9096-CB5669E23118@microsoft.com>

> >> >> HybridStudio <HybridStudio@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:

> >> >>

> >> >> >Can I run Windows Server 2008 datacenter on vmware virtual server

> >> >> >enterprise

> >> >> >and benefit from unlimited virtual machines?

> >> >>

> >> >> From what I can tell, and from what Microsoft licensing told me when I

> >> >> inquired about 2003 datacenter, the particular VM technology doesn't

> >> >> matter.

> >> >>

> >> >> I don't see anything in the 2008 license that requires a specific VM

> >> >> technology either, but I might have missed it -- Call Microsoft to

> >> >> confirm.

> >> >>

> >> >> >I don't want to use Hyper-V

> >> >>

> >> >> Mind if I ask why not? I've been very impressed by Hyper-V RC in the

> >> >> lab, and plan on rolling out a semi-live installation this week to

> >> >> give

> >> >> it some real world testing.

> >> >>

> >> >> So far, Hyper-V has blown VMWare out of the water internally.

> >> >>

> >>

>