Windows Server 2019 licenses and CALs needed?

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lihp

Active Member
Jan 2, 2021
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I really dont understand current Microsoft licensing. Please help.

  1. RHEL (24 core) server with VMs
  2. Microsoft VMs on the RHEL hypervisor: 2x Windows 2019 VMs with 2-4 cores each - 1x Windows AD server (2 cores), 1x SharePoint server (4 cores, 2nd AD and File servers will be based on RHEL)
  3. 1 physical machine connects to the servers with up to 4 different accounts, which are all me (business account, browsing account, gaming account, test account)
  4. Optional: 1-4 guests access the SharePoint site (external) for a max timeframe of 2 month (project based access).
Other stuff wont be used, meaning: no Hyper-V, no file services (except GPOs from AD),...

Windows standard or Datacenter? Which and how many CALs?

TIA
 

i386

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2016
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1x Windows Server 2019 standard license (1x license covers up to 16 cores and 2x vms).
1x device cal for the physical machine
4x user cals (1x per user/account)

The datacenter license would allow you to create unlimited number of vms on that host, but costs a lot more.
 
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lihp

Active Member
Jan 2, 2021
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1x Windows Server 2019 standard license (1x license covers up to 16 cores and 2x vms).
1x device cal for the physical machine
4x user cals (1x per user/account)

The datacenter license would allow you to create unlimited number of vms on that host, but costs a lot more.
Thank you alot. Here in Germany we are able to buy "used" licenses (based on a supreme court decision). So depending on the offer, it is no difference for me if Standard or Datacenter - sometimes the used Datacenter licenses are even cheaper since not many buy them.

Just to be sure:
  1. 1x Windows 2019 server license allows me to install Windows server 2019 two times in VMs under RHEL. If I buy a datacenter Windows Server 2019 license, I can install even 10 Windows 2019 VMs on the same machine.?
  2. 1x device CAL covers the installation on the physical machine, the RHEL server. No matter if it is 2 Windows 2019 Standard or 12 Datacenter 2019 servers?
  3. 1x package of 5 User CALs covers my accounts to log on to those servers.
 

i386

Well-Known Member
Mar 18, 2016
4,218
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Germany
1x Windows 2019 server license allows me to install Windows server 2019 two times in VMs under RHEL.
Yes, as long as the vms only use up to 16 cores.
If I buy a datacenter Windows Server 2019 license, I can install even 10 Windows 2019 VMs on the same machine.?
With the datacenter license you can install as many vms with up to 16 cores as your vm host can handle.
1x device CAL covers the installation on the physical machine, the RHEL server. No matter if it is 2 Windows 2019 Standard or 12 Datacenter 2019 servers?
From my understanding, yes.
1x package of 5 User CALs covers my accounts to log on to those servers.
If you don't get the device cal than 4 of these user cals will be used for your 4 accounts that you listed here:
(business account, browsing account, gaming account, test account)
 
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BlueFox

Legendary Member Spam Hunter Extraordinaire
Oct 26, 2015
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Regardless of court decisions, I wouldn't pay for a license where you don't get the physical COA. Pretty much everything you see on eBay/forums are going to be volume/educational/NFR licenses that were never meant to be sold. Might as well pirate it at instead of paying someone for an illegitimate one.
 

lihp

Active Member
Jan 2, 2021
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Regardless of court decisions, I wouldn't pay for a license where you don't get the physical COA. Pretty much everything you see on eBay/forums are going to be volume/educational/NFR licenses that were never meant to be sold. Might as well pirate it at instead of paying someone for an illegitimate one.
Not talking about ebay or some shady sellers. You can actually buy legit ones, even verified.

Issue is simple: many companies go bankrupt due to Corona and their licenses are then sold. The more go bankrupt, the more licenses are sold. The lower the price - from legit ones. Got a lawyer as customer, who is specialized in that stuff. The whole set + 5 Windows 10 Enterprise licenses makes a total of less than 200 € so I am cool with it as long as its legit.