Every once in a while MS or one of their subcontractors will do a soft audit on you. It's quick and easy if you are in compliance. Microsoft says a standard license is basically the same as 8x Core packs and even references purchasing only core packs as a standard license as if they two are interchangeable. Instead of saying I have a 24 core server lets say 32 core to get rid of the "why" part of purchasing 2x standard licenses. Back to the original question - the licenses are just paper.
File them away as proof of purchase. If you make a VL purchase of 2 core licenses 8 2-Core "packs", 1 Core "pack", whatever , two separate line items to I guess show that you are licensing two hardware platforms, Microsoft processes the order and your licensing document shows you purchased 32 cores.
Nowhere does it show that you are licensing two servers - it just shows that you purchased licensing for 32 cores. But if you purchase 2 copies of Standard, each copy would need to have enough cores for your physical server, right? Buying a second Standard doesn't just add to your core count, does it?
That's one of the things I'm trying to figure out. I have a client that did exactly that. Its a little more complicated because of the number of servers and virtual machines involved but lets just say instead of purchasing core packs he purchased full standard licenses because the math worked out the same and he got a slightly better deal on the full standard licenses. AFAIK that's not right. Maybe Chris Microsoft is around and can confirm this, though.
They combine all the cores when you purchase it, at least through VL, into one line item in the license document. Whether your intent is to fully license two servers or fully license one server twice to make use of 4 WS VM's - the license doesn't show that, it just shows the total cores you purchased. To me that means they just care that all cores are licensed and for the correct number of VM's.
Oh, I see. I thought you meant when you purchase core packs. You meant even with Standard licenses? For some reason I don't think that would be kosher - purchase 2 Retail core licenses and then split the cores between machines. I was just talking about how they do it with Volume Licensing.
They just sell you the total amount of cores and you split them up how you want as long as the rules are followed - license each machine with a minimum of 2 physical processors of 8 cores each per 2 VM's you plan to use, etc.
You are under a misconception. There is no Server Standard license as there was for Microsoft moved to strictly per core licensing. Every server must have all of its cores licensed. Minimum number of cores per server is Cores are bought in packs of two.
With Standard licenses you get 2 VMs every time you completely license the server's cores, with a minimum of 16 each iteration. Either get 2 licenses 2x 16 cores or 1 licenses with additional 16 cores using 8x 2 core packs which you have done. If they are not MSVL, then keep the quotation, invoices and other hard-copies that was sent to you as proof of purchase. You may want to scan them into PFD to be kept also.
Things get more complicated if you have like 2 physical servers each 24 cores But others may just buy 3 licenses In the past, licenses have been 'married' to a machine. Splitting them into parts was never allowed. Still waiting to hear from Chris Microsoft , but I doubt that's changed. Lots of conflicting answers on this one. Some say a Standard license is nothing more than Core Packs which would mean you could certainly split them between machines while others say no.
This seems to have gone a little off topic with splitting licenses and I think my original questions were a little lost on some because in my example I was using, the server had more than 16 cores which was the point of buying more than 1 Standard license. Yes I know if the server had 16 cores or less and I purchased 2 Standard licenses I could run 4 virtual machines ;. To make things really cut and dry lets say I bought two of these " Server Standard " licenses from Newegg.
If I added one key to my host server what would I do with the other key? Would the server not complain that I only installed 1 license when my machine has more than 16 cores? Second Example, lets say I bought 4 of these " 4 additional Core Packs " to license a server with 16 Cores. Do these 4 packs come with some sort of license key? How would I add all 4 of them to a server? Technically Id have enough to cover all of my cores but where do I actually add the licenses if their are any?
It's cheaper, though, so maybe it makes sense for you. Core packs and licenses have never needed keys to exist or to apply to machines. This was true with older versions of Server as well. The keys are to activate Windows when you install it, not to confirm or apply your license. No, there are no keys to apply. Again, licenses are just paper. You don't actually do anything on the Server to apply a license. Never have. It's an activation key, not a license key. The additional core packs don't come with keys.
They are just licensing certificates you file away as proof that you are properly licensed. With OEM licensing, I don't know if it's okay to purchase two Standard core licenses and split them up between machines. Why have a different SKU if you can split up the standard item? Here is a screenshot I just took of Server asking for a product key to activate Windows. But even if we were talking about other types of licenses like CALs one would still enter the CAL information including the license key to activate the CALs on the server.
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