Licensing FAQ

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Windows Server 2008 R2 is licensed the same way as Windows Server 2008. Windows Server 2008 R2 will be available through all the regular sales and licensing channels.

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No. The pricing is the same as Windows Server 2008.

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Windows Server 2008 R2 will be available through all the regular sales and licensing channels.

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No. There are no new CALs for Windows Server 2008 R2. You can use your Windows Server 2008 CAL for either Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2008 R2.

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No. As part of Software Assurance benefits, you will receive the rights to upgrade your servers to Windows Server 2008 R2.

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If you want to upgrade to Windows Server 2008 R2, you will need to purchase a Windows Server 2008 R2 license for each server that you will be upgrading. Unlike service packs and feature packs, Windows Server 2008 R2 is the full operating system and requires a new server license.

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Volume license customers who have servers under Software Assurance or as part of their Enterprise Agreement will automatically receive Windows Server 2008 R2 as part of their Select media fulfillment.

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No. You will be able to move to Windows Server 2008 R2 from either Windows Server 2008 or Windows Server 2003 R2.

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Yes, except for the “Without Hyper-V” editions. The Windows Server 2008 R2 core product offerings are:

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No. Windows Server 2008 R2 is x64 only for the following products:

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If you are a Select or Enterprise Agreement customer, you will receive the most up-to-date software in your monthly Select Kit. If you are an Open customer, contact your reseller (or Microsoft Licensing Fulfillment Center, if applicable) to order the relevant software.

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The Windows Server 2008 R2 license gives the license holder the right to create copies, store, and run the server software. The Windows Server 2008 CAL grants the right for a device or user to access the server software. The two-component license provides a low entry price and a way to pay for capacity used: the more devices or users accessing the server software, the greater the license fees or price. The model therefore offers license affordability to organizations of all sizes.

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A Windows Server 2008 CAL is required when a user or device accesses or uses the Windows Server 2008 server software. However, if access is through the Internet and is anonymous (for example, when browsing a public Web site), a Windows Server CAL is not required. Also, if that user is an external user, another option is to acquire an External Connector license. See the Windows External Connector License section below for more detail. Further information is available at the External Connector License Overview. Further to this Windows Server 2008 CALs are not required if you are using Windows Server 2008 R2 solely as a virtualization host. The only exception to this is if you are running Windows Server 2008 R2 virtual machines, which would require Windows Server 2008 CALs. For example if you deploy Windows Server 2008 virtual machines onto Windows Server 2008 R2, you do not require Windows Server 2008 CALs for your virtual machine users.

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Yes, a Windows Server CAL is required for any such infrequent use/access of the server software.

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No. The Windows Server CAL requirements are the same.

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A Windows Server CAL is required when a user or device is directly or indirectly accessing a Windows server. Additionally, if the user or device is accessing or using the terminal services functionality of Windows Server, a RDS CAL is also required. As an exception to these rules, up to two users or devices may access the server software only for server administration purposes, without requiring either a RDS CAL or Windows Server CAL.

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Yes. Windows Server 2008 TS CALs are functionally equivalent to RDS CALs, and can be used for connecting to Windows Server 2008 R2 Session Hosts and RD Virtualization Hosts. A Windows Server 2008 R2 RD License server can issue and track both TS CALs and RDS CALs, but a Windows Server 2008 TS Licensing server needs to be running either Service Pack 2 or have the QFE described in Microsoft KnowledgeBase article 968074 installed to be able to manage RDS CALs.

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A Windows Server Device CAL permits one device (used by any user) to access or use the server software. A Windows Server User CAL permits one user (using any device) to access or use the server software; the same holds true for RDS Device CALs and RDS User CALs.

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Yes. Windows Device and User CALs can be used on the same server. For ease of management and tracking, though, Microsoft recommends that customers choose to acquire CALs on either a device or user basis.

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Yes. RDS Device and User CALs can be used to access the same server; however the server can only be set in per user mode or per device mode. If you wish to use a mix of both per device AND per user CALs you will need to set your server in per user mode. For ease of management and tracking, though, Microsoft recommends that customers choose to acquire CALs on either a device or user basis.

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No. Windows Server 2008 Device CALs and Windows Server 2008 User CALs are priced the same, just as Windows Server 2008 RDS Device CALs and Windows Server 2008 RDS User CALs are the same price.

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When the software comes packaged with CALs, you choose whether those CALs are User or Device CALs after you make the purchase on the CAL End User License Agreement document. In other words, you choose the type of CAL once you get the product.

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The different types of CALs are outlined above. See Device and User CALs. Different licensing modes only apply to Windows Server CALs and pertain to how to assign the Windows Server CALs.

Please visit the CAL overview page for further details.

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Customers will be able to choose either Core Device CALs or Core User CALs for their Enterprise Agreement (EA) enrollments. By standardizing at an enrollment level, Microsoft can help maintain the simplicity and ease of tracking provided by the Core CAL and EA.

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Yes. You may downgrade Windows Server 2008 RDS CALs (either user or device), but a Windows Server 2008 TS Licensing server needs to be running either Service Pack 2 or have the QFE described in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 968074 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/968074) installed to be able to manage RDS CALs.

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During setup, Remote Desktop Server Licensing Management (RDSLM) will prompt you to choose.

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Yes. You must designate your Windows CALs as Device or User when you upgrade them. When Software Assurance comes up for renewal, all the new specifications (for example, number of User CALs, number of Device CALs) are documented and revised in Microsoft Volume License Services' records. For RDS CALs, when you request RDS CAL tokens through Remote Desktop Licensing Manager, you are prompted to specify User or Device.

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Customers with current Software Assurance for CALs may switch their Device CALs to User CALs and User CAL to Device CALs upon renewal of their Software Assurance coverage for those CALs.

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An EC license is not mandatory. It is a licensing option available to address a specific customer scenario. When you need to allow your business partners or customers to access your network, you have two choices:

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External Connector licenses should be acquired for each Windows server that the external user is accessing (not just for the server to which they are authenticating).

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An external user is a person who is not an employee, or similar personnel of the company or its affiliates, and is not someone to whom you provide hosted services using the server software.

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Yes, and thus the student can be covered under an External Connector license.

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Yes. This is permitted, and its use on a Windows 2003 server maintains the rights of the External Connector license.

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Yes. This is permitted.

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Yes, with Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, you may run one instance in the physical operating system environment and one instance in the virtual operating system environment; however, the instance running in the physical operating system environment may be used only to run hardware virtualization software, provide hardware virtualization services, or to run software to manage and service operating system environments on the licensed server.

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Yes. The use terms specify that the right to run Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard in place of Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise is allowed within any operating system environment.

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Yes. You may run earlier versions of the Windows Server operating system, but not later versions, by exercising your downgrade rights in the software license terms. You will need to use your existing media to run Windows NT Server 4.0, Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, or Windows Server 2008.

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No, virtualization licensing rights remain the same as Windows Server 2008.  You will still be licensed to run, at any one time, one instance of the server software in a physical operating system environment and up to four instances of the server software in virtual operating system environments.

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The rights to run the four instances are assigned to the licensed server, and all the instances can run only on the licensed server. You may not move your rights to run an additional two instances to another server.  However, if you have another server that is licensed for Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise or Datacenter, you may move the two workloads to that server and run them on that server provided that by running the additional instances you do not exceed the licensed capacity of the new server (one with Windows Server Standard, four with Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise, and unlimited with Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter).

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With a license for Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise, you may run up to four instances of the software in virtual operating system environments. If you want to run a fifth instance in a virtual operating system environment, you must acquire and assign an additional license to that server. It may be more economical to license the server with Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter or “step up” your Enterprise license to Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter.

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Yes, Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter will continue to allow for running an unlimited number of virtual instances of the server software in virtual operating system environments.

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Yes. The use rights apply regardless of the virtualization product being used. However, any non-Microsoft software virtualization technologies are not supported by Microsoft. For more information about support policies, please refer to the following Microsoft Knowledge Base (KB) articles:

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The most obvious new thing is the name itself, Remote Desktop Services, but there are also several changes for RDS Licensing in Windows Server 2008 R2. These include:

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The Remote Desktop Services (RDS), formally known as Terminal Services in Windows Server 2008, functionality in Windows Server 2008 R2 lets you remotely execute applications or an entire desktop on a Windows-based session host server from a wide range of devices over virtually any type of network connection; it also lets you remotely execute virtual machine-based (virtual) desktops on a Hyper-V-based virtualization host server. A server hosting Remote Desktop Services sessions can be referred to as a Remote Desktop Session Host (RDSH) Server, and a RDS server hosting virtual machines can be referred to as a Remote Desktop Virtualization Host (RDVH) Server.

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The Remote Desktop Services functionality is included with the acquisition of a Windows Server 2008 R2 license. However, when a user or device accesses a terminal Remote Desktop server (either a RDSH or a RDVH), that user or device is required to have a Windows Server 2008 TS CAL or Windows Server 2008 RDS CAL (in addition to a Windows Server 2008 CAL) in order to be compliant with the licensing terms of the product.

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Yes. RDS and TS CAL tokens will be managed by the Windows Server 2008 R2 Remote Desktop License server. The process for receiving RDS and TS CALs for Windows Server 2008 R2 is the same as with Windows Server 2008.

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The license rights applicable to your RD Session Host server(s) or RD Virtualization Host server(s) govern.

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You simply input the information when prompted when requesting Windows Server 2008 Remote Desktop Services CALs using the RD Server Licensing tool. The information is validated and RDS CAL tokens are issued.

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Windows Web Server 2008 R2 can be obtained by Microsoft customers through retail channels, the Volume Licensing programs, through Microsoft original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and system builders (SBs), and through service providers with a services provider licensing agreement (SPLA). Windows Web Server 2008 R2 is also available through a limited number of resellers.

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The Microsoft Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) enables service providers to license Microsoft products on a monthly basis to provide services and hosted applications to their end customers. Please visit Microsoft Services Provider Licensing Agreement Web site for more information.  

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No. Windows Web Server 2008 R2 can be used solely to deploy Internet-accessible front-end Web pages, Web sites, Web applications, Web services, and POP3 mail serving. For more information, see the Licensing Windows Web Server 2008 R2 page.  

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No. Windows CALs are not applicable to Windows Web Server 2008 R2. However, Windows Web Server 2008 R2 can be used as the scale-out front end for applications such as Windows SharePoint Services. In these scale-out configurations, Windows CALs will be required since servers running Windows Web Server 2008 R2 are connecting to back-end applications running on Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard and above.

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Windows Web Server 2008 R2 is designed specifically for dedicated Web serving needs, and its functionality has certain limitations as follows:

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No. Windows Web Server 2008 R2 is a limited, scaled-down version of the other editions of Windows Server 2008 R2. It does not offer any additional functionality. There are, in fact, functionality limitations as noted in the question above.

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Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter can be purchased through Volume Licensing and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).  

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The Server/Client Access Licensing (CAL) model applies to Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter. However, the server license component differs for Datacenter, in comparison to Standard or Enterprise, in that the cost of the server license varies with the number of physical processors installed on the Datacenter server. For further detail, see Licensing Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter Edition.

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Yes. If the Datacenter server is being accessed or used, a CAL is required for every user or device, unless the access is anonymous and gained through the Internet.

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Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems is licensed and priced the same as Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter; Processor plus CAL licensing model applies, and the same price applies as Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter. For more information, see the Licensing Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems page.

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Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems is enabled for mission-critical solutions for databases, line-of-business, and customer applications.

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Yes, with Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems, you have the same virtualization rights as Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter. Although the virtualization role is not part of this edition, you can use Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems with a third-party hypervisor to perform virtualization.

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Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-based Systems can be purchased through Volume Licensing and directly from Microsoft or from OEMs preinstalled on servers. The Datacenter High Availability Program is only available through OEMs.

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Microsoft and its partners offer discounts from their retail product prices if you acquire your licenses in certain quantities, or volumes. There are several volume licensing programs that offer companies of all sizes economical ways to buy and manage multiple software licenses for as few as five desktops. 

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Software Assurance (SA) is a way for volume licensing customers to keep current with the latest, most innovative Microsoft products. Under the SA program, customers acquire the right to install any new release of a product covered in the agreement during the term of the coverage. Software Assurance also includes more benefits for the same price, including problem resolution support during business hours for covered server products, access to Managed Newsgroups and Online Concierge Chat, and Microsoft's self-paced training courses.

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Yes. Downgrade rights are applicable regardless of which channel you used to acquire your license.

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If you purchased licenses via Volume Licensing, you can obtain media and keys via the Volume Licensing Service Center. For OEM and FPP customers, you can order a fulfillment kit via the Windows Server Fulfillment Site. For more information, please click here.

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By licensing each physical processor with Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter, this permits unlimited running of instances in virtual OS environments so licensing is dramatically simplified. 

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Customers who purchase through Volume License will be able to receive their media in their traditional kits, just like the other versions of Windows Server.

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Please see Licensing New and Updated Features and Technologies for licensing requirements and feature availability information.

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We assessed this option but decided that a per processor model did not fit with the way in which the product is used. Because Windows Server can be used and configured in so many different ways (for example, file and print server, authentication server, Web server, or applications platform), it was deemed to be more appropriate to base its license rights and price on a more scalable model so cost increase parallels increased usage. The server/client access license (CAL) model is a flexible model that allows more cost-effective options to organizations of all sizes.