Licensing Windows Server 2019 on-premises

Available SQL Server 2019 editons

Windows Server 2019 editions

There are three editions of

Windows Server 2019:

Windows Server 2019

Datacenter

Windows Server 2019

Standard

Windows Server 2019

Essentials

Licensing Model

Core-based

and CAL

Core-based

and CAL

Per Server

Options for medium and large organizations

Options for small organizations

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Licensing Windows Server 2019 on-premises

Windows Server services

Remote Desktop Services

• Remote Desktop Services (RDS) makes it

possible to run an application or an entire

desktop in one location but controlled in

another. In addition to the traditional session

virtualization scenario (formerly known as

“Terminal Services”), RDS provides an extensible

platform for a Virtual Desktop Infrastructure

(VDI)

• RDS must be activated on the Windows Server,

and users need licenses for all software they are

using, plus an RDS CAL as well as a Windows

Server CAL

• An RDS External Connector license is available

as an option for external users

Active Directory Rights Management Services

• Windows Rights Management Services is a

security technology that works with RMS-

enlightened applications (such as Microsoft

Office 2019) to help safeguard digital

information from unauthorized use

• Within the organization, users must have

ADRMS CALs, and an ADRMS External

Connector license is available as an option for

external users

Windows Server 2019 Essentials

• Licensed with a single Server license

• Host virtualization rights and rights to run in a single physical or

virtual OSE

• Restricted to 25 user accounts and 50 devices

• Supported as a Long-Term Servicing Channel release

Core-based and CAL licensing

A Core license must be assigned to each physical

core in the server, with a minimum of 8 Core

licenses per processor, and a minimum of

16 Core licenses per server. For example,

a single processor server with 4 cores

requires 16 Core licenses, and a

4-processor server with 8 cores on each

processor requires 32 Core licenses.

Core licenses are purchased in 2-packs or 16-packs from resellers.

Windows Server 2019 Client Access Licenses are required for either

users or devices.

A User CAL is assigned to the

user and allows that user to

use multiple

devices

A Device CAL is assigned to the

device and allows multiple

users to use

that device

Licensing external users

External users can be licensed with either individual User or Device CALs or with a Windows Server 2019 External Connector license:

• A physical server must be licensed appropriately with Windows Server 2019 Standard or Datacenter licenses and then a single

External Connector license is assigned to the server. There is just one edition of the External Connector license used regardless

of whether the underlying server is licensed with Windows Server Standard or Datacenter edition

• The External Connector license allows unlimited external users to connect to and use the services of the physical server and any

virtual machines running on the server

• If an organization has more than approximately 70 external users, it is likely to be most cost effective to use an External

Connector license to license those users

Volume activation

Product activation is the process of

validating software with the manufacturer.

Activation confirms the genuine status

of a product and that the product key has not been

compromised. It establishes a relationship between

the software’s product key and a particular

installation of that software on a device.

A Multiple Activation Key (MAK) is a volume license

key that is used for one-time activation with

activation services that are hosted by Microsoft. There

are two ways to use MAK to activate computers:

• MAK independent activation

Each computer must independently connect and

be activated by Microsoft over the Internet or by

telephone.

• MAK proxy activation

A computer that is acting as a MAK proxy

gathers activation information from multiple

computers on the network, and then sends a

centralized activation request to Microsoft on

their behalf. MAK proxy activation is configured

by using the Volume Activation Management

Tool (VAMT).

MAK activation is useful when not all of an

organization’s computers are conveniently

located on the organization’s networks.

Key Management Service (KMS) activation is done

against a service hosted within an organization, and

not with Microsoft, thus enabling organizations to

activate systems within their network, eliminating the

need for individual computers to connect to

Microsoft for product activation. KMS is the default

key for volume activation clients.

Active Directory-based Activation is a role service

that allows organizations to use Active Directory

Domain Services (AD DS) to store activation objects,

which can further simplify the task of maintaining

volume activation services for a network. With Active

Directory-based Activation, no additional host server

is needed, and activation requests are processed

during computer startup.

Licensing Windows Server 2019 on-premises - continued

Servicing Channels

Two Servicing Channels are available for Windows Server 2019:

• Semi-Annual Channel: new feature releases twice a year, with each

release supported for 18 months

• Long-Term Servicing Channel: new major version released every 2-3

years, with 5 years of mainstream support and 5 years of extended

support

Both Servicing Channels receive regular security updates.

Downgrading versions and editions

• Windows Server 2019 Datacenter may be downgraded to any version

of Windows Server Datacenter, Enterprise, Standard or Essentials

• Windows Server 2019 Standard may be downgraded to any version

of Windows Server Enterprise, Standard or Essentials

• Windows Server 2019 Essentials may be downgraded to any previous

version of Windows Server Essentials

Step-Up licenses

• Customers who have existing Windows Server 2019 Standard Core

licenses with Software Assurance may purchase Step-Up licenses to

move to Windows Server 2019 Datacenter Core licenses

• The Step-Up license is priced at the difference in price of the two

licenses and SA

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Licensing virtual machines/containers

Windows Server 2019 Datacenter

• The server must be fully licensed with Core licenses (as described in

the Core-based and CAL licensing section)

• An unlimited number of virtual machines may be run on the server

Windows Server 2019 Standard

• The server must be fully licensed with Core licenses (as described in

the Core-based and CAL licensing section)

• 2 virtual machines may be run on the server

• The server must be licensed again to run a further 2 virtual machines.

For example, a single processor server with 8 cores requires 16 Core

licenses to run 2 VMs. A further 16 Core licenses must be assigned to

the server to run another 2 VMs

Windows Server Containers

• Any number of Windows Server Containers without Hyper-V isolation

may be run on licensed servers

• The rules for licensing Windows Server Containers with Hyper-V

isolation are exactly the same as for virtual machines detailed above

License Mobility

• License Mobility is not available for Windows Server 2019

• Licenses may be reassigned to servers no more frequently than once

every 90 days