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Microsoft Windows Server 2016 Moving To Per-Core Licensing (arstechnica.com)

Posted by Soulskill on from the must-pay-extra-if-ambivalent-to-the-change dept.

rbrandis writes: Windows Server 2012 has two main editions, Standard and Datacenter. They had identical features, and differed only in terms of the number of virtual operating system instances they supported. The licenses for both editions were sold in two-socket units; one license was needed for each pair of sockets a system contained.

Windows Server 2016 reinstates the functional differences between Standard and Datacenter editions. Datacenter will include additional storage replication capabilities, a new network stack with richer virtualization options, and shielded virtual machines that protect the content of a virtual machine from the administrator of the host operating system. These features won't be found in the Standard edition.

Windows Server 2016 licensing moves to a per core model. Instead of 2012's two socket license pack, 2016 will use a 2-core pack, with the license cost of each 2016 pack being 1/8th the price of the corresponding 2 socket pack for 2012. Each system running Windows Server 2016 must have a minimum of 8 cores (4 packs) per processor, and a minimum of 16 cores (8 packs) per system.

6 of 288 comments (clear)

  1. It's almost like a fetish by ZorinLynx · · Score: 4, Funny

    Microsoft seems to have a fetish for making licensing complicated.

    I suppose since they practically invented the concept it makes sense. But damn, how far can it go?

    1. Re:It's almost like a fetish by smittyoneeach · · Score: 4, Funny

      Jeff Bezos is all: "Hey. You. Get off of my cloud."

      --
      Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
    2. Re:It's almost like a fetish by techno-vampire · · Score: 3, Funny

      You must have a very, very strange Dominatrix. The word you use is the feminine form of Dominator, and I'd expect that the correct response would be, "Yes, Mistress," unless you wanted to give her an excuse to punish you.

      --
      Good, inexpensive web hosting
  2. Microsoft Windows is for Cows by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    You are all Cows. Cows say BSOD. BSOD. BSOD Cows BSOD. BSOD say the Cows. YOU CLIPPY COWS!!!

  3. Re:So I Have To Have A Dual Socket Server? by randm.ca · · Score: 3, Funny

    Don't be silly, of course MS won't require you to have a dual socket server just to run Windows Server 2016. They're only going to make you pay as if you have one!

  4. Re:Any real tangible merits to using Windows Serve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I know there surely exist some advantages but what are they really?

    Lack of SystemD isn't advantage enough?