Microsoft License / Versions
Posted by Dave_PW@reddit | sysadmin | View on Reddit | 7 comments
Hey,
Just wanted to double check a few things, we recently purchased a new Dell server with Windows Server 2022 Data Centre, I have got this up and running and started creating a number of VM's using the following command to activate them:
dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter /AcceptEula /ProductKey:W3GNR-8DDXR-2TFRP-H8P33-DV9BG
I had used ServerDatacenter here simply because that's what the host is running so I assumed it had to be the same, I have since read that is not the case and I could have done standard, downgrading to standard appears to be unsupported so changing now would require re-creating them, that's fine for a few but one is DC that is already connected so don't really want to upset it.
So my question is does it matter? From both a technical and license perspective can they just stay as data centre?
This is what I see regarding Windows on the paper work for the server:
634 -BYJS Windows Server 2022 Datacenter,16CORE,FI,No MED,UnLTD VMs,NO CALs, Multi Language x1
528 -CSCT Windows Server 2022 Datacenter,16CORE,DF Recovery Image, Multi Lang, (Downgrade not included) x 1
634 -BYJQ Windows Server 2022/2019 Datacenter Edition,Add License,16CORE,NO MEDIA/KEY x1
Thanks
mapbits@reddit
Only real downside I'm aware of is if you need to migrate a guest to another host that isn't datacenter licensed. No performance or other issues.
AlligatorFarts@reddit
You already have a Datacenter key, the license comes with unlimited VMs on the host. Unless the host is a low-end server that won't be able to support many VMs, and you are looking to save costs on the license upgrade in the future, I don't see a reason to switch to standard personally.
BrainWaveCC@reddit
A. Delete that key from your post. The sooner the better.
B. Your VMs don't need to be Data Center edition, and probably won't benefit at all from that.
C. Please read this: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/automatic-vm-activation?tabs=server2025
Dave_PW@reddit (OP)
Hey,
That's not a unique key, it's the AVMA key from the page you've linked,
I get that they don't need to be data centre, but is there any negative to it that would make it worth the effort of re-creating the VM's I've already set up?
Any new ones I'll do as standard edition.
BrainWaveCC@reddit
I should have checked before I posted. 😁
For most use cases, it probably won't matter. Data Center edition is optimized a little differently than Standard, but as a VM, it might not be noticeable.
Prestigious_Wall529@reddit
Dave, very naive of you to post the key. I recommend you delete this post.
Dave_PW@reddit (OP)
It's not a personal key, it's the AVMA key from the page linked.