>I've called the Microsoft Licensing Specialists two times today and have
>posed several scenarios regarding licensing Windows Server in a Virtual
>environment and am recieving conflicting answers. I really need someone who
>knows the Microsoft Product Usage rights to weigh in on this topic if
>possible.
>
>My understanding is this:
>1 copy of Windows Standard 2003 grants you the right to install the NOS on a
>piece of hardware and then install it a 2nd time on the same piece of
>hardware as a VM Guest providing that you do not use the first physical
>installation for anything other than managing the VM Guest.
>
>1 copy of Windows 2003 Enterprise grants you the right to install the NOS on
>a piece of hardware and then install it up to 4 more times as VM Guests,
>again, providing you only use the first physcial hardware installation to
>manage the 4 guests.
>
>1 copy of Windows 2003 Datacenter allows you to install on a piece of
>hardware and then keep reinstalling and creating as many Guest VM's as you
>wish. Note: You must license the number of processors with this version.
>
>
>My question becomes this:
>
>[scenario #1]
>If I install Windows 2003 Standard Edition plus Virtual Server 2005 R2 on a
>box, can I run 5 copies of Linux legally? Or, Must I purchase Enterprise or
>Datacenter Editions to accomplish this?
>
>The First Microsoft Licensing Specialist I spoke to today said I can run as
>many VM's as I like of a non-Microsoft OS under Windows 2003 Server Standard
>Virtual Server
>The Second Microsoft Licensing Specialist I spoke to today said I must be
>running Enterprise or Datacenter if I wish to virutalize 5 non-Microsoft
>Operating Systems
>
>[scenario #2]
>If my customer has 5 Windows 2003 Servers each on it's own box and each
>properly licensed and activated, I believe I can transfer/migrate the
>installations into 5 virutal guest OS'es under Windows 2003 Standard
>Edition. Since my Customer has already purchased, licensed and activated
>those 5 servers I think this makes sense. I certainally wouldn't expect my
>customer to pay additional monies just to consolidate NOS'es they already
>own.
>
>The First Microsoft Licensing Specialist I spoke to today said I am correct
>The Second Microsoft Licensing Specialist said I am incorrect and I must run
>these 5 EXISTING copies of Windows 2003 Standard underneath Datacenter in
>order to be compliant

>I understand that only Windows Server 2003 R2 allows you to virtualise
>another instance at no additional charge, and not Windows Server 2003 (NOT
>R2).
>
>I would be happy to be corrected though, because I would like to do it
>myself.

> a piece of hardware and then install it a 2nd time on the same piece of
> hardware as a VM Guest providing that you do not use the first physical
> installation for anything other than managing the VM Guest.
> 1 copy of Windows 2003 Enterprise grants you the right to install the NOS
> on a piece of hardware and then install it up to 4 more times as VM
> Guests, again, providing you only use the first physcial hardware
> installation to manage the 4 guests.
> I've called the Microsoft Licensing Specialists two times today and have
> posed several scenarios regarding licensing Windows Server in a Virtual
> environment and am recieving conflicting answers. I really need someone
> who knows the Microsoft Product Usage rights to weigh in on this topic if
> possible.
>
> My understanding is this:
> 1 copy of Windows Standard 2003 grants you the right to install the NOS on
> a piece of hardware and then install it a 2nd time on the same piece of
> hardware as a VM Guest providing that you do not use the first physical
> installation for anything other than managing the VM Guest.
>
> 1 copy of Windows 2003 Enterprise grants you the right to install the NOS
> on a piece of hardware and then install it up to 4 more times as VM
> Guests, again, providing you only use the first physcial hardware
> installation to manage the 4 guests.
>
> 1 copy of Windows 2003 Datacenter allows you to install on a piece of
> hardware and then keep reinstalling and creating as many Guest VM's as you
> wish. Note: You must license the number of processors with this version.
>
>
> My question becomes this:
>
> [scenario #1]
> If I install Windows 2003 Standard Edition plus Virtual Server 2005 R2 on
> a box, can I run 5 copies of Linux legally? Or, Must I purchase
> Enterprise or Datacenter Editions to accomplish this?
>
> The First Microsoft Licensing Specialist I spoke to today said I can run
> as many VM's as I like of a non-Microsoft OS under Windows 2003 Server
> Standard Virtual Server
> The Second Microsoft Licensing Specialist I spoke to today said I must be
> running Enterprise or Datacenter if I wish to virutalize 5 non-Microsoft
> Operating Systems
>
> [scenario #2]
> If my customer has 5 Windows 2003 Servers each on it's own box and each
> properly licensed and activated, I believe I can transfer/migrate the
> installations into 5 virutal guest OS'es under Windows 2003 Standard
> Edition. Since my Customer has already purchased, licensed and activated
> those 5 servers I think this makes sense. I certainally wouldn't expect
> my customer to pay additional monies just to consolidate NOS'es they
> already own.
>
> The First Microsoft Licensing Specialist I spoke to today said I am
> correct
> The Second Microsoft Licensing Specialist said I am incorrect and I must
> run these 5 EXISTING copies of Windows 2003 Standard underneath Datacenter
> in order to be compliant
>
> My problem here is that the Microsoft Licensing Usage reads more like a
> legal brief than it does a laymans guide to licensing. I thought by
> calling Microsoft I could put this issue to rest, but instead, I find
> myself dealing with people who are interpreting the Usage docuementation
> for themselves and giving me different answers each time.
>
> Any suggestions, tips, opinions and advice would be greatly appreciated.
> The bottom line here is that potential customers may overpay for a NOS
> they don't need -or- existing customers may be violating licensing without
> knowing it. As a solution provider I need a definitive and final answer
> on this.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
>

> I've called the Microsoft Licensing Specialists two times today and have
> posed several scenarios regarding licensing Windows Server in a Virtual
> environment and am recieving conflicting answers. I really need someone
> who knows the Microsoft Product Usage rights to weigh in on this topic if
> possible.
>
> My understanding is this:
> 1 copy of Windows Standard 2003 grants you the right to install the NOS on
> a piece of hardware and then install it a 2nd time on the same piece of
> hardware as a VM Guest providing that you do not use the first physical
> installation for anything other than managing the VM Guest.
>
> 1 copy of Windows 2003 Enterprise grants you the right to install the NOS
> on a piece of hardware and then install it up to 4 more times as VM
> Guests, again, providing you only use the first physcial hardware
> installation to manage the 4 guests.
>
> 1 copy of Windows 2003 Datacenter allows you to install on a piece of
> hardware and then keep reinstalling and creating as many Guest VM's as you
> wish. Note: You must license the number of processors with this version.
>
>
> My question becomes this:
>
> [scenario #1]
> If I install Windows 2003 Standard Edition plus Virtual Server 2005 R2 on
> a box, can I run 5 copies of Linux legally? Or, Must I purchase
> Enterprise or Datacenter Editions to accomplish this?
>
> The First Microsoft Licensing Specialist I spoke to today said I can run
> as many VM's as I like of a non-Microsoft OS under Windows 2003 Server
> Standard Virtual Server
> The Second Microsoft Licensing Specialist I spoke to today said I must be
> running Enterprise or Datacenter if I wish to virutalize 5 non-Microsoft
> Operating Systems
>
> [scenario #2]
> If my customer has 5 Windows 2003 Servers each on it's own box and each
> properly licensed and activated, I believe I can transfer/migrate the
> installations into 5 virutal guest OS'es under Windows 2003 Standard
> Edition. Since my Customer has already purchased, licensed and activated
> those 5 servers I think this makes sense. I certainally wouldn't expect
> my customer to pay additional monies just to consolidate NOS'es they
> already own.
>
> The First Microsoft Licensing Specialist I spoke to today said I am
> correct
> The Second Microsoft Licensing Specialist said I am incorrect and I must
> run these 5 EXISTING copies of Windows 2003 Standard underneath Datacenter
> in order to be compliant
>
> My problem here is that the Microsoft Licensing Usage reads more like a
> legal brief than it does a laymans guide to licensing. I thought by
> calling Microsoft I could put this issue to rest, but instead, I find
> myself dealing with people who are interpreting the Usage docuementation
> for themselves and giving me different answers each time.
>
> Any suggestions, tips, opinions and advice would be greatly appreciated.
> The bottom line here is that potential customers may overpay for a NOS
> they don't need -or- existing customers may be violating licensing without
> knowing it. As a solution provider I need a definitive and final answer
> on this.
>
> Thanks in advance!
>
>