Windows Server 2012 licensing jargon !

As Microsoft released Windows Server 2012 , and as it changed the available editions to be as below :

Edition	Ideal for...	High Level Feature Comparison	Licensing Model
Datacenter	Highly virtualized private & hybrid cloud environments	Full Windows Server functionality with unlimited virtual instances	Processor + CAL*
Standard	Low density or non-virtualized environments	Full Windows Server functionality with two virtual instances	Processor + CAL*
Essential	Small business environments	Simpler interface, pre-configured connectivity to cloud based services; no virtualization rights	Server (25 User Account Limit)
Foundation	Economical general purpose server	General purpose Server functionality with no virtualization rights	Server (15 User Account Limit)

*CALs are required for every user or device accessing a server directly or indirectly. See the Product Use Rights for details

It is advisable to go and read more about the new licensing model , here are some of the crash sheets for the new Windows Server 2012 licensing model :

• Licensing and pricing details datasheet : Includes product / editions overview , Moving to processor-based licensing model and useful comparison between editions based on server roles and features

• Licensing & Pricing FAQ : Includes 46 question of the common questions that may cross your mind when thinking about migrating your servers’ infrastructure to Windows Server 2012 including number of VMs supported per edition / license , What edition to go from Windows 2008 R2 enterprise and a lot more .

Enjoy reading