Hey everyone, I'm looking for a quick spot-check on my Microsoft licensing situation. We're decommissioning some data centers, and our Microsoft license renewal is coming up soon. I've already asked two Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and even used AI tools, but I'm getting conflicting answers. I want to ensure I'm not overspending on licenses while still getting what I need.
Here's the setup: I've built two clusters requiring Windows VMs. Previously, we had several datacenter licenses for unlimited VMs, but our budget is tighter now, so I need to figure out the right amount of Windows licensing at the lowest cost possible.
**Cluster 1:** 3 nodes with 2 Intel Xeon Silver 4112 processors each. I plan to run 6 Windows VMs and calculated needing 3 standard licenses per node, totaling 9 standard licenses. However, my MSP is saying I need 12.
**Cluster 2:** Also has 3 nodes, but with 2 Intel Xeon Gold 6128 processors. This will run only 2 Windows VMs, and I think I need 1 license per node, adding up to 3 standard licenses, yet my MSP claims I need 6.
I'd appreciate any insights on my calculations. Thanks!
1 Answer
To clarify your Cluster 1, you'd actually need 180 cores of Windows Server Standard for the 3 nodes. You'd be looking at 3 licenses per host to accommodate the 6 Windows Server guests. Just remember, every 20 cores corresponds to 1 license. So, for 3 hosts, that breaks down to 20 x 3 x 3 = 180 cores. If you prefer, you could also consider 60 cores using Windows Server Datacenter Edition, but based on what you've described, Standard should work for you.
Thanks for breaking that down! This lines up with what my original MSP had estimated, so I feel more confident now. I appreciate the clarity!