What do you need to know about Windows Server 2012 which is on its way? The anticipated release is between Q3 2012 and early 2013. Microsoft has shared many of the details and they announced the product “line-up has been streamlined and simplified, making it easier for customers to choose the edition that is right for their needs”. Well we all know that a PhD is an exceptional thing to have when it comes to Microsoft licensing but here are a few nuggets. The Datacenter Edition is for highly-virtualized private cloud environment and has unlimited virtual instances and CAL’s are required for every user or device. The Standard Edition is for non-virtualized or ‘light’ virtualized environment with a lower cost price but of course the inclusion of CAL’s for each user or device. The Essentials Edition is for small business with up to 25 users running on servers up to two processors and has a limit of 25 users per server. The Foundation Edition again is for small business with up to 15 users running on a single process server but this is an OEM only product. If you have Software Assurance coverage on the current Windows Server licenses when Server 2012 availability is released you will have rights to the transitional license grants to Windows Server 2
Jennifer Smith, PEI
