Microsoft has changed the licensing of its Windows
Server Datacentre operating system, allowing users buying new
servers licensed with the OS to run an unlimited number of
virtualised Windows Server instances.
Microsoft said that unlimited virtualisation rights would
significantly extend the savings customers gain through server
consolidation on the Windows Server platform.
“Together, Windows Server 2003 R2 Datacenter Edition and Virtual
Server 2005 R2 are an ideal, cost-effective platform for ‘scale
out’ virtualization,” it said.
By licensing a server’s processors with Windows Server
Datacenter Edition, users would be able to run Windows Server
Standard Edition, Enterprise Edition, Datacenter Edition or a mix
of the three editions without having to track the number of virtual
machines or pay for additional Windows Server licences.
