Windows Server 2019/2022 Essentials, allow creation of 1 VM, or not?

Question

Windows Server 2019/2022 Essentials, allow creation of 1 VM, or not?

Luiz Gustavo Esteves Bazanelli 1

I saw it on the Microsoft website, and everything leads me to believe that the Essentials license allows you to license 10 virtual cores (10 threads), and create 1 Virtual Machine using the same license that activates the physical machine.

Is this true or with 1x Windows server 2022/2019 Essentials i can't create a VM?

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4 answers

Your answer

Answer 1

The server licensing rights have been expanded, allowing you to install an instance of Essentials on your physical server to run the Hyper-V role (with none of the other roles and features of the Essentials Experience installed), and a second instance of Essentials as a virtual machine (VM) on that same server with all the Essentials Experience roles and features.
https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/windows-server-essentials-and/understanding-licensing-for-windows-server-2012-r2-essentials/ba-p/398658

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Answer 2

Luiz Gustavo Esteves Bazanelli 1

Does this apply to 2019 and 2022?

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Answer 3

Anonymous

Nothing has changed licensing wise. Sorry, this was the newest I could find.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/UseTerms/Retail/WindowsServer2016/Essentials/UseTerms_Retail_WindowsServer2016_Essentials_English.htm

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Anonymous

2022-11-28T14:03:31.2+00:00

Just checking if there's any progress or updates?

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Answer 4

57291279 40

Will Essentials allow running more VM's?

Purchase a 2019/2022 Server Standard licenses for 2 additional Windows Server VMs.
Two Linux OS VM?

Essentials - installed as Hyper-V Guest
Essentials - installed as a Virtual - DC.
Svr-Standard - installed as fileserver / RDP Server
Svr-Standard - installed as SQL server
CentOS8 - Web Server
CentOS8 - Firewall / VPN Server

MICHAEL JOHNSON 0 Reputation points

2025-02-22T02:52:12.89+00:00

This is an older thread but technically you could certainly use Svr Standard Licenses but they would have to be purchased using the MS Core licensing model (you have to buy at least 16C licenses at a time depending on your proc core count, if you have 32 cores you'd have to buy Qty2 16C license packs, to license those two Std VMs) and you'd also have to buy CALs since using Server Std doesn't fall under the non-CAL usage structure of how Essentials is licensed.