windows OEM license in virtual environment

[dingding]

i have a physical server with windows OEM license installed. now i want to install ESX on it and leverage the key to install a windows guest OS.

i have found a physical key and virtual key with this machine,

1) should i deactivate the physical key before i use the virtual key?

2) how to do the deactivation and activation?

anybody has similiar experience? thanks in advance!

[AndreTheGiant]

Use the virtual serial.

But depending of the Windows version you have only some instances licended:

* Windows Server Standard = 1 instance

* Windows Server Enterprise = 4 instances

* Windows Server Datacenter = all instances

Andre

[Rumple]

You do not need to de-activate the original.  The type of Windows license as Andre indicated will determine how many times you can activate the license key(s)

[dingding]

is the number 1,4, unlimited a technical limitation?

if we install one VM, activated it and convert it to template, when we deploy from this template, do we need to active the VM again?

[AndreTheGiant]

Is basically a commercial limitation.

But depending on how you active you could reach the max number of activations.

If you deploy from template or clone a VM with customization and new SID generation a new activation is usually required.

Andre

[dingding]

can i vmotion a VM with windows OEM license to another physical machine?

[a_p_]

Technically this may work, however you may need to double check whether the Microsoft EULA allows to run the VM on another hardware.

André

[AndreTheGiant]

As written is not a technical problem... you can without issue.

But on the license side you have to be compliant...

Andre

[klauzser]

you dont have to deactivate it and i dont think there is any option to deactivate the license you installed before.. you just have to use the virtual key you have with you and everything should be okay.