Windows Server 2016 is generally available, which means that you can’t buy licenses of Windows Server 2012 R2 anymore. On top of which, the licensing structure has changed to per core. Confusion abounds!
While Microsoft hints in their licensing datasheet that the licensing will generally cost the same, we did some of our own math and there are some price hikes depending on what edition and how many cores.
So, if you need to buy completely new licenses for new physical servers and you’re wondering what it’ll run you, we’ve broken down the prices for you in this whitepaper.
If you’re curious about what you get with the new iteration of Windows Server, check out our series on the new features and enhancements.
Here’s an overview:
2012 vs. 2016: Windows Server Standard on a Single Processor Server
| # of Proc. | # of Cores per Proc. | # of VMs | Core Licenses Needed | Cost Comparison | Difference |
| 1 | 1 thru 16 | 2 | 16 | WS 2012 Stand: $882 | |
| WS 2016 Stand: $888 | $6 more | ||||
| 4 | 32 | WS 2012 Stand: $1,764 | |||
| WS 2016 Stand: $1,776 | $12 more | ||||
| 6 | 48 | WS 2012 Stand: $2,646 | |||
| WS 2016 Stand: $2,664 | $18 more |
2012 vs. 2016: Windows Server Standard on a Dual Processor Server
| # of Proc. | # of Cores per Proc. | # of VMs | Core Licenses Needed | Cost Comparison | Difference |
| 2 | 1 thru 8 | 2 | 16 | WS 2012 Stand: $882 | |
| WS 2016 Stand: $888 | $6 more | ||||
| 4 | 32 | WS 2012 Stand: $1,764 | |||
| WS 2016 Stand: $1,776 | $12 more | ||||
| 6 | 48 | WS 2012 Stand: $2,646 | |||
| WS 2016 Stand: $2,664 | $18 more |
2012 vs. 2016: Windows Server Datacenter on a Single Processor Server
| # of Proc. | # of Cores per Proc. | # of VMs | Core Licenses Needed | Cost Comparison | Difference |
| 1 | 1 thru 16 | Unlimited | 16 | WS 2012 DC: $6,155 | |
| WS 2016 DC: $6,160 | $5 more |
2012 vs. 2016: Windows Server Datacenter on a Dual Processor Server
| # of Proc. | # of Cores per Proc. | # of VMs | Core Licenses Needed | Cost Comparison | Difference |
| 2 | 1 thru 8 | Unlimited | 16 | WS 2012 DC: $6,155 | |
| WS 2016 DC: $6,160 | $5 more |
The sample pricing listed above shows only a small price increase when you are purchasing Windows Server 2016 instead of 2012, but the price increases get much more dramatic once you add in additional cores.
Download the full whitepaper for a complete price comparison between Windows Server 2012 licenses and Windows Server 2016 licenses.
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