Windows Server 2012 New Pricing Examples

In scenarios involving modest virtualization workloads, customers are likely to find it less expensive to license Windows Server 2012 than Windows Server 2008 R2. Unlike its predecessor, Windows Server 2012 will be available in two general purpose editions, Standard and Datacenter, rather than three (Enterprise edition has been eliminated). Standard and Datacenter editions will have the same technical capabilities and be licensed by the same paired processor model. The only differences between the editions will be virtualization use rights and license price, with Datacenter retaining the same effective price and the same unlimited virtualization rights as its predecessor and Standard edition increasing in price around 20% but receiving improved virtualization rights.

Four scenarios illustrate the impact of the elimination of Windows Server Enterprise edition.

The first scenario involves licensing a single processor server for file and print workloads with no virtual machines (VMs). With Windows Server (WS) 2008 R2, a customer would likely have used Standard. With WS 2012, it would still use Standard. A customer would pay US$156 more to use WS 2012 Standard on the server than WS 2008 R2 Standard. (Prices are U.S. Open License, which are generally the highest prices U.S. volume licensing customers would pay.)