Stand-alone Endpoint Protection Not for Servers

The latest stand-alone license for System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection does not include the right to protect Windows Server. Instead, customers must license one of the System Center 2012 suites, a much more expensive proposition, or move to third-party solutions from vendors such as McAfee or Symantec. Windows client protection is still available stand-alone, and customers may continue to use Forefront Endpoint Protection on servers until their subscriptions end.

Only in System Center Suites

Endpoint Protection is the Microsoft-developed antimalware subscription product that protects Windows client and server OSs against viruses, worms, Trojans, adware, and spyware. It began as Forefront Client Security, then became Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010, and is now System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection. It uses the same malware scanning engine and signature files as Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Intune.

The stand-alone System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection license introduced Apr. 1, 2012, only permits protecting client devices running Windows XP SP3, Vista, and Windows 7. Use rights to protect servers running Windows Server 2003 SP2, 2003 R2, 2008, and 2008 R2 can be acquired only with System Center 2012 Standard or Datacenter management license suites. The suites include rights to use seven other System Center 2012 components (such as Configuration Manager, Operations Manager, and Virtual Machine Manager) and include Software Assurance (SA), an add-on subscription for licenses that provides product version upgrades and other benefits.