Hyper-V Licensing Question

Discussion in 'Windows Server' started by f0ster, Oct 18, 2014.

  1. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
    Staff Member

    Nov 30, 2009
    18,682
    18,581
    340
    #21 Tito, Oct 20, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2014
    sebus is mixing things up... they are retail keys (I personally checked them).
     
  2. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
    6,354
    2,026
    210
    And what is a retail key?

    Single use MAK key (activates once against MS servers only)

    sebus
     
  3. Inge

    Inge MDL Member

    Apr 2, 2008
    195
    530
    10
    #23 Inge, Oct 20, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
  4. Threat

    Threat Lord of the Files

    Feb 23, 2014
    1,063
    871
    60
    MAK and retail are different - MAK's have a fixed count (set when issued) and are throw away once used up - new key issued.

    Retail does not have a fixed count and never expires - can be phone activated if online activation count is too high within a set time limit.
     
  5. Inge

    Inge MDL Member

    Apr 2, 2008
    195
    530
    10
    Hi Threat, you can always activate MAK keys online against the M$ servers or by phone. Online activation
    works only as long as the actual count is not zero. If it's zero, M$ allows some further phone activations...


    Inge
     
  6. Threat

    Threat Lord of the Files

    Feb 23, 2014
    1,063
    871
    60
    #26 Threat, Oct 20, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2014
    I know - my point was the MAK keys count down until 0 remaining then deceased forever.

    Retail down have a fixed count - if it's not been used in a long time they assume reinstall and allow. If it's been used frequent they block and you phone up.
     
  7. Inge

    Inge MDL Member

    Apr 2, 2008
    195
    530
    10

    Sorry sebus, but this is BS. Retail users sign the retail End-user license
    agreement while Volume (MAK) users sign the Volume EULA if they agree.

    MAK != RETAIL
     
  8. sebus

    sebus MDL Guru

    Jul 23, 2008
    6,354
    2,026
    210
    And emulator users sign what? (sorry, could not stop myself...)
     
  9. Inge

    Inge MDL Member

    Apr 2, 2008
    195
    530
    10
    #29 Inge, Oct 20, 2014
    Last edited: Oct 20, 2014
    As we all know pratha_SCAMMER_prabhu signed for brig :busted_cop: :eek:

    But you should really ask Microsoft. I'm sure they answer your question more detailed.
     
  10. WinDev

    WinDev MDL Expert

    Jul 6, 2013
    1,226
    1,185
    60
    pratha_SCAMMER_prabhu_PREMIUM - you need to pay if you want to download his files from FileParadox.
     
  11. Inge

    Inge MDL Member

    Apr 2, 2008
    195
    530
    10
    Yes, some ppl. paid a few cent for an account and got most of his legit files. This files are still around :)
     
  12. Threat

    Threat Lord of the Files

    Feb 23, 2014
    1,063
    871
    60
    They sign a deal selling there soul to the devil :trollface:
     
  13. kelorgo

    kelorgo MDL Addicted

    Oct 29, 2012
    839
    1,506
    30
    DreamSpark license (not talking about product key here) allows you to install and use the product on TWO machines at the same time.

    DreamSpark product keys are retail keys, and allow activation on at least two (and probably more) machines. The exact limitations of a retail key are unknown.
     
  14. Inge

    Inge MDL Member

    Apr 2, 2008
    195
    530
    10
    #34 Inge, Oct 21, 2014
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 20, 2017
  15. Yen

    Yen Admin
    Staff Member

    May 6, 2007
    13,081
    13,977
    340
    Sorry that I brought the thread into another direction, but it seems there are inconsistencies. Regardless of what DreamSpark sells MAK and retail are different licenses (MAK is one of the VL).
    I wish there would be more transparency also regarding EULA. AFAIK one of the major differences of retail and VL is that retail keys can be privately resold.
     
    Stop hovering to collapse... Click to collapse... Hover to expand... Click to expand...
  16. kelorgo

    kelorgo MDL Addicted

    Oct 29, 2012
    839
    1,506
    30
    I stand corrected about the key types. I only ever checked recent keys (WS 2012 etc.), which are indeed retail keys as others pointed out.

    Note that there is no such thing as a license associated with a key type. Although it's true that typically MAK keys are given under VL and retail keys are given under retail licenses, this does not make the key type imply a specific license.

    Your legal rights are not controlled by the key type or the activation technology used. Your rights are controlled by the EULA you accept. DreamSpark has its own EULA, which you can read by clicking the appropriate link on the download page for each product. This EULA supersedes anything that might be displayed on your screen when you install the product.

    Among other things, the DreamSpark EULA restricts your use of the products for educational and research purposes, and expressly prohibits your use of the products in any commercial scenario. For example, you can't use a DreamSpark product key to run your business' internal server. This is clearly different from a retail license. This restriction applies even if the type of the product key shows up as "retail" in a tool.

    In conclusion: your rights are controlled by the specific EULA you accept, which in the case of DreamSpark is neither a retail license nor a volume license. Your rights are not controlled by the type of key you receive.
     
  17. kelorgo

    kelorgo MDL Addicted

    Oct 29, 2012
    839
    1,506
    30
    Just to be completely accurate:

    "MAK" is not a type of license, it's an activation technology. VL is a type of license.

    Technically, you don't sell the product key. Instead you sell your rights under a specific license. When someone is talking about "selling a product key", what they are really talking about is transferring the license rights.

    Usually rights under a volume license are not transferable, whereas rights under a retail license are. There are exceptions, to make life complicated, and let's not even get started on OEM licenses.
     
  18. kelorgo

    kelorgo MDL Addicted

    Oct 29, 2012
    839
    1,506
    30
    Coming back to the woes of the OP:

    It is indeed a good question what to do with your VMs if you have a single retail product key for Server 2012, for example from DreamSpark.

    What I would do is use the same version and edition of Windows on both the host and all the VMs running inside it. I would use the same single retail key for activating all of them. This will work up to a few VMs. So if you have a Server 2012 Datacenter key, install Datacenter edition on the host and in all the VMs.

    Although eventually the retail key will stop activating online, you are not actually breaking your license rights, so you can always activate over the phone and/or argue with a MS representative over the phone.
     
  19. Tito

    Tito Super Mod / Adviser
    Staff Member

    Nov 30, 2009
    18,682
    18,581
    340
    Thanks Inge for ending the confusion. I have just checked DreamSpark & indeed MS has switched from MAK to retail after 2008 R2 (2012, 2012 R2...).

    :tea:
     
  20. Inge

    Inge MDL Member

    Apr 2, 2008
    195
    530
    10
    Just to complete: If someone is running the VM's on a licensed 2012 R2 Datacenter host, it's also possible to use the AVMA keys ;)