A midsize enterprise plans to roll out 40 identical Windows Server virtual machines across two hypervisor clusters. Management has asked the server team to keep per-instance licensing costs low, manage all keys through a single portal, and maintain the right to reimage each VM from a standardized template whenever updates are released. Which licensing approach BEST satisfies these requirements?
Install 180-day evaluation copies now and convert them to full licenses after deployment.
Buy OEM server licenses bundled with each physical hypervisor host.
Purchase individual retail (boxed) licenses and activate them per virtual machine.
Acquire the operating system through an organizational volume-licensing agreement that includes reimaging rights.
Volume licensing is designed for organizations that need many copies of the same software. A single volume-license agreement provides bulk-purchase discounts, central administration through tools such as the Volume Licensing Service Center, and reimaging rights that let administrators deploy or refresh a standard master image to multiple systems without activating each one individually. OEM licenses are tied to the hardware that ships from the manufacturer and do not grant blanket reimaging or bulk-activation privileges. Full packaged (retail) licenses must still be purchased and activated per instance, driving up cost and administrative effort. Evaluation media can be used only temporarily and provides no long-term licensing rights, so converting each VM later would negate the stated goals.
Ask Bash
Bash is our AI bot, trained to help you pass your exam. AI Generated Content may display inaccurate information, always double-check anything important.
What are the key benefits of volume licensing?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
What are reimaging rights in volume licensing?
Open an interactive chat with Bash
Why are OEM and retail licenses unsuitable for this scenario?