[VISTA] Re: FAQ: Windows Vista Volume Activation: Can a Windows 2003 Server SP1 machine run Key Management Services for Windows Vista?
- From: "Angus Macdonald" <Angus.Macdonald@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <vista@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 5 Jul 2007 08:54:18 +0100
As I understand it, only machines activated using KMS require =
reactivation every 180 days. MAK activation is permanent unless =
significant hardware changes happen.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/bb335288.aspx
Angus
-----Original Message-----
From: vista-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:vista-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On
Behalf Of Jim Kenzig ThinHelp.com
Sent: 05 July 2007 01:27
To: vista@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [VISTA] FAQ: Windows Vista Volume Activation: Can a Windows
2003 Server SP1 machine run Key Management Services for Windows Vista?
Well as you start to get Windows Vista systems in, the question of =
licensing
is going to come up. I've had to do some research on this topic to =
answer
my own questions and now am sharing my results.
In the enterprise you mainly have a choice of either Vista Business or =
Vista
Enterprise. The big difference in Vista Enterprise over Business is =
that
Enterprise will allow you to make up to 3 VM's with the same license on =
one
Vista Machine. Useful for developers!
At any rate you have a choice of licensing Vista with either a what is
called a Mutilple Access Key(MAK) or setting up your own Key Managment
server (KMS) on site. Microsoft tries to explain its Vista licensing for
volume activation users a bit at:
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/vol/default.mspx
Vista licensing is unlike other versions of Windows in that it will want =
to
be reactivated every 3 months. It does this either by contacting =
Microsoft
Servers using the MAK or by contacting a KMS server you have set up in =
your
environment. There is a stipulation about havint the ability to have a =
KMS
and it is there must be at least 25 Vista nodes to run it. Obviously if =
you
do not allow internet access to your users your choice is limited to =
KMS.
If you have less than 25 machines in your Office and don't allow =
internet
access you probably will be SOL after 3 months time. : (
So the rumour going around I have been gettingt told is that a Vista KMS =
can
only be run on either a Vista Machine or on Server 2008 (formerly code =
named
Longhorn and still not available yet!). This is not the case though!
Microsoft in March of this year released Key Management Server software =
that
WILL run on Windows Server 2003 SP1 or later Servers. You can go out =
and
get it now from:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=3D81d1cb89-13bd-=
4250-b624-2f8c57a1ae7b&DisplayLang=3Den
You will also want to have a look at the Windows Vista Volume Activation
Technical guide which also has included a web page you can set up to =
recover
licenses that have gone into Reduced Functionality Mode (RFM) (go read =
up on
that one!) Check it out at:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=3D9893F83E-C8A5-=
4475-B025-66C6B38B46E3&displaylang=3Den
Hope this gets a few of your questions answered about Windows Vista =
Volume
licensing and gets you pointed in the right direction to get started as
Windows Vista Systems will be coming your way sooner than later!
--=20
Jim Kenzig
Microsoft MVP - Terminal Services
http://www.thinhelp.com
Citrix Technology Professional
Provision Networks VIP
CEO The Kenzig Group
http://www.kenzig.com
Blog: http://www.techblink.com
*****************************
Windows Vista Links, list options=20
and info are available at:
http://www.VistaPop.com
*****************************
*****************************
Windows Vista Links, list options
and info are available at:
http://www.VistaPop.com
*****************************
Other related posts:
