Windows Server 2016 Datacenter
Instant activation
The 2016 release with unlimited virtualisation rights, and the first to include Storage Spaces Direct.
$13one-time
Instant Activation
Windows Server 2016 Standard
Microsoft · Windows Server
The release that moved Windows Server to per-core licensing, with two operating system environments per license.
- Platform
- Windows Server
- License Type
- Perpetual, per core
- Edition
- Standard
- Delivery
- Digital key by email
- Servers
- 1 server
Pricing
$13one-time
Covers 1 device.
- Activated automatically after checkout
- Delivery: Digital key by email
- License Type: Perpetual, per core
- Payment handled by the payment provider
Prices exclude any applicable tax. Licenses are issued to the account used at checkout.
Overview
Windows Server 2016 is the release where Microsoft changed the licensing model: from that point a server is licensed by its physical cores rather than by its processor sockets, with a 16-core minimum. It introduced Windows containers and Nano Server, added Storage Spaces Direct and shielded virtual machines to the Datacenter edition, and brought hot-add of memory and network adapters to Hyper-V. The Standard edition grants two operating system environments per licensed server.
Standard or Datacenter?
Both editions of this release install from the same media, carry the same system requirements and are licensed the same way. The difference is how many operating system environments the license grants — and, on the Datacenter side, the virtualisation features that come with it.
Windows Server 2016 Standard
ViewingThe release that moved Windows Server to per-core licensing, with two operating system environments per license.
$13one-time
This pageWindows Server 2016 Datacenter
The 2016 release with unlimited virtualisation rights, and the first to include Storage Spaces Direct.
$13one-time
Open
Features
Two OS environments
Each fully licensed server permits two virtual instances, or one virtual and one physical.
Windows containers
Windows Server and Hyper-V container isolation, with Docker tooling support.
Hyper-V hot add
Add or remove memory and network adapters on running virtual machines.
Nano Server
A minimal headless installation option for infrastructure and container hosts.
License details
- Platform
- Windows Server
- License Type
- Perpetual, per core
- Edition
- Standard
- Delivery
- Digital key by email
- Servers
- 1 server
- Support
- Extended support until 12 January 2027
- OS Environments
- 2 per licensed server
- Core Licensing
- 16 cores minimum per server
- CALs
- Client Access Licenses sold separately
- Architecture
- 64-bit
System requirements
Processor and memory
- 1.4 GHz 64-bit processor compatible with the x64 instruction set
- 512 MB RAM minimum (2 GB for Desktop Experience installations)
- 32 GB minimum disk space
Firmware and security
- UEFI 2.3.1c firmware with Secure Boot for secured-core features
- TPM 2.0 for BitLocker and virtualisation-based security
Licensing
- All physical cores in the server must be licensed
- 16-core minimum per server, 8-core minimum per processor
- Client Access Licenses are purchased separately
Installation
Windows Server 2016 is installed from official Microsoft media in Server Core or Desktop Experience mode, then activated with the supplied product key.
Frequently asked questions
Why does 2016 need 16 core licenses minimum?
2016 is the release that moved from per-processor to per-core licensing. Every physical core must be licensed, subject to a floor of 16 cores per server and 8 per processor, even where the hardware has fewer.
Is Windows Server 2016 still supported?
Mainstream support ended on 11 January 2022. It remains in extended support — security updates only — until 12 January 2027, after which it receives no further patches.
Do I need Client Access Licenses?
Yes. Client Access Licenses are required for users or devices accessing the server and are purchased separately from the server license.
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