how to buy windows server 2012 r2 standard

'For customers with various types of EAs, the price will go up at the end of their current contract, assuming that Windows Server Datacenter and the RDS CAL is already on the agreement's 'price list' before Windows Server 2012 R2 ships.'

'For customers that buy via Select and Open License, the price goes up in Q4, when Windows Server 2012 R2 becomes 'generally available',' said Rob Horwitz, research chair and cofounder of independent consultancy Directions on Microsoft, via e-mail. Organizations that have Software Assurance on top of their Windows Server 2012 licensing won't pay extra for the upgrade if the Software Assurance coverage period extends through Windows Server 2012 R2 general availability period. The Windows Server 2012 R2 price increases will be for Select and Open licensing. In both cases, a single license covers up to two physical processors. The Standard edition supports virtualization rights for up to two 'operating system environments' on up to two processors. The Datacenter edition provides 'unlimited virtualization' rights, although in practice the number of virtual machines is limited by the hardware used, according to Directions on Microsoft's licensing tips. The Datacenter and Standard editions of Windows Server 2012 R2 differ only in terms of virtualization rights. However, CALs are required for the Standard and Datacenter editions of Windows Server 2012 R2. The Essentials and Foundation editions both do not require Client Access Licenses (CALs). The Foundation edition is notable for having no Hyper-V virtualization rights. The price of the Foundation edition wasn't listed because it gets determined by Microsoft's original equipment manufacturer partners. There's also a Foundation edition of Windows Server 2012 R2, supporting up to 15 user accounts. It plans to ship Essentials when Windows Server 2012 R2 is released. Microsoft added a few enhancements to Windows Server Essentials 2012 R2.

R2 Essentials will cost $501 compared with $425 for Windows Server 2012 Essentials. The price of Windows Server 2012 R2 Essentials for small businesses, which supports up to 25 user accounts, also will go up.

The Standard edition of Windows Server 2012 R2 will have the same price ($882 per year) as its predecessor. A Microsoft spokesperson stated that 'in fact, the $6,155 price is a one-time cost, not annual.'

How to buy windows server 2012 r2 standard