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Thread: Need to Rant! RE: Windows Server 2012 Licensing

  1. #1
    Yuk it up Monkey Boy! Airbozo's Avatar
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    Default Need to Rant! RE: Windows Server 2012 Licensing

    OK, what bozo at Microsoft came up with the latest licensing idea?

    Here's the issue:
    Customer has a system with 4 x 10 core processors and they were running fine with server 2008 "Enterprise" (which has support for more than 2 physical procs). We went to order another copy of 2008 for their next system and were told that we needed to start using server 2012 for future orders. FIne, they like to keep up on the technology so we ordered a copy for their test machine. Server 2012 has dropped the enterprise edition in favor of a "per processor license". One key has support for 2 processors, so you need 2 keys.

    My first issue was trying to find out how to enter the first key so I call activation support. They ask me if I have the activation screen open and I said, "No, how do I open the activation screen?". Woman on the phone responds:" I'm sorry sir you will have to call technical support for that." WHAT?!?! I said: "NO. let me speak to your supervisor." Supervisor gets on the phone and proceeds to walk me through opening the activation screen (my customer had actually entered the key using the command line, but could not activate the system). The SUP proceeds to tell me to hit the windows key and start typing "slui 4" (as if I should have known that already...). Read the numbers and got me activation code. Cool. Still only 2 procs being used (all of them show up but windows will not use them without the proper license).

    I told him I now need to enter the second key and he is stumped. "What do you mean second key?" Really? You are the ones that came up with this licensing scheme and you don't know anything about it? He tells me I need to contact tech support.

    I have now been on the phone 3 times since and am now exchanging emails with one _SR_ engineer who has never heard of this, so I referred him to their own internal licensing page. Oh this is news to me, let me find another engineer who can help. Nothing so far...
    "...Dumb all over, A little ugly on the side... "...Frank Zappa...

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    Default Re: Need to Rant! RE: Windows Server 2012 Licensing

    Wow

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    Administrator OvRiDe's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need to Rant! RE: Windows Server 2012 Licensing

    I know what you mean.. unfortunately that pricing model has been around for a while with other companies... Citrix, Oracle, VMWare etc etc. I have to say, I don't like it at all, it makes it difficult to actually work with it to determine what you really need. Gotta love the training at the Activation desk! It appears they have complicated the activation to the point that it requires Tech Support. I guess that will be a whole new course for the old MSDN. I can see it now.. "How to activate Windows Server 2012"

    Section 1.. How to call the Activation Live
    Section 1a.. Things to tell the Agent
    Section 1b.. Things NOT to say to the Agent

    Section 2.. How to Escalate your Activation
    Section 2a.. Names not appropriate to use for the Agent you just spoke to.
    Section 2b.. Names not appropraite to use for the Supervisor you are talking to.

    Section 3.. Calling Tech Support
    Section 3a.. Fun things to do while waiting on hold
    Section 3b.. How to maintain your sanity while listening to hold music

  4. #4
    Yuk it up Monkey Boy! Airbozo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need to Rant! RE: Windows Server 2012 Licensing

    Very funny!

    Through it all I have to say that everyone's tone has remained calm including myself. I have done my share of phone support and know it's not their fault. The first clue was when just about everyone was surprised about needing 2 license codes. They were still treating it like the 2008 model where one code unlocked all the bits installed. The second code is _supposed_ to unlock the other 2 procs.

    I can see the other 2 procs (and the 40 cores (with hyperthreading on)) in the performance monitor, but loading up the system, Windows will not assign any processes to them and there is a message about not being useable (don't have the screen shot in front of me).
    "...Dumb all over, A little ugly on the side... "...Frank Zappa...

  5. #5
    The floppy drive is no longer obsolete. AmEv's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need to Rant! RE: Windows Server 2012 Licensing

    Yeesh. I've understood Microsoft not wanting the same one-computer code running on several computers, but two $100+ codes on one machine? Argh.

    If only Linux was an option. Probably would avoid these problems. I have no say in it, though.
    Two years. They were great. Let's make the next ones even better!

    Tri.fecta

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    Default Re: Need to Rant! RE: Windows Server 2012 Licensing

    Quote Originally Posted by AmEv View Post
    Yeesh. I've understood Microsoft not wanting the same one-computer code running on several computers, but two $100+ codes on one machine? Argh.

    If only Linux was an option. Probably would avoid these problems. I have no say in it, though.
    To be fair, the cost of 2012 including 2 licenses will be cheaper than the 2008 Enterprise license.

    This same company does have a similar system running on RedHat. The linux version cannot handle the amount of HD streams that this windows box can. I am not sure of the reason why but I am going to ask.
    "...Dumb all over, A little ugly on the side... "...Frank Zappa...

  7. #7
    I come from a land down under. simon275's Avatar
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    Default Re: Need to Rant! RE: Windows Server 2012 Licensing

    Enterprise vendor licensing can be a pain. That is nothing at least you do not have to buy feature licenses for networking gear. You want IPSLA oh you need the service provider license.
    Need a sig

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    Default Re: Need to Rant! RE: Windows Server 2012 Licensing

    Quote Originally Posted by simon275 View Post
    Enterprise vendor licensing can be a pain. That is nothing at least you do not have to buy feature licenses for networking gear. You want IPSLA oh you need the service provider license.
    Been there.
    Cisco is not my favorite company. Licensing is one of the reasons.

    Still having issues with 2012, but not with the licensing. Turns out the second license it treated like CAL's. You buy them to stay legal, but you never use the code.

    I now have Microsoft, Intel and Supermicro working together to troubleshoot this issue. It may be the BIOS update, but I have to let them do their thing. I suspect they will be sending me a prototype bios to try (like they did when Data Domain found a major bug in the bios that affected data flowing across the PCIe bus)

    Welcome back Simon!
    "...Dumb all over, A little ugly on the side... "...Frank Zappa...

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