Windows Server - Dell OEM License
Summary: This article introduces what is the Dell OEM license for Windows Server which sold bundled with hardware.
Symptoms
Article Summary
This article provides the information about Dell OEM licenses for Windows Server.
OEM licenses are generally sold bundled with hardware, have limitations that can only be used on the specific hardware. When you purchase a server from Dell, selecting various Windows Server as an operating system or second OS and purchasing it at the same time will attach the Dell OEM license for Windows Server to the Server chassis. In addition to be available as a host OS, the Dell OEM license for Windows Server can also be available as a virtual machine on a hypervisor, however, it should be used in a server chassis with OEM license attached.
Table of Contents
COA Label
If you purchased the server with the license, the following certificate called COA (Certificate of Authenticity) label is attached directly to the server chassis and shipped.
The product key required for license activation is described on the COA label, use this product key to activate the license whether you use this license on a host OS or as a virtual machine on a hypervisor.
Since Windows Server 2012, the product key part is covered with a scratch, so customer needs to scratch it with coins. As the COA label is not reissued and other certificates that show a product key are not issued, scratch the label carefully and keep it from being damaged. In case the label is damaged, take a picture of the COA label, prepare a clear image file of it and contact Dell technical support.
The followings are examples of where the COA label is attached.
Rack Servers (Top-front side)
Blade Servers (Top-front side)
Tower Servers (Rear panel or top-back side)
Downgrade / Down Edition Rights
On the Windows Server using Dell OEM license, the earlier version and lower edition than those purchased using downgrade and down edition rights defined by Microsoft can be used.
The followings are examples of downgrade/down edition rights.
| Purchased Version | Available Version Example | Available Edition Example |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Server 2016 Datacenter | Windows Server 2016 | Datacenter |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | Datacenter | |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2012 | Datacenter | |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2016 Standard | Windows Server 2016 | Standard |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | ||
| Windows Server 2012 | ||
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Datacenter |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2012 | Datacenter | |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard | Windows Server 2012 R2 | Standard |
| Windows Server 2012 | ||
| Windows Server 2012 Datacenter | Windows Server 2012 | Datacenter |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2012 Standard | Windows Server 2012 | Standard |
| Windows Server 2022 Datacenter | Windows Server 2019 | Datacenter |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2016 | Datacenter | |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2022 Standard | Windows Server 2019 | Standard |
| Windows Server 2016 | ||
| Windows Server 2022 Essential 10-core | Windows Server 2019 | Essentials |
| Windows Server 2016 | ||
| Windows Server 2019 Datacenter | Windows Server 2016 | Datacenter |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | Datacenter | |
| Standard | ||
| Windows Server 2019 Standard | Windows Server 2016 | Standard |
| Windows Server 2012 R2 | ||
| Windows Server 2019 Essentials | Windows Server 2019 | Essentials |
| Windows Server 2016 |
For the detail of available version/edition, please refer to the Microsoft License Term for the purchased product (Move to the outside page).
If you downgrade or down edition, you need to prepare the media of former version/edition and corresponding product key. Downgrade kit including media and product key is sold by Dell as an option at the time of sale. However, since the right itself is with the OEM license, there is no problem if you use a media/key provided other than Dell or a key that license activated in other environments. If the license activation failed because of reusing the key, please contact Microsoft Licensing Activation Centers and tell them you used the downgrade/down edition rights and reused the key.
Use in Virtual Machine
Windows Server using Dell OEM license can be run as a virtual machine on a hypervisor based on the virtual instance execution rights Microsoft defined. Basically, Datacenter has unlimited, Standard has up to 2 virtual instance execution rights.
Since the execution rights the purchased version has is applied, for example, in the environment where Datacenter edition is purchased but down editioned to use as Standard, virtual instance execution rights can be used unlimited. Since Standard edition normally has only 2 virtual instance execution rights, please report that you have unlimited execution rights by using down edition rights when you contact technical support. Also, there is no hypervisor limitation, even if a hypervisor such as ESXi is prepared separately, the Dell OEM license is valid as long as Windows Server running as a virtual machine on it is utilized in the chassis.
Explain the case that Windows Server 2016 Datacenter is purchased as the Dell OEM as an example.
In the following image, objects with "Dell OEM" mark have the valid Dell OEM license and Dell can provide OEM support.