This page describes the licensing and limitations of the four Windows Server 2022 versions.

There are four Windows Server 2022 versions:

Windows Server 2022 is available in three editions: Standard, Datacenter, and Datacenter: Azure Edition ¹². Here are some of the key differences between these editions:

• Standard: This edition is designed for small to medium-sized businesses that require a limited number of virtual instances. It supports up to 64 sockets, 2TB of memory, and 16 million SMB connections ¹.
• Datacenter: This edition is designed for large businesses that require unlimited virtual instances. It supports up to 64 sockets, 48TB of memory, and unlimited SMB connections ¹.
• Datacenter: Azure Edition: This edition is designed for businesses that require hybrid cloud capabilities. It includes all the features of the Datacenter edition and adds Azure Arc integration ¹².
• Essentials: This edition is a cloud-connected first server designed for small businesses with up to 25 users and 50 devices ¹. It is a customized licensing scheme for the Standard edition of Windows Server 2022 ². It provides a simple and flexible solution for businesses that need an on-premises server but also want to leverage cloud services ³.

For a more detailed comparison of the features available in each edition, please refer to Microsoft’s official documentation ¹².

Windows Server 2022 Essentials Licensing:

Suggested retail price as of October 10, 2022 is $501 United States Dollars (USD)

• Up to 25 users
• Up to 50 devices
• No client access licenses (CALs) required
• Up to 10 cores on a single-socket server
• Up to 1 virtual machine (VM)

Windows Server 2022 Standard Licensing:

Suggested retail price as of October 10, 2022 is $1069 United States Dollars (USD)

• A maximum of 16 cores, any more cores than 16 you must purchase a sold separately pack of 2, 4 or 16 cores licensing.
• Requires client access licenses (CALs) for every user or device that connects to the server.
• Includes rights to 2 virtual machines (VMs), if you want to run more, you must purchase more licenses, again sold separately in packs of 2, 4 or 16 cores.
• Unlimited containers.

Windows Server 2022 Datacenter Licensing:

Suggested retail price as of October 14, 2022 is $6,155 United States Dollars (USD)

• A maximum of 16 cores, any more cores than 16 you must purchase a sold separately pack of 2, 4 or 16 cores licensing.
• Requires client access licenses (CALs) for every user or device that connects to the server.
• Unlimited virtual machines (VMs).
• Unlimited containers.

Windows Server 2022 Azure Datacenter Licensing:

A version of Windows Server 2022 that cannot be run on bare hardware, but instead runs on the Microsoft Azure platform. This version contains many bleeding edge features that may not be available in the other Windows Server 2022 editions. These features include:

• Hot Patching
• SMB over QUIC
• access to Azure Extended Network

References:

Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/pricing

serversplus.com: https://www.serversplus.com/server-2022-guide

trustedtechteam.com: https://blog.trustedtechteam.com/2022-05-09-server-2022-datacenter-azure-edition-all-you-need-to-know/