Page 1 of 1

Windows Datacenter Edition Downgrade/Side by Side

Posted: 16. Jul 2017, 11:55
by ricardoduarte
Hi there,

I have the following scenario:

- A VMware ESXi host with multiple VMs and 2 CPUs
- VMs run a mix of Windows Server Standard 2008, Windows Server Enterprise 2008, Windows Server Standard 2012 and Windows Server Datacenter 2012.
- I have a license for Windows Server Datacenter 2012 (2 CPUs)

As per the Product Use Rights I am able to run any mix of Windows Server <= 2012 because Edition and version downgrades are permitted. So, in my case, the single Windows Datacenter 2012 license would make all those VMs licensed.

To support this scenario, I setup the M42 product in the following way:
- Went to Windows Server Datacenter 2012 product and under "Downgrades" checked "Consolidate license requirements according to downgrade options (Side-by-Side)" and added all those lower editions to "License Downgrade To".
- Accepted then all the license requirements
- Accepted the consolidation to the hosts
- Checked "Automatic change of license model with downgrades" under Global Settings

But the end result is not "4 Windows Server Datacenter 2012 licenses required", but multiple 2008, 2008R2 and 2012 Standard license requirements.

Any idea what can I be doing wrong?

Thanks.

Re: Windows Datacenter Edition Downgrade/Side by Side

Posted: 17. Oct 2017, 10:05
by O_Hauner
Hi,
in case you have not yet solved this issue: check the "Side-by-Side" option in the software products you want to downgrade to, not downgrade from, and it will work.