---
sourceDocument: Australia Asset Management
sourceDocumentLink: https://servicenow-prod.fluidtopics.net/r/it-asset-management

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    - australia

ft:locale :

    - en-US

ft:publication_title :

    - Australia Asset Management

ft:clusterId :

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workflow :

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---

# Windows Server cluster license optimization

# Windows Server cluster license optimization {#ariaid-title1}

* Release version: Australia
* 
* Updated March 12, 2026
* 
* ![](https://www.servicenow.com/docs/portal-asset/ico-clock) 1 minute to read

Optimize rights used for Windows Server clustering based on costs and compliance
criteria.  
Windows Server installations are categorized into two editions - Standard and Datacenter. Windows Server Standard and Datacenter editions are licensed by physical cores. The licenses are available in packs of 2 and packs of 16. The minimum license requirements for Windows Server clustering is:

* All physical cores must be licensed
* 8 core licenses per processor
* 16 core licenses per server

A cluster is licensed by calculating the maximum number of virtual machines (VMs) that can run
on one physical host.

The Windows Server Standard edition is licensed for 2 operating system environments (OSEs) or
Hyper-V containers. Additional OSEs require additional licenses ( physical server is licensed for
every 2 OSEs, minimum of 16 rights). Windows Server Datacenter edition is licensed for unlimited
OSEs.

The cluster or host density is determined by dividing the active operating systems by 2. The
system property com.snc.samp.windowserver.license.threshold with a default
value of 4.59 is used for marking the host or cluster density. This property is a ratio of the
cost of Datacenter and non Datacenter licenses and identifies the optimal cluster size for
Datacenter licenses. You can modify the value of this property based on the purchase costs for
these licenses. Low density clusters are licensed by non Datacenter licenses starting from low
to high density. High density clusters are licensed by Datacenter licenses starting from high to
low density. Optimal license and potential savings are generated for host or cluster using
non optimal licenses.

The Windows Standard rights are used first for the Standard list by using them from the
smallest to the largest within this list. After using Standard rights for low density host or
cluster, the remaining low density host or cluster are licensed by the remaining Datacenter
rights from high to low density. After using Datacenter rights for high density host or cluster,
the remaining high density host or cluster are licensed by the remaining Standard rights from low
to high density. Clusters that do not have enough Datacenter or Standard rights to consume are
marked as unlicensed.

A new table, Potential savings by optimizing licenses, \[samp_license_optimization_summary\] is
created to store information about licensing Windows Server software installed on each device.