Windows Server 2012 R2 captures the experience Microsoft has gained from building and operating public clouds to deliver a highly dynamic, available, and cost-effective server platform for your datacenter and private cloud. It offers a scalable, multitenant-aware cloud infrastructure that can help your organization’s distributed and mobile workforces connect more securely across premises and enable IT to respond to business needs faster and more efficiently. The following information provides an overview of your key licensing options.

Standard edition is ideal for those customers who want to have a physical or lightly virtualized environment. This edition enables you to run up to two virtual instances of Windows Server with each license and provides all the same features as Datacenter edition. The licensing for Standard edition will continue to be processor plus CAL, with each license covering up to two physical processors on a single server, just like Datacenter edition.