Windows Server 2022 Standard – Server Licence

Windows Server 2022 Standard is the server system suited to SMEs and lightly virtualised infrastructures. It supports the full set of enterprise roles — Active Directory, files, DNS, DHCP, IIS, Hyper-V — and includes the right to run 2 Windows virtual machines on the licensed hardware. Beyond that, it is the Datacenter edition, with its unlimited VMs, that you should consider.

Key features

• Secured-core server — multi-layer hardware protection combining TPM 2.0, secure boot, code integrity enforced by the hypervisor and Credential Guard, against low-level attacks and ransomware.
• SMB AES-256 encryption and SMB over QUIC — access to end-to-end encrypted file shares, including from the Internet, without a VPN.
• TLS 1.3 connections enabled by default — modern encryption for web services and sessions.
• Hyper-V — built-in virtualisation, 2 Windows VMs allowed under this licence.
• Lightweight containers — reduced base images, shorter startup time, better support for Kubernetes and network policies.
• Windows Admin Center — complete administration from a browser, including for hybrid servers connected to Azure Arc.
• Application control (WDAC) — allows only explicitly approved programs to run.

CALs are mandatory in addition

The server licence does not cover access. Each user or device that connects requires a Windows Server 2022 CAL. A CAL is not software and does not install: it is an access right recorded on the server side. For Remote Desktop, you also need RDS CALs, which add to the Windows Server CALs and never replace them.

Installation and activation

The key arrives by email within 24 hours at most. Install Windows Server 2022 from the official Microsoft ISO, then activate in Settings › Activation or with slmgr /ipk followed by slmgr /ato.

System requirements

64-bit 1.4 GHz processor compatible with NX/DEP, 512 MB of RAM minimum (2 GB with a graphical interface), 32 GB of disk space, Gigabit network card, TPM 2.0 and UEFI for the Secured-core features. Extended support until October 2031.

Buy Windows Server 2022 Standard

Odin Key is operated by CHKEY OÜ, an Estonian company. Official invoice, support in English by email and live chat. Key sent by email within 24h after payment.