Start with the version your server will run: this category covers Windows Server 2019, 2022 and 2025. All six licences are lifetime, one-time purchases for one physical server/host, so the version choice is mainly about support window — the 2019 pages note security updates until 9 January 2029, while the 2025 pages note support until November 2034. Buy the version you plan to install, and check that product’s page for its exact terms before ordering.

Then choose the edition by how much virtualisation you run. Standard is licensed per core with a 16-core minimum for one host and includes rights to run up to 2 virtual machines, which suits a single host running a couple of VMs. Datacenter is the heavily virtualised option: it includes rights to run unlimited virtual machines on the host, plus Storage Spaces Direct, Software-Defined Networking, Automatic Virtual Machine Activation (AVMA) and Shielded VMs.

Every licence in this category is delivered by email, normally within 24 hours of payment, with the product key and activation steps. Use of the software is governed by Microsoft’s licence agreement.