Description
Windows Server 2016 Datacenter is the top edition of Windows Server 2016, built for highly virtualised hosts and private clouds. It allows unlimited Windows Server virtual machines on a licensed host. It suits IT teams running existing 2016 infrastructure, and the product key is delivered by email as a perpetual licence.
Key features
Datacenter includes everything in Standard, plus features for large-scale virtualisation, software-defined storage and security.
- Unlimited Hyper-V virtual machines: license the physical host, then run any number of Windows Server VMs on it.
- Storage Spaces Direct (S2D): build highly available storage from local drives, without a separate SAN.
- Software-Defined Networking: Network Controller, Software Load Balancer and RAS Gateway for virtual networks.
- Shielded virtual machines: encrypted VMs protected by the Host Guardian Service.
- Storage Replica: block-level replication for stretch clusters and disaster recovery.
- Windows Server and Hyper-V containers, plus the Nano Server installation option.
- Failover Clustering and Network Load Balancing for high availability.
Licence details
| Product | Windows Server 2016 |
|---|---|
| Edition | Datacenter |
| Licence type | Perpetual licence, one-time purchase |
| Virtualisation rights | Unlimited Windows Server VMs on the licensed host |
| Platform | 64-bit x64 servers |
| Activation | Online with the product key, or by phone |
| Delivery | Product key by email |
| Microsoft support status | Mainstream support ended January 2022; extended support ends 12 January 2027 |
Support status and upgrade path
Windows Server 2016 still receives security updates until 12 January 2027, the end of extended support. After that date, Microsoft stops releasing fixes for it. You can check the dates on the Microsoft Lifecycle site.
Server 2016 Datacenter is a sound choice for keeping existing clusters and VMs licensed. For a new build, a newer edition gives you more years of updates. Consider Windows Server 2022 Datacenter or Windows Server 2025 Datacenter.
System requirements
- Processor: 1.4 GHz 64-bit, with NX, DEP and second-level address translation for Hyper-V.
- Memory: 512 MB minimum for Server Core; 2 GB for Desktop Experience. ECC memory is recommended.
- Storage: 32 GB minimum free disk space.
- Network: a Gigabit Ethernet adapter.
How to download, install and activate
Install Windows Server 2016 Datacenter from Microsoft media, then enter your key. The steps below cover a fresh install and a conversion from the evaluation edition.
- Download the Windows Server 2016 ISO from the Microsoft Evaluation Center.
- Boot from the ISO and choose Windows Server 2016 Datacenter, with or without Desktop Experience.
- After setup, open Settings, then Update & Security, then Activation, and enter your product key.
- From an elevated prompt you can also run slmgr /ipk followed by your key, then slmgr /ato.
- If you installed the evaluation edition, convert it with DISM /online /Set-Edition:ServerDatacenter, adding your key and /AcceptEula.
- If online activation fails, use phone activation or see our guide to activation error 0xC004F050.
More help is available in our install and activation guides.
Datacenter vs Standard: Windows Server 2016
Choose Datacenter if you run many VMs on one host or need software-defined storage. Standard is enough for physical servers or light virtualisation.
| Feature | 2016 Datacenter | 2016 Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Windows Server VMs per licensed host | Unlimited | 2 |
| Storage Spaces Direct | Yes | No |
| Software-Defined Networking | Yes | No |
| Shielded VMs and Host Guardian | Yes | No |
| Storage Replica | Full | No |
For a single physical server or two VMs, Windows Server 2016 Standard covers the same core roles.
Frequently asked questions
How many virtual machines can I run with Windows Server 2016 Datacenter?
Datacenter lets you run an unlimited number of Windows Server virtual machines on the licensed physical host. This is the main reason to choose it over Standard. On a dense Hyper-V host, one Datacenter licence can replace many Standard licences.
When does support for Windows Server 2016 end?
Mainstream support ended in January 2022. Extended support, which still includes security updates, ends on 12 January 2027. After that, the server keeps working but receives no further fixes. Plan new deployments on Windows Server 2022 or 2025.
Can I convert the Windows Server 2016 evaluation edition to the full version?
Yes. Run DISM with the Set-Edition option, the ServerDatacenter target and your product key. The server restarts and becomes the licensed edition without a reinstall. This keeps your roles, settings and data in place.
Do I need CALs with Windows Server 2016 Datacenter?
Yes. Users or devices that access the server normally need Windows Server CALs. Remote Desktop users also need RDS CALs, such as the Windows Server 2016 RDS 10 User CAL. These licences are separate from the server key.
Related products and guides
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