This is the most common question: if I'm licensing the Windows Server to run VMs with Windows Server, do I have to install the same Windows Server on the host?

The simple answer is no. As already discussed in Chapter 2, Deploying Hyper-V Hosts, you should consider the option that best fits your company's needs. Besides technical aspects, there is one important licensing point to consider.

As you know, you should always consider the Hyper-V Server as the first option for your virtualization host. However, Hyper-V Server is a free OS. It still includes all the Hyper-V features, but is different from the Windows Server as it does not include any Windows Server usage rights. Let's see an example.

Following what you learned so far, you checked all the prerequisites for your virtualization host and you concluded that the Hyper-V Server is a suitable option for your company. You then install the Hyper-V Server on a host with two processors. On the other...