As we mentioned, Microsoft changed the Windows Server licensing with the release of Windows Server 2012, where now only two editions, Standard and Datacenter, are available for Windows Server 2012. As you have read, Microsoft removed the enterprise edition from the Windows Server licensing catalog. These two available editions are exactly the same in the features provided. The only difference between these two editions is the scope for virtualization.

Windows Server 2012 Standard Edition gives customers only one free license for a virtual machine. Standard edition would be the best choice for companies that are not yet very well matured with respect to their virtualization, and are small in size. On the other side, the Datacenter edition gives customers unlimited virtual machine licenses. This edition is a good choice for enterprises where virtualization is the main infrastructure requirement, and most of their servers and applications are virtualized.

For more information about the Windows Server 2012 licensing, visit the following URL:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/buy/pricing-licensing.aspx