Microsoft Windows Server 2025 Standard

Windows Server 2025 Standard: server operating system for physical and lightly virtualised environments

Windows Server 2025 Standard is the edition of the current Windows Server generation that Microsoft intends for physical servers and environments with few virtual machines. It is licensed per processor core and, with all cores fully licensed, allows operation in two virtual operating system environments. The edition is therefore suitable for businesses that run their own server for user management with Active Directory, file shares or business applications.

Licensing by core and virtualisation rights

Under Microsoft's licensing rules, all physical cores of the server must be licensed, but at least 8 cores per processor and 16 cores per server. This also applies to servers with only one processor. A server with two processors of 8 cores each therefore requires 16 core licences, and a server with 24 cores accordingly 24. In addition, every user or device that accesses the server requires a Windows Server CAL. Anyone using Remote Desktop Services also needs an RDS CAL per user or device for this.

If all cores are licensed, Windows Server 2025 Standard may run in two virtual operating system environments, for example a domain controller and an application server as separate virtual machines. The physical installation may also be used if it solely hosts and manages the virtual machines. For every two additional virtual machines, all cores of the server must be licensed again. Windows Server containers without Hyper-V isolation are unlimited, Hyper-V isolated containers are possible up to two. In this edition, Storage Replica is limited to one partnership and one resource group with a single volume of up to 2 TB.

New in Windows Server 2025

Several protection features are enabled out of the box. Credential Guard is active by default on devices that meet the requirements and serves to protect credentials. Outbound SMB connections require signing by default. SMB over QUIC is now also available in the Standard and Datacenter editions and establishes encrypted connections to file shares over the internet, for example for employees who access company data while on the move.

For Active Directory, Windows Server 2025 brings new functional levels, an optional database format with 32k pages, LDAP encryption by default on new installations and TLS 1.3 for LDAP. With Delegated Managed Service Accounts, traditional service accounts can be converted to accounts with managed, randomised keys. With GPU partitioning, one graphics card can be divided proportionally among several virtual machines; in the Standard edition, the feature is designed for standalone servers and allows live migration between standalone nodes for planned maintenance.

The Desktop Experience is based on Windows 11. OpenSSH Server and the WinGet package manager are preinstalled. A direct upgrade is possible across up to four versions, starting from Windows Server 2012 R2.

Difference from Windows Server 2025 Datacenter

Windows Server 2025 Standard covers servers with up to two virtual machines per licensing. With all cores fully licensed, Datacenter allows any number of virtual machines and Hyper-V containers and additionally includes Storage Spaces Direct, the Network Controller for software-defined networking, Hyper-V support for the Host Guardian Service and Storage Replica without limits. For hosts with many virtual machines or clusters with shared storage, choose Windows Server 2025 Datacenter.

Buy Windows Server 2025 Standard: licence and scope of delivery

On the product page, you select the number of core licences: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16 or 32 cores. What counts is the number of physical cores in your server, at least 16 per server. Windows Server CALs and RDS CALs are not part of this offer. The scope of delivery includes:

• the product key for Microsoft Windows Server 2025 Standard
• the download link for the server software (all downloads are also available under Software Download)
• instructions for installation and activation (see also Guides and FAQ)
• the invoice by email

Once your payment has been received, your product key is displayed directly on the order confirmation page and also sent to you by email. After that, you can retrieve it again at any time: with a customer account under My Product Codes, without a customer account via the Guest Portal.

If you have any questions about installation or activation, our Support team is available around the clock by email. You will find offers for businesses, schools and public authorities in the B2B Area. You will find further server products in the category Windows Server and under Operating Systems.

System requirements

Minimum requirements according to Microsoft. They apply to the Server Core and Desktop Experience installation options.