Windows Server 2016 Standard: For physical or minimally virtualized environments. Windows Server 2016 is the cloud-ready operating system that supports your current workloads while introducing new technologies that make it easy to transition to cloud computing when you are ready. It delivers powerful new layers of security along with Azure-inspired innovation for the applications & infrastructure that power your business. Core Based Licensing: Windows Server 2016 Standard & Datacenter All physical cores in the server must be licensed. Servers are licensed based on the number of processor cores in the physical server. A minimum of 16 core licenses is required for each server. A minimum of 8 core licenses is required for each physical processor. Core licenses will be sold in packs of two. Eight 2-core packs will be the minimum required to license each physical server. The 2-core pack for each edition is one-eighth the price of a 2-processor license for corresponding Windows Server 2012 R2 editions. Standard Edition provides rights for up to two OSEs or Hyper-V containers when all physical cores in the server are licensed. For every two additional VMs, all the cores in the server have to be licensed again. The price of 16-core licenses of Windows Server 2016 Datacenter & Standard edition will be the same price as the 2-processor license of the corresponding editions of the Windows Server 2012 R2 version. Existing customers' servers under Software Assurance will receive core grants as required, with documentation.