Windows Server 2025 Standard – Server licence

Windows Server 2025 Standard is the most recent generation of Microsoft's server system. It takes on all enterprise infrastructure roles and includes the right to run 2 Windows virtual machines on the licensed hardware. For a more heavily virtualised fleet, it is the Datacenter edition, with no VM limit, that you should aim for. Its main strength today: a long lifecycle, with extended support assured until October 2034.

What's new compared with Windows Server 2022

• Hotpatch updates (hotpatching) — apply security fixes without restarting the server, which sharply reduces maintenance windows.
• Modernised Active Directory — new functional level, 32 KB database pages, strengthened Kerberos AES encryption and secure LDAP channels by default.
• Hardened SMB — mandatory client-side encryption possible, SMB signing enforced by default, limiting of authentication attempts to counter brute-force attacks, and SMB over QUIC now available in the Standard edition.
• Faster storage — a new NVMe stack offering markedly higher I/O throughput, and improved deduplication on ReFS.
• Modernised Hyper-V — partitioned GPU for graphics and inference workloads.
• Secured-core security — secure boot, TPM 2.0, code integrity via the hypervisor and Credential Guard on compatible hardware.

CALs, to be budgeted separately

The server licence does not grant the right to connect users to it. Each user or device requires a Windows Server 2025 CAL, and each Remote Desktop session an additional RDS CAL. A CAL is not software: it is a right of access recorded on the server side. RDS CALs add to Windows Server CALs, they do not replace them.

Installation and activation

The key arrives by e-mail within 24 hours at most. Install Windows Server 2025 from the official Microsoft ISO, then activate in Settings › Activation or with slmgr.

System requirements

64-bit 1.4 GHz processor compatible with NX/DEP and CMPXCHG16b, 512 MB of RAM minimum (2 GB with graphical interface), 32 GB of disk, Gigabit network card, UEFI and TPM 2.0 recommended.

Buy Windows Server 2025 Standard in Switzerland

CHKEY is a Swiss company based in Lausanne. Prices in Swiss francs, official invoice, assistance in French by e-mail and live chat. Key sent by e-mail within 24h.