windows 2000 licensing

[Brijesh]

I have some doubts and would like to get clarified the
same.

1) is it true that Microsoft has stopped selling windows
2000 products (like win 2000 prof., 2000 sever and adv
server.

2) is it possible and legal to purchase win 2000 servers
by purchasing the license of win 2003 enterprise edition
for the same.

 

[Jimmy Andersson]

See this URL for info on licensing:
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/

Regards,
/Jimmy

 

[Paul Dietrich]

Hold on a sec. Recently I had a very long conversation, several
actually, with Pc World Business Direct licencing gurus. The Windows
2003 server licence is backward compatible with Windows 2000 server.

Just means that you can have Windows 2000 and with the Windows 2003
licennce can can simply upgrade to Windows 2003. Well, as long as
it's the same smell and flavour of Windows server.

Obviously if you have Windows 2000 Advanced server and you get a
licence for Windows 2003 standard server then that is not allowed.

This is what I found out.

Um, 2000->2003, Yes. 2003->2000 No. He asked about a downgrade, not an
upgrade.

 

[Bob I]

Sorry Paul, but you are incorrect.


http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/downgrade.mspx

Microsoft grants the rights to use any prior version of Windows Server
2003 in place of the version specified on the license confirmation,
regardless of which channel was used to acquire the license.

Windows Server 2003 licenses can be downgraded to use or access older
versions of the corresponding licenses as outlined below. Locate the
product in the left column. Read horizontally for available downgrade
options.

 

[Paul Dietrich]

I stand corrected, thanks.
pd

Sorry Paul, but you are incorrect.


http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/downgrade.mspx

Microsoft grants the rights to use any prior version of Windows Server
2003 in place of the version specified on the license confirmation,
regardless of which channel was used to acquire the license.

Windows Server 2003 licenses can be downgraded to use or access older
versions of the corresponding licenses as outlined below. Locate the
product in the left column. Read horizontally for available downgrade
options.