Why Windows licensing on a cloud server is its own topic
Linux is straightforward — install, run, ship. Windows Server is licensed software, and how you license it determines your monthly cost, your audit posture, and what you can legally do with multi-user RDP, SQL Server, or Office.
On Raff there are three legitimate paths to a licensed Windows Cloud Server, and we walk through each one below. None of them require a phone call to Microsoft.
The three license paths on Raff
| Path | Best for | What you pay | Production-ready? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6-month evaluation | Testing, dev, learning | Included with every Cloud Server | No (non-production only) |
| SPLA — we provide | Most production use | Monthly, no commitment | Yes |
| BYOL — your license | Existing Microsoft customer with eligible licenses | Already paid Microsoft directly | Yes (with caveats — see below) |
Path 1: 6-month evaluation (free, non-production)
Every Raff Windows Cloud Server ships with the Microsoft 180-day evaluation edition of Windows Server 2019, 2022, or 2025. It's the full Standard or Datacenter binary — no feature reductions.
The fine print:
- Microsoft caps it at 180 days. After that it shuts down hourly until you license it.
- You can run
slmgr /rearmup to 6 times, which can extend the evaluation up to roughly 3 years for non-production. (Source: Microsoft Q&A on rearm limits.) - It is not licensed for production workloads. Use it for proofs-of-concept, dev environments, lab work, training. If real business depends on it, move to SPLA or BYOL.
Path 2: SPLA — Raff provides the license (monthly)
Microsoft's Service Provider License Agreement (SPLA) is the program built specifically for hosting providers. We're a SPLA partner, so we can license Windows Server (and SQL Server, and several other products) to you on a monthly basis with no commitment.
What you get with a SPLA license on Raff:
- Monthly billing. No 3-year commitment, no upfront capital.
- No Windows Server CALs required. When Windows Server is licensed via SPLA, the CAL requirement is replaced by the Subscriber Access License built into the per-core fee. (Source: Microsoft SPLA Licensing Guidance.)
- Genuine Microsoft licensing. Activates against Microsoft, passes a Microsoft license audit.
- Cancel anytime. Stop the Cloud Server, the license stops billing.
Why SPLA matters more in 2026: Effective September 30, 2025, Microsoft restricted SPLA on the "Listed Providers" — Azure, AWS, Google Cloud, Alibaba. You can no longer bring your own SPLA license to those clouds. Raff is not a Listed Provider, so SPLA still works here exactly as designed. (Source: Octopus Cloud — 2026 SPLA guide.)
Path 3: BYOL — bring your own license
If your company already owns Windows Server licenses, you can use them on Raff under Microsoft's License Mobility through Software Assurance rules. This is a real, supported option, but it has hard requirements:
- The licenses must have active Software Assurance at the time of mobility.
- You must submit a License Mobility verification form to Microsoft within 10 days of deployment.
- Per-core licensing rules still apply: minimum 8 core licenses per VM, and the per-VM licensing option is only available with subscription or active SA. (Source: Microsoft Windows Server 2025 Licensing Guidance.)
What is BYOL-eligible:
- Windows Server Standard / Datacenter (with SA + License Mobility)
- SQL Server Standard / Enterprise (with SA + License Mobility)
- Visual Studio subscriptions (for dev cloud servers only)
What is NOT BYOL-eligible to a hosting provider:
- Office (Office Pro Plus, Office Home & Business) — must use Microsoft 365 Apps with SCA instead (see below)
- Windows Server CALs purchased without SA
- OEM-only licenses
If you're not sure whether your licenses qualify, send your purchase docs to support and we'll tell you straight — and if BYOL doesn't fit, switch to SPLA without redeploying the cloud server.