MS System Center Suite
Microsoft System Center is a suite of software products designed to simplify the deployment, configuration and management of IT infrastructure and virtualized Software-Defined Data Centers (SDDCs).
Editions
- Microsoft System Center Standard
- Microsoft System Center Datacenter
Versions
- Microsoft System Center 2016
- Microsoft System Center 2019
- Microsoft System Center 2022
Suited Products
- System Center Operations Manager (SCOM)
Monitor health, capacity, and usage across applications, workloads, and infrastructure.
- System Center Orchestrator (SCO)
Automate your datacenter tasks; efficiently create and execute runbooks using native PowerShell scripts.
- System Center Virtual Machine Manager (VMM)
Deploy and manage your virtualized, software-defined datacenter with a comprehensive solution for networking, storage, compute, and security.
- System Center Service Manager (SCSM)
Automated service delivery tool for incident resolution, change control, and asset lifecycle management.
- System Center Data Protection Manager (DPM)
Protect your data with backup, storage, and recovery for private cloud deployments, physical machines, clients, and server applications.
- System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)
Is an endpoint management solution for Microsoft devices, applications, and servers.
License Model
Server Managed License (SML)
- System Center Standard SML - Core-based
- System Center Datacenter SML - Core-based
Client Managed License (CML)
- Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager CML - OSE / User
- System Center Endpoint Protection SL - Device / User
- System Center Data Protection Manager CML - OSE / User
- System Center Orchestrator CML - OSE / User
- System Center Operations Manager CML - OSE / User
- System Center Service Manager CML - OSE / User
The System Center licensing models requires licenses only for the endpoints that are being managed. Rights to use MS SQL Server and the Management Server software are included.
License Rules
Server Managed Core License (SML)
- Include right to use Management Server software.
- Include all the System center products.
- Give rights to use MS SQL Server.
- Only available with Software Assurance (SA).
- Minimum 8 Core licenses per processor.
- Minimum 16 Core licenses per server.
A Server ML Core license must be assigned to each physical core in the server, with a minimum of 8 Core licenses per processor, and a minimum of 16 Core licenses per server.
For example, a single processor server with 4 cores requires 16 Server ML Core licenses, and a 4-processor server with 8 cores on each processor requires 32 Server ML Core licenses.
Server management features reference:
| Feature/Right | Datacenter edition | Standard edition |
|---|---|---|
| Number of managed OSEs/Hyper-V isolation | Unlimited | 2* |
| Number of managed Windows Server containers | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Configuration Manager | ✓ | ✓ |
| Data Protection Manager | ✓ | ✓ |
| Endpoint Manager | ✓ | ✓ |
| Operations Manager | ✓ | ✓ |
| Service Manager | ✓ | ✓ |
| Virtual Machine Manager | ✓ | ✓ |
| SQL Technology: right to run management server software and supporting SQL Server Runtime (SQL Server Standard edition) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Manage any type of supported workload | ✓ | ✓ |
Client Managed License (CML)
- Software Assurance is included with all Client MLs.
- Client MLs include the right to run the Management Server software and MS SQL Server.
- Client management licenses (client MLs) are required for managing devices that run non-server operating system environments (OSEs).
Client management features reference:
| Feature/Right | Configuration Manager | Endpoint Protection | Other Management products |
|---|---|---|---|
| Component included | Configuration Manager Virtual Machine Manager | Endpoint Protection | Service Manager Operations Manager Data Protection Manager Orchestrator |
| License requirements | Client ML* (per user/OSE) | Subscription* (per user/device) | Client ML* (per user/OSE) |
| Included in Core CAL Suite | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Included in Enterprise CAL Suite | ✓ | ✓ |
License Mobility & Reassignment
- License Mobility is benefit of SA.
- License Mobility across Server Farms is NOT available as an SA benefit.
Related License Suites
- Core Client Access License (CAL) Suite
- Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager
- System Center Endpoint Protections
- Enterprise Client Access License (CAL) Suite
- Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager
- System Center Endpoint Protections
Software Assurance
The following SA benefits are also available for System Center Server Management Licenses:
- 24x7 Problem Resolution Support
- Disaster Recovery Rights
- License Mobility through Software Assurance
- Self-Hosting Use Rights
License Mobility across Server Farms is NOT available as an SA benefit.
Downgrading Versions and Editions
TO BE DEFINED
Step-Up License
- Customers who have System Center Standard Server ML Core licenses with active Software ssurance may purchase Step-Up licenses to move to System Center Datacenter Server ML Core licenses.
- The Step-Up license is priced at the difference in price of the two licenses and SA.
Licensing Virtual Machines (VMs) / Containers
Microsoft System Center Standard license
- The server must be fully licensed with licenses (same as Core-based licensing for Windows Server).
- An unlimited number of virtual machines may be run and can be managed on the server.
Microsoft System Center Datacenter license
- The server must be fully licensed with licenses (same as Core-based licensing for Windows Server).
- Only 2 virtual machines may be run on the server.
- The server must be licensed again to run a further 2 virtual machines. Stacking license.
For example, a single processor server with 8 cores requires 16 Core licenses to run 2 VMs. A further 16 Core licenses must be assigned to the server to run another 2 VMs.