Home icon

Operating BYOL Windows Server Workloads Effectively on AWS

Microsoft Workloads on AWS Blog



This article provides guidance for running Bring Your Own License (BYOL) Windows Server workloads effectively on AWS, focusing on cost optimization and licensing compliance.

  • BYOL is applicable for Windows Server 2019 and earlier, with licenses purchased before October 1, 2019
  • Requires using Amazon EC2 Dedicated Hosts to meet licensing requirements
  • Proper AMI preparation is crucial, using tools like VM Import/Export and Migration Hub Orchestrator
  • AWS License Manager helps manage license conversions between BYOL and license-included models
  • AWS Config can detect potential licensing misconfigurations
  • AWS Cost and Usage Reports (CUR) help track and understand licensing costs

Key recommendations include carefully evaluating license eligibility, ensuring correct configuration, and maintaining ongoing monitoring to optimize Windows Server deployment costs on AWS.



Go to article

The AWS News Feed is currently looking for gold sponsors. If you want to support the AWS community and reach a large audience of AWS professionals, consider sponsoring the AWS News Feed.

Related articles

Jun 19
2025
How Uniphore achieved 30% cost savings by modernizing Windows servers on AWS
Jul 1
2025
AWS announces availability of ECS Optimized Windows Server 2025 AMIs
Jun 25
2025
Deploy SQL Server Container Clusters using Amazon EKS and Amazon FSx for Windows
Jun 16
2025
Testing 3-tier Windows app resilience on AWS with Resilience Testing

The AWS News Feed is currently looking for silver sponsors. If you want to support the AWS community and reach a large audience of AWS professionals, consider sponsoring the AWS News Feed.