Virtualization support and licensing (SharePoint Server 2010)
Applies to: SharePoint Server 2010, SharePoint Foundation 2010
This article provides support and licensing information for using server virtualization technologies to deploy Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Products in a virtual environment.
Support
Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010 supports virtualization that includes any required technologies, such as Microsoft SQL Server, when the products and technologies are deployed in a Windows Server 2008 Hyper-V technology or Microsoft Hyper-V Server 2008 environment or any virtualization solution that is validated under the Server Virtualization Validation Program (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=125649).
SharePoint Server 2010 is not supported on virtualization environments that are not explicitly referenced under the Server Virtualization Validation Program.
Licensing
You must ensure that your virtualization solution meets all the licensing requirements.
Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Products
Every element of a Microsoft SharePoint Server farm that is installed on a virtual machine must comply with the licensing requirements for SharePoint Server 2010 and related and supporting technologies. For more information about licensing SharePoint Server 2010, see Microsoft SharePoint 2010 Licensing Q&A (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=210179).
For information about licensing other Microsoft Server products in a virtual environment, see LICENSING MICROSOFT SERVER PRODUCTS IN VIRTUAL ENVIRONMENTS (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=212535).