Question:

I am setting up a new KMS server on Windows Server 2022 and I have some questions about the KMS activation process. Based on the official documentation , I understand that:

• To create a KMS host, I need to install the CSVLK (KMS host key) from my m365 volume license key section. For example, the Windows Srv 2022 DataCtr/Std KMS key.
• To activate a KMS client, I need to use the GVLK (KMS client key) from the KMS client activation keys page. For example, the Windows Server 2022 Standard VDYBN-27WPP-V4HQT-9VMD4-VMK7H key.

Is this correct? Do I need to use different keys for different versions of Windows on the KMS clients? Or can I use the same key from the m365 portal for all of them? And does the KMS host require different keys for different versions of Windows as well? How does this affect the usage tracking?

I

appreciate any clarification on this topic. Thank you.

Answer:

How to set up and activate a KMS server on Windows Server 2022

KMS (Key Management Service) is a feature of Windows Server that allows you to activate multiple Windows devices using a single KMS host. This can simplify the licensing process and reduce the need for individual product keys. In this article, we will explain how to set up a KMS server on Windows Server 2022 and how to activate KMS clients using different versions of Windows.

To create a KMS host, you need to install a CSVLK (KMS host key) on a Windows Server 2022 device. A CSVLK is a special type of product key that enables the KMS activation service. You can obtain a CSVLK from your m365 volume license key section. For example, the Windows Srv 2022 DataCtr/Std KMS key is a CSVLK that can activate both Windows Server 2022 Datacenter and Standard editions.

To install a CSVLK, you need to follow these steps:

1. Open an elevated command prompt on the Windows Server 2022 device that you want to make a KMS host.

2. Type `slmgr /ipk ` and press Enter, where `` is the KMS host key that you obtained from your m365 portal. For example, `slmgr /ipk 12345-67890-ABCDE-FGHIJ-KLMNO`.

3. Type `slmgr /ato` and press Enter to activate the KMS host online. Alternatively, you can use `slmgr /atp ` to activate the KMS host by phone, where `` is a unique identifier for the CSVLK that you can find in the m365 portal.

4. Type `slmgr /dlv` and press Enter to verify the activation status of the KMS host. You should see a message that says “License Status: Licensed” and “Key Management Service is enabled”.

Activating KMS clients

To activate a KMS client, you need to use a GVLK (KMS client key) on the Windows device that you want to activate. A GVLK is a generic product key that instructs the device to seek a KMS host for activation. You can find a list of GVLKs for different versions of Windows on the [KMS client activation keys page](https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/kms-client-activation-keys).

For example, if you want to activate a Windows Server 2022 Standard device, you need to use the GVLK `VDYBN-27WPP-V4HQT-9VMD4-VMK7H`. If you want to activate a Windows 10 Pro device, you need to use the GVLK `W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX`.

To install a GVLK, you need to follow these steps:

1. Open an elevated command prompt on the Windows device that you want to activate as a KMS client.

2. Type `slmgr /ipk ` and press Enter, where `` is the KMS client key that corresponds to the version of Windows that you are using. For example, `slmgr /ipk VDYBN-27WPP-V4HQT-9VMD4-VMK7H`.

3. Type `slmgr /skms ` and press Enter, where `` is the name or IP address of the KMS host that you set up earlier. For example, `slmgr /skms kms.example.com` or `slmgr /skms 192.168.1.100`.

4. Type `slmgr /ato` and press Enter to activate the KMS client online. Alternatively, you can use `slmgr /atp ` to activate the KMS client by phone, where `` is a unique identifier for the GVLK that you can find on the KMS client activation keys page.

5. Type `slmgr /dlv` and press Enter to verify the activation status of the KMS client. You should see a message that says “License Status: Licensed” and “Activation Type: KMS”.

Using different keys for different versions of Windows

You can use different keys for different versions of Windows on the KMS clients, as long as they are compatible with the KMS host. For example, you can use a Windows Server 2022 CSVLK to activate Windows Server 2022, Windows Server 2019, Windows Server 2016, Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7 devices. However, you cannot use a Windows Server 2019 CSVLK to activate Windows Server 2022 devices, as they are not backward compatible.

You can also use the same key from the m365 portal for all of the KMS clients, as long as it is a CSVLK that supports multiple editions of Windows. For example, you can use the Windows Srv 2022 DataCtr/Std KMS key to activate both Windows Server 2022 Datacenter and Standard devices, as well as other versions of Windows that are compatible with the KMS host.

The KMS host does not require different keys for different versions of Windows, as it only needs one CSVLK to enable the KMS activation service. However, you may need to update the CSVLK if you want to activate newer versions of Windows that are not supported by the current CSVLK. For example, if you have a Windows Server 2019 KMS host and you want to activate Windows Server 2022 devices, you need to replace the Windows Server 2019 CSVLK with a Windows Server 2022 CSVLK.

Tracking the usage of KMS activations

You can track the usage of KMS activations by using the `slmgr /dli` command on the KMS host. This command will display the current count of KMS activations for each product group. A product group is a collection of products that share the same activation policy. For example, the Windows Server 2022 product group includes Windows Server 2022 Datacenter and Standard editions.

The current count of KMS activations is the number of unique KMS clients that have contacted the KMS host for activation within the last 30 days. This number may not reflect the actual number of KMS clients that are currently active, as some of them may have been deactivated, uninstalled, or disconnected from the network. The current count of KMS activations is also reset to zero every 30 days, unless the KMS host receives a renewal request from a KMS client.

The KMS host also maintains a record of the KMS clients that have contacted it for activation in the past 180 days. You can view this record by using the `slmgr /dlv` command on the KMS host. This command will display the detailed license information for each product group, including the client machine ID (CMID), the last contact date, and the activation status of each KMS client. You can use this information to identify and troubleshoot any issues with the KMS activation process.

—

I hope this article helps you understand how to set up and activate a KMS server on Windows Server 2022. If you have any questions or feedback, please let me know. 😊