Key Management Service for Windows Server 2003

Many customers have complained about the need to run the KMS role on Windows Vista or Windows "Longhorn" Server. Today Microsoft responded by provided updates that will give enterprises the ability to run KMS on any Windows Server 2003 (SP1 or later) machine.

KMS on W2K3 SP1 (x86)

KMS on W2K3 SP1 (x64)

KMS activation allows enterprise customers to host a local service within their environment to enable activation of machines running Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Enterprise editions within their environment instead of any activation against Microsoft. Machines that have been activated through KMS will be required to reactivate by connecting to the KMS host at least once every 6 months.

KMS and its related media continues to be a focal point of piracy as it takes Microsoft out of the activation loop. It is unclear at this point if this update has done anything to address the types of exploits that are being used today. 

UPDATE: Microsoft has made a significant change that will affect many enterprise customers.  This update will not activate machines if running inside a virtual machine.  This bucks the growing industry trend of virtualization for all classes of servers. In an effort to reduce piracy they are again punishing the very customers it is designed to protect.

For more information on Volume Activation 2.0 visit this site.

If you have questions you can always drop into the forums to discuss.