Explanation of KMS Activation Method
This section mainly explains how to automatically activate Windows hosts in the UCloud Global cloud environment.
Background
Users must activate the Windows system before they can use it normally, install application software, deploy business environments, etc.
Therefore, when purchasing any UHost with a Windows system, the system copyright fee is already included. During the host initialization process, the UCloud Global platform automatically activates the system, and the specific process is described as follows.
Activation via KMS
Microsoft used the VOL (Volume Licensing for Organizations) bulk licensing method to activate systems in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. After Windows Vista, it adopted the MAK (Multiple Activation Key) multi-activation key method and the KMS (Key Management Service) key management service method for activation.
The difference between them is that MAK is a counting-based method: each time a system is reinstalled and activated with a MAK key, the key’s activation count increases. When the maximum activation limit is reached, the key can no longer be used for activation. In contrast, KMS manages keys through a Server-Client model: clients communicate with the server via the local area network, and the key is installed on the server, which manages all connected client hosts through the key management service, as shown in the diagram below:
The KVM operational mechanism is as follows:
- After installing the key, the KMS Server connects to Microsoft’s authorization licensing server via the public network to activate its own KMS service.
- During initialization, the Client accesses the KMS address via the internal network, which is resolved to the KMS Server IP through the DNS Server.
- The DNS Server maintains regular internal network communication with the KMS Server cluster. If a KMS Server is detected to be abnormal, the domain name is automatically resolved to another KMS Server.
- The KMS Server and Client communicate via the default port 1688 to automatically activate the Client system. The Client will contact the KMS Server again for reactivation every 180 days.
Client Activation
UHost can automatically activate the system upon initialization. This process is seamless and requires no user intervention. After logging into the host remotely, users can check the activation status using the slmgr.vbs /dlv command
Uhost is in the data center: Available Zone C in North China
System installed for UHost: Windows server 2008 datacenter r2
If you need to query KMS addresses in various data centers, please contact technical support.
Frequently Asked Questions And Answers
Q: Are all the Windows UHosts you provide genuine?
A: All Windows-based hosts provided by UCloud Global have purchased official genuine licenses from Microsoft. The system copyright fee is already included when you purchase our Windows-version hosts, so you do not need to buy a separate system serial number. The host is automatically activated via the internal network KMS service during initialization and will reactivate automatically every 180 days. You can view specific activation information inside the host using the cmd command slmgr.vbs /dlv.
Q: Can I install other paid software on these Windows UHosts?
A: You can install paid software on UCloud Global UHosts, but the copyright fees required for the software must be paid by the user directly to the software provider. UCloud Global will not interfere with any operations within the host. If you use pirated software, all legal liabilities arising therefrom shall be borne by the customer.
Q: I created a Windows host in one of UCloud Global’s data centers, made an image of it, and after submitting a support ticket, you helped me migrate this image to another data center. However, after creating a new UHost from this image, the system prompts “Product not activated.” How can I resolve this?
A: Since your image was migrated across data centers, the internal KMS address has changed. The KMS information in the image still points to the previous data center. You need to manually activate the system once to resolve this.
For specific operations, please refer to our [FAQ document](/docs/uhost/faq#How to activate Windows Server on UHost?).
Summary
Using KMS for unified system activation management maintains continuous communication between the server and clients via the internal network. This significantly simplifies automated deployment and rapid host provisioning in cloud environments, eliminating repetitive tasks such as system activation and environment initialization when customers dynamically scale resources in large quantities.