Automatic Virtual Machine Activation is a feature that handles the activation process for an instance of Windows Server inside a Hyper-V virtual machine, so it does not need to directly contact any other system to activate the Windows Server instance. Automatic Virtual Machine Activation is engineered to digitally facilitate the guest virtualization rights allowance of the Windows Server Datacenter license. If the physical host is properly licensed to run Windows Server Datacenter, then any number of virtual instances running the same or a lower edition and the same or earlier version of Windows Server is included.
Which guest operating systems are eligible for Automatic Virtual Machine Activation?
Only Windows Server guests are covered by Automatic Virtual Machine Activation. No desktop operating systems are covered by any Windows Server guest virtualization right, so Automatic Virtual Machine Activation will not activate them.
Automatic Virtual Machine Activation does not work for guests prior to Windows Server 2012 R2, even though 2008, 2008 R2, and 2012 are still within their support windows and eligible for the guest virtualization rights offered by 2012 R2 and 2016.
Automatic Virtual Machine Activation does not cover Windows Server Foundation 2012 R2 because it is not covered under the Datacenter rights. There is no Foundation edition of Windows Server 2016.
Automatic Virtual Machine Activation in 2012 R2 will not activate any edition of Windows Server 2016.
There is no true "configuration" for the virtual machine. When prompted for a license key, you simply give it the key that matches the operating system of the virtual machine. These keys will be accepted by any operating system instance with a corresponding version and edition, but if they do not detect the AVMA mechanism, they will transition to unlicensed mode.
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