I am reviewing options for hosting several light websites and collaboration apps inside one Azure VM. I will have no more than 5 users. I need clarification on licensing process of its Windows OS.
1. My VM in Azure has trial version of Small Business Server 2011 Essentials. It came from resized and uploaded VHD which was not sysprep-ed because I didn't need clone but just single instance. Now I see information that it will expire and I must activate
it. I know that Windows servers are licensed by hosting them at Azure but do I need to take any action and what will happen after expiration period? Will I be able to use machine?
2. If I want to use Windows 2012 Essentials in Azure for VM (not the datacenter edition with essentials experience) can I upload trial version and then activate it or I need to upload bits of some other specific (license-bound non-trial) edition? What are licensing
steps in this case?
3. For licensing from above questions do I need to have active directory or anything else at on-premise servers?
4. Later if for example I decide to leave Azure will I be able to download that VM and use same license at on-premise server machine or I will need another license?