Microsoft Technical Limitations

This is a summary of technical limitations included in some of our products. Technical limitations are designed as part of the software and enable it to work in specific ways. For example, some Microsoft server products limit how many processors can use the software at the same time. In the past, Microsoft included product technical limitations within the actual Product Use Rights (PUR) document. While we removed reference to these technical limitations from the PUR starting with the July 2005 update, they continue to apply.

Please use this technical limitations information as an additional resource, in conjunction with other licensing resources, to understand a product's capabilities and licensing guidelines. This information can help assist you with planning new license acquisitions or assessing an upcoming deployment project.

Please check back for future updates. [Last updated: April 2006]

Licensing Models by Product Category:

Server Operating System

Microsoft Small Business Server 2003:

Allows no more than 75 devices or users to connect to the server

Windows Server for Small Business Server 2003:

Allows no more than 15 devices or users to connect to the server
Runs on no more than 2 processors

Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition:

Runs on no more than 4 processors

Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition:

Runs on no more than 8 processors

Per-Processor Servers

BizTalk Server 2006:

Limited to 5 BizTalk Applications
Limited to two CPUs on a single server
Single Server Solution/Single Message Box

Microsoft Speech Server:

Standard edition is restricted to 24 ports. Enterprise Edition has no port restrictions. TIM vendors can limit the number of ports or boards they support.
Enterprise edition requires Windows Server, Enterprise edition to run properly.

Management Servers

Microsoft Operations Manager, Workgroup edition

Restricted to 10 nodes