Does ESU activation require downtime?

The activation of Extended Security Updates (ESU) on Windows Server 2012 does not require downtime. You can proceed with the ESU license activation on a server that is currently running services without causing any impact. This means that you can activate the ESU without interrupting the services that are currently operational on the server.

References:

• Extended Security Updates for Windows Server overview
• Lifecycle FAQ - Extended Security Updates

Hello,

The short answer: The specific step of activating the key does not require downtime, but the preparation steps before it and the updates after it do require a reboot.

Here is the breakdown of the process so you can plan your maintenance window accordingly:

1. Prerequisites (Requires Downtime): Before you can activate the ESU key, you must install the ESU Licensing Preparation Package and the latest Servicing Stack Update (SSU). Installing these packages generally requires a restart of the server.
2. Activation (No Downtime): Once the server is back online, applying the product key using the command line (Software Licensing Management Tool) does not require a reboot.

• Install Key: slmgr /ipk <ESU-Product-Key>
• Activate Key: slmgr /ato <ESU-Activation-ID>

3. Installing Updates (Requires Downtime): After successful activation, your server will begin downloading the actual security updates. Installing these monthly security updates will require a reboot, just like standard Windows updates.

Recommendation: Plan for a maintenance window to install the prerequisites and the first round of updates. You can perform the activation step (slmgr) casually between these reboots without impacting users.

Please let me know if you run into any errors during the activation commands, and I will happily follow up to help you resolve them.

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