You can get this key from the Product Keys section of the Volume Licensing Service Center for the following agreements: Open, Open Value, Select, Enterprise, and Services Provider License. This key is sometimes referred to as the KMS host key, but it is formally known as a Microsoft Customer Specific Volume License Key (CSVLK). To use KMS, a KMS host needs a key that activates, or authenticates, the KMS host with Microsoft. A KMS host running on a Windows Server operating system can activate computers running both server and client operating systems, however a KMS host running on a Windows client operating system can only activate computers also running client operating systems.
You can run a KMS host on any physical or virtual system that is running a supported Windows Server or Windows client operating system. KMS hosts do not need to be dedicated servers, and KMS can be cohosted with other services.
The KMS host must reside on your local network. KMS clients connect to a KMS server, called the KMS host, for activation. KMS uses a client-server model to active clients and is used for volume activation. The following information outlines initial planning considerations that you need to review for Key Management Services (KMS) activation.
