Microsoft

Microsoft P73-05970 Windows Server Standard 2012 R2 Academic Edition

3.7 (6 reviews)

A cost-effective Academic Edition of Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard built for educational and training environments.

$264.17*
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*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated:Jun 28, 2026.Price and availability are subject to change.

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Overview

The Microsoft Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard Academic Edition (P73-05970) delivers a full-featured server operating system at academic pricing for schools, universities, and training programs. It includes the same enterprise-class capabilities as the commercial Standard Edition — Hyper-V virtualization, Active Directory, IIS web hosting, and scalable storage and networking services — giving students and educators hands-on experience with the tools used in professional IT environments. The package ships with 5 Client Access Licenses and a DVD installation disc in English.

As an Academic Edition, the license is strictly limited to education and training purposes and cannot be deployed in business or commercial settings. While Windows Server 2012 R2 has moved past its mainstream support phase, it remains a relevant teaching platform for foundational server administration skills, group policy management, and virtualization concepts. For institutions building or maintaining IT training labs on a budget, this edition provides genuine Microsoft server infrastructure without the cost of current-generation commercial licensing.

Key Features

Enterprise-class

Simple and cost-effective

Application focused

User-centric

Specifically for education and training use not for business or commercial purposes

Specifications

Edition
Standard
Version
Windows Server 2012 R2
Architecture
64-Bit
Language
English
License Type
Academic Edition
Media
DVD
Client Access Licenses
5
Part Number
P73-05970

Pros & Cons

👍 Pros

  • Academic pricing makes enterprise-class server software affordable for schools and training programs
  • Includes 5 Client Access Licenses out of the box, reducing initial setup costs
  • Provides the full Standard Edition feature set including Hyper-V virtualization for hands-on IT training
  • 64-bit architecture supports modern hardware and larger memory configurations

👎 Cons

  • License is restricted to educational and training use, making it unusable for commercial or production deployments
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 has reached end of mainstream support, limiting access to future feature updates
  • Only 5 CALs included, which may require additional purchases for larger classroom or lab environments
  • DVD media requires a disc drive for installation, which many modern systems lack

Frequently Asked Questions

This license is specifically designated for education and training use only. It cannot legally be used for business or commercial purposes.
The package includes 5 Client Access Licenses (CALs), covering five users or devices connecting to the server.
It is a 64-bit edition only, requiring compatible 64-bit hardware to install and run.
The software is delivered on DVD, so a DVD drive or external reader is needed for installation.