This blog is originally written by Sushma Venkatesh from Dell Windows Engineering Team
What is the Certificate of Authenticity for Windows Server Operating System?
A Microsoft Certificate of Authenticity (COA) is a label to help you identify genuine Microsoft Windows software. All OEM Windows Server operating system orders must contain a COA label. Without it you will not have a legal license to run your Windows software.
The COA label also contains the operating system's product activation code or key, which may be needed in the event the operating system needs to be reinstalled, or for virtual machine instances. Some products contain two keys (Windows Server 2008 R2 and older); 1 each for physical and virtual instances. Windows Server 2012 and newer use the same key for both.
Figure 1: Certificate of Authenticity (COA) Label for Microsoft Windows Server Operating System
A COA label cannot be purchased, sold, or distributed separate from the software it authenticates. (The Anti-Counterfeiting Act of 2003 (U.S. only), passed on December 24, 2004, makes it a criminal offense to distribute stand-alone COA labels.)
Where are OEM OS COAs located on Dell PowerEdge servers?
For pre-installed Microsoft Windows Server Operating Systems, the COA label is affixed by Dell to the servers in our factory*. A COA label may also be applied to a server by Dell’s channel partners as part of a Reseller Option Kit (ROK).
To locate your Dell OEM OS COA, please look in the following locations:
PowerEdge rack servers, the COA is adhered to the top of the server chassis (see Figure 2);
PowerEdge tower servers, the COA is adhered to the back of the server chassis (see Figure 3);
PowerEdge blade/Modular servers, the COA is adhered to the top of the server blade (see Figure 4).
If you have concerns that your server, ordered with an OEM Windows Server OS, is missing the COA label, please be prepared to submit photographs of the system when contacting Dell for assistance.
* For Certain Dell Server Products, which needs multiple COAs, primary COA is affixed to the server and the next set of COA labels are sent as Drop-in-Box along with the other license terms.
Figure 2. Top of Dell PowerEdge Rack Server (R920)
On a Dell PowerEdge Rack server, the COA label will be adhered to the top of the server chassis
Figure 3. Back of Dell PowerEdge Tower Server (T630)
On a Dell PowerEdge tower server, the COA will be adhered to the back of the server chassis
Figure 4. Top of Dell PowerEdge Blade Server (M620)
On a Dell PowerEdge blade server, the COA label will be adhered to the top of the server blade