Migrating KMS From 2008R2 to 2019

[DenStorePingvin]

Hey all,

We are starting an analysis phase of a migration plan for our KMS running on 2008 R2 to a new Windows 2019.
My experience with KMS is little to none as this is the first i'm ever digging into it, so sry if my questioning are at a low level.

In this analysis I've discovered a few things that created some questions which I was hoping someone could help with.

So, current licenses looking at VAMT on the 2008 R2 are:

Windows Server(R), ServerStandard edition

Microsoft Office 2010, KMSHost edition

Looking at the event viewer log I found attempts from several 2012 servers and W10 clients.

They all seem to be rejected with error code 0xC004F042 which means mismatch according to MS doc (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-server-2012-R2-and-2012/dn....

This is good. However, I don't understand why they even try to talk with the KMS server in the first place as we are running AD activation for these OS'.

Anyone able to explain this behavior?

Another finding is that a lot of W7 clients seems to get activated with code 0x0. My first assumption is that the Windows Server(R), ServerStandard edition license product also works for W7 OS. When running cscript slmgr.vbs /dlv all i couldn't see any other products being activated. 
Can anyone verify or confirm if that's correct?

My last question is, I wanna figure out which hosts are using the licenses. We have some uncertainty about the use of the Office 2010 license.

When running cscript slmgr.vbs /dlv bfe7a195-4f8f-4f0b-a622-cf13c7d16864 i see a  whole lot of total requests but i don't know when these are from. Are there any way to see exactly which hosts are using it and also a timestamp from when they grabbed it? Or perhaps other suggestions of how to deal with this?

Thanks in advance.

[#2]

@DenStorePingvin 

First, I have to say that AD activation is nothing to do with the license. If you are running VLA (Volume License Agreement) and you have your servers pointing to your KMS server than the license key that your servers use will be activated by your KMS server. Nothing to do with AD. On your KMS server you should have an event log just for it, this will tell you what serial is contacting the server. If your servers are using a non VLA license then they will want to contact Microsoft to get activated.

But, I would look at the event viewer on your KMS server and you should see what is talking to it. I haven't migrated to 2019 yet, its coming though, as we are on 2012 R2.

[#3]

@Sahajin 

That makes no sense to me. Of cause AD activation is related to license? https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/volume-activation/activate-using-active-director...

However the point of mentioning AD activation is, that the KMS server shouldn't have license for any other things than Office 2010 and Server 2008 R2. That's why I'm wondering why we have hosts from W10, 2012, W7 etc that tries to get a license (W7 even succeeds).

I have checked the event log. I thought it was clear in my original post. That's how I've gathered the error codes. The issue is that we have tons of requests and it would be pain to look through them all manually. Had a look at some to get an overview of what types of OS' are contacting this KMS server which led to these questions.

[#4]

@DenStorePingvin 

Then you have your setup differently than ours.  We have servers outside of AD that get activated by our KMS as well. So we have it setup for all servers to get activated by our KMS, not AD. So even with that said the license key decides where it looks to. Regardless, if you have AD activation. Read here

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/kmsclientkeys

Seeing how you are using GVLK license it still requires a KMS server. Basically Microsoft is doing a double talk. In AD activation is states you don't need a KMS and requires a GVLK, but looking at GVLK it requires a kms. 

All in all it sounds like you have a server with the wrong license key. The only thing I can think of is looking at the event viewer to see what is trying to get activated and go change the key. Or you could check each server and make sure they have the same key.

[#5]

@Sahajin 

I don't think that's the case.

When typing cscript slmgr.vbs /dli it displays the SRV 2008 R2 volume channel and partial product key.

That should be correct.

My theory is that the license key for 08 R2 also applies for W7 since they get activated (Not able to confirm it on any MS docs).

I have looked through the event viewer but the only thing I can see is weather the host gets licensed or not. (Event ID 12290).

Are you referring to any other event logs?