To enable KMS functionality, a KMS key is installed on a KMS host. This scenario can be beneficial if the organization uses volume activation for clients and MAK-based activation for a smaller number of servers. Installing a KMS host key on a computer running a client version of Windows allows the following scenarios against this KMS host: Key Management Service in a client version of Windows KMS can be hosted either on a client version of Windows or on Windows Server.
Volume activation can be performed via Key Management Service (KMS). For information on retail activation, see the following articles:
