Can I replace my current server license with a datacenter license?

[Steve M]

We are going to migrate to a datacenter license but our current server license will expire before we complete our migration.    Can I purchase the new datacenter license and apply it to my existing products?

[Kian Stack Mumo Systems · Accepted solution]

Hey Steve, 

According to the article found here you should first make sure that you've got your shared file system set up. I believe that the DC license will look for a specific structure that you won't have in the normal installation. 

[Steve M]

Thanks.  I read that document and thought that might be the case.  Our current installation is very small and wasn't installed with much forethought, so the products are in different network segments.  With them being segmented, dealing with the file shares and databases would be more trouble than it's worth just to turn around and throw that work away. 

Do you happen to know if there is a penalty for cancellation of a server license once we get migrated off the hold installation?