This browser is no longer supported.
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support.
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(233.6, 3%, 32%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3ETK%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
I found out that there are free and paid Microsoft Defender.
Customer is intending to install Windows Server 2022. For confirmation purposes, would that fall under the Microsoft Defender for Individuals (Paid)? The objective is to install Common Antivirus Agent (CAVA) to scnning the files on Dell PowerScale.
Here’s a comparison of Microsoft Defender Free (built into Windows) vs. Microsoft Defender for Individuals (paid, part of Microsoft 365):
| Feature | Microsoft Defender (Free) | Microsoft Defender for Individuals (Paid) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free with Windows 10/11 | Included with Microsoft |
| 365 Personal or Family | ||
| Price | Free with Windows 10/11 | Included with Microsoft 365 Personal or Family |
| Real-time antivirus protection | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Firewall & network protection | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Cloud-delivered protection | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Ransomware protection | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Parental controls | ✅ Basic (Windows only) | ✅ Enhanced (cross-device) |
| Cross-platform support | ❌ Windows only | ✅ Windows, macOS, Android, iOS |
| Identity theft monitoring | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (in supported regions) |
| Security dashboard for all devices | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
| Alerts & recommendations for all family devices | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (Family plan) |
| Integration with Microsoft 365 apps | ❌ No | ✅ Yes |
Summary:
![](data:image/svg+xml, %3Csvg xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg' height='64' class='font-weight-bold' style='font: 600 30.11764705882353px "SegoeUI", Arial' width='64'%3E%3Ccircle fill='hsl(233.6, 74%, 32%)' cx='32' cy='32' r='32' /%3E%3Ctext x='50%25' y='55%25' dominant-baseline='middle' text-anchor='middle' fill='%23FFF' %3EB%3C/text%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Hi Kelvin,
Windows Server 2022 comes with Microsoft Defender Antivirus (free), which includes key features like real-time protection, firewall, ransomware defense, and cloud-based security. From what I know, it's fully compatible with Dell PowerScale CAVA setups when installed on the scan servers.
The paid Defender (part of Microsoft 365) is designed for personal devices and isn’t meant for server environments, so I believe the built in version should be all you need.
Hope this helps!
