[THIN] Re: VDA License required for XP Pro
- From: Russell Robertson <russell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2011 16:40:06 +0100
The cost for UniBrows isn't hugely appealing (I'm sure I read somewhere it was
$5000 + $5 per user per year) but haven't yet tried it.
MS should simply release the functionality to deliver IE 6 via App-V. I'm sure
they would be in trouble with the EU if they did that though.
From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Andrew Wood
Sent: 12 April 2011 16:20
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [THIN] Re: VDA License required for XP Pro
XP Mode does work, but to work reliably (imo) needs the local device to have
more RAM.
If you're keeping XA/W2k3/XP just for IE6 compatibility take a look at Unibrows
from Browsium which works very well in a desktop environment in fact the only
issue I have with it is .. er.. licensing :?
From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Russell Robertson
Sent: 12 April 2011 13:23
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [THIN] Re: VDA License required for XP Pro
Hi Greg
We've actually gone through a trial with XP Mode and decided that it was better
to use a legacy XA/Server 2003 farm for stuff that needs IE6...
You got XP mode working well? Using MED-V?
Cheers
Russell
From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Greg Reese
Sent: 12 April 2011 13:14
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [THIN] Re: VDA License required for XP Pro
This might be a good time to show your customer how XP mode works in windows 7
for apps that have compatibility issues.
Greg
On Apr 12, 2011, at 5:19 AM, Russell Robertson
<russell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:russell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>> wrote:
Hi Andrew
Thanks for this, looks like you've answered my question thoroughly but not with
the answer I wanted to hear :).
Cheers
Russell
From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>] On Behalf
Of Andrew Wood
Sent: 12 April 2011 10:43
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [THIN] Re: VDA License required for XP Pro
VDA Licenses are for devices, not for OSes. Your VDA license lets you run
either Win7, Vista or XP in the HvD but it's a Windows OS running in a VM; it
needs to be licensed. You say "lets ignore the FPP" - note here that Volume
licenses are treated in the same manner as FPP - so for VL, the FPP rules
(which I mentioned earlier) apply.
If you want to use a device that doesn't have a windows license associated with
it (like a thin client), or a non-qualifying license (like a device running
Windows XP embedded) ... you need a VDA. You can't "assign a VL Win7" license a
thin client/XPe device: that device doesn't qualify.
If you want to use a device that does have a windows license & has an
associated VL upgrade, but doesn't have SA - you may need to buy a VDA < this
option is a false economy imo.
If you've 50 Thin Clients and you want to use them to host a HVD session
running XP (or Vista, or Win7) - 50 VDA licenses.
If you've 50 PCs with an OEM license assigned to them and you've got:
* VL upgrade for those PCs (which you have), AND
* you've not got SA for them (which you don't) AND
* you want to use them to access a HvD running a Windows OS
(win7,vista, or xp) (which you do) AND
* You want more flexibility than the default FPP/VL rules allow when
running HvD (again, which you do I would expect) Then
you need to :
o buy a VDA license for each device or
o get SA for those devices < this is the recommended option, Why? Because
it's about the same price as VDA but comes with more "stuff" - and it's a %age
cost (@29% iirc) of your license. Depending on your volume agreement, that
could be less than $100/year for the VDA license.
In the first document I referenced (the MS licensing guide) there is an example
scenario given:
CORPORATE OWNED COMPUTERS
An organization has 100 devices that need access to the VDI environment.
However, only 80 users and only 50 VMs are used at any one
time. Since 100 different devices will be accessing the VDI environment the
following would be required:
* Devices are PCs covered with SA: No additional licensing
* Devices are thin clients not covered with SA: 100 Windows VDA licenses
Sounds very similar to your scenario: I'd say all your devices count as "thin
clients" here.
My answer "you need a VDA license for your Thin Clients". For your desktops -
sounds like you need at least to move them to SA. This is would be the
requirement regardless of the HvD's OS - be it XP or Win7 - because MS desktop
licenses are assigned to a device.
Some additional info:
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/volume-licensing-briefs.aspx#tab=3
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/product-licensing.aspx#tab=2
Hope this clarifies.
As ever, if in doubt, consult a MS Licensing specialist. Prepare to be even
more confused :(
From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>] On Behalf
Of Russell Robertson
Sent: 12 April 2011 09:24
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [THIN] Re: VDA License required for XP Pro
Hi Andrew
Thanks for the reply.
This just shows the mess that MS licensing is in.
Let's ignore the FPP as that doesn't count and I'm expecting to be able to
assign a Win 7 license from Select to the thin clients. The client have
already purchased Windows 7 via Select so it's a sunk cost.
Key query here is; "do I need a VDA license for XP Pro"? I'm hoping not and
that it's only a requirement for Windows 7.
Cheers
Russell
From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>] On Behalf
Of Andrew Wood
Sent: 11 April 2011 23:33
To: thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [THIN] Re: VDA License required for XP Pro
Russell,
Windows 7 Professional, Windows Vista Business or windows XP Professional
obtained through a Volume License upgrade, when purchased on top of a
qualifying operating system license (i.e. for their existing PCs) has all the
limitations of a full packaged product (FPP) license.
FPP can be used for VDI if:
1) The physical server on which the virtual desktop is installed is
assigned to 1 user. This is obviously nuts, but it is legal.
2) You assign a FPP to a device, and you use that device to access to the
VM *under the condition that* you don't move that VM around. It can only be
present on 1 server. So - no vmotion/xenmotion or load balancing. So - for
every device that has an OEM windows license that you've "upgraded" with your
volume license that counts as 1 license to access a VM, but that VM can only go
on 1 server.
So - for your PCs, you could leave them as is with these caveats above - point
2 is important. You might consider that OK; you might only have 1 main server
or accept that each user's VM will only be available from 1 server.
Each of the thin clients (as they don't have an OEM license assigned) needs to
have a VDA license. As does any corporate smartphone/tablet. Bear in mind your
VDA license is a cost per device, per year.
You may consider that pt 2) is a PITA - you can solve that by getting SA for
those VLs. With VDA & SA you get (drum roll Animal please...)
* Install Windows 7/Windows Vista/Windows XP virtual machines on any
combination of hardware and storage
* Unlimited movement between servers and storage
* Access corporate desktop images from non-corporate owned
Windows-based PCs (home use, but not those deluded Mac users... splitters)
* The primary user of a Windows VDA device has extended roaming rights,
which means that the Punter can access their VDI desktop from any device
outside of the corporate environment, such as a home PC or an internet kiosk
(even if they have a Mac)
* Eligibility for other Software Assurance products, such as MDOP and
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
* Single Windows VDA license allows concurrent access for up to 4 VMs
* Reassignment rights to another device after 90 days, or in the case
of end-point failure
* Dynamic desktop licensing enabled through KMS/MAK activation &
indeed, access to Enterprise versions of Windows.
* Unlimited backups of both running and stored VMs (woo)
* Includes Software Assurance (SA) benefits such as 24x7 call support,
training vouchers, trips to disney land*, rocket ships to mars* etc.
Note the "outside of the corporate environment" - a roaming license lets your
punter use their VDA/SA license to access their desktop from their
tablet/smartphone *until they bring it into the office* - then it needs a
license. Again, nuts - but Be Aware.
Links?
Licensing Windows for Virtual Desktops Whitepaper:
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCwQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdownload.microsoft.com%2Fdownload%2FC%2F6%2F7%2FC673E444-6DDD-40B8-B29F-625354F2A8F7%2FLicensing_Windows_for_Virtual_Desktops_Whitepaper.pdf&ei=JH2jTaD5BcOxhAez2dz1BA&usg=AFQjCNFVSHX_5GZICVF8-ceOdEdNasKWFg
Licensing VDI for Microsoft Desktops - is it rocket science?
http://www.virtualizationpractice.com/blog/?p=9389
Applications and OS Licensing: Remote Access and Roaming Use:
http://tonymackelworth.wordpress.com/2011/03/17/applications-and-os-licensing-remote-access-and-roaming-use/
hth
* * these items may not be true but could be added once MS run out of
ideas.
From: thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
[mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>] On Behalf
Of Russell Robertson
Sent: 11 April 2011 20:20
To: 'thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx<mailto:thin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>'
Subject: [THIN] VDA License required for XP Pro
Hello
I have a client who is looking at rolling out XP via XD5. My query is, do they
need a VDA license for XP Pro? It would be delivered to both desktops PCs and
thin clients. The client has Windows 7 via Select Agreement. No SA. They don't
want to roll out Win 7 yet due to app compatibility so that's not an option.
Anyone done this already? Pointers to MS documents would be great.
Thanks
Russell
Russell Robertson | Virtual Stream
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