Softgrid Licensing Implications
Another one of the questions I was probed with at a Windows Server 2008 event the other was about licensing implications of using Softgrid Application Virtualisation do stream software to the user's PC. There were some concerns that you would need multiple licenses because of the fact that software is on the server and desktop and how do you pay for that? Do you need to pay twice? Now I'll be the first to admit that licensing is not my bag - the technology is more up my street, so I asked our licensing experts at Microsoft UK what the deal was. Here's what they came back with:
Softgrid is licensed via MDOP which requires SA on the Windows Client
The Server software is included with the Windows Server license, as additional software, as below
Running Instances of the Additional Software. You may run or otherwise use any number of instances of the additional software listed in the table below in physical or virtual operating system environments on any number of devices. You may use the additional software only with the server software directly, or indirectly through other additional software.
Product |
List of Additional Software |
|---|---|
Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter Editions |
· DFS Namespaces and Replication Console · File Server Management · File Server Resource Manager · Identity Management for Unix Admin Pack · Print Management · Remote Desktop Connection · Server Administration Tools · Windows System Resource Manager · Softgrid Server · SoftGrid Database · SoftGrid Sequencer · SoftGrid Management Console |
Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (DOP) for Software Assurance.
Active Windows Vista Business Software Assurance coverage provides you with eligibility to acquire licenses for DOP for Software Assurance. These licenses are an optional and separate purchase from Software Assurance. See the Product List for details. If you invoke this benefit, you have the rights below for each DOP for Software Assurance license you acquire.
Installation and use rights. The “licensed device” is the device to which you have assigned your corresponding qualifying license and Windows Vista Business Software Assurance coverage.
Licensed Device. You may install and use the software on the licensed device. Some functionality in the software is designed to manage software on the licensed device. You may use that functionality on other devices solely to manage software running on the licensed device. You may also use the following components to manage software on servers within your domain, so long as the desktops within that domain are licensed for MDOP:
· Advanced Group Policy Management
· Asset Inventory Service
· Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset
Softgrid DOES NOT change the underlying licensing model for Office and Office Family, they are licensed per DEVICE only, no concurrency, no application sharing
Before you can run a copy of Office on the licensed device, you must first ASSIGN a license to that device, once assigned the licensed device can run any number of copies of Office, the Office license may be re-assigned , but not on a short-term basis (i.e., not within 90 days of the last assignment). If you reassign a license, the device to which you reassign the license becomes the new licensed device for that license.
This hopefully answers the question and also one I got about software that is licensed to a particular device or user and remains unused for a long period - looks like you can transfer it after 90 days.