Dec 18, 2014 microsofts new peruser windows license pricing could be a win for customers that buy volume licenses. Microsoft improves virtualization licensing policy with. They raised it with us but we stuck to the one size fits all license model. Deploying virtual desktop infrastructure vdi can improve cost efficiency and bring benefits to your organisation, but you must make an informed choice when selecting a vdi product to see these. In this case depending on whether you are covered under software assurance sa or not, the licensing. Vmware vsphere pricing and license cost it central station. Citrix licensing provides simple language, flexible terms and transparent enforcement of citrix software to protect your legal and financial interests. In this case depending on whether you are covered under software assurance sa or not, the licensing cost varies. As access increases, software licensing fees also might be a consideration. Vmwares new licensing fees are going to hurt amds 64core epyc rome. Ramesh sivaraman virtual desktop infrastructure are we there yet.
With hourly billing you pay a small fixed monthly fee per workspace. Aug 30, 2019 vdi software went handinhand with hefty licensing fees and lockin to vendor hardware, both of which drove up acquisition prices. With free and open source vdi software, you can experience more customization without paying hefty charges. Our portfolio of gpu virtualization software products for the enterprise data center includes. These issues became common barriers to adoption of vdi in the enterprise market.
Choose your edition horizon is available in three editions that deliver simple, cost effective desktop and application virtualization solutions that are fully optimized for vmwares management and software. Add the cost of proprietary software as well as licensing, maintenance, and administration fees, and the total can be overwhelming. The licence to run windows server in the azure environment is, by default, included in the perminute cost of your windows virtual machine. When comparing microsoft vdi to their competitors, on a scale between 1 to 10 microsoft vdi is rated 6. Software vendors provide return on investment roi calculators to allow you to explore the savings that their product will provide. First, you have enduser licenses that consist of vdi cost per user and per end device.
You can subscribe to software with singleuser access online from autodesk or through an autodesk reseller. Virtualization puts an end to these purchases and setup expenses, which means potential savings in installation alone can start from tens of thousands of dollars. The only scenario where you would not need windows vda is if you were using pcs covered under software. One of the most valuable benefits you receive through windows software assurance and windows virtual desktop access vda is flexible access to windows enterprise. Microsoft improves virtualization licensing policy with a catch after years of pressure, microsoft has altered its virtualization licensing policy for volume license holders by lifting its 90day. Vdi users can install their own software on their desktop and not affect other users. If you are accessing a windows client os as your guest operating system in the datacenter from a thin client, windows vda is the appropriate licensing vehicle regardless of the vdi software.
With vdi, when virtualizing windows os or a microsoft app, such as office to a personal owned device, you have to have a windows os and software assurance on that personl device. Amazon workspaces does not require a desktop broker, thus immediately removing the license requirements. First, you have enduser licenses that consist of vdi cost per user and per end. After that, you only need to purchase a microsoft remote desktop services rds client access license cal for each user to access the vm unlike vda, rds. Virtual desktop infrastructure vdi solutions vcloudpoint. Licensing the windows client os on vdi today directions on. Because of this, vdi adoption in large enterprises did not achieve the meteoric adoption rates that were initially anticipated. Virtual desktop infrastructure vdi there are many scenarios where you would opt to not go the rds route and need your users to access a windows desktop operating system such as windows 7 or windows 8.
Pricing overviewhow azure pricing works microsoft azure. Microsofts vdi licensing option in windows 8 requires customers pay fees to allow user devices such as ipads to access windowsbased corporate virtual desktops. Microsoft releases new faq doc to clarify vdi, vda, and rds. Snow presales expert, florian jorno explores the difficulties faced by organizations when it comes to licensing vdi implementations. To learn about specific microsoft server and client licensing scenarios, see an introduction to microsoft server and client licensing. Microsoft releases new faq doc to clarify vdi, vda, and. Tips for keeping vdi cost to a minimum clearcube technology.
The science of software costpricing may not be easy to understand. It does not address either the licensing of the vdi server software or how to license desktop application software, such as office, running with the windows client os. Vmware delivers virtualization benefits via virtual machine, virtual server, and virtual pc solutions. In the last post of my vdi series, i discussed the microsofts vdi licensing. If you have purchased software assurance with your microsoft software, you may be able to take advantage of your existing microsoft volume licensing investments and move to the aws cloud without paying additional microsoft licensing fees. Vdi software alone comes with hefty licensing fees. Under traditional windows client os computing models, the license. Although vdi may generate hardware savings, colleges may have to beef up server and storage infrastructure and boost network bandwidth to get the most out of it, says bonhorst. Remote access via virtual desktop infrastructure vdi. This analysis focuses on the tangible costs quantifiable dollars spent. Since vdi is licensed per year, it will get more expensive than traditional desktop licensing in the long run. For devices that do not qualify for windows software assurance such as thin clients, you can access windows software.
Software licensing is a complicated topic, but knowing a little about software licensing can help you make sense of all that fine print. Lets examine the costs associated with each of these while comparing them to the legacy rds. Xen is free without support, and hyper v server is free. Microsofts virtual desktop licensing costs still hinder. In assessing the true cost of owning a vdi environment, the additional costs not quoted by a solution provider should be identified and understood.
There are many ways you might deliver software to endusers. Apr, 2015 comparing three options for vdi endpoints there are a few ways admins can provide users with the hardware that makes it possible to access their virtual desktops. Comparison chart of free and opensource virtual desktop infrastructure software. Microsoft targets ipad, android users with tablet virtualization license fee vdi licensing gets a lot more confusing as microsoft attempts to stall the tablet market until windows rt is ready.
Microsoft volume licensing product licensing search. Software licensing costs are one factor that pushes up vdi costs. For devices or users that do not qualify for windows software assurance, you can license windows virtual desktop access vda for access to the benefits of windows software assurance. But do you know what vda and cal licensing is, and if its something you will. In this document, we have compiled a cost comparison of vdi solutions by leading vendors. I often get questions about licensing windows 7 in a vmware view deployment. Autodesk offers software via subscription, with flexible term lengths from 1 month to 3 years. The microsoft vdi product managers also made past presentations around this as well. Virtualization cant help much with microsoft softwarelicensing fees, analysts say. I will try to elaborate what is needed in general and for specific scenarios. This includes providing your organization integrated license.
You can license windows software assurance on a perdevice or peruser basis. With monthly billing, you pay a fixed monthly fee for unlimited usage during the month, which is best for workers who use their amazon workspace fulltime or as their primary desktop. Under traditional windows client os computing models, the license that allows the windows client os to be installed and execute on a. This article is a general introduction to software licensing. Windows server licences are not eligible for licence mobility through software assurance, but customers licensing windows server with software. Cost comparison real costs of vdi are hard to find out, hard to compare and hard to quantify tangibly. Actual savings may vary based on region, instance size, and performance tier. Virtualized apps enhance access, ease workflow for colleges. Apr 12, 2012 so the previous faq in the vdi suite section was fine to talk about the great partnership with citrix and their xendesktop vdi solution and microsofts vdi premium suite was a decent fit because it offered that full rds cal capabilities. The big hole in vdi licensing was that there was no way to legally access virtual desktops from a kiosk or other device. Virtual machines emulate additional operating systems within their own individual window, right from your existing computer. Windows server 2016 licensing tweak could cause big headaches. While vmware offers a variety of virtualization applications to choose from, when server providers refer to vmware, they are typically referring to the vsphere software designed by vmware. As an option we can purchase this student option which covers the os and software assurance, as well as the required vda license.
Vmwares new licensing fees are going to hurt amds 64core. Microsoft visio online plan 2, available as a subscription, includes the same capabilities as visio professional 2016. Desktop virtualization simplifies software versioning and patch management, where the new image is simply updated on the server, and the desktop gets the updated version when it reboots. Software executed on these virtual machines is separated from the underlying hardware resources. Peruser licensing for vdi windows 10 vms ms licensing.
Virtual desktop infrastructure vdi is a desktop computing solution which extends server virtualization to the desktop. Jan 26, 2016 in the past year, window server licensing revenue has been up 7% from service providers, while onpremises licensing fees have dropped 2% in the same time, according to brooks. The main focus was on virtual desktop infrastructure and what are the licensing implications. Actual regional pricing and program discounts may apply. May 28, 2012 it does not address either the licensing of the vdi server software or how to license desktop application software, such as office, running with the windows client os. Virtual desktop infrastructure what are the licensing. The nvidia virtual gpu software delivers accelerated virtual desktops and applications from the data center to any user, on any device, anywhere. Windows server 2016 vdi licensing considerations solutions. These licenses must be purchased with subscription advantage or software maintenance for a minimum of one year from delivery except if received as a component of workspace suite. Making sense of software licensing articles and howtos.
Apr 18, 2016 it supports the full software licensing spectrum, from strict enforcement to usagebased trust but verifies, and enables software protection, monetization and compliance of onpremises, saas, cloud, virtualized and embedded applications. Leostream to the rescue was the literal subject of an email i received earlier today from a solutions provider who leverages leostream for their cloudbased vdi solution. Business application software licensing a labyrinthine puzzle. Licensing windows for vdi microsoft has announced changes to its licensing model for windowsbased desktops in a vdi environment, which will come into effect on july 1st, 2010. Customers wishing to take advantage of subscription licensing can leverage our horizon air solutions and services. Add the cost of proprietary software as well as licensing, maintenance, and. A vm obtains a license over the network from an nvidia vgpu software license server. Similarly, investing in vdi software brought with it significant licensing fees and vendor hardware lockin that increased the cost of implementation. Early vdi technologies were accompanied by a complex and expensive backend infrastructure. That means if they did not purchase with software assurance, there is no option for them to use virtual desktops from a true licensing perspective. With vm software, you can run a windows instance on macos or vice versa.
Dewpoint assists their customers with design and implementation of virtual desktop infrastructures, among other things. Under the user model, a user is an individual authorized by you to use any devices to access instances of the product server software. Virtual desktop infrastructure vdi can maximise cost savings. Next, take into account serverside licenses and virtual desktop access vda licenses for using virtualized windows os on the vdi servers or microsoft software assurance.
They also include the annual support and maintenance fees typically found in an onpremises implementation. Whenever you download a file over the internet, there is always a risk that it will contain a security threat a virus or a program that can damage your computer and the data stored on it. When you purchase a windows 10 enterprise upgrade license through volume licensing, you can also acquire software assurance for that license. However, the reality of the traditional vdi model was never that simple. Microsofts solution to this problem is to make windows desktop virtualization licensing so costly that vdi. Choose your edition horizon is available in three editions that deliver simple, cost effective desktop and application virtualization solutions that are fully optimized for vmwares management and software defined data center. A ccu license is required for every user who is accessing or using the software. One of the biggest gotchas is a huge focus on maintenance and support fees as part of a vendors software application licensing strategy. Apr 23, 20 for those of you who were lucky enough to join is in sunny southampton for the windows 8 it pro camp last week, you would have had the opportunity to speak to our licensing guru vicky lea. Under the user model, a user is an individual authorized by you to use any devices to access instances of the service through your assignment of a single user id. Licensing the windows desktop for vdi environments microsoft. Microsoft updated its vdi licensing for windows 8 forcing customers to pay a byod licensing fee for ipads and androids that access windows virtual desktops.
Microsoft windows 8 vdi licensing adds byod licensing. The license of vmware is a onetime payment and you can continue to enroll in support for troubleshooting and also administer the licenses. Enterprise virtualization using the integrated virtv2v interface. As an exsoftware license auditor at kpmg specializing in microsoft licensing, ive seen firsthand how organizations large and small misunderstand the licensing impacts of virtualizing their desktops. So the previous faq in the vdi suite section was fine to talk about the great partnership with citrix and their xendesktop vdi solution and microsofts vdi premium suite was a decent fit because it offered that full rds cal capabilities. The license mobility benefit is available to microsoft customers with eligible server applications covered by active microsoft software. In addition, such cloudonly features as data visualizer, database reverse. Vdi licensingpricing and requirements vmware communities. That means that the price of the hardware is often a secondary consideration compared to the cost of software licensing. Licensing the windows client os on vdi today directions.
Since vdi vda is a software assurance benefit, your customer must purchase their desktop os with software assurance to have vdi rights. Licensing windows desktop operating system for use with virtual machines april 2020 april 2020 o o. Microsoft licensing for virtual desktops explained vdiworks. When licensing is enforced through software, nvidia vgpu software runs at reduced capability until the virtual machine vm that is running the software obtains a license. Software costs include the virtual desktop broker licenses required to implement an onpremises vdi environment. Exploring the hidden license costs in application delivery and vdi. Lets move ahead to know the insight of the free and opensource virtual desktop infrastructure solutions along with the comparison chart of the same. The vdi software comes with a license fee, as does each vdi client. Calculating the true cost of vdi network computing. No one could stay in compliance, said rob horwitz, an analyst at kirkland, wash. This combined with low, monthly, subscriptionbased software licensing model enables businesses to grow their vdi footprint without upfront capex.
However more recently, edge computing and hyperconvergence have disrupted the vdi market. Learn about how we are modifying our licensing terms related to outsourcing rights and dedicated hosted cloud services. This guide covers the entitlement, packaging and licensing. Ive heard that its possible to license windows 10 w software assurance peruser now.
Find out about the basics of microsoft volume licensing programs, which include software assurance, shared source, open license, select license, select plus, enterprise agreement, enterprise. Additionally, both nutanix ahv and citrix xenserver are included, thus eliminating the expensive licensing fees and operational complexities associated with other hypervisors. Virtualization cant help much with microsoft software. While server virtualization segments the servers into various virtual machines vm, vdi allows users to remotely work on virtual desktops and applications that run inside virtual machines vms through their client devices. Education pricing is available for amazon workspaces for qualified educational users of microsoft windows. Each instance should have a vda or a microsoft software assurance license.
Unless otherwise noted above for a product, citrix enduser license models are as follows. For microsoft customers with software assurance, the new licensing model will not affect them until renewal time, according to microsoft. Renewal fees are typically a smaller portion of the total initial purchase price. This feature is usually included in the initial purchase price of the license. Windows server 2012 r2 will continue to have the same licensing model as windows server 2012, with two editions available in volume licensing. Jul 01, 2010 avail of windows vda and windows client software assurance benefits today.
The only scenario where you would not need windows vda is if you were using pcs covered under software assurance as the access devices, since virtual desktop access rights are included as a benefit of sa. Amazon workspaces provides the flexibility to pay monthly or hourly. Mar 28, 2018 find answers to windows server 2016 vdi licensing considerations from the expert community at experts exchange. Savings exclude software assurance costs, which may vary based on volume licensing.
Hardware virtualization or platform virtualization refers to the creation of a virtual machine that acts like a real computer with an operating system. Client licensing user guide nvidia virtual gpu software. If you seek to understand software pricing model, get in touch with itqlick experts. Im buying vdi software from vmware citrix another vendor. Virtual desktop infrastructure, or vdi, refers to the process of running a user desktop inside a virtual machine that lives on a server in the datacenter.
Im buying vdi software from vmwarecitrixanother vendor. Further to this vmware does offer an alternate license model for vdi which gives a reduced functionality host platform for a reduced cost. With that, clientside hardware and software notably, windows become relatively unimportant. Microsoft licensing cost for 30 devices over 3 years.
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