Vista Enterprise: Licensing FAQ for Virtualization

re: Vista Enterprise: Licensing FAQ for Virtualization

Kevin — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:04:52 GMT

Hi, I have been reading about virtualization on Windows Vista Enterprise and have been wondering about a same question that nobody seems to care about, that is how to activate the virtualized OS? I mean, doesn't Windows Vista require an activation after you finished the installation? So about these virtualized Vistas, how to activate them? Using the same license key for the physical machine?

And for your record, I have a MSDN subscription and hense have access to a license key for Vista Enterprise with 10 activation instances. I wonder if I use this key on all four virtualized OSes, how many instances of activation will they cost?

re: Vista Enterprise: Licensing FAQ for Virtualization

James Senior — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 12:39:22 GMT

@Jarandstakke - Any virtualization technology, Virtual PC Express happens to be free

@ David -

Help from support people is covered by remote access technologies

I) Installation and Use Rights. Before you use the software under a license, you must assign that license to one device (physical hardware system). That device is the ”licensed device.” You may not reassign that license to another device. A hardware partition or blade is considered to be a separate device.

a) Licensed Device. You may install one copy of the software on the licensed device. You may use the software on up to two processors on that device at one time. Except as provided in the Storage section below, you may not use the software on any other device.

b) Number of Users. Except as provided in the Device Connections and Other Access Technologies sections below, only one user may use the software at a time.

c) Use with other software. You may not use the software’s runtime and other files to run applications not running on the software.

II) Additional Licensing Requirements and/or Use Rights.

a) Storage. You may store one copy of the software on a storage device, such as a network server. You may use that copy to install the software on any other device to which a license has been assigned.

b) Device Connections. You may allow up to 10 other devices to access the software installed on the licensed device to use File Services, Print Services, Internet Information Services, Internet Connection Sharing and Telephony Services.

c) Remote Access Technologies. You may access and use the software installed on the licensed device remotely from another device using remote access technologies as follows.

• Remote Desktop. The single primary user of the licensed device may access a session from any other device using Remote Desktop or similar technologies. A “session” means the experience of interacting with the software, directly or indirectly, through any combination of input, output and display peripherals. Other users may access a session from any device, using these technologies, if:

(1) the remote device is separately licensed to run the software; or

(2) the user or remote device has the appropriate Remote Desktop License (RDL).

• Other Access Technologies. You may use Remote Assistance or similar technologies to share an active session.

Cheers

James

re: Vista Enterprise: Licensing FAQ for Virtualization

James Senior — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:32:28 GMT

Hey Dave, yes that applies to your scenario

James

re: Vista Enterprise: Licensing FAQ for Virtualization

David Williams — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 07:37:17 GMT

Does the only one user at a time restriction mentioned ("The licensed device may only be used by 1 user at a time; the guest virtual machines may not be accessed remotely by another user") mean that tech support cannot remotely connect to an end users VMs to help or diagnose a problem within a VM? Thanks.

re: Vista Enterprise: Licensing FAQ for Virtualization

janradstaake — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 13:01:36 GMT

IS this only valid when using MS Virtual PC, or also using VMWARE?

A Windows Vista Virtualization FAQ

AbsoluteVista — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 08:40:09 GMT

Virtualization, on the Windows platform, has been in the news a lot lately, and for good reasons. One

What about Vista Business?

Dave DiMauro — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 19:53:05 GMT

We will be rolling out both Business and Enterprise at work, and I've been told that with Business, we can run 2 VMs under the same rules as Enterprise. Is this true, and if so, would it apply if I buy a Business Edition PC at home?

Vista Enterprise: Licensing FAQ for Virtualization

VMblog.com - Virtualization Information — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 14:45:56 GMT

While I haven't seen this officially posted at Microsoft or through Microsoft, I found this while reading

re: Vista Enterprise: Licensing FAQ for Virtualization

James Senior — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:13:07 GMT

Hi Andy,

See my last comment about the licensing of VPCs in Ultimate. With regards downgrade rights, yes you will need to call the activation line (when you are activating Windows XP in your VPC) and explain that you are running Vista and want to run XP in a VPC.

James

re: Vista Enterprise: Licensing FAQ for Virtualization

James Senior — Mon, 25 Jun 2007 15:11:24 GMT

Hi Stephane

This only applies if you have bought Vista Ultimate under Software Assurance, which for home use isn't very common! Depending on the type of license you have with your legacy OS you could be OK. For instance if you bought XP off the shelf (known as fully packaged product FPP) then you can use this no problems. If you bought an OEM license of XP (which came with a new machine) the license is tied to that machine and so you can't use it elsewhere.

Hope this helps

James