Forum Discussion
Microsoft E3 and Windows 10/11 E3 CSP Licenses and VDA Rights
Does a user licensed with a Microsoft E3 or Windows 10/11 E3 licensed through CSP, have VDA Rights for an onprem VDI server? My understanding is that this was recently changed to allow these rights through a CSP Agreement, whereas before it was only allowed through an EA or MPSA agreement. Here is the documentation I have found on this that I am hoping you can verify.
- I’ve attached the presentation from Microsoft that announced this change. Please go to slide 21 where you can see that you can run Windows hosted desktops on a server through the CSP model.
- I have attached the Licensing Brief for licensing for Virtual Desktops. If you look at Page 8, you will find the Summary Table, that shows that with a Microsoft E3, you have the ability to run the Microsoft E3 (or Windows E3) on an on-prem server.
Thank you!
LicensingConcierge1Microsoft
Hi Jennie_Maier
As indicated on the PLT Licensing Brief that you attached, the CSP program is included:
and,
The following snapshot is taken from pg. 21 of the licensing update session that you reference & it confirms what you're asking about. What question(s) do you have specifically?
If this (or someone else's) reply answers your question, please Accept as the solution to help the other members find it more quickly. Otherwise, please let me know if you need further assistance on this topic.
Regards,Microsoft CSP Licensing Concierge
Hi All,
I have the same question because the Microsoft Learn documentation has not been updated. It continues to imply that any Windows Enterprise or VDA license purchased through CSP/NCE does NOT include on premises VDI rights because it's specifically called out as part of Software Assurance benefits. Windows 10/11 Enterprise E3 in CSP - Windows Deployment | Microsoft Learn
I've read through all the existing licensing docs, have asked the licensing desk, and my volume licensing partner. I can't get a straight yes/no/up/down answer.
Here is a screenshot of a Windows 10 deck that's been the gold standard for the last few years. It's dated Q4 2019.
It would help to have a definitive yes/no prescriptive answer in the updated license docs. Something similar to the above. The new docs referenced mostly infer that if it doesn't say no that that means yes. In real world practice, unless Microsoft explicitly says "yes you can do this", it's almost always no you can't.
JanoschUIf you want to get a definitive answer, I'd recommend to stick with the licensing terms only, they are part of the official license agreement (licensing briefs, presentations, whitepapers, any statement by MS employees etc. are not part of the agreement). Only the licensing terms are imho the "gold standard".
The license terms don't document this as being allowed, VDA rights are only provided on Azure or on "Servers (subject to the outsourcing software management clause)" - so the 2nd part refers to hosted virtual desktops with a CSP hosting partner or other hosting provider.
Virtual desktops on customers own servers are clearly being documented as allowed for license that come with Software Assurance, which is not the case for licenses bought under MCA.
LicensingConcierge1 I want to make sure I understand that you are agreeing that now the MS E3 or Windows 10/11 E3 does include onprem VDA rights. Is that correct? Also, I am assuming it does not matter if the user is accessing the VDI environment from a Windows device or a thin client since VDA includes rights from either of these devices, correct? I want to make sure I have it right. Thank you!
- JanoschU@Jennia_Mayer: Personally I would recommend to wait until the language in the product terms is updated properly to have an official answer - evrything stated in the webinars or here on the forums is not part of the agreement and may simply disappear - and if the past and current product terms do not document any such right officially it might be an issue. The product terms are authoritative since they are referenced in the agreement.
David_Priebe: Totally agree
And, maybe more importantly, also David Priebe - technically it does not work to deploy Windows E3 obtained in CSP/under MCA on the customer's own on-premises servers. There is neither media provided, nor a key - and subscription based activation technically requires an activated Windows client OS underneath to work - which is not applicable to a VDI scenario where there is Windows Server Hyper-V or even other hosts like VMware used. Hosting partners like QMTH or CSP Hosters have access to KMS keys and media enabling such scenario in their environment.
To the 2nd part of the question of Jennie Mayer - it does matter, respectively it may matter considering the complete picture. I'm sorry to provide such complicated answer below, but this matter of Windows licensing is really one of the most complicated at Microsoft...
[Below is based on the same Windows client license terms referenced in my first post - the beginning of the article mentions the license assignment requirements and defines what is a qualifying OS. Below is still a shortened version, so make sure to review the license terms in detail for definitions]
- The Windows E3/E5 license can only be assigned to a person which is the primary user of a client device with a "qualifying operating system license" - e.g. a workstation with a valid Windows 11 pro OEM license would count. Primary user means this person is using the device for the majority of the time the device is powered on. However, when this user/person fulfills this requirement, this user may also access the virtual desktop also from other non-windows devices they use.
- If the person which should access the virtual desktop is not primary user of any client device with a qualifying OS, e.g. their main working device is a Mac, it is required to obtain the more expensive VDA license for them, Windows E3/E5 is not allowed to be assigned to this user then. Alternatively, for the purpose of accessing a virtual desktop the Microsoft 365 F3/F5/E3/E5 license terms also waived the requirement of being a primary user of a device with a qualifying OS in October '22 license terms update, so when going for M365 it does not matter what the user has as primary device.
This last change is very beneficial for Partner providing hosted virtual desktops - before even QMTH Partners would need to ask their potential customers about what primary working device type their users have to determine if they could sell M365 suite licenses or need to go for the standalone plans combining VDA E3/E5 with O365E3 for example. Now, CSP HOsters can sell M365 suites no matter how the cluient base of their customer does look like.
- LicensingConcierge1Hi Jennie,
May I ask if you're a Microsoft Partner, Indirect Provider, or Reseller?- Hi, we are a Direct CSP Provider
- LicensingConcierge1There are two models in the CSP program: the indirect model and the direct-bill model.
Are you saying that you're a Microsoft Partner who's on the direct-bill model?
I know this is not your original question, but I do need to confirm since not every poster here in the community is a Partner.
