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 t...
Hello All.
One of the key details that seems to be missing from all of these discussions is that Microsoft introduced around October of last year the Flexible Virtualization Benefit which states:
Flexible Virtualization Benefit
Customers with subscription licenses or Licenses with active Software Assurance (including CALs) may use licensed copies of the software on devices, including shared Servers, that are under the day-to-day management and control of Authorized Outsourcers.
see: https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/terms/product/ForallSoftware/all
It is this benefit that makes the chart listed in the Windows 10 Licensing for Virtualization possible.
Chris McDuffie, I believe the slide that you refer to comes from a licensing deck that is several years old and unfortunately, out of date.
Finally, yes, I absolutely agree all of the technical documentation around this topic is out of date and really needs to be updated.
One of the key details that seems to be missing from all of these discussions is that Microsoft introduced around October of last year the Flexible Virtualization Benefit which states:
Flexible Virtualization Benefit
Customers with subscription licenses or Licenses with active Software Assurance (including CALs) may use licensed copies of the software on devices, including shared Servers, that are under the day-to-day management and control of Authorized Outsourcers.
see: https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/terms/product/ForallSoftware/all
It is this benefit that makes the chart listed in the Windows 10 Licensing for Virtualization possible.
Chris McDuffie, I believe the slide that you refer to comes from a licensing deck that is several years old and unfortunately, out of date.
Finally, yes, I absolutely agree all of the technical documentation around this topic is out of date and really needs to be updated.
The flexible virtualization benefit and other changes in Oct. '22 did only change that instead of requiring the 3rd party hoster providing the Windows instances on virtual desktops is a QMTH Partner, it can now be any "Authorized Outsourcer" (which means every company that wants to do this, only AWS, GCP, AliBaba and Azure are excluded from this definition).
Virtualization of Windows was possible before, CSP (=licenses obtained under MCA) always allowed virtualization of Windows Client in Azure or with Hosters (QMTH until Oct.'22, any "Autorized Outsourcer" since then).
What has not changed is that MCA product terms do not document any rights to deploy Windows virtual desktops on-premises (on servers on the customer's premises).
The slide by Chris McDuffie is still mostly accurate therefore, only the column on far right should be labeled "Authorized Outsourcer" instead of "QMTH".
Virtualization of Windows was possible before, CSP (=licenses obtained under MCA) always allowed virtualization of Windows Client in Azure or with Hosters (QMTH until Oct.'22, any "Autorized Outsourcer" since then).
What has not changed is that MCA product terms do not document any rights to deploy Windows virtual desktops on-premises (on servers on the customer's premises).
The slide by Chris McDuffie is still mostly accurate therefore, only the column on far right should be labeled "Authorized Outsourcer" instead of "QMTH".