If your server is licensed, stored or non-running instances of Windows Server (and other Microsoft servers) do not need their own licenses (surprise!). The usage rights of your server license will permit you to store any number of instances under each license.

This also includes any of your storage media (SAN) - but you must be sure they are non-running, otherwise you will be considered out of compliance, according to your Microsoft EULA. As long as your physical server is licensed, there is no limit to the number of instances you can store under that license.

Employees opting to skip the commute and work from remotely have risen by 39% in the U.S. between 2006 and 2008 and corporations are starting to realize the cost savings. From a technology standpoint, setting up an employees at home (or at a location other than the corporate office) is rather simple - give them a laptop and an IP phone and no one is the wiser about where they are working from - whether wearing business casual at the office or your chenille robe at home. Most companies use some type of hosted server so that clients can access files.

But….what about licensing? When employees choose to use their home computers and access company files and programs, how do you remain compliant with licensing policies? At least with Microsoft, this software vendor offers special Work at Home (WAH) products through Select and Enterprise Agreements that allow customers to use certain volume licensing products on home computers. You must purchase a WAH license to correspond with each onsite license - therefore two licenses for each employee on each product. If you don’t…you’re out of compliance. It wouldn’t surprise me if more than 75% of companies with remote workers have this issue during audits.

The following WAH are available from Microsoft: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/product-licensing.aspx#tab=2 .

When acquiring these licenses, like anything else - read your terms and conditions. They are very specific as to who, what, where, why, when and how you can use a license!

If you have Windows Server 2008 Standard version AND have assigned one license to the server, you are permitted to run the server software in one physical and one virtual operating system environment. If you run that software in additional locations (for example, on two virtual servers for one user), you will need additional licenses.

Just a side note: You are permitted to run any prior versions of the server software using the Standard version.

Absolutely hilarious!

For those CIOs contemplating a move to Linux - Microsoft is one step ahead of you. Those crafty folks at Redmond have actually created a training program for retail employees at Best Buy to convey that Windows 7 beats Linux - going as far as making statements about Linux being better are, in fact, myths. An employee of Best Buy has leaked the presentation given by Microsoft anti-Linux training program. The presentation even emphasizes the use of Windows 7 on a netbook over Linux, which they claim is superior.

The presentation, as you can see here, is skewed in favor of Windows 7 and makes some strong suggestions, that may or may not be accurate, depending on whom you speak with! Think Microsoft is scared of Linux or is this just an aggressive way of pushing Windows 7?

There is often confusion around multiplexing and licensing, as some IT managers feel that the process will reduce the number of licenses that are required, when in fact, that is not the case. Multiplexing is used to pool connections, to re-route information, and reduce the number of devices or users that access or use products. It is sometime referred to as pooling as well.

With Microsoft, multiplexing will not reduce the number of CALs required to access servers. Although it seems like a natural outcome of pooling software and connections, it doesn’t affect licensing in your favor.

Don’t be fooled!

Most companies have a wait and see approach when a new operating system is launched. Where Windows 7 is concerned, we are not surprised to hear CIOs doing just that - with many of them saying clearly that they are going to wait 12 to 24 months before looking at an upgrade. They want to let the early adopters be the guinea pigs, so to speak. But, Microsoft is putting an end to support for XP - which many companies are holding on to for dear life because of its superior performance and stability. If Windows 7 lives up to its promise, an improved version of Vista without its bugs, companies will likely jump on board, especially if support for XP will no longer exist. But, if Windows 7 turns out to be as disappointing as Vista, Microsoft may be feeling some pressure to extend its support for XP.

Are you going to upgrade? We would love to hear about those of you who have and what your opinions of Windows 7 are…

Ask Your Oracle Licensing & Procurement Questions

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One of the major benefits customers have seen from Microsoft’s Software Assurance (SA) is the ability to migrate from a lower to higher edition software without incurring full licensing costs for both editions by using what is called a Step-up license.  In order to qualify for a step-up license you must be enrolled, with SA, in any of the following volume licensing programs: Open License Value, Select License, Select Plus, or Enterprise Agreement. There are also a few other stipulations (Gotta love those stipulations). On a renewal of your software licensing contract and with Open License Value, Select License, and Select Plus you will need to have three years remaining on your “SA Step-up” license for the higher level edition. On an Enterprise Agreement renewal, you must add an SA Step-up license for the higher level edition at signing.

When you have an existing agreement for any of the volume licensing programs you must have one, two or three years remaining on an SA Step-up license for the higher level edition.

Make sense? Yes, we know it’s confusing, but it can be really beneficial when you need to migrate. The Step-up License price is the difference between the License and Software Assurance (L&SA) price of the higher level and lower level editions of the software.

It is no mystery that Microsoft has been making a big push with its latest OS and emphasizing new enterprise features such as Branch Cache and Direct Access to corporations in order to sell more units. The catch to having access to some of the new Windows 7 enterprise features (such as the two I mentioned) is that Microsoft requires the purchase of Software Assurance (SA) in order to get the Enterprise Edition. The requirement may be one of the contributing factors slowing the adoption of Windows 7 in the enterprise.  For whatever reason - the economy or a lack of confidence from customers who previously invested in SA and were less than impressed -   we feel that many customers may refrain from purchasing SA this time around and just forgo the newest features of Windows 7. Many customers have also looked at SA as a great way to save on upgrade costs, but there is no guarantee that a new version of Windows will be available during the life of their SA contract. This, in itself, has led us to advise some of our clients to hold off on of making the investment if they don’t need the features SA brings to their organization.

It’s really a shame because the new features being offered within the Enterprise version, which are buried within the SA purchase requirement, could be very useful for many enterprises.  Too bad it’s not being offered minus the SA requirement! We’ll have to wait and see how this plays out - will Microsoft remove the restrictions or face a slower adoption rate?