licensing microsoft vdi whitepaper v3 0

Microsoft Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) offers the ability to rapidly and securely deploy desktops from the data center to users. The information technology (IT) organization can manage desktops centrally, and VDI helps improve security by centralizing users data. VDI also gives end users the flexibility they need to

access their work desktops from almost any device that has a reliable network connection.

VDI enables IT to think about desktop deployment and management in new ways. At the same time, VDI also requires new licensing models, because models based on physical access are no longer appropriate for providing access to virtual resources. This brief provides an overview of the key VDI components and how Microsoft licenses them.

Licensing Microsofts Virtual Desktop Infrastructure Technology


Table of Contents02 VDI Overview

03 Hyper-V

04 Remote Desktop Services

04 Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack

05 SystemCenterConfigurationManager

06 LicensingWindowsforVDIDesktops

07 SoftwareAssurance

08 VirtualDesktopAccess

08 WindowsIntune

09 VDISuite

10 LicensingScenarios

10 AdventureWorks

11 SouthridgeVideo

12 Contoso,Ltd

12 WoodgroveBank

14 Summary


Page

02

VDI Overview

Figure1illustrateskeycomponentsofaVDIimplementation.Youcanlearn

moreabouteachcomponentattheMicrosoftVirtualDesktopInfrastructure

homepage:

Hyper-V IncludedinMicrosoftWindowsServer2008R2ServicePack1(SP1),Hyper-VprovidesarobustvirtualizationplatformthatenablesITto

hostvirtualdesktopsinthedatacenter.

Remote Desktop Services (RDS) RDSbrokersconnectionsfromtheaccessdevicetovirtualmachines(VMs)runninginthedatacenter.

MicrosoftVirtual Desktop Infrastructure

Figure 1

VDI componentsVDIenablesITtothinkaboutdesktopdeploymentandmanagementinnewways.Itofferstheabilitytorapidlydeploydesktopsfromthedatacentertousers;centrallymanagedesktops;andimprovesecuritybycentralizingusersdata.


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03

Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) MDOPincludes,amongothertools,MicrosoftApplicationVirtualization(App-V)toenable

applicationsondemandwithoutinstallation.

SystemCenterConfigurationManager ConfigurationManagerprovidesaunifiedinfrastructureforcentralizedandcomprehensiveVDImanagement.

Accessdevices EnduserscanuseanyendpointdevicethatsupportsaccessprotocolslikeRemoteDesktopProtocol(RDP)toconnecttotheVDI

desktop.

Hyper-V

ForaVDIdeployment,customerscanhostvirtualdesktopsbyusing:

WindowsServer2008R2SP1withHyper-V

ThefreeeditionofMicrosoftHyper-VServer2008R2SP1

CustomersusingWindowsServer2008R2SP1musthaveaWindowsServer

2008R2licenseforeachphysicalserverinstance.Additionally,everydeviceor

userconnectingtotheVDIwillalsorequireaWindowsServerClientAccess

License(CAL).

Forexample,WoodgroveBankisaSoftwareAssurance(SA)customerthat

wantstorun100VDIdesktopsontwoinstancesofWindowsServer.Itwill

needtoensurethateachofthetwoservershasaWindowsServerlicense

(Standard,Enterprise,orDatacenter).Alternatively,itcouldusethefreeedition

ofHyper-VServer2008R2SP1.EachuserordeviceconnectingtoVDIalso

requiresaWindowsServerCAL.

FormoreinformationaboutbuyingWindowsServer2008R2SP1with

Hyper-V,seetheWindowsServer2008R2Hyper-Vhomepage.

Customers using Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 must have a Windows Server 2008 R2 license for each physical server instance. Additionally, every device or user connecting to the VDI will also require a Windows Server CAL.


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04

Remote Desktop Services

InWindowsServer2008R2SP1,RDSbrokersconnectionsbetweenaccess

devicesandVMsrunninginthedatacenter,anditdeliversarich,local-like

experiencetoendusersbyusingRemoteFXtechnology.Userscanaccesstheir

VDIdesktopsfromalmostanywherewithareliablenetworkconnection,on

almostanydevicethatsupportsRDP.

TheRDSCAListheprimarylicenseforMicrosoftVDI.Itofferstheflexibilityto

deploybothVDIandRDSSessionVirtualizationsothatyoucanprovideaccess

tofulldesktopandshareddesktopexperiences.YoumustpurchaseoneRDS

CALforeachdeviceoruserthataccessesVDI.AWindowsServerCALisalso

requiredforthatdeviceoruser,ifonedoesnotalreadyexist.

As Figure1showed,RDScombinedwithHyper-V,MDOP,ConfigurationManager,andaccessdevicescomprisethecompleteVDIstack.Becausemany

enterpriseorganizationswithMicrosoftinfrastructurealreadyownlicensesfor

Hyper-V,SystemCenter,andMDOP,anRDSCAListheonlyadditionallicense

theyneedtopurchaseinordertodeploytheMicrosoftVDIsolution.

Forexample,Contoso,LtdisanSAcustomeralreadyrunningWindowsServer

2008R2SP1onitsserversandWindows7Enterprise(abenefitofSA)on

itsPCs.ItalsousesConfigurationManageralongwithMDOPtomanageits

desktopenvironment.Contoso,LtdneedsonlytoaddtheRDSCALtoits

existingportfoliotolicenseVDI.

FormoreinformationaboutbuyingtheRDSCAL,seetheWindowsServer

2008 R2 Remote Desktop Serviceshomepage.

Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack

MDOPisatoolsetthatcanhelporganizationsstreamlinePCdeploymentand

management.MDOPincludesApp-V,anapplicationvirtualizationtechnology

thatenablesorganizationstocentrallydeployandmanageapplications

withoutrequiringinstallation.

The RDS CAL is the primary license for Microsoft VDI. You must purchase one RDS CAL for each device or user that accesses VDI. A Windows Server CAL is also required for that device or user, if one does not already exist.

MicrosoftVirtual Desktop Infrastructure


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05

Inadditiontoitsmanagementbenefits,App-Vcanhelpreducethesizeof

desktopimagestoincreaseVDIdensityandlowerthecostofdeployingVDI.

App-Vdeliversapplicationsondemand,eliminatingtheneedtoincludethe

applicationswithinthecoredesktopimage.

MDOPisanannualdevice-basedadd-onsubscriptionforSAcustomers

orthosethathaveSArightsthroughtheVirtualDesktopAccess(VDA)

license(seethesectionLicensingWindowsforVDIDesktopsonpage06).

OrganizationscanuseApp-VtostreamapplicationstoPCsthatconnecttothe

VDI,totheVMs,ortoboth.

FormoreinformationaboutaddingMDOPtoyourSAsubscription,see

Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP)pageoftheSAwebsite.

SystemCenterConfigurationManager

ConfigurationManagerprovidesacomprehensivemanagementsolutionfor

VDItostreamlineprovisioningandoperations.Notonlydoesitprovidea

completesolutionformanagingtheVDIinfrastructure,italsoprovidesasset,

application,usage,anddesired-configurationmanagementfordesktops

physicalorVDIacrosstheentireorganization.

Similarly,MicrosoftSystemCenterVirtualMachineManagerenablesITto

configureanddeploynewVMsandmanageVDIfromacentralconsole.

Itoffersend-to-endcapabilitieslikeplanning,deploying,managing,and

optimizingVDI.

OrganizationscanlicenseConfigurationManagerthroughConfiguration

ManagerSA,whichCoreCALandMicrosoftEnterpriseCAL(ECAL)include.

Also,bytransitiveproperty,ConfigurationManagerSAincludesaVirtual

MachineManagerClientManagementLicense(CML),enablingcustomersto

useVirtualMachineManagertocentrallycreateandmanageVMs.

FormoreinformationaboutlicensingConfigurationManager,seetheSystem Centerhomepage.

MDOP is an annual device-based add-on subscription for SA customers or those that have SA rights through the VDA license.

Organizations can license Configuration Manager through Configuration Manager SA, which Core CAL and ECAL include. Also, by transitive property, Configuration Manager SA includes a Virtual Machine Manager CML, enabling customers to use Virtual Machine Manager to centrally create and manage VMs.


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06

Licensing Windows for VDI Desktops

Traditionally,organizationslicenseWindowsclientoperatingsystemssuch

asWindows7throughoriginalequipmentmanufacturer(OEM)andfull

packagedproduct(FPP)licenses.However,theselicensesdonotpermitthe

flexibilitythatVDIrequires,suchas:

AccessrightstoVMsrunningWindowsinthedatacenter

TheabilitytomoveVMsacrossmultipleserverandstoragedevices

TheabilitytocreateanddestroyVMsondemand

Therewasaneedforasimplelicensingmodelthatwouldsatisfythewide

rangeofVDIarchitecturesandtechnologiesthatexisttodayandwillexistin

thefuture.Therefore,MicrosoftdevelopedanewlicensingmodelforWindows

Licensing Windowsfor VDI Desktops

Window

s VDA

License

Professio

nalQualifyingOS License

Window

s Intun

e

License

Window

s Upgrad

e

+

SA Licen

se

Virtuali

zation

Rights

Figure 2

Licensing Windows for VDISA,VDA,andWindowsIntunehelpsimplifylicensingWindowsforVDI.TheyofferaccessrightstoVMsrunningWindowsinthedatacenter,theabilitytomoveVMsacrossmultipleserverandstoragedevices,andtheabilitytocreateanddestroyVMsondemand.


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07

inaVDI:OrganizationslicenseitforeachdevicethataccessestheVDI

desktops,ratherthanperWindowsinstallationonVMsinthedatacenter.

ThismodelsimplifiesongoinglicensemanagementforVDI.Itprovides

theflexibilitytoarchitectalmostanykindofVDIsolutionthatcustomers

want.Atthesametime,italignswithWindowslicensingfortherestoftheir

organization.

Figure2onpage06showsthreewaysyoucanlicenseWindowsforVDI,

andthefollowingsectionsdescribetheminmoredetail.Organizationsmust

licenseWindowsforVDIregardlessofthetechnologyhostingitinthedata

center.Forexample,theywillneedSA,VDA,orWindowsIntunelicensesfor

Windowseveniftheyareusingathird-partyVDItechnology.

SoftwareAssurance

SAisanannualdevice-basedsubscriptionthatvolume-licensingcustomers

havetheoptiontopurchasefortheirPCsrunningWindowsProfessionalSKUs

orhigher.SAincludesVDArights,givingthosePCstherighttoaccessVDI

desktopsrunningWindows.

AdditionalSAbenefitsincludesupport,training,andupgraderightstothe

mostrecentversionofWindows(i.e.,theEnterpriseedition).Anotherbenefit

ofSAistherighttorepurposeaPCasathinclientusingWindowsThinPC,

reducingmanagementandimprovingsecurityattheVDIendpoint.SAalso

providestherighttorunWindowsonlocalVMsbyusingclienthypervisor

technologies.

YoucanlearnmoreaboutSAforWindowsclientattheSoftwareAssurance website.

BENEFITS OF SOFTWARE ASSURANCE AND VIRTUAL DESKTOP ACCESS

SAandVDAprovideorganizationswithseveralkeybenefits,including:

Windows Enterprise edition OrganizationscantakeadvantageofthemanybenefitsoftheEnterpriseeditionofWindows(e.g.,Windows7Enterprise)fortheirVDIdesktopsorfortheiraccessPCs.Formoredetails,seetheWindowsEnterprisehomepage.

Roaming use rights ThesingleprimaryuseroftheSAorVDAlicenseddevicecanuseanon-corporatedevice(e.g.,apersonaldeviceorapubliccomputer)toaccesshisorherVDIdesktopwithoutanyadditionallicensing.Thisallowsorganizationstobemoreflexiblewithoutincurringadditionallicensingcosts.However,inordertoinvoketheroaminguserights:

TheusermustbetheprimaryuserofanSAorVDAlicenseddevice,andthedevicecannotbeshared.

Theusermustuseanon-corporatedevicetoaccesstheVDIdesktop.

Thenon-corporateaccessdevicemustbeoutsidethecorporatedomain.ApersonaldeviceusedwithinthecorporatedomainneedsanadditionalVDAlicense.

Upgrade and downgrade rights OrganizationscanupgradetothelatestversionofWindowsoruseearlierversionsofWindowsasnecessary.Theycanensurethattheyarealwaysonthemostsecure,efficient,andcurrentversionofWindowsfortheirVDIdesktopsandPCs.

Concurrent VM access SAandVDAcustomersgetrightstoaccessuptofourVDIdesktopsconcurrently.SAcustomerscanalsoaccessuptofourlocalVMsbyusingclienthypervisortechnologies.

OtherbenefitsofSAandVDAincludetrainingvouchers,24x7support,and90-dayreassignmentrightsforlicenses.


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08

VirtualDesktopAccess

VDAlicensingistherecommendedlicenseforVDIaccessdevicesthatdonot

qualifyforSA.VDAprovidesorganizationswiththeabilitytolicenseWindows

foruseviadevicesthatdonottraditionallycomewithaWindowslicense,such

asthinclients,smartphones,andtabletdevices.Organizationscanalsouse

VDAtolicensedevicesthattheorganizationdoesnotown,suchasemployees

homePCsandcontractordevices.

WithaVDAlicense,organizationscandeployWindows7Enterpriseon

theirVDIdesktops,andthosedesktopsgetalloftheSAbenefits(e.g.,24x7

support).Additionally,allSAandVDAdevicesgetroamingrightsthatenable

thesingleprimaryuserofthelicenseddevicetoaccesshisorherVDIdesktop

fromanon-corporate(e.g.,personalorpublic)deviceoutsideofthecorporate

network.

FormoreinformationaboutVDA,seeWindowsVirtualDesktopAccessonthe

SoftwareAssurancewebsite.

WindowsIntune

WindowsIntuneprovidesorganizationswiththetoolsandtechnologiesto

manageandsecuretheirPCsinthecloud.ItalsoprovidescustomerswithSA

rightsforeachcoveredPC,includingVDArights.PCscoveredwithWindows

IntunecanaccessaVDIdesktopwithoutanyadditionallicensing.

FormoreinformationaboutWindowsIntune,seetheWindowsIntune homepage.

VDA licensing is the recommended license for VDI access devices that do not qualify for SA (e.g., thin clients, smartphones, employees home PCs, and contractor PCs).

Windows Intune provides customers with SA rights for each covered PC, including VDA rights. PCs covered with Windows Intune can access a VDI desktop without any additional licensing.


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09

VDI Suite

ForcustomersthathaveverysimpleVDIrequirements,Microsofthascreated

theVDISuitelicensebundle.Itisasubscription-basedlicensebundlethat

providesthefollowinglicenses:

AnRDSCALthatsrestrictedtodeployingVMsonly(nosession

virtualization)

ACMLforConfigurationManagerthatsrestrictedtoVirtualMachine

Manageronly

WiththeVDISuite,customerscandeployVM-baseddesktopsbutnotsession-

baseddesktops.InadditiontotheVDISuite,SAorVDAisstillrequiredfor

eachclient-accessdevice.MDOPisanoptionaladd-onfordesktopscovered

bySA.

TheVDISuiteoffersthefollowingbenefits:

Simplifiedlicensing AlongwithVDAorSA,theVDISuiteprovidesasimple

waytolicensesmall-scale,simpleVDIdeployments.

Excellentvalue TheVDISuiteprovidesanin-boxsolutionforlow-

complexityenvironments.Itissignificantlylessexpensivethancompetitive

offerings.

FormoreinformationaboutlicensingtheVDISuite,seeMicrosoftVirtual

DesktopInfrastructurepageontheWindowsEnterprisewebsite.

VDI Suite is a subscription-based license bundle that offers simplified licensing and an excellent value.


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10

Licensing Scenarios

ThefollowingsectionsprovideexamplesofVDIlicensingscenarios.

AdventureWorks

AdventureWorkshas100PCsand100thinclientsatonelocation.The

companywantstoprovideafullVDIstackforallofits150employees.

Figure3illustratesthelicensesthatAdventureWorksrequiresforitsVDI

implementation.

EachdeviceaccessingVDIdesktopsrequireslicensesfortheserverand

managementinfrastructure(i.e.,anRDSCAL,WindowsServerCAL,

Figure 3

Adventure Works exampleEachdeviceaccessingVDIdesktopsrequireslicensesfortheserverandmanagementinfrastructure(i.e.,anRDSCAL,WindowsServerCAL,ConfigurationManagerCML,andMDOPlicense).SAprovidesvirtualdesktoprightsforeachofthePCs,andVDAprovidesvirtualdesktoprightsforthethinclients.

Adventure Works

200

200

200

200

100 PCs

100 Thi

n

Clients

Window

s VDA

License

100

Window

s Upgrad

e

+

SA Licen

se

100


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11

ConfigurationManagerCML,andMDOPlicense).SAprovidesvirtualdesktop

rightsforeachofthePCs,andVDAprovidesvirtualdesktoprightsforthethin

clients.

SouthridgeVideo

SouthridgeVideohas100employeesthatwillusethinclientsatwork

andtheirownPCsathometoaccesstheirVDIdesktops.Thecompany

alsohas50contractorsthatwillusetheirownPCstoaccessVDIdesktops.

Figure4describesthelicensesthatSouthridgeVideorequiresforitsVDI

implementation.


managementinfrastructure(i.e.,anRDSCAL,WindowsServerCAL,and

ConfigurationManagerCML).VDAprovidesvirtualdesktoprightsforthe

Figure 4

Southridge Video exampleEachdeviceaccessingVDIdesktopsrequireslicensesfortheserverandmanagementinfrastructure(i.e.,anRDSCAL,WindowsServerCAL,andConfigurationManagerCML).VDAprovidesvirtualdesktoprightsforthecompany-ownedthinclientsandcontractor-ownedPCs.UsershomePCsdonotrequireanyadditionallicensingbecauseVDAprovidesroaminguserights.

Southridge Video

150

150

150

50 Cont

ractors

100 Thi

n

Clients

Window

s VDA

License

50

Window

s VDA

License

100


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12

company-ownedthinclientsandcontractor-ownedPCs.UsershomePCsdo

notrequireanyadditionallicensingbecauseVDAprovidesroaminguserights.

Contoso,Ltd

Contoso,LtdhasaMicrosoftEnterpriseAgreement(EA)thatalreadycovers

itsPCswithSA.ThecompanyalsohasCoreCALandEnrollmentforCore

Infrastructure(ECI).ItwantstodeployVDIforits500employees,anditwants

touseWindowsThinPCtorepurposeitsPCsasthinclients.Figure5showsthe

licensesthatContoso,LtdrequiresforVDI.

BecausethecompanysPCsalreadyhaveSA,itdoesnotneedanyadditional

licensingforWindowsThinPCorVDI.Also,becauseitalreadyhasCoreCAL,it

doesnotneedanyadditionalConfigurationManagerCMLsorWindowsServer

CALs.ThecompanyneedsonlytopurchasetheadditionalRDSCALsforVDI.

WoodgroveBank

WoodgroveBankisembracingtheconsumerizationofITbyadoptingVDI.As

apilot,thecompanyisallowing100employeestobringtheirnon-Windows

tabletstowork.NotonlywillWoodgroveBankdeliverVDIdesktopstothese

Contoso, Ltd

500

500 PCs

Repurp

osed as

Thin Cl

ients

Figure 5

Contoso, Ltd exampleBecausethecompanysPCsalreadyhaveSA,itdoesnotneedanyadditionallicensingforWindowsThinPCorVDI.Also,becauseitalreadyhasCoreCAL,itdoesnotneedanyadditionalConfigurationManagerCMLsorWindowsServerCALs.ThecompanyneedsonlytopurposetheadditionalRDSCALsforVDI.


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13

devices,butitwillalsoallowemployeestoaccesstheirVDIdesktopsfromtheir

homePCs.Figure6showsthelicensesthatWoodgroveBankrequiresforits

consumerizationpilot.


managementinfrastructure(i.e.,anRDSCAL,WindowsServerCAL,and

ConfigurationManagerCML).VDAprovidesvirtualdesktoprightsforthe

employee-ownednon-Windowstablets.UsershomePCsrequirenoadditional

licensingbecauseVDAprovidesroaminguserights.

Woodgrove Bank

100

100

100

100 No

n-Windo

ws

Tablets

Window

s VDA

License

100

Figure 6

Woodgrove Bank exampleEachdeviceaccessingVDIdesktopsrequireslicensesfortheserverandmanagementinfrastructure(i.e.,anRDSCAL,WindowsServerCAL,andConfigurationManagerCML).VDAprovidesvirtualdesktoprightsfortheemployee-ownednon-Windowstablets.UsershomePCsrequirenoadditionallicensingbecauseVDAprovidesroaminguserights.


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14

Summary

MicrosoftVDIisasetofintegratedproductsthatdeliverend-to-end

virtualizationfromthedatacentertoendusers.Dependingonthe

architecture,aVDIdeploymentmightneedthefollowinglicenses:

Hyper-V LicensedwithWindowsServer2008R2orwiththefreeedition.

RDS LicensedforeachaccessdevicewithanRDSCAL.

MDOP Licensedforeachaccessdeviceasanadd-onsubscriptionforSA.

ConfigurationManager(withVirtualMachineManageruse

rights) LicensedwithConfigurationManagerSA,whichCoreCALand

ECALincludes.

SA or VDA LicensedforeachdeviceconnectingtotheVDIdesktops.

ManyenterprisesmightalreadyownlicensesforWindowsServer2008R2SP1,

MDOP,ConfigurationManager,andtheWindowsclientthroughSA.Those

organizationsarereadytodeploythefullVDIsolutionbysimplyaddingan

RDSCALforeachaccessdeviceoruser.

Formoreinformation,seetheMicrosoftVirtualDesktopInfrastructure homepage.

Thisdocumentisprovidedas-is.Informationandviewsexpressedinthisdocument,includingURLandotherInternet

Websitereferences,maychangewithoutnotice.Youbeartheriskofusingit.

Someexamplesdepictedhereinareprovidedforillustrationonlyandarefictitious.Norealassociationorconnectionis

intendedorshouldbeinferred.

ThisdocumentdoesnotprovideyouwithanylegalrightstoanyintellectualpropertyinanyMicrosoftproduct.Youmay

copyandusethisdocumentforyourinternalreferencepurposes.

2012Microsoft.Allrightsreserved.

Many enterprises might already own licenses for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, MDOP, Configuration Manager, and the Windows client through SA. Those organizations are ready to deploy the full VDI solution by simply adding an RDS CAL for each access device or user.

VDI OverviewHyper-VRemote Desktop ServicesMicrosoft Desktop Optimization PackSystem Center Configuration Manager

Licensing Windows for VDI DesktopsSoftware AssuranceVirtual Desktop AccessWindows Intune

VDI SuiteLicensing ScenariosAdventure WorksSouthridge VideoContoso, LtdWoodgrove Bank

Summary

licensing microsoft vdi whitepaper v3 0

Documents

desktop deployment

virtual resources

key vdi components

microsoft licenses

new licensing models

centralizing users data

work desktops

end users