DESKTOPS

How do I license the O/S on a virtual desktop?
Vista Enterprise & Vista Ultimate – one licence allows for one physical install and up to 4 instances in a virtual environment. Other Vista editions = one physical and only one virtual instance only.

How do I license the O/S on a virtual desktop when using thin client?
There are two new OS licence options for Server hosted Vista, where the OS runs on the server but is presented on the client device.

i. Vista Enterprise Centralized Desktop for Software Assurance (for PCs already licensed for Vista with active SA)
ii. Vista Enterprise Centralized Desktop (for thin clients)

The latter is at a higher price point to take into account the base Vista with SA licence cost. Prices are c£4 per month per device for the VECD for SA and c£9 per month for the VECD only.

Both are licensed on a per-device, non-perpetual, subscription basis, and are currently only available via EA or Select.

Both allow the installation of unlimited instances on a network Server or SAN, and remotely access these on the licensed device (up to 4 running instances per client device).

How do I licence applications hosted on a network server?
One licence is required per device able to access the hosted application i.e. if a standard company image provides Office, Project and Visio and can be accessed by all users then all company PC’s will require all three application licenses.

If the device already has the same version of this application installed locally with a valid licence this licence will also cover the remote access of the server hosted application.

We have been looking a Softgrid for application delivery. How is this licensed?
Softgrid is available for network PCs as part of the Desktop Optimisation Pack for SA, which requires SA on the desktop OS and is a monthly, per device subscription.

However, for Terminal Services users a standalone Softgrid for Terminal Services CAL is also available.