

The rule of thumb is that if it isn’t a full blown Windows Desktop Operating System with Software Assurance (SA) you will need VDA subscription licenses to access the VMware Horizon View vDesktops.įor accessing the VMware Horizon View vDesktops with Windows 8 you will need Roaming Use Rights. To license these devices for use with VDI you will need Windows VDA subscription. By obtaining SA or VDA you will get Flexible Use Rights (FUR).Ĭertain devices, such as thin- or zero clients, do not qualify for Software Assurance coverage for Windows. Software Assurance for Windows is the path to enabling people’s flexible work styles by providing access to Windows in a variety of ways across devices. Why Software Assurance (SA) or Windows Virtual Desktop Access (VDA)? This is because it is the only edition where you can place the necessary Software Assurance on the software.

For a VDI deployment only Windows 8 Enterprise is suited. Windows 8 has four editions, Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, Windows 8 Enterprise and Windows 8 RT. Below I will zoom into changes or summarize important facts for a complete understanding. I wrote a post on licensing Windows 7 in a VMware Horizon View environment and most things mentioned in that post are still valid also for Windows 8. This prevents disappointment and high costs later on. Always check with a license expert that what you want to achieve complies with what is possible with the licenses you want to acquire. They just buy the licenses and think are correct or are offered by their IT supplier. Only a few people read all those documents, but in general nobody reads them all. Enterprise Agreement), Product Lists and Product Use Rights. What you may or may not do with Microsoft software is recorded to the smallest details by Microsoft in several documents, like the End User License Agreement (e.g.

You will not become the owner of it, you only get the use right of the software under STRICT CONDITIONS.

It is a common misunderstanding that, if you buy software licenses you can do anything with it.
