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Learn how expanded Software Assurance benefits can help you evaluate, implement, and support your virtual desktop infrastructure.

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SUPPORT YOUR VIRTUAL DESKTOP ENVIRONMENT

No matter your reasons for choosing a virtual desktop environment, Microsoft® Software Assurance

offers some distinct advantages. The Windows® Virtual Desktop Access and Office Roaming Use Rights

benefits can help you extend the value of your virtual desktop environment and expand end-user

productivity. Start taking advantage of these benefits today by understanding how they apply to

common virtual desktop infrastructure scenarios, and see how these and other Software Assurance

benefits support virtual desktops and workforce flexibility.

LICENSING SCENARIOS

The following licensing scenarios illustrate how to use Software Assurance Windows Virtual Desktop Use Rights and the Roaming Use Rights benefit for Microsoft Office, Project, and Visio®. These scenarios assume 100 percent Software Assurance coverage on organization-owned PCs.

Scenario 1: Standard UsersMy company has 100 corporate PCs covered under Software Assurance that need to access our VDI environment. However we only have 80 users and only 50 virtual machines are used at any one time.

Since all Windows OS licenses are already covered with Software Assurance, no additional licenses are required. All devices, such as PCs, accessing Office virtual images via VDI require Office licenses.

Scenario 2: Shift WorkersMy company has 100 PCs with Software Assurance, with 300 workers accessing our VDI environment in shifts. At any time, 150 virtual machines are being accessed using VDI. All usage is within the corporate IT network with no external roaming by users.

Since all Windows OS are covered under Software Assurance, no additional licensing is required. All devices, such as PCs, accessing Office virtual images through VDI require Office licenses.

Scenario 3: Mixed Desktop HardwareMy company has 100 PCs and 100 thin clients using VDI. Only 100 devices are used at a time, and they access 100 virtual machines running Windows Vista® or Windows XP.

Since 100 PCs are already covered under Software Assurance, no additional licensing is required. 100 thin clients do not have Software Assurance and therefore require 100 Windows VDA licenses. All PCs or thin clients accessing Office virtual images through VDI require Office licenses.

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100 PCs 80 Users 50 Virtual Machines

Shift 1

Shift 2

100 PCs 300 Workers 150 Virtual Machines

100 PCs

100 Thin Clients

100 Virtual Machines

Scenario 4: Occasional Home UseMy company has 100 employees who are the primary users of 100 thin clients at work. These employees occasionally work from home and access the corporate virtual machines via VDI from their home (employee-owned) PCs not typically used for work.

Windows VDA licenses are required for the 100 thin clients. Since Windows VDA licenses include external roaming use rights for the primary users of company-licensed thin clients, no additional licenses are required for users to access VDI from their home (employee-owned) PCs.

All company-owned thin clients accessing Office through VDI require Office licenses. Since Office licenses covered with Software Assurance include external roaming use rights for the primary users of company-licensed thin clients, no additional licenses are required for users to access Office virtual images from home (employee-owned) PCs.

Scenario 5: 100% Home UsersMy company has 100 employees who work from home and access corporate virtual machines via VDI from employee-owned devices.

For non-company owned PCs, a company needs to acquire 100 Windows VDA licenses and assign them to employee-owned PCs. Likewise, all devices accessing Office via VDI must have Office licenses.

Scenario 6: Roaming UsersMy company has 300 users that need to access our VDI environment via 300 thin clients. These 300 users also need to access their VDI desktops and Office applications from public machines, such as Internet kiosks or other devices and their home PCs.

300 thin clients accessing VDI require 300 Windows VDA licenses. Since Windows VDA licenses include external roaming use rights for the primary users of company-licensed thin clients, no additional licenses are required for the users to access VDI from public or employee-owned PCs.

All company-owned thin clients accessing Office through VDI require Office licenses. Since Office licenses covered with Software Assurance include external roaming use rights for the primary user of company-licensed thin clients, no additional licenses are required for users to access Office virtual images from public or employee-owned PCs.

Scenario 7: Contractor-Owned PCsMy company has 100 contractors who work for six months, and then 100 different contractors are employed for another six months. Each contractor will have one contractor-owned PC to access our corporate virtual machines via VDI.

Each contractor-owned PC requires a Windows VDA license. Because you may permanently reassign Windows VDA licenses after 90 days of ownership, you would only need 100 Windows VDA licenses for the contractor-owned PCs.

Similarly, you will need 100 Office licenses, as all devices accessing Office via VDI require Office licenses, which also include 90-day reassignment rights.

Windows Virtual Desktop Access and Office Roaming Use Rights benefits increase flexibility for users and provides more value for your organization.

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100 ContractorsLast Six Months of Year

100 ContractorsFirst Six Months of Year

100 PCs

100 Employees Occasional Home Use

100 Employees 100% Home Use

300 Users 300 Company and non-Company Devices

LICENSING TIPS

When assessing Windows and Office licensing requirements for VDI, keep these key rules in mind.

Every device accessing VDI needs to be licensed. Whether you plan to use a PC, thin client, or similar device, every device accessing Windows OS via VDI needs to be licensed. Organizations have two licensing options: 1) utilize the Software Assurance Windows Virtual Desktop Access Use Rights benefit at no additional cost; or 2) purchase Windows VDA.

License thin clients with Windows VDA and Office. Certain devices, such as thin clients, do not qualify for Software Assurance coverage for Windows. To license these devices for use with VDI you will need Windows VDA. Every device accessing Office via VDI needs an Office license, whether it’s a thin client or a traditional PC.

Roaming Use Rights are device-based.Roaming Use Rights for Windows Virtual Desktop Access, Office, Project, and Visio are device-based. Only the single primary user of the organization-licensed device is eligible to roam. In most instances, the number of users granted roaming use rights equals the number of licensed devices controlled by the company. This can vary, however as in the case of contractor-owned PCs (see licensing Scenario # 7).

Roaming is for non-organization devices outside of the company IT network.Users of Windows Virtual Desktop Access and/or Office Roaming Use Rights must use a qualifying third-party device, such as a home PC or public kiosk, when remotely accessing their virtual desktops from outside the company IT network.

QUICK FACTS

Windows Virtual Desktop Access

Roaming Use Rights for Office, Project, and Visio

Windows VDA subscription

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QUESTION ANSWER

What devices are covered? Devices covered with Software Assurance for Windows

Are roaming rights included? Yes

Who may use Windows Virtual Desktop Access?

The single, primary user of a company-licensed device with Software Assurance for Windows

Are there limits the use of roaming rights?

Roaming use rights are only applicable outside the company IT network from a non-company-owned device

QUESTION ANSWER

What devices can be covered?

Devices not qualified for Software Assurance (Thin clients, third-party devices such as contractor-owned PCs)

Does it have roaming rights? Yes

Who may use a Windows VDA subscription license?

The single, primary user of a company-licensed, Software Assurance ineligible device, such as a thin client or third-party PC

What is the retail price? Approximately $100 U.S. per year, per device*

Does a VDA subscription license have Software Assurance benefits?

Yes**

QUESTION ANSWER

What devices are covered?Devices covered under Software Assurance for Office, Project, and/or Visio

Who may use Office Roaming Use Rights?

The single, primary user of a company-licensed device is eligible for roaming rights

Are there limits on using roaming rights?

Roaming rights are only appli-cable outside the company IT network from a non-company-owned device

* Actual prices and payment terms may vary. Final prices and payment terms for licenses acquired through resellers are determined by agreement between the customer and their reseller.

**You are covered with Software Assurance no matter what type of desktop access device you choose – thin client, blade PC, or traditional desktop PC.

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Software Assurance customers that use their Windows PCs to access virtual desktops can do so at no additional cost.

SOFTWARE ASSURANCE DELIVERS

Improved Business Continuity: • On-site consulting services help you plan for virtual

deployments, and augment your IT staff with experts on Microsoft technologies.

• Access to 24x7 phone and web support helps ensure smooth deployments and reduces staff time spent troubleshooting issues.

• Anytime, anywhere online end-user training and the Home Use Program help prepare users for new software.

• Available technical training helps ensure your IT staff can keep up-to-date on how to deploy, manage, and support Microsoft products.

Flexibility: • Users can access their virtual desktops from almost any

location and device, because Roaming Use Rights are included with Software Assurance.

• Install Windows on any combination of hardware and storage device, from running multiple OS off centralized servers, to running Windows 7 Enterprise on workers’ laptops. There’s even a version of Windows (Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs) that allows companies to repurpose existing PCs, while locking down the device to make it behave more like a thin client.

• The Multiple User Interface for Windows and the Office Multi-Language Pack let you deploy a single desktop image while supporting users in multiple languages.

• The ability to re-assign a license to another device after 90 days, or in case of endpoint failure gives you options to use existing or future equipment.

• Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) tools like App-V and Med-V help deploy and manage virtual applications and PC (desktop) images.

Tremendous Value: • Software Assurance customers get access to new software

versions as soon as they are released at no additional cost.• Windows 7 Enterprise and MDOP, available exclusively

through Software Assurance, help reduce costs by streamlining PC management.

• Training, deployment planning services, and support are built into the cost of Software Assurance so you can use them as needed without impacting your budget.

• The Spread Payments option reduces upfront costs and simplifies budgeting by allowing customers to spread the cost of licenses and Software Assurance across three equal annual sums with no interest or “cost of money” fees.

HOW TO BUY

Both Software Assurance (which includes virtual desktop access and roaming use rights) and Windows VDA (which enables virtual desktop access for non-Software Assurance and non-organization access devices) are available through all major Microsoft Volume Licensing programs including the Enterprise Agreement, Select Plus, and Open Value program.

Microsoft Financing serves businesses of all sizes and helps finance a complete range of technology needs, including software, services, partner products, and hardware.

Contact your Microsoft Account Manager or Volume Licensing Specialist at www.microsoft.com/licensing/how-to-buy

LEARN MORE

Software Assurancewww.microsoft.com/softwareassurance

Windows OS Virtualizationwww.microsoft.com/vdi

Microsoft Office 2010www.microsoft.com/licensing/about-licensing/Office2010.aspx

Microsoft Desktop Virtualization Productswww.microsoft.com/virtualization/en/us/products-desktop.aspx

Microsoft Financingwww.microsoft.com/licensing/how-to-buy/financing.aspx

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For the latest information on Software Assurance, visit www.microsoft.com/softwareassurance

Microsoft provides this material solely for informational purposes. Customers should refer to their agreements for a full understanding of their rights and obligations under Microsoft’s Volume Licensing programs. Microsoft software is licensed, not sold. The value and benefit gained through use of Microsoft software and services may vary by customer. Customers with questions about differences between this material and the agreements should contact their reseller or Microsoft account manager. Microsoft does not set final prices or payment terms for licenses acquired through resellers. Final prices and payment terms are determined by agreement between the customer and its reseller. Eligibility for Software Assurance benefits varies by offering and region and is subject to change. The Terms and Conditions of your Volume License Agreement and the Terms and Conditions under which any specific Software Assurance benefits are offered will take precedence in the case of any conflict with the information provided here. For eligibility criteria and current benefit program rules, see the Microsoft Product List at www.microsoftvolumelicensing.com.

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