Hi Alex & VCL folks, I suspect that some folks may prefer to share detailed information off list due to concerns about publically documenting their compliance approach.
We have been grappling with OS and application licenses with regard to our Remote Desktop Services (Terminal Services) pilot (we are not using Apache VCL in production). While there are some differences between RDS and VDI licensing, the challenges are similar. Our experience has been that software vendors fall into a few basic camps with regard to virtual licensing: · Those vendors who don’t have a virtual licensing mechanism and need to be educated about the use case in order to work out an agreement/understanding. · Those vendors who understand the virtual use case and may have documented licensing stipulations. · Those vendors who have robust licensing policies and mechanisms (network license managers, multiple license types, etc). On the Microsoft OS side, it took a sit down meeting with our MS Sales Engineer to understand their licensing schema for VDI and RDS. In a nutshell this is what we walked away with: * Staff or faculty member running a Windows OS on a University computer connecting to a VDI based Windows VM = Covered under campus agreement, no additional cost * Staff or faculty member running a NON-Windows OS (MacOSX, Linux, Thin OS) on a University computer connecting to a VDI based Windows VM = Covered under campus agreement, no additional cost * Student on a University computer (Windows, MacOSX, Linux, Thin OS) connecting to a VDI based Windows VM = Special agreement needed: roughly $5/student over FTE population or "fenced" population (as negotiated by campus and Microsoft). * Staff or faculty member on a University computer (Windows, MacOSX, Linux, Thin OS) connecting to a RDS session = Per User or Per Computer CAL required * Student on a University computer (Windows, MacOSX, Linux, Thin OS) connecting to a RDS session = External Connector License (per RDS server) * Student on a home computer (Windows, MacOSX, Linux, Thin OS) connecting to a RDS session = External Connector License (per RDS server) After looking at a number of License Management applications, we settled on Sassafras K2 (http://www.sassafras.com) based upon the cross platform capabilities (we envision it being used beyond our RDS offering) and resounding recommendations from a lengthy list of other universities. We are early in our implementation, but I can attest that it is a very capable and mature product. Best, alex Alex Keller Systems Administrator Academic Technology, San Francisco State University ☛Burk Hall 155 ☎ (415)338-6117 ✉alkel...@sfsu.edu<mailto:alkel...@sfsu.edu> From: Alexander Patterson [mailto:alexander.patter...@csueastbay.edu] Sent: Wednesday, March 07, 2012 10:13 AM To: vcl-user@incubator.apache.org Subject: VCL software licensing Hello, I wanted to know how are people dealing with software licensing for VCL? Does anyone have a document or information on how they are dealing with the different vendors when it comes to VCL. For example with Microsoft you are using 1 license for each virtual machine you spin up in a Windows environment. Do you have one per user base? Is this for concurrent users? Are you able to split up lab licensing for in house software to be used in the VCL? Do the companies know you are doing this? Does anyone have an agreement with any vendors that goes within the current VCL licensing that they are using? If someone has like an overview or general information on how you are licensing the VCL for educational use; that would be very helpful. We are starting to run into licensing walls and I would love some inside information from someone who has gone through this. -- Thanks, Alex Patterson User Support Services Operating System Analyst California State University, East Bay
