Category: licensing

This category will contain all post that relate to software licensing.

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Microsoft MDOP


MDOP AKA the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack is one of the least well known Microsoft products, and that’s a shame as it’s packed full of goodness!

It’s only available to customers who have Software Assurance on Windows Desktop OS licences (Vista, Windows 7 etc) and contains the following:

Application Virtualization (App-V)

Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V)

Diagnostics & Recovery Toolset (DaRT)

Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM)

Asset Inventory Services (AIS)

System Center Desktop Error Monitoring (SCDEM)

These tools can help make managing systems so much easier in so many ways!

They are licensed on a per user per month basis which means they’re not available on all licensing programmes-namely MDOP is missing from Open licensing. If MDOP is attractive to you, you should look at the Open Value Program to get MDOP and other benefits too.

There’s a whole host of MDOP videos from Tech-Ed available here. Be warned though-they require a TechEd Online subscription.

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Impressions of VMWorld


As you may know, this week is VMWorld 2009, VMWare’s virtualization event for partners and customers. I’m not attending but I am following a great number of people on Twitter who are there and I have to say, it’s not doing VMWare much good in my eyes.

The first mark against them was the furore over the restrictions placed on Microsoft & Citrix. Yes-they’re competitors but:

  • Banning them from sponsoring the event
  • Restricting them to 10×10 booths
  • Stopping them from doing demo’s of their product
  • Stopping local hotels from renting conference rooms to them

just strikes me as childish and only serves to make VMWare look worse.

Now I’ll admit that I’m a big Microsoft fan and not much of a VMWare fan but I think even VMWare supporters must be having second thoughts 🙂

In one of the sessions today VMWare displayed a slide to demonstrate Microsoft driver crashes but the slide was 3 years old, and the data was 4 years old!

This attitude of “don’t show competing products", don’t use these rooms, don’t do this, don’t do that” is the same attitude that Microsoft were guilty of displaying a few years back. Microsoft saw a lot of people turn against them, both partners and customers, and it set them back in many areas. Microsoft had to make a real effort to change their corporate attitude from the top down and thanks to that, and the large number of loyal partners/customers, they were able to turn it around…these days MS are recognised by (nearly) everyone as much more open and accommodating to competitors and their products.

I’m not sure that VMWare will be able to make a similar change and, if they do, I don’t think it will be in time to save their market position…

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Windows 7 Enterprise Trial


  • Windows 7 Enterprise is the most feature rich version of Windows 7 and offers much more than Windows 7 Pro including:
  • Direct Access
  • Branch Cache
  • App Locker
  • Bit Locker (To Go)
  • 4 Virtual licences

and more…

The only way to obtain the Enterprise version is to purchase Windows 7 Pro with Software Assurance.

Microsoft have released a 90 day trial of Windows 7 Enterprise which is generally available online, rather than restricted to Technet/MSDN, giving an even wider audience the chance to see what benefits Microsoft’s new OS will bring to them.

You can see more info and download the trial here. The trial is available in the following languages:

  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Spanish
  • Japanese

If you haven’t had the chance to play with Windows 7 and it’s Enterprise features, I implore you to download this trial 🙂 Move quickly as the trial is on a” first come first served basis” until March 31st 2010.

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Microsoft Virtualization Questions


Hi!

Through the awesomeness that is Twitter, I’ve managed to connect with some of the Virtualization experts who work at Microsoft HQ in Redmond. They’ve very kindly offered to answer any and all questions that you guys can think of…as long as it related to Microsoft virtualization 😉

The main thing people think of with this is Hyper-V and, while that will be a big part of this, there are other elements too. Things such as:

  • Application Virtualization (App-V)
  • Presentation Virtualization (TS/RDS)
  • Desktop Virtualization (VDI)
  • XP Mode
  • MED-V
  • Virtual PC

However, as well as product/feature specific questions, if you’re wondering about Microsoft’s long term strategy etc-please ask too.

This is a great chance to get your feedback directly to MS HQ and to get those burning questions answered straight from the horses’ mouth 🙂 We’re hoping to get this Q & A done by the end of this month (August) so please, add your questions in the comments below and we’ll get started!!!

Cheers

Rich

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Windows Server 2008 R2 Licensing


Every new version of a Microsoft product comes with changes to the licensing 🙂 So let’s see what the new Server OS release will bring…

  • As this is an R2 release-if you already have Windows Server 2008, you will NOT need to purchase new CALs. The existing Server 2008 CALS will continue to work.
  • There will be no more “without Hyper-V” editions.
  • When running Windows Server 2008 R2 in just the Hyper-V role-you do NOT need to upgrade to Server 2008 CALs.
  • Terminal Services (TS) is becoming Remote Desktop Services (RDS). TS CALs and RDS CALs can be used interchangeably between Server 2008 and Server 2008 R2.

What does this mean to me?

 The biggest thing for end users here is the first point-not needing to upgrade to R2 CALs. As Windows Server 2008 R2 is such an integral part of any Windows 7 environment for things such as Direct Access, BitLocker, Branch Cache etc-this is a great way to facilitate uptake of the new technology. For most customers the main cost of a server upgrade is in the CALs-that is almost universally the reason that people I talk to are still running Server 2003!

This means that customers can move to Windows Server 2008 R2 at minimal cost, thus helping drive adoption of Windows 7-which is always good!

Another CAL related bit of goodness is the 3rd point-that if you have Server 2008 R2 solely to run Hyper-V, you can continue using your existing CALs for say Server 2003 to access applications on those virtual servers. Again a great move that helps increase adoption of Hyper-V which, don’t forget, has Live Migration in R2 🙂

The Microsoft page is here.

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MED-V


MED-V or Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization is like SUPER XP mode 🙂

As great as XP Mode is, it has caused a few problems where people are now wondering if MED-V has been replaced-it hasn’t.

First up-MED-V is used for virtualizing legacy applications so they can be run on new OS’s like Vista and Windows 7. Yes that sounds a lot like XP Mode but MED-V introduces a whole extra management layer for use in the corporate world-specifically:

“MED-V provides important centralized management, policy-based provisioning and virtual image delivery to reduce the cost of Virtual PC deployment”

Stephen L Rose has got a great post over on the Windows Team Blog about the differences between these 2 technologies so, rather than re-invent the wheel I’m going to respectfully copy & paste 😉

How does MED-V adds management to Windows Virtual PC?

To provide a managed, scalable solution for running virtual Windows XP applications, MED-V addresses many of the IT challenges around deployment and management including:

  • Deployment – deliver virtual Windows images and customize per user and device settings
    • Automate first-time virtual PC setup based on an IT customized script – including assignment of a unique computer name, joining to AD domain
      (for instance: assign the virtual PC a name that is derived from the physical device name or the username to simplify identification and management)
    • Adjust virtual PC memory allocation based on available RAM on host, so that the virtual PC does not take significant resources from the user
  • Provisioning – define which applications and websites are available to different users
    • Assign virtual PC images according to users and groups
    • Define which Windows XP applications will be available to the user through the start menu
    • Define which websites (e.g. internal sites that requires a previous version of Internet Explorer) are redirected automatically to Windows XP
  • Control – assign and expire usage permissions and Virtual PC settings
    • Control the network settings of the Virtual PC (e.g. whether it connects through NAT or DHCP, whether its DNS is synchronized with host)
    • Authenticate user before granting access to the Virtual PC
    • Set expiration date, after which the Virtual PC is not accessible to the end user
  • Maintenance and Support – update images, monitor users and remotely troubleshoot
    • Update images using TrimTransfer network image delivery – update a master Virtual PC image, and MED-V will automatically distribute and apply the changes to all endpoints
    • Centralized database aggregates events from all users, and provides troubleshooting information on malfunctioning virtual PCs
    • Administrator diagnostics mode allows faster resolution of Virtual PC issues
    • Run on multiple platforms – MED-V will work on both Windows 7 and Windows Vista, and will not require processor-based virtualization support

MED-V is available only as part of MDOP and thus is only available to certain volume licence customers with active Software Assurance.

This technology builds on Microsoft Virtual PC and the new version has got some great new features including:

USB Support: Access USB devices connected to your Windows 7 machine directly from the Virtual Machine.

Clip Board Sharing: Copy and paste between your Windows 7 desktop and your Virtual desktop.

Printer Redirection: Print directly from your Virtual PC.

More can be found over at The Windows Team Blog.

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Application Virtualization (App-V)


Microsoft App-V is what was formerly known as SoftGrid and it’s some pretty clever stuff 🙂

It’s main feature is to virtualize applications, this isolates them on the users workstation and reduces application conflicts-thus reducing end user downtime. However the apps can still fully interact with each other such as copy & paste etc so still giving the users the experience they’re used to.

The latest version is 4.5 and major highlights include:

  • HTTP streaming. Support for streaming virtual applications from an IIS server (v6 or v7) providing dramatic performance and scalability improvements for large App-V deployments.
  • Re-designed Sequencer. Simplifies the process and reduces the complexity of creating virtual application packages.
  • Dynamic Suite Composition (DSC) for MSI packages. Consolidate virtual environments, control virtual application interaction, enable faster, easier administration.
  • Seamless integration with System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2. Allows customers to easily deploy virtual applications through the System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 infrastructure and scale their deployments.
  • Client cache improvements. The maximum size of the client cache has been increased to 1 TB.
  • Improved Manageability. Integration and support for VSS writer, Operations Manager management pack, ADM template.
  • Accessibility. The product is now Section 508 compliant, bringing App-V in line with Microsoft shipping requirements.

    • Most conversations I have with schools include App-V as they often have odd bits of software like “Science for GCSE 1997” and “Maths is brilliant V 2.3” that don’t play nice with each other-and App-V is a great way to solve that.

    See the Technet MDOP page here.

    Advantages of using App-V:

  • Streams applications on demand over the Internet or via the corporate network to desktops, terminal servers, and laptops.
  • Automates and simplifies the application management lifecycle by significantly reducing regression and application interoperability testing.
  • Accelerates Windows and application deployments by reducing the image footprint.
  • Reduces the end-user impacts associated with application upgrades, patching, and terminations. No reboots required, no waiting for applications to install, and no need to uninstall when retiring applications.
  • Enables controlled application use when users are completely disconnected.
  • Integrates with System Center Configuration Manager to enable physical and virtual deployments through the same people, process and technologies.

    • Licensing:

    It needs to be noted that there are 2 version of App-V available to buy.

    App-V as part of MDOP: For use in standard environments.

    App-V for Terminal Services: For use in Terminal Service environments only. App-V’s application virtualization allows any application to run alongside any other—even applications that normally conflict, multiple versions of the same application, and many applications that previously could not run under Terminal Services.

    Terminal Services

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    When is Windows Svr 2008 R2 RTM out?


    With all the interest in Windows 7, Server 2008 R2 is getting as much love as it was perhaps expecting. However as many of the best features of Windows 7 rely on Svr R2-it’s a good idea to know when you can get your hands on it:

    ISV & IHV Partners: August 14th

    Microsoft Certified/Gold Certified Partners: August 19th

    Microsoft Action Pack Subscribers: August 23rd

    OEMs: July 29th

    Volume Licensing customer with Software Assurance: August 19th

    Volume Licensing customer without Software Assurance: September 1st

    TechNet/MSDN Subscribers: August 14th

    Retail Channel: September 14th

    According to Twitter-it could be August 19th for Technet/MSDN…

    One thing I do find funny is that Microsoft are still telling customers it’s release date is January…but if you really push them, they’ll go to November 🙂

    Technet blog is here.

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    Windows 7 Family Pack


    Windows 7 news keeps on coming and unfortunately, it isnt always good.

    First of all is more info on the “Family Pack“. It will cost $150 to upgrade 3 Pcs in the same house to Windows Home Premium which is great value but:

    • It still hasn’t been announced if it’s available in the UK
    • It is a “limited time only” offer so once the stock is gone-that’s it.

    I don’t understand why it’s not a proper, standard Windows 7 edition-it would surely increase the take up of WIndows 7 AND reduce the chance of people being tempted by pirated copies.

    The second piece of news was pricing for the Windows Anytime Upgrades (WAU). These are an easy way for users to move from one edition of Windows 7 to another such as Home Basic to Home Premium and, in most cases, it is quite cost effective too.

  • Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Home Premium: $79.99 · €74.99 · £69.99
  • Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Professional: $114.99 · €184.99 · £119.99
  • Windows 7 Starter to Windows 7 Ultimate: $164.99 · €204.99 · £139.99
  • Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional: $89.99 · €179.99 · £119.99
  • Windows 7 Home Premium to Windows 7 Ultimate: $139.99 · €189.99 · £124.99
  • Windows 7 Professional to Windows 7 Ultimate: $129.99 · €134.99 · £84.99

    • As you can see, the dollar vs GBP prices don’t compare particularly well-coming out at almost DOUBLE in some cases!

    As much as I am a fan of Microsoft and their products, it is often the pricing and promotions side of things that they fall down on. They’ve really seem to have stuck it to UK users with the WAU pricing; things are always cheaper in the States but this seems to be a little extreme.

    ZDNet’s Ed Bott has more info here and NeoWin’s article on the WAU is here.

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    Windows 7 WILL have IE


    The EU fuelled saga of IE8 in Windows 7 has taken another turn now-it seems Windows 7 WILL included Internet Explorer here in Europe. Microsoft have instead agreed with the EU’s idea of having a “ballot screen” allowing users to choose and download other competing browsers such as Firefox or (the instigators of this whole thing) Opera…This is a bit of an about-turn as MS were dead set against this idea initially.

    The interesting thing is how this affects the availability of Windows 7 upgrades in Europe. The last minute creation of “Windows E” meant that an upgrade version wouldn’t be available in Europe so users would need to do a clean install-which wasn’t an ideal situation. However with this change, perhaps we will get the ability to upgrade after all?

    It seems that Microsoft will continue with Windows 7 “E” until the EU formally accepts the Ballot proposal. Hopefully that won’t take too long (in the work of international law) to go through and Europe will be able to get it’s upgrade on! The RC installation of Windows 7 doesn’t expire until March 2010 so if they can get it wrapped up before then-that should suit everybody…expect those who’ve pre-ordered!

    Thanks to Mary Jo for this and as she updates, I’ll update 🙂

    *Update* It seems that Windows 7 E may well still be the plan!

    *Update* There is now an official statement on the Microsoft PressPass site here. The most exciting bit is:

    “Under our new proposal, among other things, European consumers who buy a new Windows PC with Internet Explorer set as their default browser would be shown a ‘ballot screen’ from which they could, if they wished, easily install competing browsers from the Web. If this proposal is ultimately accepted, Microsoft will ship Windows in Europe with the full functionality available in the rest of the world.” (Bold mine).

    The EU should accept it as it was their/Opera’s idea in the first place so hopefully we’ll all be doing nice upgrade installs on our machines soon-whoo hoo!

    Windows 7 e

    Check out my sweet photo editing skills 😉

    *Update* Opera now want the Ballot screen to be logo free (See techflash)! I’ve said it before that Opera are, and pardon my French, taking the piss…as formerly funny fellow Northerner Peter kay once said “Too far (Tony), too far”!

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