Microsoft Azure Customer Solution Licensing Brief

There’s an updated (March 2023) Microsoft Azure Customer Solution Licensing Brief. There’s just one change of note – confirmation that if you’re an on-premises hoster you can use the Azure services under your own agreement to protect the on-premises servers with Microsoft Defender for Cloud. The table on page 3 is updated, and an extra FAQ is added on page 5. Find this updated guide here: http://bit.ly/3U6VNLz.

Licensing Brief for virtual desktops

There’s an updated (March 2023) Licensing Brief to explain the options for virtualising Windows 11 and remotely accessing it. Changes include the addition of Windows 365 and the Flexible Virtualization Benefit. Overall, it’s a good summary of the licences you need for each of the different virtualisation options, and you can find this updated Licensing Brief here: http://bit.ly/3Jm6fv4.

Introduction to Microsoft Core licensing models

There’s an updated (October 2022) “Introduction to Microsoft Core licensing models” Licensing Brief from Microsoft. The main changes are for the new Windows Server per virtual machine licensing option, as well as the change for SQL Server and BizTalk Server where licensing by virtual machine is now a Software Assurance benefit.

Find this updated Licensing Brief here: https://bit.ly/3SWTn0u.

Windows 11 licensing for Virtual Desktops

There’s an updated (November 2022) “Windows 11 licensing for Virtual Desktops” Licensing Brief from Microsoft with two main changes.

Firstly, there’s the inclusion of the Flexible Virtualization Benefit showing the additional options customers can now have for using Windows 11 virtual machines with an Authorized Outsourcer’s shared hardware.

Secondly, the Qualifying Operating System requirements are updated, removing the need for one when a user is licensed with a Microsoft 365 licence. Find this updated guide here: http://bit.ly/3gpVmg7.

Licensing Microsoft server products in virtual environments

There’s an updated (October 2022) “Licensing Microsoft server products in virtual environments” Licensing Brief from Microsoft.

There are updates for the new per virtual machine licensing model for Windows Server, the introduction of the Flexible Virtualization Benefit, and the changes for SQL Server 2022 where licensing by virtual machine becomes an SA/Software Subscription benefit.

Find this updated Licensing Brief here: https://bit.ly/3fG3BUw.

Microsoft 365 E3 – Unattended Licensing Brief

There’s an updated (June 2022) Microsoft 365 E3 – Unattended Licensing Brief. This document helps you to understand how the Microsoft 365 E3 – Unattended licence allows a bot to run repetitive tasks in a Windows client/Office app without user intervention, with a useful FAQ section at the end.

This updated version has minor changes updating it for Windows 11, and you can find it here: https://bit.ly/3QcSijt.

Qualified Devices and Qualified Users Licensing Brief

There’s an updated (November 2020) Qualified Devices and Qualified Users Licensing Brief.

This is a useful document if you work with the Enterprise Agreement and need guidance on what type of devices/users need to be counted as Qualified Devices and Qualified Users.

There are exclusions noted as well as hints on determining which devices are not managed, and also a couple of FAQs at the end of the document.

Find this updated document here: https://bit.ly/3miwUdu.

Microsoft 365 E3 – Unattended Licensing Brief

There’s an updated (November 2020) Microsoft 365 E3 – Unattended Licensing Brief.

This document helps you to understand how the Microsoft 365 E3 – Unattended licence allows a bot to run repetitive tasks in a Windows client/Office app without user intervention. The document has a useful FAQ section at the end and this new version adds a few additional questions clarifying the requirement for the licence in situations where there is already a Windows licence and for scenarios where third party providers are implementing unattended scenarios.

Find this updated document here: https://bit.ly/37mfx7n.

Licensing Windows Server for use with virtualisation technologies

There’s an updated (August 2020) Microsoft Licensing Brief to detail the licensing of Windows Server for use with virtualisation technologies.

There are just small updates made, but this is a useful document if you’re pondering how containers are licensed, how Windows Server licensing changes with VMware or Virtuozzo, or how you license Windows Server for use on Microsoft Azure.

Find this document here: https://bit.ly/3jOPnwN.

Office software Licensing Brief

There’s an updated (April 2020) Office software licensing brief. The main changes are to update for the changes to the licensing terms for Outsourcing Software Management in October 2019, and to remove references to Office Home & Student 2013 RT.