MS Virtual PC Licencing

[Gary Webb]

I am trying to figure out how the licensing of Virtual PC works. I think I
have determined the following. Can anybody please confirm or correct?

1) For each machine running the Virtual PC software, one licensed copy of
VPC is required

2) If multiple PC's will be running Virtual PC, a volume licence can be
purchased

3) Each Virtual PC O/S will require a licence as if it were a normal PC.
This includes if the VPC were running the same O/S as the host machine (2
licensed copies of that O/S will be needed)

Does that sound about right?

Thanks

Gary

[Anthony Barlow]

"Gary Webb" <email@garywebb.co.uk> wrote in message news:<HZ05c.22761$Y%6.2191934@wards.force9.net>... I am trying to figure out how the licensing of Virtual PC works. I think I have determined the following. Can anybody please confirm or correct? 1) For each machine running the Virtual PC software, one licensed copy of VPC is required 2) If multiple PC's will be running Virtual PC, a volume licence can be purchased 3) Each Virtual PC O/S will require a licence as if it were a normal PC. This includes if the VPC were running the same O/S as the host machine (2 licensed copies of that O/S will be needed) Does that sound about right? Thanks Gary

Virtual PC simply provides the capability to run multiple OS's (even
non-Microsoft OS's)on your PC.
Each 'guest' OS has to be installed by you and isn't included in the
box so you should have a CD and valid license to install each of the
OS's you want to run. So I think all of the 3 points you make above
are correct.
Anthony

[Paul DeGroot]

Gary Webb wrote:
I am trying to figure out how the licensing of Virtual PC works. I think I have determined the following. Can anybody please confirm or correct? 1) For each machine running the Virtual PC software, one licensed copy of VPC is required 2) If multiple PC's will be running Virtual PC, a volume licence can be purchased 3) Each Virtual PC O/S will require a licence as if it were a normal PC. This includes if the VPC were running the same O/S as the host machine (2 licensed copies of that O/S will be needed) Does that sound about right? Thanks Gary
You're right, although there's a wrinkle on your point 3 in that under
some circumstances you don't need 2 full OS licenses. They added this
wrinkle last fall. See
http://download.microsoft.com/download/2/f/f/2ff38f3e-033d-47e6-948b-8a7634590be6/virtual_machine.doc
(it's a doc linked from
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/volbrief.mspx, called
virtual_machine.doc).
Microsoft has added a twist here in that you can now run two instances
of a given copy of the Pro desktop OS as long as it's covered by an
upgrade license purchased through volume licensing. My interpretation
of this is that if you have the Pro desktop OS, and through your volume
licensing program you purchase an upgrade license, or if your OEM
desktop OS license is covered by Software Assurance, you can run a
second copy of the desktop OS.
This isn't carte blanche to run a second copy, and it doesn't
necessarily save you a bundle of money. For example, a desktop OS
upgrade costs between $150 and $200, depending on your volume. So it
will save you a few bucks, but not a bundle. Note also that you can't
"borrow" the OEM license from another machine that doesn't use VPC and
use it as the "second" OS in a Virtual PC. The OEM licenses still aren't
transferrable from one machine to another.

Also, you need to know that you can't purchase full desktop OS licenses
themselves through any Volume Licensing program. You much purchase OS
licenses through OEM or retail. Only the upgrades are available through
volume licensing.

Paul DeGroot
Licensing Analyst
Directions on Microsoft
www.directionsonmicrosoft.com
An independent research firm focused exclusively on Microsoft strategy &
technology