Microsoft OEM License Questions

[JohnnyBravo]

Hi, I am looking for some clarificaton on something that Dell have told a customer regarding OEM licensing in vSphere. I always thought it was the case that the OEM license on the server is only valid for a installation on that server. Ie no hypervisor.

Apparantly Dell have advised the customer that an Enterprise OEM license will allow them to run the required VM's (4) per server. I know Enterprise allows this just unsure on the OEM part.

Could someone please point me in the direction of something from MS that details this?

Thanks

JB

[AWo]

You may want to try this link: http://www.microsoft.com/About/Legal/EN/US/IntellectualProperty/UseTerms/Default.aspx

It generates the valid license conditions for you product in your region.

"Allows to run 4 servers"?? Sounds like a Hyper-V license.

AWo

[hafeezpashamoha]

Microsoft OEM License are bound to hardware and can't be applied to other host.

We use SPLA and OEM license on our server estate.

this is from Microsoft :

Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter is licensed by the processor plus Windows Server Client Access Licenses (CALs). Servers with Windows Server Standard or Enterprise licenses covered by Software Assurance can be “stepped up” to a Windows Server Datacenter Edition processor license to take advantage of its UNLIMITED VIRTUALIZATION RIGHTS.

Windows Server 2008 R2 Datacenter can be purchased through Volume Licensing directly from Microsoft or resellers, or from OEMs preinstalled on servers.

same does not hold good when you running Windows OS as VM on vSphere 4. This is Microsoft strategy to grab votes from VMware

[JohnnyBravo]

So if its Hyper-V. Ie with a parent OS then its OK but with VMware its a no go?

That how its meant?

Thanks for the replies guys

[hafeezpashamoha]

Yes.

[sergeadam]

But if an OEM license is intended to be used only on the hardware it was purchased with, and Enterprise allows 4 instances to be run, the host and  3 Hyper-V VMs. If I replace the host with VMWare, am I not stil technically running my 4 instances of Windows on the hardware it was purchased with?

[AndreTheGiant]

Enterprise allows 4 instances to be run, the host and  3 Hyper-V VMs

Enterprise allow 4 virtual instances, and the host (if it need Windows).

Andre