RE: [Xen-users] Windows licensing for Xen

["Artur Linhart - Linux communication" <AL.LINUX@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

        As far as I know, If You buy Windows 2003 Server Enterprise x64 R2,
then You have the possibility to run it as 4 DomUs on the same machine
without the need of the additional licencing - but I think, this is the only
Windows version, which somehow deals with the virtualization, as far as I
know, for all other You have to have one licence per running VM

        I do not know if some reseller will sell You and OEM version only if
You buy one HDD... But if it is legal, then I would say, You should have the
possibility to ude the version in the case you use the given bought HDD on
the same computer ;-). But I am also no lawyer :-)

        With regards

                Archie


-----Original Message-----
From: xen-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:xen-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Petersson, Mats
Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2007 5:33 PM
To: Kevin DeGraaf; xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [Xen-users] Windows licensing for Xen

> -----Original Message-----
> From: xen-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
> [mailto:xen-users-bounces@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of 
> Kevin DeGraaf
> Sent: 21 June 2007 16:16
> To: xen-users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Xen-users] Windows licensing for Xen
> 
> Hello all,
> 
> My apologies if this is a FAQ; I was not able to find the 
> answer in any
> existing documentation.  Furthermore, I know it's not germane to Xen
> itself, but I'm hoping that someone else's knowledge can save me a
> little bit of time.  :-)
> 
> In order to run Windows (XP, 2003, etc.) as a 
> hardware-virtualized guest
> of Xen, is it necessary to purchase a retail-boxed edition of Windows,
> or is there a cheaper option?  Can I purchase an OEM edition with, for
> instance, a hard drive or motherboard that I don't plan to 
> use with Xen?

Let me first say: I'm not a lawyer. 

You do need A license (per virtual machine - I believe MS allows this to
be "per ACTIVE virtual machine", at least for Server versions of the OS,
so if you have two virtual machine installed, but only use one of them
at any given time, you need only ONE license). 

There are differences in the support you get from MS whether you have an
OEM license or not, but I suspect for your purposes that won't matter:
The OEM license doesn't allow you to call MS directly to ask for
support. The retail version allows you (to some extent) to call MS
directly and get help. This probably won't make ANY difference if you
run Windows on top of Xen, as I suspect that MS will not support you in
either case (except on things that aren't difficult to solve where you
probably find better help via Google). 

I think the reason that companies sell OEM edition only with hardware is
simply that the contract with MS says that "You're not allowed to sell
this without supplying hardware" - as the real idea of OEM version of
Windows is that it's installed by the OEM and supported by the OEM. 

--
Mats



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