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Hi all and hopefully we can sort out the minefield of MS Licensing on this issue.

Currently we are running 2 Windows 7 Desktops to run a Server application that connects to our Warehouse Management System (WMS).

These are OEM licenses, so not transferable.

These boxes are getting old, and I want to replace them.

I have moved nearly all of our Server resources to Hyper-V and I like it!

So the question is:

If you install a Windows 7 Professional Virtual Machine on Windows Server 2012R2 Hyper-V, and you only access the desktop with the Hyper-V connection, not RDP, do you need VDS or VDA or whatever licenses?

Basically these guys do mundane tasks, we start them in the morning on production days, and shut them down at night when not needed to save resources and minimize attack surface.

So what is the most cost effective solution to replacing these aging boxes?

I can just purchase 2 new workstations with Windows 10 or 8.1 on them, but am trying to get away from having 2 more physical boxes.

@Microsoft

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You have a couple options.

You can purchase a machine VDA licence which will licence the virtual machine and give rights for users to remote to it.

OR

You can purchase user VDA licences which will allow the specified users to access virtual Windows instances.

I believe M$ classifies Hyper-V connection as remote, as well as RDP.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/licensing/learn-more/brief-windows-virtual-machine.aspx

-Malcolm

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Define “move to Hyper-V”.

Is there a reason you can’t simply move the server application to an actual server vm? This strikes me as the most cost-effective way to handle the situation.

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How does one access a vm “with the Hyper-V connection”? I don’t really understand what you’re envisioning here.

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Hyper-v connection is when you double click on the VM in the Hyper-V manager, runs a root console to the VM from the Hyper-V host session.

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By right, you are not allowed to run Windows 7 or Windows 10 on VMs (VMware or Hyper-V) unless you have VDA licenses.

Then your main objective is to replace 2 aging Windows 7 PCs…then just replace these PCs but do note that you have to test if your "server: applications can run on Windows 10…for many reasons, I would never advise to use Windows 8.x…if you want a better ROI, get a Dell PC with RAID 1 SSDs and extend the support to 5yrs or 7yrs (legth depends if available in your location).

Lastly, never allow users to access VMs via the console (or Hyper-V connection as you called it).

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Adrian_ych, Roger that, and no, no users accessing such things.

So yes, replacing the PCS with new Dells or HPS is probably the most cost effective option.

Wish it would run in Linux, but still need CALs.

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Only the single (primary) user of the licensed device may remotely access his/her device. If you’re running the OS in a VM on a server, there would technically be no primary user for the server as servers are by definition “shared devices.” All users who access instance must be licensed to access - that license is either a Windows VDA license or Windows 10 Enterprise E3/E5 via Volume Licensing. *Windows 10 Enterprise E3 = Windows 10 Enterprise Upgrade w/Software Assurance.

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