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Windows VDA licensing

SAM Core on Snow Atlas lets you manage Windows Virtual Desktop Access licensing for Virtual Desktop Infrastructure environments.

The Windows Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) technologies enable users to access their work desktops from other devices.

Every device that connects to a Windows VDI will require virtual desktop access rights. If the accessing device is a computer covered by a Windows license with valid Software Assurance, the virtual desktop access rights are included. For other devices, a Windows Virtual Desktop Access (VDA) license is required instead.

SAM Core identifies all devices that have been connected to a Windows VDI. The device may be, for example, a home PC, a smartphone, or a thin client, but it can also be an inventoried computer. SAM Core then adds the application Windows Virtual Desktop Access to all of the identified devices.

note

The 90-day reassignment rights apply to the Windows VDA licenses. This means that a license cannot be reassigned to another device within 90 days of the last assignment.

License requirements​

When SAM Core calculates the license requirement for the application Windows Virtual Desktop Access, the following rules apply:

  • If the device is an inventoried computer covered by a Windows license with valid Software Assurance, no Windows VDA license is required.

  • If the device is an inventoried computer covered by a Windows license without valid Software Assurance, a Windows VDA license is required.

  • If the device is an inventoried computer not covered by a Windows license, a Windows VDA license is required.

  • If the device is not an inventoried computer, a Windows VDA license is required.

  • A Windows VDA license can be reassigned after 90 days.

In SAM Core, the Windows VDA licensing management is automated. However, to ensure the correct license allocation, all purchases of Windows licenses with Software Assurance must be registered with upgrade rights.

The Windows operating systems on the virtual desktops of the VDI do not require a Windows client license and are automatically removed from the license requirements for the Windows operating system they run. This is illustrated by the VDI remark on the computer as well as under license requirements when looking at the information details.

Licensing is required for the server and management infrastructure of the VDI environment. As a support in the licensing of the VDI structure (Microsoft or other suppliers), you can use the following reports in SAM Core:

  • All devices that have accessed a VDI

  • All users that have accessed a VDI