DaaS, Part 2 (1 of 3) – what happens when you provide it with a Microsoft OS?

This is really not the biggest issue in the cloud and XaaS-world but I feel significant enough to highlight. Never the less it is one of these issues that players on the cloud market have to adjust to make the cloud work ok. I know it is a long story, but it has to be said. I have divided the Part 2 into three parts to make it easier to read.

If I could get 10 people at Microsoft to read and understand this… It could be a “small step for Microsoft, a giant leap for “DaaS-kind””. ;)

Recap DaaS, Part 1: There are two types of DaaS: the traditional virtual desktop and the growing complete managed DaaS which includes desktop (vd or not), hardware and the complete management. But it’s difficult when you as an MSP want to include the license.

Last spring I was invited to Microsoft in Sweden to discuss the possibility to sell complete managed DaaS including Win OS and Office 2010. Note! This meeting wasn’t initiated by me. But since I’m really in to this type of services I started to check this out and soon the idea ran into trouble…

License basics
As an MSP delivering services based on Microsoft software you should use the SPLA Program. You are not allowed to lease any other type of licenses. You can use SPLA as long as you have control of the equipment, this means either MSP- or customer owned equipment in a datacenter or MSP owned equipment on-premise at the customer. But you can never use it on customer owned equipment on-premise at the customer.

In some cases (private clouds and systems which can be a part of License Mobility) the customer can use their own licenses and they can be bought or subscribed from Microsoft, but it is a business between the customer, a LAR (Large Account Reseller) and Microsoft.

License basic is; you should have a license to have the right to install (and use) the software and you should have control of the equipment where the software is installed so you can uninstall it when the right to have it installed ends. That’s why an OEM-license comes with the computer, not the user.

This is quite clear by Microsoft. As an MSP you know quite well what you can and cannot do. But this is also where Microsoft stops the evolution of a complete managed DaaS.

To be continued in DaaS, Part 2 (2 of 3). Coming soon.

All articles in my special DaaS story:
DaaS, Part 1 – do we all mean the same thing?
DaaS, Part 2 (1 of 3) – what happens when you provide it with a Microsoft OS?
DaaS, Part 2 (2 of 3) – what happens when you provide it with a Microsoft OS?
DaaS, Part 2 (3 of 3) – what happens when you provide it with a Microsoft OS?