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Microsoft Virtualization Licensing and Distribution Terms
From: David Farber <dave () farber net>
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 07:59:06 +0900
Begin forwarded message: From: Monty Solomon <monty () roscom com> Date: February 27, 2007 1:01:16 PM JST To: undisclosed-recipient:; Subject: Microsoft Virtualization Licensing and Distribution Terms Microsoft Virtualization Licensing and Distribution Terms VMware White Paper February 23, 2007 Summary Microsoft is trying to restrict customers' flexibility and freedom to choose virtualization software by limiting who can run their software and how they can run it. Microsoft is leveraging its ownership of the market leading operating system and numerous applications that are market leaders in their respective categories (Exchange, SQL Server, Active Directory) to drive customers to use Microsoft virtualization products. Their tactics are focused on software licensing and distribution terms (for SQL Server, Exchange, Windows Server, Vista) and through the APIs and formats for virtualized Windows. In particular, Microsoft does not have key virtual infrastructure capabilities (like VMotion), and they are making those either illegal or expensive for customers; Microsoft doesn't have virtual desktop offerings, so they are denying it to customers; and Microsoft is moving to control this new layer that sits on the hardware by forcing their specifications and APIs on the industry. Included below in this document are explanations with supporting details of some of these specific areas. Virtualization opens up new enabling models for IT customers and technology vendors. To fully achieve this vision, the industry must ensure fundamental market choice and ecosystem interoperability. Microsoft operating systems and applications are both market dominant and they deliver value to customers. However, customers and vendors require freedom of choice to implement and deliver applications and operating systems from any vendor with any chosen virtual hardware platform. Microsoft is not acting in customers' best interests when they attempt to force an integrated virtual hardware/operating system/application stack for their operating system and applications. Customers require an "any to any" interoperability model where Microsoft application stacks can run freely with licensing, open APIs, and support equivalence on non-Microsoft virtual hardware to Microsoft's own virtualization technologies. ... http://www.vmware.com/solutions/whitepapers/msoft_licensing_wp.html ------------------------------------------- Archives: http://v2.listbox.com/member/archive/247/@now Powered by Listbox: http://www.listbox.com
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- Microsoft Virtualization Licensing and Distribution Terms David Farber (Feb 27)