Microsoft eases virtualisation through license changes

Microsoft has relaxed its licensing rules for its server applications to make it easier for organisations to virtualise their servers.

As of September 1st, businesses will be permitted to move any of 41 Microsoft server applications between servers as often as necessary without paying additional licensing fees, as opposed to current rules which allow one move every 90 days.

Neil Sanderson, Microsoft's UK product manager for virtualisation and management, told Computer Weekly: "We've been trying to evolve our licensing as part of our virtualisation strategy over time and we've been adapting it to what customers are telling us."

Meanwhile, Andy Buss of analyst firm Canalys said that Microsoft was taking the right approach, but suggested that more could be done.

"Look at IBM and what they offer," he told ZDNet.co.uk.

"Customers can have services on-demand or through capacity planning.

"It is flexible."

According to the Yankee Group, 72 per cent of businesses in 20 countries have already deployed virtualisation solutions or plan to do so soon.

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