We’re exceptionally proud that Windows 10, the most secure Windows ever, offers the widest range of device form factors and the greatest breadth of input options with support for touch, pen, gesture, and voice. Customers choose Windows 10 knowing that they can purchase a great new business PC for just a few hundred dollars, an incredible Surface Pro or Surface Book device for the ultimate in business productivity, or build their own custom rig part-by-part to meet any budget.
For some business customers, Windows virtualization is the solution that best meets their productivity, security, and IT infrastructure needs. This may mean PCs connecting to Windows client VMs running on dedicated or multi-tenant hardware enabling users to freely move from device to device, through to scenarios where a particular app or data set requires an additional layer of separation from the end-user device achieved through virtualization. The common factor here is choice and it’s one of the main reasons our customers and partners choose Windows 10.
Today, we’re making two announcements that provide our business customers with greater choice.
The first is that virtualization use rights will be coming to Windows 10 subscriptions in the cloud solution provider (CSP) program starting in September, with the flexibility to host in both Azure or with 3rd party hosting partners. And the second announcement is a new certification program for 3rd party hosting partners that wish to host virtual machines (VMs) licensed via CSP subscriptions.
Virtualization is not for every customer and so we’re creating offerings with and without virtualization use rights to ensure customers have the choice to subscribe to the solution that best meets their needs while not paying for rights they don’t require.
Beginning September 6th, 2017, customers will be able to choose from five subscription offerings in the CSP program with Windows 10 virtualization use rights, enabling Windows VMs to be hosted in Azure or with a qualified multitenant hosting partner:
- Windows 10 Enterprise E3 will be available with or without virtualization use rights
- Windows 10 Enterprise E5 will be updated to include virtualization use rights
- A new Windows 10 Enterprise E3 VDA offering will be created for customers that require access to Windows VMs on non-Windows Pro devices
- Customers purchasing or already subscribed to Microsoft 365 Enterprise (formerly known as Secure Productive Enterprise) via CSP will automatically receive Windows 10 virtualization use rights at no extra cost
Compute and consumption charges may apply based on VM use.
To learn more about Windows Enterprise subscriptions in CSP or to find a Windows 10 in CSP partner please visit this page.
To learn more about Windows virtualization licensing please refer to this document.
And for partners who wish to learn more about becoming a qualified multitenant hoster, please visit this link.