As consumers increasingly use tablets in their work life, IT and licensing managers are facing a new series of headaches. Softchoice's licensing and virtualization experts bring you a primer to take you through the most common tablet licensing scenarios.

1. 3 easy ways to license
tablets in the business
A primer brought to you by
Softchoice virtualization architectS
and MicroSoft licenSing SpecialiStS

2. Like it or not, tablets and mobile devices are flooding the it environment as workers want new technologies to unlock
more flexibility to do their job anytime, anywhere.
Despite all the shapes, sizes, and operating systems, one thing is for sure: tablets carry a unique and frustrating set
the tablet of licensing considerations. many popular tablets run non-microsoft operating systems – such as Apple ioS and google
Android – making licensing for common business applications a challenge. Still, it’s important to note there are rules
challenge
and regulations in place, which organizations need to follow to be compliant and avoid unnecessary risks.
Softchoice created this guide to make these requirements more clear to it leaders. Written by our internal subject
matter experts from microsoft, Vmware and Citrix and our Virtualization Architects, we hope this guide helps you to ask
the right questions as you navigate your options.
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3. in this brief, we examine a common scenario many organizations face today, to illustrate the burdens of trying to
license a non-microsoft oS tablet. Next, we’ll show you how to solve this challenge using three common methods:
about this method 1: vMware infrastructure
method 2: citrix infrastructure
brief
method 3: Microsoft only infrastructure
the information that follows is meant to be a starting point and not a definitive guide to reaching tablet nirvana.
every situation is different and requires collaboration with experts that are familiar with these solutions.
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4. bob is a sales account manager for a regional logistics company. he spends lots of time on the road, meeting with
a common
customers and potential customers. part of bob’s responsibilities require that he input orders, manage his customer base,
assemble proposals, and more. bob currently uses his corporate notebook to assist with daily tasks but – considering he
is meeting with customers all day long – these tasks typically creep into his own time, even with his notebook at his side.
scenario: bob it’s probably good to mention bob coaches his son’s little league two days a week, plays softball himself once a week
and probably should carve out some time to connect with his spouse. Sound familiar?
the sales guy bob and his company are always on the lookout for ways to be more productive during work hours. this past holiday
season, bob received a non-microsoft oS tablet, one of many different brands and flavors, from his family. it would
be great for bob to be able to leverage his new tablet at work, to be able to spend more time with his family.
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5. what bob is here’s what bob is looking to get out of his non-microsoft tablet:
looking to 1. rich email (easy)
accomplish 2.
3.
Build and deliver presentations
create and manipulate substantial financial spreadsheets
with his new
4. leverage a custom build erp system for on-the-spot order entry and updating
5. Make sure that all the corporate data is secure and not stored locally on the tablet
non-Microsoft So how do we get bob the freedom he wants to do all these tasks on his tablet, while ensuring his software licensing is
up to speed? over the next few pages we’ll take a look at three licensing methods we can use to solve bob’s predicament.
os tablet
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6. vMware licensing required
• View Premier Bundle (can be sold in a 10 or 100 pack bundle)
Method: VMware thinapp • Includes: 10 seats of VMware View; View Manager; View
Composer; ThinAPP; Virtual Center Foundation for View;
Microsoft licensing required
the first method relies on Vmwares View and vSphere 4 Enterprise Plus for View
• Exchange CALs; Windows Server CALs
thinApp virtualization technologies, as illustrated • Feature Set of View Premier Bundle
• Windows Virtual Desktop Access and/or Windows Operating
by the graphic above. to do this right, you’ll • View Client with Local Mode- Run Virtualized Desktop inside
System with Software Assurance
and outside of the network;
need a wide selection of microsoft licenses, • Windows 7 support – Increase speed and reduce cost and
• Office Applications with Roaming Use Rights (commonly
including exchange CALs, roaming rights and key granted through maintaining Software Assurance)
complexity of migration to Windows 7
• Windows applicable infrastructure licensing: Windows Server;
infrastructure, as well as comprehensive Vmware • Streamlined application Management – Manage ThinApp in
SQL Server; Exchange Server
licensing bundles to ensure a quality end-user one view with View Manager
• Automated Desktop Provisioning – View manager single
experience. here’s the key checklist to help you
management tool to provision new desktops or groups from
build this solution: a single console
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7. citrix licensing/hardware required
• XenDesktop Platinum Licenses
• Per user or concurrent user licensing
Method: citrix Xenapp • Includes the following Citrix licenses: XenDesktop;
XenAPP; XenServer Microsoft licensing required
Another way to deliver business apps to tablets is • Feature Set of XenDesktop Platinum • RDS CAL (Windows Remote Desktop Services CALs)
with Citrix XenApp. Similar to the Vmware method, • Feature Set of View Premier Bundle • Exchange CALs and Windows Server CALs
• Branch Repeater client (for WAN optimization when • Windows Virtual Desktop Access and/or Windows
this requires a good mix of microsoft licensing and
combined with a Repeater appliance in the datacenter) Operating System with Software Assurance
additional virtualization key-stones to ensure you • Access Gateway Universal License (for providing granular • Office Applications with Roaming Use Rights (commonly
bring the performance you seek, and the security access control with either the Access Gateway or NetScaler) granted through maintaining Software Assurance)
features you need – all while staying audit risk • EdgeSight (end user performance monitoring) • Windows applicable infrastructure licensing: Windows
free. here’s the key checklist of what you need to • Password Manager (single sign on) Server; SQ Server; Exchange Server
• SmartAuditor (allows recording of on-screen activity of any
do it right:
user’s session)
• Netscaler Hardware Component: Application acceleration, load
balancing and web security appliance
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8. Method: Microsoft –
Remote Desktop Microsoft licensing required
services (RDs) • RDS CAL (Windows Remote Desktop Services CALs)
microsoft offers suites designed to ease the licensing, deployment
• Exchange CALs; Windows Server CALs
and management of virtual desktops. For instance, with the help of
• Windows Virtual Desktop Access and/or Windows
the third direction we’re looking at relies solely the VDi premium suite, it personnel are capable of deploying session
Operating System with Software Assurance
on microsoft technology, as you can see in the • Office Applications with Roaming Use Rights (commonly
-based desktops and applications, in addition to Vm-based desktops.
diagram above. this is all about leveraging All this this can be done solely with microsoft technologies such as
granted through Software Assurance)
rDS, hyper-V and microsoft’s Desktop optimization pack (mDop).
Windows’ remote Desktop Services CALs, • Windows applicable infrastructure licensing: Windows
more info on this, here.
while including a mix of the typical CALs and Server; SQL Server; Exchange Server
infrastructure included in the two previous
examples. below is the checklist for what you
need to make this method work:
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9. this guide has explored just a few ways to leverage desktop virtualization to increase productivity.
by no means will it answer all your desktop virtualization and tablet questions. And a number
of very important, unanswered questions remain, such as:
• What if my organization owns the non-Microsoft tablet?
Final thoughts • What if i’m not currently in a license maintenance program, such as Software assurance from Microsoft?
• What if i’m in an enterprise agreement with Microsoft?
in all situations, the best way to properly architect and implement a solution is to leverage advice from the
experts on the frontlines. Softchoice is working with all of our technology partners to better serve the needs
of organizations and offer ideas about what the proper licensing criteria should look like as it evolves.
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10. our team of microsoft licensing and technology architects are standing by to help you overcome this new,
and growing tablet licensing challenge.
Get started
CALL: 1-800-268-7638
emAiL: Microsoft@Softchoice.com
Form: advice request form
connect with us today.
1.800.268.7638 | www.softchoice.com/microsoft