Microsoft Revamps Licensing Plans

prostoalex writes "Microsoft is introducing significant changes into its licensing program, faced with competition from Linux, as Reuters article suggests. First, Microsoft starts giving away free server licenses to its Software Assurance Program customers, if the PC is not actually used in production and is not present on the network. Such licensing would be convenient for disaster recoveries, where it's important to replace a failed server as soon as possible without calling Microsoft support or licensing partner. Support lifecycle is also extended to 10 years for a variety of products, including Windows 2000, Windows XP and SQL Server 2000."

Comments

Thanks Bill

[slayer99]

Seems like some fairly sane policy from Redmond.

Can't get the backup server on a network?

[Anonymous Coward]

So this non-network connected server gets it's security and Windows updates from where and when?

Sounds like worm bait to me.... /Reboot
Sounds like worm bait to me.... /Reboot
Sounds like worm bait to me.... /Reboot
Sounds like worm bait to me.... /Reboot
Sounds like worm bait to me.... /Reboot

Re:Place your bets...place your bets

[Neo-Rio-101]

The business plan to that one works like this... 1. Say you're going to do something 2. Then retract your statement and say that you are in fact, NOT going to do anything 3. Quietly do what you were planning to all along 4. Profit