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Tag Archives: Core Infrastructure

How to reduce your SPLA reporting

09 Jul

It’s easier than you think.  ( and no, I am not saying you should be out of compliant).  The goal of this blog is to educate and help the service provider community with their licensing decisions.  Keep in mind that I do this as a hobby.  I also try not to solicit, as that can be frustrating to the reader. 

That being said, I do know the reseller channel well, I also know the agreement better than most lawyers.  If you are looking to potentially reduce your spend from a reporting perspective, reduce compliance risk, or just simply want to chat about a licensing scenario that can be unnerving, let me know.  Send me a message on LinkedIn or shoot over an email – blaforge@splalicensing.com

So how do you reduce your spend?  That’s a tough question without a quick answer.  I would have to review your report to understand exactly how you can potentially reduce costs.  Nonetheless, I’ll give her a try. Here’s my top 3 ways service providers can reduce their licensing costs –

1. Run multiple instances of SQL on the same VM.  A little blurb in the SPUR states “For each virtual OSE for which you have assigned the required number of licenses….you have the right to run any number of instances of the software in that virtual OSE”  (page 23 of the SPUR for your boredom).  Keep in mind, there’s a difference between running an “instance” and running a VM. 

2. License the Core Infrastructure Suite (CIS) to run Windows and System Center Servers.  If you are reporting System Center and Windows separately….STOP!  System Center needs Windows.  In other words, you have to report Windows regardless; might as well pay less. 

3. Do not report Windows Standard….report Windows Datacenter.  You have the option of running unlimited VM’s with Datacenter edition.  If you are reporting Windows Standard, that means you are not virtualized. Get virtualized.

One more for good measure…

4.  SAL for SA – I still don’t understand why service providers do not report this SKU.  It’s less expensive, your customer can still deploy on premise and in your cloud, and you will be unique.  (I’ve only seen it reported once). 

There are many more ways to reduce spend. (even outside of simply licensing/virtualizing, etc.) There’s too many scenarios to review on a blog post. How about this trade off – If I can reduce your spend, you owe me a beer at a hosting conference. (joke for the record). If I can’t, at least you know your reporting correctly.

Thanks,

SPLA Man

 

 

 

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1 Comment

Posted by on July 9, 2014 in In My Opinion

 

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The Cloud Platform Suite (CPS)

01 Nov

The Cloud Platform Suite (CPS in Microsoft language) is a new SKU coming January, 2014 and will be in the next release of the SPUR.   (there’s a lot of acronyms in this post). CPS is a bit out of the norm for SPLA;  the licensing is by processor and by guest instance.  CPS combines Windows Server 2012 and System Center 2012 in one SKU (similar to the Core Infrastructure SKU (CIS)).  To add to the complexity, the core infrastructure suite is not going away. I wrote an overview recently that provides great details in licensing Windows, CIS, and CPS at “Licensing in a virtual world”

On the surface, CIS and CPS appear to be the same SKU, but there are significant differences.  To reiterate, the Core Infrastructure Suite is licensed by processor on the host and will allow you to run virtual instances depending on the SKU in which you report – Datacenter= unlimited VM’s/Standard= 1 VM.  CPS is licensed by processor on the host and by virtual instance.   CPS will allow the VM to move to different hosts, as long as the underlying host is licensed and you report the highest number of VMs.  The other caveat – you must RUN Windows 2012, System Center 2012 and HYPER V.  If you are not running Hyper V, you cannot license CPS.

Why would you report one over the other?  It really boils down to the number of VM’s deployed.  You need to calculate the total cost of the solution (both the number of hosts and VM’s), and whether or not you decide to install 2012.  If not, you cannot license CPS.

In my opinion, if you are virtualized, but not highly virtualized, CPS is your answer.  If you have high number of VMs, stick with Datacenter.  Remember, under CPS you have to license each guest separately.  (except if it’s Linux, no “guest” fee is charged for Linux VMs running on the Cloud Platform Suite “host”).  The cost is not astronomical per VM, but if you run 100’s of VMs, the cost can add up quickly.

Clear as mud?  Probably. It’s Microsoft licensing.  That being said, I think this is a good SKU for smaller environments and provides more options for service providers.  In Microsoft eyes, this SKU will encourage their customers and partners to deploy 2012R2.

Hope this helps and thanks for reading. There will be more insight on this as we get closer to January.  Stay tuned!

SPLA Man

 
5 Comments

Posted by on November 1, 2013 in Cloud Platform Suite

 

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