Note – When we discuss License Mobility, we mean leveraging end customer licensing in shared environments.
With the new Flexible Virtualization Benefit, what is the reason for License Mobility? Great question. There is no need for License Mobility. However, if you use a Listed Provider (Google, AWS, Alibaba, and kind of Azure), you must use the License Mobility form. If you are a non-listed provider or an authorized outsourcer) you can use the Flexible Virtualization Benefit. There is no form to complete, no authorization.
What about compliance? Contrary to what Microsoft or maybe a consultant will tell you, if you are hosting anything, you need to track it. In an audit, you have to prove the way you are licensing. If you are not reporting the product in SPLA, how are you reselling it? If you say, “Hey, it’s my customer’s license,” they will ask you to prove it. I also think this is a huge opportunity to educate your customers. Imagine getting audited. Auditors ask you to verify the licenses, and you go back to your customers and tell them they are out of compliance. What is your customer going to do? That’s right. They are going to Joe’s Hosting down the street, can careless about compliance, and report only ten dollars a month to stay “under the radar.” On the other hand, if you educate your customers and look at different ways to reduce their licensing spend, Joe’s Hosting will be out of business. Take care of your customers; they will take care of you.
Thanks for reading,
SPLA Man
SPLA Licensing 