No Licensing Restrictions for Windows Web Server 2008

Published by Administrator | Filed under Server News

CRN’s Channel Web reported that Microsoft removes licensing restrictions from Windows server 2008. The software producer has modified its licensing TOS for Windows Server 2008. Microsoft aims to compete more effectively with open source platforms.

The company will not not require a client access license (CAL) for the Windows Web Server 2008 SKU. It will allow server administrators to run any type of software database without limits on the number of users, provided they deploy it as an Internet-facing front-end server.

The Windows Server 2003 web edition didn’t require a CAL, but it imposed a limit of 50 users and database restrictions.

Microsoft to Outrun Apache?

Microsoft increased its share in web server market in 3rd and 4th quarter of 2007. A web survey released by Netcraft in August 2007 showed that Microsoft held 34.2 % of the Web server market.

Apache is still market leader with 48.4 % but some analysts say that Microsoft could end Apache’s market dominance in the very near future. The data from December’s survey shows that Microsoft gainde another 1.56 % and finished year with 35.76 % share on the web server market. The number for Apache is 49.57 % at the end of 2007.

Microsoft’s progress has however been stunted as a result of the complexity of its licensing structure. “Licensing models have always been one of the most difficult aspects of doing business with Microsoft,” says one source, quoted by CRN.

Solution providers say that the licenses that matter most for Windows Server 2008 are server OS and server application licenses on the Windows Server platform.