Windows Intune Licensing and Purchasing Options

[March 16, 2015 note: A more recent version of this report, updated to reflect licensing changes, can be found at www.directionsonmicrosoft.com/licensing/secured/2015/03/intune-packaging-licensing-and-pricing.]

Windows Intune, a new subscription-based offering for Windows client PCs (i.e., not servers), uses online services hosted in Microsoft data centers to provide PC management and malware protection. Sold as a per-device license, Intune is available through three different purchase programs. Depending on a customer’s license requirements and number of PCs, some will have one option and some will have multiple ways to purchase Intune. The fact that Intune is licensed per-device and Office 365, its sister online service, is licensed per-user, may introduce complexity for some customers by requiring them to manage two different licensing models.

Licensing Overview

Using Intune, a customer’s IT staff (or outsourced IT personnel) can manage PCs without having to set up an on-premises management and security infrastructure. (See the sidebar “What Is Intune?“.) In addition, Intune includes rights to upgrade to Windows 7 Enterprise from any business version of Windows. Intune also includes most of the same special use rights and benefits that are provided to customers who added Software Assurance (SA) subscriptions to their Windows 7 licenses. Hence, such customers are offered a substantial discount when buying Intune. (See the sidebar “Software Assurance Benefits for Intune“.)