Many Aspects of Windows Licensing Remain the Same

For volume licensing customers, most aspects of the Microsoft Windows existing packaging, pricing, and Per-Device licensing model remain in place, unchanged by the new Windows Per-User licensing option. Per-User licensing, first introduced Dec. 2014, simply expands the set of licensing choices available to volume licensing customers. Remaining the same is the Windows installation media, Windows editions and their capabilities, existing Per-Device Windows stock keeping units (SKUs) available through volume licensing, the Windows OEM distribution channel, and the limitations on ways service providers can offer virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions as a service.

Windows Installation Media

The Windows media that customers download from the Volume License Service Center (VLSC) remains unchanged. Of particular note is that the Windows media has not been altered to include any sort of new Per-User license enforcement or measurement capabilities. So, customers licensing Windows under the Per-User model use exactly the same volume licensing media and keys to deploy Windows, and activate using the same two methods: Key Management Service (KMS) and Multiple Activation Keys (MAK).