Need of Windows-CALs to use Starwind

[KPS]

Hi!

I just hat a long discussion with my microsoft licensing specialist about using Starwind for my linux VMs.

The discussed szenario is:
- VMWare with a Linux-VM - working as Mailserver

1. Local/Linux storage
--> no Windows-System involved --> no CALs needed

2. Starwind storage
--> every user/device that is using the linux-server needs to get an additional MS-CAL, as it is using a windows server "indirekt", as Starwind is running on Windows-Server-OS
The definition was: Does the client still get his mails, if every Windows-Server is powered off


Do you have any special agreement with MS, that my microsoft specialist did not know?

Thank you for your help!

KPS

[Boris (staff)]

KPS,

For your appliance, you can try our new Linux-based solution called StarWind Virtual SAN for vSphere. With it, you basically get the StarWind highly available storage out of the "box" without purchasing any kind of MS licence. For more information please visit: https://www.starwindsoftware.com/starwi ... an#vSphere

[KPS]

Hi!

Is the linux-vsa ready for production? I just read some posts about a new version in the end of the year to solve bigger problems.

[Boris (staff)]

I am not aware of any restrictions for using this in production.
Check the configuration guide for the proper steps to configure the appliances https://www.starwindsoftware.com/resour ... tion-guide

[KPS]

Hi Boris!

When did that change?
https://forums.starwindsoftware.com/vie ... 001#p28193
--> Your colleague says, that it is still not ready for production.

KPS

[Boris (staff)]

The new build was released about a week ago, so this did change. Back at the time Oleg was writing that post StarWind VSAN for vSphere was available as Technical Preview, while now it is released with no such limitation.

[KPS]

Hi Boris!

Is there any possibility to install the Linux-VSA on "bare-metal" to avoid overhead of a hypervisor?

Regards,
KPS

[Boris (staff)]

Currently, it is not designed to work that way.