Windows Server
- Simply pay the normal AWS fee for Windows Server instances (on-demand, spot, reserved). These fees are typically more than same-sized instances of other operating systems (https://aws.amazon.com/windows/resources/licensing/#launch).
- Provision an AWS Dedicated Host (https://aws.amazon.com/ec2/dedicated-hosts/) and use the existing Cornell Microsoft licensing (http://www.it.cornell.edu/services/software_licensing/available/windows.cfm). This is because the existing Cornell Microsoft licensing is limited to computers “owned” by Cornell. Microsoft considers instances running Windows software running on Cornell-provisioned AWS Dedicated Hosts as “owned” by Cornell (not so for instances running elsewhere on AWS). https://aws.amazon.com/windows/resources/licensing/#dedicated
- Dedicated Instances are a separate AWS offering. Our campus Windows license does not work with Dedicated Instances, only Dedicated Hosts. Also please note that there is a $2/hr (~$1500/mo) charge for running any number of Dedicated Instances, per-region (not including the cost of the instances themselves).
SQL Server
- As of April 2018, Microsoft will no longer allow any form of Bring-Your-Own-License (BYOL) to AWS Relational Database Service (RDS). This means that Cornell cannot use our campus Microsoft licensing agreement for Microsoft SQL Server on RDS. For details see 2018-04-27 AWS & SQL Server RDS Licensing.
- If you require a managed MS SQL Server instance you have two options
- You may purchase an AWS RDS instance with their license included for an additional fee (https://docs.aws.amazon.com/AmazonRDS/latest/UserGuide/CHAP_SQLServer.html).
- A separate "RD-esque" service is being offered in partnership between the Cloud Team, Managed Server Team, and DBA Team. For information contact the Cloud Team (cloud-support@cornell.edu).
- You may also use the campus license on an EC2 instance that you maintain.
Microsoft Office
- Our campus Microsoft Office license cannot be used in any shared server environment. In short, this means that only instances launched on a Dedicated Host are able to use the license. AWS EC2, AppStream, or WorkSpaces are not viable targets for the license.
- The online version of O365 (https://www.office.com) may be a suitable replacement for the full, local installation and is fully license compliant from EC2, AppStream, and WorkSpaces.