Windows 7 upgrade options limited for some enterprises

Microsoft will restrict Windows 7 "upgrade rights" for Vista and XP users to 25 machines at any single street address, meaning that larger companies will have to go through volume licensing for their migration plans, according to a Web site chronicling the rollout of the forthcoming operating system.

Larger companies will have to rely on their Software Assurance (SA) maintenance contracts as the foundation for their upgrade path, but those without SA won't get any upgrade break at all beyond the first 25 PCs.

SA gives users rights to upgrade to new versions of any software they have under their SA maintenance contract.

The 25-machine limit will likely mean that any company without SA won't execute on migration plans until after Windows 7 ships. Given the length of many corporate migrations, that means companies without SA likely won't be deploying Windows 7 for at least a year after it ships.

A Windows 7 final beta, called a Release Candidate, is rumored to be coming out next month. Microsoft still says the final shipment of Windows 7 will be early in 2010, but many observers think the operating system could ship this fall.

The Web site TechARP.com reported over the weekend that Microsoft would include rights to get Windows 7 for users buying PCs now loaded with Vista and for some running XP.

Sign up for ITworld's Daily newsletter
Follow ITworld on Twitter @IT_world

• Email
• Print
• Share
  • Slashdot
  • Digg
  • Stumble
  • Reddit
  • Newsvine