Microsoft loosens code shackles

The change makes it easier to shift software around

Microsoft is planning to make it much easier to move its software between servers in data centres.

Currently it is difficult for customers to swap the company's software from one machine to another quickly without buying another licence.

Under the new rules, Microsoft will remove the requirement to get new licences for 41 server-based programs.

The move is seen as an attempt to catch up with rivals championing the "virtualisation" of software.

The change to the terms of its software licences will take effect on 1 September.

Under the current regime, Microsoft products are limited to one server-to-server transfer every 90 days. Any move also involves re-assigning the licence to that new machine.

The new regime will permit companies to move software "as often as necessary".

Many large companies have put applications, such as e-mail engines, inside what are known as virtual machines so they can be easily moved if the underlying hardware develops a fault or more capacity is needed.

Also, any widespread move to so-called "cloud computing", which makes software services available via the net, requires much greater flexibility.

"With this latest update to its licensing rules, Microsoft is knocking down barriers to virtualised deployments, which should help further accelerate the adoption rates," said Al Gillen, analyst at research firm IDC, in a statement.

The move is widely seen as a belated attempt by Microsoft to match rivals, such as VMWare, which have pioneered the shift to the virtualisation of programs and applications.

In recent weeks, details have emerged of a Microsoft project called Midori that will take over when Windows is retired. It aims to use virtualisation on desktop machines.