NVIDIA vGPU Software Licensing Guide

This comprehensive guide provides detailed information on NVIDIA virtual GPU (vGPU) software products, licensing models, and pricing. It covers the entire NVIDIA vGPU software family, including NVIDIA Virtual Applications (vApps), NVIDIA Virtual PC (vPC), and NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation (vWS). This guide is intended to be a quick reference to understand the product portfolio, their features, and the corresponding SKU information. It also clarifies the nuances of each licensing option to help you choose the right solution for your organization.

NVIDIA vGPU Software: Accelerating Virtualized Workspaces

NVIDIA vGPU solutions empower businesses to deliver powerful graphics and compute capabilities to virtual desktops, applications, and workstations. This virtualization technology allows users to access professional graphics applications with full performance from anywhere, regardless of their device. This guide dives into the licensing, packaging, and entitlement details of these powerful solutions.

NVIDIA vGPU Software Product Offerings

NVIDIA offers three distinct vGPU software products, each designed to cater to specific needs:

• NVIDIA Virtual Applications (vApps): This product is ideal for organizations deploying Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops, RDSH or other app streaming or session-based solutions. It enables users to access any Windows application at full performance on any device.
• NVIDIA Virtual PC (vPC): This product delivers a native desktop experience, allowing users to run PC Windows applications, browsers, and high-definition video with full performance in a virtual environment.
• NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation (vWS): This product is designed for compute-intensive workloads such as accelerated graphics, NVIDIA Omniverse, and AI development. It caters to high-end designers who require full performance for professional 3D content creation applications.

NVIDIA vGPU Software Licensing Options

NVIDIA offers two primary licensing models for vGPU software: Perpetual Licenses and Annual Subscriptions. These options cater to different needs and budgets. Each model includes Support Updates and Maintenance (SUMS), which provide access to all maintenance releases, defect resolutions, security patches, upgrades to new major versions, and direct support from NVIDIA engineering.

• Perpetual Licenses: These licenses offer permanent usage rights without expiration. They require a four-year or five-year SUMS commitment, with the option to renew annually after the initial period.
• Annual Subscriptions: These licenses provide a more affordable option and offer flexibility in managing license volume. The annual cost includes SUMS for the duration of the subscription period.

NVIDIA vGPU Software Licensing and Pricing

Licensing for NVIDIA vGPU software is based on a Concurrent User (CCU) model. This model requires a license for every user accessing or using the software concurrently, regardless of whether an active connection to the virtualized desktop or session is maintained. The pricing for both licensing models is outlined below:

Perpetual Concurrent User License

• NVIDIA Virtual Applications: $20 per CCU perpetual license + $5 SUMS per year
• NVIDIA Virtual PC: $100 per CCU perpetual license + $25 SUMS per year
• NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation: $450 per CCU perpetual license + $100 SUMS per year

Subscription Concurrent User License

• NVIDIA Virtual Applications: $10 per CCU subscription
• NVIDIA Virtual PC: $50 per CCU subscription
• NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation: $250 per CCU subscription

NVIDIA Education Pricing Program

The NVIDIA Education Pricing Program provides discounted licensing options for qualified educational institutions. It supports the use of visual computing in teaching and research environments. For the NVIDIA RTX Virtual Workstation product, the program offers the following pricing models:

• Perpetual Licensing plus SUMS: $99 per CCU perpetual license + $25 SUMS per year
• Annual Subscription: $50 per CCU subscription

Choosing the Right NVIDIA vGPU Software License

Selecting the appropriate licensing option depends on your specific needs, budget, and use cases. The following table provides a helpful guide to assist in choosing the right licensing solution:

Common Use Cases	Solutions
Citrix Virtual Desktops	NVIDIA vPC – for PC level applications NVIDIA vWS – for workstation/professional 3D use cases
Omnissa Horizon 8	NVIDIA vPC – for PC level applications NVIDIA vWS – for each session utilizing a workstation/professional 3D use case
Citrix Virtual Apps and Desktops	NVIDIA vApps NVIDIA vWS – for each session utilizing a workstation/professional 3D use case
Omnissa Horizon 8 RDSH	NVIDIA vApps NVIDIA vWS – for each session utilizing a workstation/professional 3D use case
Other RDSH / Session-based	NVIDIA vApps NVIDIA vWS – for each session utilizing a workstation/professional 3D use case
Microsoft RemoteFX	NVIDIA vPC – for PC level applications
VMware vSGA	NVIDIA vPC – for PC level applications
Microsoft Hyper-V (DDA)	NVIDIA vWS
Microsoft AzureStack GPU-P	NVIDIA vPC – for PC level applications NVIDIA vWS – for each session utilizing a workstation/professional 3D use case
Red Hat Enterprise Linux with KVM	NVIDIA vWS – for workstation/professional 3D use cases

NVIDIA License System

The NVIDIA License System is a tool that provides monitoring and reporting on license usage for capacity planning. It is available for download with the vGPU software packages from the NVIDIA Licensing Portal. This license server can be installed on either a physical server or a dedicated virtual machine. This system helps IT administrators track license usage and determine appropriate sizing for their environments.

Key Takeaways

• NVIDIA vGPU software offers various solutions for virtual desktops and workstations, ranging from PC-level applications to professional 3D graphics workloads.
• NVIDIA vGPU software licensing options include Perpetual Licenses and Annual Subscriptions, each with its own advantages and pricing structure.
• The NVIDIA License System provides comprehensive monitoring and reporting on license usage, enabling effective capacity planning.
• The NVIDIA Education Pricing Program offers discounted licensing options for qualified educational institutions.

Contact NVIDIA for More Information

To learn more about NVIDIA vGPU software, licensing, and pricing, you can contact NVIDIA vGPU Support at [https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/support/enterprise/](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/support/enterprise/). You can also find additional resources on the NVIDIA vGPU website at [http://www.nvidia.com/virtualgpu](http://www.nvidia.com/virtualgpu).