Licensing Model Changes for Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013, Part 3: Limited User License vs. Light User License

Last fall we discussed the Microsoft Dynamics NAV 2013 perpetual licensing model from two perspectives: an overview of the model and an analysis of Microsoft's possible strategy with the new model. Let's take a look at the final aspect of the new model, the limited user license, which changes the licensing landscape significantly, opening a range of new scenarios not possible earlier.  The changes also create the possibility for dangerous risk for companies in the Dynamics NAV partner channel, as well as existing customers.

Microsoft Discontinued the Light User License

The Light User license type has been present in NAV for a long time, under various names, such as Web User, Desktop Client for Office. This type of license allowed users not using any of the NAV clients provided by Microsoft, which were the Classic client and the RoleTailored client, to access NAV without functional limitations. This type of license allowed partners to develop ISV solutions, or to deploy customer-specific role-tailored customizations which accessed NAV through Web services. One of primary goals was to provide a better match between required functionality and the price tag.

With the perpetual licensing model, Microsoft discontinued the Light User license type, and there is no replacement that precisely fits the usage scenarios of the old licensing model.  Microsoft has instead introduced a new license type: the Limited User license. However, this license type does not fully match the Light User license. It is truly a new license type.

The Limited User License

In earlier versions, the term limited user was used as a common descriptor to a family of license types that ...