We have roughly 300 virtual machines running Windows 11 for unattended RPA jobs. Each machine runs a configured automation script that interacts with software through the user interface, similar to Selenium. There are no human users operating these systems, and each VM currently uses a unique local account. The automation does not use Microsoft 365 services, but our Microsoft contacts have not given us a clear licensing answer. What licensing approach are others using for this kind of setup, and are there better alternatives we should consider?
3 Answers
A virtual Windows 11 machine still requires Windows licensing; the fact that it is unattended does not make it license-free. If each automation identity is treated as a separate account in Entra, one possible route is an unattended Microsoft 365 E3-style license without Teams, but the exact entitlement depends on how the VMs, accounts, and RPA software are configured. Get the answer confirmed in writing from Microsoft or a licensing specialist rather than relying on an informal response.
Three hundred separate Windows 11 VMs is a significant operational and licensing footprint. I would also review the architecture—perhaps consolidating workloads onto fewer hosts or using a platform designed for unattended automation could reduce the number of full desktop instances. The current setup may be necessary for legacy applications, but it is worth treating it as technical debt and checking whether the underlying software can eventually be integrated through APIs or another supported interface.
With this many desktop VMs, it is worth examining whether the workload can run on Linux instead. If the RPA product supports Linux or can use another automation architecture, that could avoid much of the Windows desktop licensing complexity. Otherwise, there probably is not a shortcut around the Windows virtualization and access rights.
The automation exists because the legacy applications do not expose usable APIs, so replacing the bots immediately is not realistic. Still, reducing the number of individual desktop environments should be considered if the applications can safely share infrastructure.