I'm trying to find a way to provide Microsoft Office for about 50 users using an RD Session Host on an EC2 instance. I've explored the AWS License Manager, but it doesn't seem to fit our needs. WorkSpaces isn't viable for us either due to different issues. I'm considering the option of using Office 365 with Shared Computer Activation mode. Has anyone had success with this setup or have any alternative suggestions?
3 Answers
A straightforward option would be to deploy a Windows Connection Broker with multiple EC2 instances. I've seen this architecture successfully support over a thousand users. It's scalable and efficient.
Unfortunately, Microsoft has strict licensing rules when it comes to running Office on AWS. You can only use Office from an AWS-provided AMI or on WorkSpaces. If you possess a perpetual license for Office 2019, you could set it up on a dedicated host to comply with licensing requirements. Another approach is to consider leveraging Workspace Pools to run M365 for a group of users.
I was hoping you wouldn't say that! I already manage my own Active Directory, so setting up another one just seems unnecessary. It's frustrating that my existing session hosts can't accommodate Office, and I'm a bit concerned about the potential for License Manager to shut down instances if they appear "unhealthy."
Using the shared installer tool should cover you, as long as each user is properly licensed. They’ll need to log into Office 365 after installation to validate their licenses, and you won't require a product key. The installation process differs from usual setups, but the guidelines are relatively straightforward.
That sounds promising, thanks for the help! I've never installed Office 365 before. Is there a way for me to log in for the users so they don’t have to worry about it? I want an easy terminal setup for them, just click in and go.
Actually, that could breach Microsoft’s licensing agreement.
My main concern is about Office licensing. Can you actually run Office 365 desktop apps on a shared EC2 instance without violating any rules?