Licensing Basics
Typically, customers acquire Microsoft software products in one of three ways:
Full Packaged Product (FPP) – Licenses for boxed, shrink-wrapped software that are purchased through retail outlets in small quantities.
Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) or System Builder – Computer manufacturers can preinstall Microsoft software and provide legal licenses.
Volume Licensing – If you are getting more than five copies of Microsoft software, Volume Licensing can provide potential savings, flexible license acquisition, ease of deployment, and payment options. Microsoft Open Business and Open Value are the Volume Licensing programs for small and mid-size organizations.
Licensing Recommendations for Customers
Recommended License: OEM
Customer Profile
- Purchasing new hardware with the software license.
- Does not require volume licensing features such as downgrade rights, software asset management tool, or electronic license management.
- Wants a single point for hardware and software support
- Accepts that licenses cannot be moved from one computer to another unless the license is enrolled into Software assurance no later than 90 days after it has been bought.
Recommended License: Full Packaged Product
Customer Profile
- Needs immediate access to the product with no commitment.
- Is willing to forego product discounts.
- Wants the ability to move the licenses from one computer to another.
- Wants to obtain upgrade licenses- for example, for upgrading from Office 2003.
Recommended License: Open Business
Customer Profile
- Need to acquire 5 licenses or CALs, or one server processor license, on the initial order.
- Is willing to pay upfront for the licenses
- Wants the ability to move the licenses from one computer to another.
- Needs a paperless electronic license management system.
- Wants to use disk imaging or software distribution tools such as SCCM and therefore needs an Office suite that does not require product activation.
Recommended License: Open Volume
Customer Profile
It is similar to Open Business except:
- Wants additional saving on licenses.
- Places an initial order of atleast 500 points in the Application Product Pool- eg. 250 Office Standard licenses without SA.
Recommended License: Open Value
Customer Profile
- Similar to Open Business except:
- Needs to acquire 5 licenses or CALs, or one server processor license, and wants a SA.
- Wants the flexibility of annual installment payment options.
- Wants the additional SA benefits in Open Value.
- Wants license quantity flexibility (Open Value Subscription).
- Wants to use disk imaging or software distribution tools such as SCCM and therefore needs an Office suite that doesnot require product activation.
Recommended License: Select Agreement
Customer Profile
- Its similar to Open Volume, except:
- Has 250 or more desktops and can forecast a license consumption of atleast 1500 points in the Applications Product Pool- eg 750 licenses without SA for Office Standard 2007.
- Wants additional savings on licenses.
- Needs worldwide coverage.
- Wants to aggregate purchases across geographies and affiliates.
Recommended License: Enterprise Agreement or, Enterprise Subscription Agreement
Customer Profile
- Similar to Open Value except:
- Has 250 or more desktops and wants to standardize across all desktops.
- Wants additional savings on licenses.
- Needs worldwide coverage.
- Wants to aggregate purchases across geographies and affiliates.
to contact our Microsoft Licencing Specialist click here