Licensing

Microsoft Volume Licensing

If you plan to buy five or more software licenses, Microsoft offers price advantages for volume purchasing. Discover how Microsoft Volume Licensing can help your organization realize its goals and read what customers and analysts have to say.

How Volume Licensing works

Simply stated, volume licensing of software makes it easier and more affordable to run software on multiple computers within an organization.

By acquiring software licenses through Microsoft Volume Licensing programs, you only pay for the software license. Boxed software, on the other hand, includes media (the CD-ROM or DVD), a user's guide and other packaging items. Eliminating these physical costs and purchasing in volume often reduces cost and provides more customized purchasing options and improved software management.

Depending on the Volume Licensing program you choose, you may receive media, and you have the option to acquire media (or supplemental media), documentation, and product support separately as needed.

In the case of some Volume Licensing programs, you may also purchase Software Assurance. This comprehensive maintenance offering can help you get the most out of your software investment. It combines the latest software with phone support, partner services, training, and IT tools. You can choose Software Assurance at the time of purchase and begin using your benefits immediately for the term of your license agreement.

Keys to Understanding Microsoft Volume Licensing

To choose the optimal approach for your organization, you must first understand the major characteristics of Volume Licensing policies and programs. Areas for consideration:

• The size and type of your organization

• The products you want to license

• The way in which you want to use those products

Microsoft tailors some of its programs to meet the needs of specific industries, depending on the primary function of the organization. For example, public sector organizations such as schools and universities.

For smaller organizations, the Open programs provide a simple, cost effective way to acquire the latest Microsoft technology.

Microsoft - Licensing Options for Small and Midsize Organizations

Easily track and manage your licenses, reduce compliance risk, and have more time to focus on your business with Open Value, Open Value Subscription and Open License options.

Open Value

Open Value is the recommended program if you have a small to midsize organization with five or more desktop PCs and want to simplify license management, manage software costs, and get better control over your investment. It also includes Software Assurance, providing access to valuable benefits such as training, deployment planning, software upgrades, and product support help you boost the productivity of your entire organization.

Open Value Subscription

Open Value Subscription provides the lowest up-front costs of the Open Program options with the flexibility to reduce the total licensing costs in years when the desktop PC count declines This option gives your organization the rights to run the software throughout your organization only during the term of the agreement with Microsoft. You also have the ability to add the single platform option to an Open Value Subscription agreement.

Open License

Open License is a good choice if you are a corporate, academic, charitable, or government organization that wants to pay as you go. You must have a minimum initial purchase of five software licenses for an Open License agreement, but you can acquire additional licensed products through Open License in any quantity at any time during the two-year agreement term.

Eligibility

With an initial purchase of five or more licenses, you can acquire products as you need them over the term of your agreement.

In addition to commercial business, Microsoft offers Open programs for the following industries:

• Government organizations

• Health organizations

• Educational institutions

• Qualifying 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations

• Multinational organizations

Programs for Charitable Organizations

Eligible nonprofit organizations can acquire multiple software licenses—rather than multiple software packages—at reduced prices through Volume Licensing. Your organization needs to purchase only one complete software package and enough licenses to cover the remaining number of computers.

Open License for Charities

Easy to understand and administer, Open License for Charities is flexible enough to meet the needs of a broad range of organizations. After an initial order of five or more licenses, you can reorder as few as one license, so you order only what you need. Choose from a wide selection of licensed products and acquire them from any approved Volume Licensing reseller.

You receive license confirmation information electronically and can quickly and easily view your license purchase history, so there's never any question about which licenses you own. Your organization gets even more value, more manageability, and more assistance with optional Software Assurance.

Software Assurance

More than an upgrade, Software Assurance can help your organization get the most value from up-to-date technology by providing a powerful combination of productivity benefits, support, tools, and training. Software Assurance offerings available under Open License for Charities are the same benefits as those available under commercial Open License agreements.

For at-a-glance information on what Software Assurance might bring to your organization, see the Software Assurance Benefits Chart.

Learn more about Software Assurance.

Eligibility

Only eligible charity organizations that meet certain requirements can purchase licenses through Open License for Charities. Follow this link to learn more:

Worldwide eligibility requirements

Microsoft - Enrolment for Education Solutions (EES)

Enrolment for Education Solutions (EES) is available for schools within the UK from the 1st March 2011 Under this agreement you can license a single school, multiple schools or an entire school system, such as a local authority. You count your Full-Time Equivalent staff once per year, so you don't have to track every single computer in your establishment. Full time equivalent are staff who work more than 200 hours per year in your school.

Counting FTE staff once per year covers all staff and shared-use computers

• One annual payment for all software at academic prices

• Access to the most current version of licensed software

• Ability to downgrade to an earlier version of software

• Broad product selection available in all languages

• Microsoft Windows or Apple Macintosh platform

• Optional inclusion of computers exclusively dedicated to one student, and student’s own home computers

Other Licensing programs

Adobe

Adobe products enable users to create, manage and publish visually sophisticated and high-quality as well as reliable and secure content.

Symantec

Symantec programs provide customers with a consistent and flexible way to purchase Symantec availability and security software and support and maintenance service options. The programs are designed to reduce administrative costs, accelerate procurement capabilities.

Bitdefender

Bitdefender understands that today’s Business Solutions need to go far beyond basic virus detection and prevention. It’s why our Internet security solutions are designed with the capability of implementing controls and managing policies for large numbers of endpoints and servers… all with minimal effort.

Sage

Sage range of business software and services is continually evolving as they constantly innovate. Sage licensing can range from Multi Company, Multi Users to SageCover licences.