Licensing

Software Assurance

Microsoft Software Assurance (only available for Volume Licensing)

Microsoft Software Assurance for Volume Licensing helps boost organizational productivity with 24 hours a day, seven days a week (24×7) support, deployment planning services, end-user and technical training, and the latest Microsoft software releases and unique technologies, all in one cost-effective program.

Software Assurance Benefit Eligibility for individual Software Assurance benefits may vary depending on your Volume Licensing agreement type and/or geography. The benefits are designed to support and are based on your organization’s on-premise software license purchases.

Available Benefits

New Products

  • New Version Rights. Provides new software version releases so that you have access to, and licenses for, the latest technology.
  • Windows 7 Enterprise. Please see Separate windows 7 documentation. Available exclusively to Software Assurance customers, Windows 7 Enterprise operating system offers additional valuable features to help you protect sensitive data, improve application compatibility, and simplify IT management and deployment.
  • Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP). Available exclusively to Software Assurance customers as an add-on subscription, MDOP employs six innovative technologies to improve desktop management that includes application virtualization, asset management, and desktop diagnostic tools.
  • Step Up License Availability. Enables you to migrate your software from a lower-level edition to a higher-level edition, such as Office Standard to Office Professional Plus, at an incremental cost avoiding full license charges.

For more information: Microsoft/licensing/software-assurance

Deployment

  • Planning Services. Provides structured planning services from Microsoft partners to help you lower the cost and complexity of deploying new software and to help you maximize the value of your existing software. Service offerings include the following:
    • Desktop Deployment Planning Services (DDPS)
    • Developer Tools Deployment Planning Services (DTDPS)
    • Lync and Exchange Deployment Planning Services (L&EDPS)
    • Private Cloud, Management and Virtualization Deployment Planning Services (PVDPS)
    • Public Cloud, Windows Azure Deployment Planning Services (AZDPS)
    • SharePoint Deployment Planning Services (SDPS)
    • SQL Server Deployment Planning Services (SSDPS)
  • Windows Virtual Desktop Access (VDA). Windows Virtual Desktop Access lets you access virtual desktop environments from Software Assurance-covered PCs, and allows the PC’s user to remotely access their virtual desktops from third-party devices such as personal PCs and hotel kiosks. This benefit can help you extend the value of your virtual desktop environment by deploying your desktops anywhere, locally or in the data center, and expand end-user productivity with increased flexibility to access virtual desktops outside of the work environment.
  • TechNet Benefits for Software Assurance. Provide your IT staff with fast and convenient online access to Online Concierge Chat, Managed Forums, and additional IT resources it needs to efficiently plan, deploy, and support Microsoft products.
  • Roaming Use Rights for Office, Project, and Visio. Roaming Use Rights for Office, Project, and Visio allow users with Software Assurance on Office, Project, or Visio to remotely access their software on their virtual desktops from third-party devices such as home PCs and Internet kiosks. This benefit can help expand end-user productivity with increased flexibility to access Office, Project, and Visio outside of the work environment and enhance the value of your virtual desktop environment.
  • License Mobility. Extend the value of your server application license by deploying them on-premises or in the cloud. Take advantage of the lowest cost computing infrastructure for changing business priorities. With License Mobility, you can deploy certain server application licenses on-premises or in the cloud. If you deploy in the cloud, you can assign your existing licenses to an authorized service provider’s server farm.

Training

  • Training Vouchers. Receive instructor-led technical training provided by Microsoft Certified Partners for Learning Solutions (CPLS). Using official Microsoft Learning courseware, this training can help IT professionals and developers sharpen their technical skills and prepare for deploying new software.
  • E-Learning. Offers self-paced, interactive training designed for users and IT professionals. Delivered via the Internet or intranet, these courses can help lower your overall training costs and help employees become more efficient with Microsoft products.
  • Home Use Program. Offers employees the latest version of Microsoft Office for their home computer via a low-cost download. Home use helps you support flexible work environments and helps improve employee satisfaction and productivity by accelerating familiarity with the newest Microsoft Office products.

Support

  • 24×7 Problem Resolution Support. Gives you around the clock help for business-critical issues with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week phone support for all Microsoft server products, Windows, and the Microsoft Office System.
  • Extended Hotfix Support. Let’s you waive the annual fees and required sign-up periods associated with Extended Hotfix Support Account (EHSA).

Specialized Benefits

  • Cold Backups for Disaster Recovery. Provides licensing for servers used as offline (―cold) backups to help you improve system availability and protect mission-critical solutions from outages caused by production server downtime.
  • Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs. Available exclusively to Microsoft Software Assurance customers, this solution allows you to continue using earlier ―legacy PCs, while improving their management and security with a small-footprint, Windows-based operating system solution. This solution works with the Microsoft Remote Desktop Connection client or third-party clients for application access.
  • Enterprise Source Licensing Program. Offers you access to Windows source code for internal development and support if you have 1,500 or more desktop PCs.
  • Spread Payments. Payment for Volume Licensing and Software Assurance may be spread across three annual sums, helping you reduce your initial costs and simplify budget requirements without interest or other costs.