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Microsoft Changes Software Licensing Procedures
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Microsoft Changes Software Licensing Procedures
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Microsoft Corporation has recently changed the way it licenses its software. These changes, expected to be in effect by January 2002, could impact how you or your Technology Support Coordinator (TSC) orders Microsoft products. What Has Changed
The campus usually buys Microsoft software under a program called the Academic Select Agreement. In the new licensing model, Software Assurance replaces Upgrade Advantage. The differences between the old and new models can be summarized as follows:
Product Lines
If you do not purchase Software Assurance within 30 days of purchasing your new Microsoft product, you will need to purchase an entirely new license when you upgrade. Thus, if you do not upgrade your Microsoft products very often, you may not need Software Assurance. Campus Agreement
The Microsoft Campus Agreement provides an alternative to the Select Agreement. The Campus Agreement supports all Microsoft products except server software. This agreement operates in many ways like a car lease: You pay a fixed fee annually to keep current versions of software on your systems, but you do not get an actual license for the products. The Campus Agreement requires that the consumer purchase at least 300 licenses. The good news is this does not require your department to have 300 full-time employees (FTE). The licenses can be purchased for any combination of Microsoft software products. For example, if you have 100 FTE in your department who each need three different Microsoft systems (e.g. Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Project and Microsoft Office), then you are fulfilling your minimum 300-license requirement. Since the Campus Agreement covers people rather than machines, it also helps departments with labs or people who use several machines. With this agreement, you can install the software on any number of machines in your department as long as the machine's owner is the same person.Deciding Which Agreement Is Best for You
Cost is one of the most important factors in choosing a licensing agreement and determining whether to purchase Software Assurance. If you are in charge of purchasing software for a department or college, you might best weigh your options by running the prices in different scenarios. For instance, good pricing is available through the new UC software reseller, Technology Resource Center (see "New Software Reseller for UC Chosen" in this issue).For More Information
In August and September, the Software License Coordination team (SLC) hosted two well-attended forums regarding the licensing changes. Mark Ciabattari, the UC Davis Microsoft representative, has made the presentation available online, alongside other reference materials, licensing scenarios, and FAQs collected from each of the forums. If you have a specific question about site licensing, please check with your Technology Support Coordinator (see online directory) or contact the software licensing coordinator at software@ucdavis.edu. |
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