Software Assurance, and its Benefits, Software Licensing

Software Assurance, and its Benefits

Microsoft Software Assurance (SA) helps Microsoft Volume Licensing users manage their business at each stage of the software management lifecycle. SA is a comprehensive maintenance program which aims to maximize end user’s investment by helping them.

·         Gain control of their technology strategy·         Improve the skills of their IT staff·         Decrease their support spending·         Effectively plan for new software deployments·         24x 7 business-critical supports·         Improved deployment and manageability·         Greater cost savings·         More technology protection

Software Assurance benefits are designed to help users realize the full value of their software investment throughout each stage of the software lifecycle, whenever they need it.

Benefits of Software Assurance and Services Offered

Cold Back-Up Disaster Recovery

Enables users with SA as well as related Client Access Licenses (CALs), to leverage complimentary ”cold” back-up server licenses for disaster recovery.

Corporate Error Reporting (CER)

Enables applications and operating systems to collect and report on crashes in the system. Gives the IT staff the ability to monitor and review error information and control the types of reports sent to Microsoft.

eLearning

Uses simulations, demonstrations, animations, hands-on exercises, and assessments to provide an engaging, effective learning experience for employees who need to upgrade their skills

Enterprise Source Licensing Program

Enables eligible users with 1,500 or more licensed desktops to access windows source code for internal development and support

Home Use Program

Enables employees to get a licensed copy of select Microsoft Office desktop programs for their home computer

Microsoft Employee Purchase Program

Gives users’ employees significant discounts off retail pricing on the popular Microsoft productivity and consumer products, Employees can order directly through a secure, Microsoft hosted e-commerce site

New Version Rights

Provide new software version releases to deploy at your users’ own pace.

Spread Payments

Enables users the flexibility to spread payments annually (available across all programs except Open License Business and Volume) instead of making one up-front payment, reducing their initial costs and improving their ability to forecast annual software budgeting.

Information Work Solution Services

Provides workshops for Open Value users with Software Assurance, These workshops enable users to fully take advantage of their IT infrastructure capabilities and productivity applications. Workshop options consist of the following:

·         One-Day Work Value Discovery: Helps business decision-makers prioritize projects that will have the greatest impact and lowest risk on their business.

·         Two-Day Information Work Architecture Design: Gives IT staff and technical decision makers a clear understanding of the required architecture for deploying the highest-value information work projects into their IT environment.

Desktop Deployment Planning

Help users the latest tools, technologies, and best practices for deployment (such as zero-touch deployment). Users eligible to receive on-site services have access to consultants who provide hands-on training and experience within the user’s environment.

Windows 7 Enterprise

The client operating system for enterprises, available exclusively as a Software Assurance benefit, Windows Vista Enterprise offers security and management features that help large organizations significantly lower costs and improve the efficiency of their IT resources.

Virtual PC Express

Offers advanced application compatibility, allowing users to run legacy applications on a virtual machine. Unlike Virtual PC 2004 which enables the user to run multiple virtual machines side by side, Virtual PC Express is limited to a single virtual machine.

24 x 7 Problem Resolution Support

Provides 24 hours a day, 7 days a week online and business-hour telephone support resources for business-critical outages on all Microsoft-supported products. Partners can call on behalf of users. Software Assurance users receive unlimited Web support (available during business hours) for Microsoft servers covered under their agreement.

Extended Lifecycle Hot-Fix Support user

Enables users to request hot-fixes in the Extended Lifecycle Support without signing up or paying an initial fee. User can only pay for extended support when a hot fix is required. Previously available, this support benefit has been enhanced to make it easier for users with a Premier or Essential Support contract to get the support they need as software transitions from Mainstream to Extended Support.

TechNet Plus and TechNet Managed Newsgroup

Provide low cost resources for IT staffs to quickly address their technical issues. These support options are only available to users with Software Assurance for server licenses and associated CALs. Benefits include:

·         Unlimited technical support from over 100 TechNet Managed Newsgroups

·         TechNet Plus subscription media, featuring resources like the Microsoft Knowledge Base, software updates, utilities, technical training, and how-to articles

·         Pre-release versions of Microsoft products, two complimentary technical support incidents, full-version evaluation software without time limits, and access to TechNet Plus Subscriber Online Services

·         Quick answers (without marketing content) directly from the people who made the product

Training Vouchers

Training vouchers are vouchers for training on any Microsoft official instructor-led and online courses, self-paced courses, and consultative learning services, which are available to IT professionals and developers from more than 1,600 Microsoft Certified Partners for Learning Solutions worldwide. Training vouchers may be exchanged for Information Work Solution Services days at a rate of 2 vouchers for each day of services.

Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs

Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs for software Assurance is a Windows-based operating system designed for users with legacy PCs who are running legacy operating systems and are not in a position to purchase new hardware. Windows Fundamentals provides the same security and manageability as Microsoft Windows XP SP2 while providing a smooth migration path to the latest hardware and operating system.