Microsoft licensing - A moving target

Microsoft licensing - every time we think we understand it, it changes. Hopefully, by now you are aware of the new volume licensing program, Open Licensing 6.0, and the new upgrade program, Software Assurance (SA), which began on October 1 and will replace the Version Upgrade program, Product Upgrade program, Competitive Upgrade program & Upgrade Advantage licenses with one single offering for everyone.

Microsoft throughout its history has vacillated between a simple, one-size-fits-all program (like the new SA) and a complex, multioffering situation where different companies' needs are taken into account, which lead to the plethora of programs that SA is replacing. But by this time next year, expect new programs to be introduced based on a company's size or based on the combination of products that company buys.

All the details you need to try to understand the new program are available at the SA portal (www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/sa/) or at least linked from there. You'll also find details about the " open licensing " initiative (www.microsoft.com/partner/licensing/openlicensing/), which includes multiple ways to acquire SA (www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/sa/saolsleacompare.asp).

In fact, the more you read these papers, comparisons, explanations and proposed agreements the more you'll come to realize that Software Assurance is simply another way to say " Software Subscription. " Pay an annual fee and you'll be entitled to whatever the latest version of the software package is. Read the details, though, and you'll realize you don't actually have to install the latest version. In fact, you can use any version in the same " product family " as long as you're licensed to the most current version. Thus, you could purchase Microsoft® Office XP Software Assurance but continue to deploy Office 97.

Of course, there'll be some judgment calls to be made as to which products are part of the same family. Is Windows XP in the NT family or the 9x family? Is it in both, or neither?

Check with your local sales office. If you don't like that answer, check with Redmond. I've got a feeling that there may be different interpretations for a while, so do whatever you can to get a decision that's favorable to you.

Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. His most recent book is "Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks" published by SAMS. Dave's company, Virtual Quill, provides content services to network vendors: books, manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing, technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill provides "words to sell by..." Find out more at Virtual Quill or by e-mail at info@vquill.com

J.D. Edwards tackles integration project
Network World, 10/08/01

Microsoft boldly bundles again
Network World, 10/08/01