/Video Meetup

Volume Licensing & Software Assurance

Volume Licensing and Software Assurance policies can seem distorted due to non-standardization. However, with a little guidance from our in-house licensing experts and Spiceworks colleagues, Microsoft aficionados recently learned how to swiftly traverse the licensing pathway.

Our most recent Video Meetup (VMU), “Microsoft Licensing 101: Volume Licensing and Software Assurance”, clarified perennial factors determining Volume Licensing capacity, including:

  • Eligibility requirements based on organizational volume
  • Immediate or scheduled payment structures
  • Permanent or temporary product use
  • Software Assurance benefits

Furthermore, the categorical structures and relative variations of the Volume Licensing matrix were outlined in regard to:

  • TRANSACTIONAL vs. COMMITTED licenses
  • SMALL (5-249 desktops) vs. LARGE (250+ desktops) licenses
  • Open Business vs. Open Value (Non company wide) options
  • Select Plus vs. MPSA (Microsoft Products & Services Agreement)
  • Open Value (Company Wide) vs. Open Value Subscription
  • Enterprise Agreement vs. Enterprise Subscription Agreement

Volume License Comparison Chart
Volume License Comparison Chart

Trusted Tech Team (TTT) licensing experts defined Software Assurance as: “a range of benefits which provide technology, services, and support to manage the software lifecycle.” More specifically, it was discussed as a product enhancement add-on for training, support, and usage rights. Ultimately, software assurance maximizes your product type or product-specific benefits.

A major takeaway from “Microsoft Licensing 101” was clarifying the fact that software assurance is an oft-discarded licensing option that ultimately saves you time and money. Bonus topics covered in the VMU included:

  • How to weigh the total cost of operations (TCO) of a licensing program
  • How to determine when different Open Licensing options are applicable
  • How Software Assurance can ease the difficulty of End of Life (EOL) issues
  • How Trusted Tech Team helps IT pros fully benefit from licensing programs

Trusted Tech Team is an accredited Microsoft CSP Direct Bill Partner, carrying multiple Solutions Partner designations and the now-legacy Microsoft Gold Partner competency. Based in Irvine, California, we report trends affecting IT pros everywhere.

If your organization uses Microsoft 365 or Azure, you may be eligible to receive a complimentary savings report from a Trusted Tech Team Licensing Engineer. Click here to schedule a consultation with our team now to learn how much you can save today.

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