Microsoft Licensing confuses me!

[ihatecrappymail]

Hi all,

I am hoping for a little help understanding how Microsoft licensing
works. Here's the scenario, I work for a small business that has 50
workstations. All of these work stations must have Windows installed
and must have Microsoft Office installed.

To do all of this correctly and legally I would need volume licensing
correct? For instance, I couldn't just go to a store like Best Buy, buy
a copy of Windows and a copy of Office and then use the CD of each one
to install them on all the computers right? As I understand it, those
copies are retail copies and the key that comes with them is a retail
key which is good for installing on only ONE computer computer correct?

This is also true of OEM versions right? Say I have a CD with an OEM
version of Windows. The key that comes with that CD is only good for
one computer right?

So, how does volume licensing work? Do you just get one key that is
good for how many ever computers the software needs to be installed on?
So, when I buy the software I still only get ONE cd and ONE product key
but that product key and CD can be used to install the software on
multiple computers. Am I understanding this correctly?

Thanks for any help you can offer!

 

[Kerry Brown]

Your scenario is almost correct. At 50 workstations you would be in the Open
License or Open Value program.

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/open/default.mspx

Unfortunately with a volume license for XP you still need to buy a license
with each computer. The volume license is for an upgrade. See the last
question in the following FAQ.

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/open/default.mspx

The advantage of a Volume license is the ability to create an image using
one key then deploy it to multiple computers. You can also pay over time
rather than up front. You can also get software assurance which assures you
get free upgrades during the time of the contract.

I recommend you contact a Microsoft licensing specialist before purchasing
any licenses. It is a complicated subject and even talking direct to
Microsoft you often get conflicting opinions.

http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/mplahome.mspx