Tech Management
Steady Your Budget with Microsoft Subscription Licensing
Microsoft offers many different licensing options, but they can all be classified into 3 programs:
While there are benefits to each program, Volume Licensing is the most valued program in the SMB market (5 – 500 users). There are many advantages to the Volume Licensing Program, the most important are: mobile use rights, downgrade rights, and re-imaging rights.
There are further categories within the Volume Licensing program but before we examine them, here’s a common example of a licensing dilemma.
SMB Volume Licensing Scenario
Company X wants to re-provision a server to make it a 200 user terminal server. They already have the hardware and Windows Operating System license, they just need to buy the Remote Desktop Client Access Licenses (CALs) and application licensing (Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus).
Let’s price this under the Open Business Volume Licensing program, using Microsoft MSRP pricing. Open Business is a very basic and commonly used Volume Licensing Program.
| Microsoft Open Business Program | |||
| Product | Qty | Price Per Unit (per year) | Total Price |
| Windows Remote Desktop User CAL | 20 | $85.00 | $1,700.00 |
| Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus | 20 | $508.00 | $10,160.00 |
| Totals | $11,860.00 | ||
Ok, it’s not the most expensive project you’ve ever seen but if you are trying to squeeze this in by the end of the year it may be difficult to get it added to the IT budget. Also if the budget is one that doesn’t vary much from year to year (even years with hardware uplift projects) then it is most likely going to be put aside for a more important project.
Let’s take a look at the same project done under the Microsoft Open Value Subscription program:
| Microsoft Open Value Subscription Program | |||
| Product | Qty | Price Per Unit (per year) | Total Price |
| Windows Remote Desktop User CAL | 20 | $36.00 | $720.00 |
| Microsoft Office 2010 Professional Plus | 20 | $171.00 | $3,420.00 |
| Totals | $4,140.00 | ||
$4,140.00 is the annual price you pay for the Open Value Subscription program. This project could be implemented with money left over from this year’s budget. Since this amount is annual, it can be included in the IT budget forecast to make actual budgeting less volatile.
Furthermore this program includes free product upgrades, so if you ever want to upgrade to the latest server operating system or MS Office product, you will not have to purchase additional licenses. Microsoft is also offering a trade-in incentive of 50% off the first year’s subscription for trading in old MS Office and MS Desktop OS licensing.
Unsure if Open Value Subscription is right for your company? Want to get a report of your current Microsoft licenses?
Contact the Thrive Networks today or email our Product Department.