Microsoft Open License is a flexible, transaction-based licensing program for small and medium sized businesses in the US and Canada, and government organizations in the US. The Open License program is designed to provide an easy way to acquire and administer multiple copies of software and receive license confirmations quickly. You can obtain the most current Microsoft software products while helping to manage overall costs and staying compliant via Software Assurance.

Benefits

• Simplicity - Open License is easy to understand and administer with simple, clear terms for acquiring software licenses.
• Flexibility - Open License is flexible enough to meet the needs of a broad range of institutions. You can choose from a wide selection of products. After an initial order of five or more licenses, you may reorder a minimum of only one license.
• Compliancy - With eOpen, you will receive license confirmation information electronically and can easily view your license purchase history to ensure that you remain compliant.

Open License Business - How it Works:

• An Open Business Authorization Number is valid for two years.
• Minimum initial order of five licenses to obtain an Authorization Number.
• Reorder minimum of one license.
• Purchases licenses and optional Software Assurance as needed.
• SA expires when the Authorization Number expires, regardless of the point during the term in which it was purchased.

Open License Volume - How it Works:

• An Open Volume Authorization Number is valid for two years.
• The minimum purchase is based on the number of points you will purchase in your initial order for a particular product pool.
  • Level B = 150 points per pool
  • Level C = 500 points per pool
• The number of points you purchase in your initial order for a particular product pool determines your Open Volume License level and price discount.
• Purchase licenses and optional Software Assurance as needed.
• SA expires when the Authorization Number expires, regardless of the point during the term in which it was purchased.

Open License Charity - How it Works:

• In the US, non-profit organizations with a valid 501(c)3 designation are eligible to purchase under the Open Charity program for greater price discounts.
• In Canada, you must be a "Registered Charitable Organization" as defined by the Revenue Canada Income Tax Act.
• An Open Charity Authorization Number is valid for two years.
• Minimum initial order of five licenses to obtain an Authorization Number.
• Reorder minimum of one license.
• Purchases licenses and optional Software Assurance as needed.
• SA expires when the Authorization Number expires, regardless of the point during the term in which it was purchased.

Open License Government - How it Works:

• Small and medium sized government organizations in the US are eligible for the Open Government program.
• An Open Government Authorization Number is valid for two years.
• Minimum initial order of five licenses to obtain an Authorization Number.
• Reorder minimum of one license.
• Purchases licenses and optional Software Assurance as needed.
• SA expires when the Authorization Number expires, regardless of the point during the term in which it was purchased.

Overview of Microsoft License Offerings and Product Pools

Here are the license offerings that are available under Academic Select:

• License only (L) - Gives you the rights to the current version of a particular product.
• License and Software Assurance (L & SA) - Gives you the rights to the current version of a particular product, as well as eligibility for the most current version of the product released during the term of your agreement. Customers who choose Software Assurance Membership (SAM) to receive the additional benefits of SA must purchase SA on all of their licenses.
• Software Assurance (SA) - Enables you to always be eligible for the most current version of the product released during the term of your agreement. Can only be purchased without a license under one of the following conditions:
  • May be purchased within 90 days of the purchase of the current version of a server or system license from a retail package or OEM.
  • May be purchased within 90 days of the purchase of an Office System OEM license.
  • May be purchased as a renewal to your existing SA coverage.

Qualification for Academic Select licensing is determined by a forecast of the number of products in each product pool that you plan to purchase throughout the term of the agreement. The three product pools are:

• Applications - For desktop application products such as Office, Excel, Project, etc.
• Systems - For desktop operating systems such as Windows Vista (These are only available as upgrade licenses under Microsoft volume licensing. New licenses must be acquired either via OEM licenses or full package product.)
• Servers - For products that run on a network server such as Windows Server and Exchange Server. Client Access Licenses (CALs) for the server products are also included in this pool.

Software Assurance Benefits

In addition to new version rights, SA offers Open License customers the following benefits:

• Windows Vista Enterprise and Virtual PC Express - Windows Vista Enterprise licenses help you to maximize your desktop investments with powerful tools and technologies that help reduce IT costs and the complexity of managing corporate PCs. It helps protect sensitive data and intellectual property on lost or stolen PCs. It also includes integration of all worldwide Windows languages (MUI), which helps reduce the cost of managing a single, global system image for your PC hardware. Virtual PC Express is a feature of Windows Vista Enterprise that lets you run legacy applications on legacy operating systems in a single, virtual machine.

• eLearning - Help your users to become educated on new products. Microsoft's eLearning delivers a comprehensive student experience, using streaming audio and video software demonstrations, hands-on exercises and courses designed by professional instructors. Employees can take interactive modules and tutorials on various applications at any time at their own computer, even offline.

• Home Use Program - Increase employee productivity and ensure compatibility between documents created at work and at home when you grant your employees the rights to Microsoft Office System products to install on home computers for personal and business needs.

• 24 X 7 Problem Resolution Support - Enjoy phone support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for business-critical outages on all Microsoft-supported products including all server editions, Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office applications. Phone support includes Microsoft server, Microsoft Windows and Microsoft Office System products and editions, even if the specific license requiring support does not have Software Assurance coverage. Product must be in mainstream phase of the product lifecycle and eligible for SA Benefits. Visual Studio, Developer editions of Server, or Home and Entertainment products not included. SA awarded incidents can be converted to Premier support incidents which allows you to receive Premier service levels. In addition, server products covered by Software Assurance receive unlimited web support.

• Cold Server Backup for Disaster Recovery - Protect valuable data without buying a new license. Software Assurance grants you the right to install server software on a cold server for the purpose of disaster recovery in the event of an emergency.

• Extended Lifecycle Hotfix Support - Request hotfixes for products in the Extended Lifecycle Support without signing up or paying an initial fee prior to determining a need. This means you do not pay for extended support unless hotfixes are required. As always, security fixes are automatically guaranteed.

Tracking Licenses with eOpen:

Microsoft provides electronic delivery of licenses ordered under Open License through the eOpen Web site in countries where electronic license delivery is available. eOpen is a proprietary Web-based solution that reflects Microsoft’s record of the license status of all Open License customers. The secured license site has been developed to help manage license acquisitions. With each acquisition, you will receive access to the secured site to view the status, license data, acquisition and return details, Open License agreements and other information.

eOpen Benefits:

• Immediate authorization to begin copying software and deploying software licenses.
• Ability to electronically track transactions online.
• Easy access to transaction history including acquisitions, reorders and returns.
• Reduction of administrative costs associated with manually tracking license certificates and software compliance.

To Enroll in Open License

Contact your dedicated SHI Account Executive at 888-764-8888 for pricing and further information. Found out how your institution can benefit from Microsoft's Open License Program.