Licensing opinions

[djones]

I wonder if anyone could share any thoughts on this...

We are a new primary school which has been growing rapidly over the past two years. We currently have 26 desktop PCs and 15 laptops that have got individual licenses for OS (OEM) and Office2k3 (5 laptops with Office2k still).

Very soon, we will be buying another 24 PCs and about 6 laptops. I have used MS Schools Agreement in the past (different school) when setting up from scratch - this worked out cheaply in the short term but then obviously became expensive longer term as we stopped adding machines and upgrading software.

What are your thoughts on using the Schools Agreement in this new case? Would you just buy the Office2k3 licenses for the new PCs and laptops or enter into the agreement to cover all. We will probably be adding a class set of laptops in another years time and with Vista around the corner the schools agreement seems more attractive.

Sorry for the long post!

David.

[Paid_Peanuts]

The schools agreement is good if you plan to upgrade versions of software you are running frequently as you are covered to upgrade under software assurance. Or if you plan to add new machines within the year as you are entitled to grow your network upto 100% within the year without having to pay for addiditonal licences.

However if you see no additional machines being added to the network within the year - just buy the licences there and then. It will work out cheaper over 2/3 years say. plus you dont have to remember next year about renewing the licence.

[localzuk]

Do you have a server? If so, you'd also need CAL licenses for that too.

I think the difference between schools agreement and simple outright purchase is down to the old argument 'to lease or to buy' really.

[CyberNerd]

Do you even need MSOffice in a primary? most of our primarys use OpenOffice. http://www.openoffice.org/

[djones]

Do you have a server? If so, you'd also need CAL licenses for that too.

Yes we do - is the CAL for server access not included with OEM WinXP Pro? This is where MS licensing really confuses me and a lot of others I suspect!

[djones]

I would also like to image the machines using WDS. With VLKs this is easy, however, what I am having trouble with getting my head around is the issue of having different keys for each machine?! Am I completely off base here?

[localzuk]

Do you have a server? If so, you'd also need CAL licenses for that too.

Yes we do - is the CAL for server access not included with OEM WinXP Pro? This is where MS licensing really confuses me and a lot of others I suspect!

Nope, you have to buy CALs separately - per device or per user.

[FN-GM]

This link may help http://blogs.msdn.com/ukschools/arch...best-deal.aspx

[craiglay]

Regarding Vista, see if you can get the XP licences with the free upgrade coupon. Thats what I have. They're oem mind...

I recently got some Office 2007 licences and was sent 2003 media and keys for both... May be a county thing though.

Craig

[alonebfg]

if you buy select licences you can only get vista now with the option to downgrade to whatever os you wish ?? I have just done the same thing if you want to talk about it i have got a really good contact. IE laptop if you buy licences for pcs under select agrement (not open select) you dont need licences for laptop if teacher use them at home as you can put xp and office on them as work at home licance. If you want to know more pm me. I found my suppler very helpful in this department and it is all above board and legal even checked with ms and they confermed as I thought
I was being lead up the garden path. IE one desktop licence = 1 wah licance.
http://www.microsoft.com/Education/WorkHome.mspx

[djones]

Thank you very much for the replies.

I have come to the conclusion that it is going to work out significantly cheaper to simply buy the Office2k3 licenses (£36) and Server CALs (£4.50) from our LA and not worry about Vista et al at the moment.

What I still haven't got my head around is the licensing issues with imaging PCs that all have different WinXP OEM license keys. How do you do it? (That question probably belongs in the other forum!)

Thanks again, David.

[Ric_]

@djones: If you are covered by a volume license agreement you may use a volume license copy of XP Pro which uses a vlume license key and can be installed on multiple machines.

[FN-GM]

So basically you can use your Volume Licence key on the machines that have OEM stickers on without paying any extra.

[djones]

If you are covered by a volume license agreement you may use a volume license copy of XP Pro which uses a vlume license key and can be installed on multiple machines.

I wouldn't be entering into a volume licensing agreement though - just using the OEM licenses as supplied with the hardware and buying the office licenses and CALs from the LA (who presumably have a Select agreement).

I have only dealt with VLKs as part of Schools Agreement in the past when imaging which is why I am now unsure as to how to stay legit without it.

[FN-GM]

You have alredy paid for the licences via OEM