Volume Licensing for Dummies - help please

[Bev]

I have just taken delivery of 33 PCs with Windows 7 Home Edition. I've also purchased a Volume Licensing Agreement for Windows 7 professional and Office 2010 and need to upgrade them so I can connect them to the domain.

 

I can see in VLSC that there are Mac and KMS keys. And I think I understand that I can use the MAC key 50 times, but the KMS key is unlimited? We have paid for 20 full time members of staff, but we have more than 50 pcs that I was planning on eventually upgrading, so I take it that means I need to use the KMS.

 

 

I've searched for instructions and found these

A step by step guide on configuring and setting up KMS - Techieshelp.com

and

How to configure a KMS server in Windows Server 2008 R2 | ivan's blog

 

Which both suggest I need to set up a KMS server on my Windows 2008 server? And I need to use a Server 2008 key? But I have only got keys for Windows 7/8 and Office 2007/2010/2013, I don't have a KMS key for Server 2008.

 

 

I was planning on building one machine, and then using Ghost to replicate. I don't know if this affects my process at all?

Edited September 9, 2013 by Bev

[Hefferzzzz]

Did you buy or do you have a previous licence for Windows Server?

 

Dont worry about the number of MAC keys as you can call MS and get them to asign more to your agreement.

[Bev]

We have a server with a license, but it's not part of the volume agreement.

[featured_spectre]

Use the MAK key rather than KMS in this instance. This way it can work standalone without needing to connect to the KMS server. If you want a KMS server (good for IT suites for example) then speak with MS about getting it going.

[sted]

id always go kms given the option its set and forget once you hit 25 registrations you never have to worry about it again. If you dont have an 08r2 server with a kms ket just set up a windows 7 vm using the kms ket and use that as a kms server

[Bev]

I do have a server running Win Server 2008 R2, what I don't appear to have is a Key for Server 2008.

[sparkeh]

Um.. Just flicking through my MS Volume Licensing Guide and it says you can't upgrade Home editions to Pro editions via Volume Licencing :S

[sted]

I do have a server running Win Server 2008 R2, what I don't appear to have is a Key for Server 2008.

 

depends if the server was activated with a kms key or a mak key if its kms then its all done fot you pretty much

[Hefferzzzz]

Um.. Just flicking through my MS Volume Licensing Guide and it says you can't upgrade Home editions to Pro editions via Volume Licencing :S

 

You can if its through an EES and as the OP was quoting full time employees I think that is what they have?

[Bev]

I have a Microsoft OV EES Agreement which was sold with Win 7 Home machines, expressly so I could upgrade them to Win 7 Pro. I was also told I could upgrade the various old XP machines we have.

[Hefferzzzz]

I have a Microsoft OV EES Agreement which was sold with Win 7 Home machines, expressly so I could upgrade them to Win 7 Pro. I was also told I could upgrade the various old XP machines we have.

 

Yes you can. No problem with that at all.

[sparkeh]

Ok, perhaps, as usual, there is conflicting guidance from MS on this as I have something that says you can't do this.

But as with MS stuff, cling onto the paperwork that says you can do it!

[DMcCoy]

Home versions aren't eligible for upgrade *unless* the volume agreement is academic (and possibly charities) So fine for schools, but not business and possibly a little grey for some academy related businesses.

[Hefferzzzz]

Home versions aren't eligible for upgrade *unless* the volume agreement is academic (and possibly charities) So fine for schools, but not business and possibly a little grey for some academy related businesses.

 

If you have an EES agreement as in this instance then its absolutely fine for you to upgrade from a home version. Academy status doesnt really matter as they are covered the same as any private school is.

[adhutton]

Can anyone point me to the MS guide which details what can/cannot be upgraded from a home license please? (when using EES)

 

I know one exists, but cannot find it.

 

Cheers_

 

Andrew

[Hefferzzzz]

Can anyone point me to the MS guide which details what can/cannot be upgraded from a home license please? (when using EES)

 

I know one exists, but cannot find it.

 

Cheers_

 

Andrew

 

 

EES Licensing Guide

If you discover that you have existing PCs

that lack the necessary full license for a qualifying operating system, talk to

your Microsoft reseller about the Get Genuine Windows Agreement for Academic

(GGWA-A). GGWA-A provides a simple, cost-effective way for you to acquire full

licenses for Windows 7 Home Premium. These licenses fulfill your requirement

for a full qualifying operating system. Once you have acquired the full

operating system license, you are then eligible to license those PCs for

Windows 7 Enterprise Upgrade through EES. Learn more at www.microsoft.com/piracy/knowthefacts/LegalizationSolutions.aspx.

 

[sparkeh]

I dug this up it it helps:

Qualifying for Windows Volume Licensing.pdf

[adhutton]

Thanks chaps.

 

What I specifically need to know is if I buy a couple of microservers (for storage/backup purposes) with Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 installed, can I then upgrade them to full Windows Server 2008R2 and be covered by our EES license?

 

Anyone know?

 

Cheers_

 

Andrew

[tmcd35]

Thanks chaps.

 

What I specifically need to know is if I buy a couple of microservers (for storage/backup purposes) with Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 installed, can I then upgrade them to full Windows Server 2008R2 and be covered by our EES license?

 

Anyone know?

 

Cheers_

 

Andrew

 

No and Yes...

 

No, there's no auto upgrade rights for Server OS in EES. In fact they are not included in EES as standard.

 

Yes, you can buy Server OS licences under EES (but may work out cheaper getting normal volume licenses).

 

MS don't sell server upgrades to the best of my knoweldge. Whatever license agreement you buy under it's always the full product. It's only desktop Windows that is sold as an upgrade and requires either full retail or OEM versions already on the machine.

 

Remember with EES you have to pay the subscription each year. If you're not planning to upagrade the server OS every 3 years then Select licensing is usually cheaper.

[Hefferzzzz]

No.

 

You cannot upgrade a server licence using EES.

[Hefferzzzz]

No and Yes...

 

No, there's no auto upgrade rights for Server OS in EES. In fact they are not included in EES as standard.

 

Yes, you can buy Server OS licences under EES (but may work out cheaper getting normal volume licenses).

 

MS don't sell server upgrades to the best of my knoweldge. Whatever license agreement you buy under it's always the full product. It's only desktop Windows that is sold as an upgrade and requires either full retail or OEM versions already on the machine.

 

Remember with EES you have to pay the subscription each year. If you're not planning to upagrade the server OS every 3 years then Select licensing is usually cheaper.

 

WHS.

 

If you have no intention of upgrading the server OS for another 5 years then a normal academic open licence is better value than an EES licence