djones Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 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 Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 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 Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 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 Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 Do you even need MSOffice in a primary? most of our primarys use OpenOffice. http://www.openoffice.org/
djones Posted October 9, 2007 Author Posted October 9, 2007 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 Posted October 9, 2007 Author Posted October 9, 2007 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 Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 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 Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 This link may help http://blogs.msdn.com/ukschools/archive/2007/09/18/buying-microsoft-software-how-to-get-the-best-deal.aspx
craiglay Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 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 Posted October 9, 2007 Posted October 9, 2007 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 Posted October 17, 2007 Author Posted October 17, 2007 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_ Posted October 17, 2007 Posted October 17, 2007 @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 Posted October 17, 2007 Posted October 17, 2007 So basically you can use your Volume Licence key on the machines that have OEM stickers on without paying any extra.
djones Posted October 17, 2007 Author Posted October 17, 2007 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.
djones Posted October 17, 2007 Author Posted October 17, 2007 You have alredy paid for the licences via OEM I understand that bit but as they are OEM WinXP versions they will all have different keys. I don't have a volume license agreement at this school (I used the Schools Agreement at a previous school) so wouldn't be able to use a VLK. Does that make sense?
FN-GM Posted October 17, 2007 Posted October 17, 2007 Oh right i get you, you may have to go round each machine and change the product key then. This site may help http://www.mike-devlin.com/windows/key.htm
Grommit Posted October 17, 2007 Posted October 17, 2007 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. I don't think this is true as I believe that the reason XP Pro costs so much more than XP Home is that it's classed as a CAL on the server..
FN-GM Posted October 18, 2007 Posted October 18, 2007 Nope, you buy calls for the server eg Windows Server 2003 CAL, Windows Server 2000 CAL and not the client machine.
alonebfg Posted October 19, 2007 Posted October 19, 2007 ok if you want xp pro you need to pay for it if you have xppro you can use a licence kit IE select agreement and install xp pro using that key If the machine Depending on what it is (laptops i licince under WAH) you can install the volume licence key. If you want Im me I can put you on to a very knowlageble person.(not me)
mrforgetful Posted October 19, 2007 Posted October 19, 2007 Office is £31 for us from Ramesys, check them out.
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