Confused about EOL Equipment...

[Mr_Jiminy]

Firstly I admit it doesn't take much to confuse me... So go easy!

 

In regards to a Microsoft Select or OVS-ES agreement, can an OS licence be transferred from computer to computer in the event of a computer becoming end of life, or does the licence die with the computer?

[Steve21]

Which OS do you mean? The OEM one? Or the "upgrade" rights provided by the OVS etc?

 

Steve

[tmcd35]

The OS licence dies with the computer. Only Office (any licence) and full retail versions of Windows are transferable.

 

That said, OVS-ES is an annual subscription for unlimited licences, price based on number of staff, so under this model you automagically get a new licence for the new machine.

 

Remember, any volume licence - select, OVS, etc - version of Windows is an upgrade licence so you need a qualifying OEM licence (or purchase/transfer a qualifying full licence) with the new machine.

[localzuk]

OVS-ES - these licenses are "upgrade" licenses, and are based on your FTE staff count. There aren't specific per machine licenses (except for servers).

Select - these are licenses you can assign to a machine, remove from a machine and assign to a different machine.

OEM - these licenses, according to Microsoft, live and die with the machine they are sold on. However (its Microsoft licensing, there's always a "however"), EU law dictates that OEM licenses can be transferred https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20120703/11345519566/eu-court-says-yes-you-can-resell-your-software-even-if-software-company-says-you-cant.shtml and Selling OEM Windows copies – you can do it in Europe • The Register are pretty good on this point.

 

That said, I don't think OEM license transfer has been tested in a UK court yet! So, transfer OEM licenses at your own peril.

[Mr_Jiminy]

So to get my head around this... Say a school has an OVS-EG agreement, the school procures ten shiny new laptops with Windows 8.1 Pro OEM licences. As part of the OVS-ES agreement, I can take said laptops out of box, re-image all ten, then activate each laptop with a key (MAK/ KMS) from the of the VLSC?

[tmcd35]

Select - these are licenses you can assign to a machine, remove from a machine and assign to a different machine.

 

According to MS's brief: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Licensing/learn-more/brief-operating-system-license-requirements.aspx

 

You can only reassign Volume licences if they are covered by Software Assurance, if not they are tied to the machine they where first assigned to.

[tmcd35]

So to get my head around this... Say a school has an OVS-EG agreement, the school procures ten shiny new laptops with Windows 8.1 Pro OEM licences. As part of the OVS-ES agreement, I can take said laptops out of box, re-image all ten, then activate each laptop with a key (MAK/ KMS) from the of the VLSC?

 

yes.

 

And you can re-image them with Win 7, Vista, or XP if you don't want to use Win8.

[Mr_Jiminy]

yes.

 

And you can re-image them with Win 7, Vista, or XP if you don't want to use Win8.

 

Excellent, thanks.

 

We currently have a Select Agreement, however the OVS-ES is definitely the route we're going to take.

[localzuk]

According to MS's brief: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Licensing/learn-more/brief-operating-system-license-requirements.aspx

 

You can only reassign Volume licences if they are covered by Software Assurance, if not they are tied to the machine they where first assigned to.

 

Ah, I always assume people have SA. My mistake!

[Mr_Jiminy]

Can anyone please point out the difference between OVS-ES and EES?

 

[localzuk]

Can anyone please point out the difference between OVS-ES and EES?

 

 

I believe EES is the overarching scheme, OVS-ES is a scheme within the EES scheme specific to schools.

 

Realistically, the 2 are used interchangeably by schools and licensing providers.

[Mr_Jiminy]

Thanks again