Leonid S. Knyshov

Simply put, Microsoft Software Assurance really allows you to get the support you need when you need it.

It is expensive to support older software. Professionals like me have a huge knowledge base about the product, but after a while all that version-specific knowledge fades away. We forget the tricky workarounds to bugs, we assume that a feature from the newer version was present in the old software, and in general what takes 5 minutes to troubleshoot on a current version takes over an hour on older software.

Sure, I can support Microsoft Exchange 5.5 server. I can also support Novell NetWare 3.12. How many others do you think can do it anymore without doing extensive research? Do I really want to support Exchange 5.5 and all its limitations?

Another example is Microsoft Office. Many innovations happen on that platform. Yet as new platforms get rolled out, older software is no longer supported on them. Outlook 2002/XP can’t remember POP3 account passwords on Vista and Windows 7. The older version uses API that is simply not in Windows 7 anymore. The new API was introduced in 2001. 3rd party add-ins are rarely updated for older releases.

Software assurance + Open Value is actually a cheaper way to license Microsoft’s software. You typically get two or three versions of the product. Buying Windows Server releases without enrolling it into Software Assurance is again not a very smart thing to do. As soon as you introduce the next version of Windows Server 2008 into your network, your Server 2003 CALs are no longer valid. A software assurance customer gets replacement CALs automatically. A customer who is not enrolled in SA must purchase these CALs at full price again. This is not very painful on Windows Server, but SQL Server and Exchange CALs are very expensive and cost hundreds of dollars per user. There are no upgrade CALs available.

Open Value, which includes Software Assurance, comes with extra benefits. You get elearning training for your products. You get cold server standby license. One of the most valuable benefits, however, is ability to pay for your licenses in 3 annual payments. Think of it as interest-free financing.

I can open an Open Value Software Assurance volume license account for any customer for as little as $40. While it is true that you need to have at least 5 licenses to start, there are licensing tricks that most people don’t know about.

Next time you are buying a server, think about not paying Dell’s OEM fee, but instead to license it through Open Value license. However, even if you do buy an OEM server, enrolling it into SA gives you similar benefits to as it you bought it through Open Value in the first place.

As of this writing, one of my favorite products Microsoft Outlook 2010 with BCM is slated to only be available to volume customers in both Office 2010 Standard and Office 2010 Professional Plus SKUs. I will work with existing BCM customers to setup a volume customer account even if they have fewer than 5 employees.

In short, if you wish to save money using Microsoft software, you will benefit from opening a volume license agreement. Talk to me about how this really works. We also have financing and subsidies available.

As of this writing, you can buy Office 2007 today and get Office 2010 free.

I am a Microsoft licensing expert who knows a frightening number of ways how to save on software licensing. For example, I can setup a web server with Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server for less than $1000 for unlimited number of users. Talk to me today. 510-282-1008

Filed under:
microsoft by Leonid S. Knyshov