Open License

By Joshua Erdman
Digital Foundation, inc.

In the Open License program there are 3 options to help customers organize their licenses, stay up to date, and receive savings and services. These programs vary by features, services and requirements. Below is a table that describes the features of each Open License Option.

Open License Plan Comparison
Features	Open Value V. 2	Open Business	Open Volume
Company Size	5 or more PCs	5 or more PCs	5 or more PCs
Initial License Purchase	5 or more	5 or more	500 points
Licensing Options	Lic & SA, SA Renewals	License, SA, SA Renewals
Licensing Terms	3-year, SA required	2-year, SA Optional
License Resellers	Your Value Added Reseller (ie. Digital Foundation, inc)
Employee Discounts	Yes, up to 30%	No
Use at Home	Yes	No
Training Discounts	Yes	No
Payments	3 Annual Payments	All Costs Paid Up Front

As you can see, the features and benefits vary widely. Open Business and Open Value require you to purchase just 5 licenses to join. To meet this requirement, customers typically buy a server package and 4 CALs. All prices are fixed and not based on the quantity you purchase.

Open Volume is a point based program. Your initial purchase must consist of a minimum of 500 points. As you obtain more points you reach higher tiers allowing you to purchase software at slightly better prices.

One thing to keep in mind about volume licenses, Microsoft has done away with upgrades for all bulk licensed software. This was done in July 2002. So your only hope for future upgrades is a new plan called Software Assurance or to pay through the nose on a retail upgrade package. You can read more about Software Assurance (SA) in the FAQ.

Article last reviewed: 03/03/2006

Created by: Digital Foundation, inc.

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