Get More for Your Money Software Assets and Maintenance
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Section One 1Making the Most of Your Software Assets
Section Two 3Software Assets and Maintenance
Section Three 5The Benefits
Section Four 11The Maintenance You Need
Section Five 13Access Your Benefits
Further Information 15
Contents
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Section OneMaking the Most of Your Software Assets
Maximising Your Assets
People often view hardware as the real asset in an IT
infrastructure. After all, it is accounted for and is clearly
visible on desks across your organisation. But of course
hardware is only part of your business solution, as it is of
little use without software.
So although it’s easy to overlook software, it is one of your
key assets. More and more people are beginning to see the
very real business advantages of viewing software as an
asset, they might not appear on the balance sheet,
but they certainly add value and productivity to any kind
of business. Software is supporting you everywhere, from
communications to business processes to operational
efficiency, so it makes good sense to take care of your
software assets and maximise their capabilities.
This guide is designed to help you explore and determine
the true value of your software. From deployment, training
and support requirements, we show you how to maximise
your assets and where to secure the services your
organisation really needs.
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This guide gives you a clear, informative view of software as an asset and shows you how to
gain advantage by expanding the breadth of your solution. We look at all the key areas, such
as procurement, maintenance and support.
Section Two: Software Assets and MaintenanceThis section is all about viewing your software as a real asset
and how to realise the full potential of your organisation’s
chosen solution.
Section Three: Explaining theBenefits of Software AssuranceHere we introduce you to the Microsoft® software
maintenance programme, Software Assurance.
We explain the programme’s benefits and what
they could do for your organisation.
Section Four: The Maintenance You NeedWhich Microsoft Volume Licence Agreement includes
maintenance? Which ones give you the option to add
maintenance? We answer the key questions and show
you how to obtain the solution that fits.
Section Five: Access Your BenefitsFinally we show you how to take full advantage of the
benefits available to you, how to access them and how
to deploy them successfully in your organisation.
Where you see this icon we provide a link in the
text to relevant further information on the Web.
At the back of the guide you’ll find a page
of contacts for further information.
What’s inside?
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Section TwoSoftware Assets and Maintenance
AssetsBuying software is different from other purchases because
you are acquiring the right to use it rather than owning it.
This right of use is still very much an asset however.
The software you choose enables you to use your hardware,
without which your systems could not run. Software is
therefore a vital business component.
If you look at software in this way, you can broaden your
vision to how to obtain the full potential of your solution.
Let’s explore the application itself. Many software packages
today have much more to offer than is immediately obvious.
E-mail solutions, for example, can contain collaboration
services and multimedia connectivity. Also the realisation
of a solution is, not surprisingly, in its usage; users need to
understand and use its functionality in order to obtain
maximum benefit from the asset. We have therefore
identified that beyond the obvious need for rapid
deployment and effective execution of the application,
we also need to consider training and support if we are
to obtain maximum benefit from our total solution.
MaintenanceAs previously highlighted above, software is a key asset
within your organisation, and if treated as such, you can
achieve greater productivity and return on investment.
A software maintenance programme should therefore
include both your of business and technical needs.
For example, to maintain and protect your software
investments, you’ll need to provide a software licence
procurement solution. You will want to ensure that you can
deploy your software quickly and efficiently, and that your IT
staff and users have the training to ensure smooth
integration in your business. You need to be able to support
your solution long term on a daily basis. You also need to be
compliant and ensure good governance practices.
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Diagram 1: Maintenance needs to address both business and technical needs.
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Section ThreeExplaining the Benefits of Software Assurance
Microsoft’s maintenance programme is
called Software Assurance. Its purpose is to
help you get the most from our products,
by offering a range of benefits, covering
support, tools, productivity and training.
Here we outline the key business benefits
and what they bring to your organisation.
Easier BudgetingSoftware Assurance can bring greater flexibility to your
technology expenditure. Traditionally, customers have
purchased their software in bulk with an upfront payment,
but clearly this has major accounting and budgetary
drawbacks. Spreading the payment for software over
fixed terms allows IT Managers and Finance Directors to
stabilise this equation and have a fixed spend every year.
Quite simply, we can help you forecast annual software
budgets up to three years in advance.
Spread Your Payments
By spreading payments annually, you can ‘freeze’ your
licence price and plan your software budget up to three
years in advance. In addition, we offer the ability to ‘own’
the licences, lease or ‘rent’ for even greater software
acquisition choice.
Efficient Deployment and AdministrationAs we’ve mentioned before, a maintenance programme
such as Software Assurance should address business and
technical requirements. Support and tools are included with
Software Assurance, making it easier for IT professionals to
deploy and administer new product versions, updates and
other content across your desktops and servers.
Desktop Deployment Planning Services
For large organisations, Desktop Deployment Planning
provides the fundamental analysis, business case, process
and technical procedures necessary to execute a thorough
desktop deployment project and to maximise the return on
your software investment. The Desktop Deployment
Planning Service provides expert advice delivered through
a series of strategy and technical sessions tailored to your
business needs.
Information Work Solution Services
Microsoft can deliver expert advice aimed specifically at
small to medium sized businesses looking for the maximum
return from their software investments. The Information
Work Solution Services provide a highly effective approach
for increasing the impact that individuals and teams have on
their business. The advice is delivered through workshops
that enable you to turn practical information into positive
action immediately.
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24x7 Problem Resolution Support
With Problem Resolution Support you can always reach
Microsoft when you need to. Business critical phone support
is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for all Microsoft
Server products, Microsoft Windows® and Microsoft Office
system. You can also benefit from unlimited web support*
for all server products covered by Software Assurance,
giving you the right level of support whenever you need it.
Now you can make cost savings and boost efficiency:
Fewer hours of support or incidents purchased as part
of subscriptions to Microsoft support programmes
Shorter Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) for
technical issues
Improved server to support staff ratios
Increased uptime
*Web response is limited to business hours
TechNet Plus
This is a resource subscription service for IT staff, featuring
a knowledge database, utilities, drivers and ‘how-to’ articles.
The media is supplied as a kit and is updated every month.
TechNet Plus Subscription Media includes beta software
access and evaluation copies of the latest applications.
Also included is TechNet Online Concierge Chat, which
enables IT staff to post messages to managed newsgroups,
helping them quickly locate information needed to
troubleshoot technology issues.
Giga Research found that it can reduce the numbers of
IT people needed to manage Microsoft servers, through
improved server to support ratios. It can also replace
TechNet costs for customers who were previously paying
for that service.
Discussions with customers who have TechNet Plus suggest
that it can reduce both the number and the average cost of
internal Microsoft related support calls by 10 percent, the
latter through improved MTTR.
Windows Pre-Installation Environment
Windows Pre-Installation Environment (WinPE) is a tool
based on Microsoft Windows XP Professional that allows
you to speed up the deployment of the Windows operating
system to the desktop.
WinPE allows IT staff to build custom solutions through
automation and spend less time and effort keeping
desktops updated. It can run Windows setup, scripts and
imaging applications.
Using WinPE can cut the amount of support needed,
reduce calls to the help desk and reduce business risks
associated with deployment errors.
BEN
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Corporate Error Reporting (CER)
This is a tool that allows IT staff to see the information
captured every time an end user experiences an error
on the Microsoft platform. End users who have experienced
problems in the past have had to submit information
directly to Microsoft without notifying the onsite IT support.
CER gives control back to the IT department. All information
captured from a problem is kept within a database that
internal IT personnel can scrutinise and only send to
Microsoft if they need to.
CER lets IT staff map solutions to crashes by helping them to:
Identify which systems are failing and why
Connect to up-to-date knowledge and fixes
Act on information when escalation is required
Benefits include a reduction in the number and length of
help desk calls, the ability to spot trends, increased uptime
and preventative maintenance.
Enterprise Source Licensing Programme
With the Enterprise Source Licensing Programme (ESLP),
eligible customers with 1,500 or more licensed desktops
can access Microsoft Windows source code for internal
development and support. Your IT staff can customise Windows
and related applications, and implement improved debugging
to help maintain security and protect against viruses.
Cold Backups for Disaster Recovery
If you have Software Assurance and related Client Access
Licences, you are entitled to cold backup server licences,
used in disaster recovery. Essentially, a cold server only
activates when a disaster occurs and is not used for any
other processing. It is real ‘peace of mind’ technology and
makes sure that business as usual is always maintained.
Windows Vista Enterprise
Specially developed for larger organisations, Windows Vista
Enterprise lowers your deployment and management costs.
It includes features such as data protection for lost or stolen
PCs, application compatibility and gives you the ability to
deploy a single image in multiple locations around the world.
Virtual PC Express
Virtual PC Express supports a single instance of a virtual
operating system running on top of the host operating
system and provides a safe and protected way for you to
migrate legacy applications during an operating system
upgrade, through improved application compatibility.
It also enables access to critical legacy applications after an
operating system upgrade – even when those applications
cannot be modified to run the new operating system.
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
Designed for customers with legacy PCs and running legacy
operating systems, who are not in a position to purchase
new hardware, Windows Fundamentals gives you the same
security and manageability as Windows XP SP2, whilst
providing a smooth migration path to the latest hardware
and operating system when it’s convenient.
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Extended Hotfix Support
You can enter into Extended Hotfix Support Agreements
(EHSA) as hotfix issues arise. Annual fees and required sign
up periods associated with EHSA are included in the
Software Assurance Agreement. Peace of mind and reduced
support costs are part of the package (a Premier or Essential
Support Agreement is a prerequisite for eligibility).
Greater Productivity through Training and SupportNot only does Software Assurance provide your employees
with the latest software, but it also offers the right training, so
they can take full advantage of the most advanced technology.
New Version Rights
Software Assurance gives you access to the very latest
versions of our software that is released during your
agreement. You can simply upgrade as and when it suits
you. Benefits include simplified procurement, a shorter
business process cycle and reduced software costs.
eLearning
eLearning uses a mixture of professionally developed,
streamed audio and video software demonstrations,
practical exercises and animations. Users can take classes
whenever they wish and although designed mainly for
end users, eLearning can also prove very useful for IT staff
to learn about unfamiliar Microsoft applications.
Clearly your staff become more IT literate, but benefits
also include fewer helpdesk calls, reduced training costs
and even lower staff turnover – the link between training
investment and employee satisfaction is a strong one.
There are over 30 eLearning classes available to Software
Assurance customers, and the number is always increasing.
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Training Vouchers
We provide Training Vouchers for Software Assurance
customers with desktop software. These can be redeemed
with any Microsoft Partner for learning solutions. Designed
for IT professionals and developers, the vouchers allow your
technology staff to study on Microsoft curriculum courses.
It means they will be prepared for deployment, contribute
to smoother migration and up to speed with the latest
Microsoft technology. The competitive advantage is clear.
Take the Workplace Home With Software Assurance, employees can work from home
with a licensed copy of select Microsoft Office desktop
programmes installed on their home computer.
The Home Use Programme
The report ‘Microsoft Licensing: More for the Money’,
published in February 2004 by Giga Research, says that
employees with access to the office from home increase
productivity by an average of almost two hours per week.
With the Home Use Programme, you can bring this
productivity increase to your organisation. The Home Use
Programme allows each of your Microsoft Office licensed
employees a copy of selected Microsoft Office desktop
programmes to use on their home computer. This provides
a facility to work but also the freedom to use productivity
tools for personal use and the family. Many organisations
now include this scheme in their employee benefits package.
Employee Purchase Programme
The Employee Purchase Programme offers your
employees real discounts on Microsoft’s most popular
products, including Xbox® games.
Using the same software at home and at work provides
flexibility and can also help to build loyalty and IT literacy
amongst your employees.
Eligible products are purchased directly through a secure,
Microsoft hosted eCommerce site.
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Volume Licence AgreementsThe majority of Microsoft business software is bought
through a Volume Licence Agreement such as Open,
Select or an Enterprise Agreement. These are designed
to enable customers to buy their Microsoft software
easily. Our maintenance offering, Software Assurance
is an extension to these agreements, some of which
automatically include it.
If you are a Select or Open Licence customer, you can
choose to purchase Software Assurance at the start of your
agreement. As a Select customer, you also have the option
to become a Software Assurance Member (SAM) which
entitles you to more benefits. Select SAM enables you to
designate a product category such as applications,
operating system or server for Software Assurance
membership. This means that any licence acquired
within the designated product category also has
Software Assurance.
Whichever licence type you decide on, Software Assurance
will give the right to the latest version at any time during
your agreement. Please ask your reseller for more information
on Software Assurance, so that you can take full advantage
of its benefits.
Benefits vary according to whether your licences are for
desktop or server equipment. Please see the diagram on the
opposite page for details.
Your Guide to Features Availablewith Software AssuranceThe chart opposite gives you a quick, clear guide to what
is available with Software Assurance acquired through a
Volume Licensing Programme.
Section Four The Maintenance You Need
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WH
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Boxed and Pre-installed SoftwareYou can add Software Assurance to the licences on a new
computer within 90 days of buying it, as long as your computer
has the latest Microsoft Windows Professional, Office or
Server software pre-installed from your OEM supplier.
Contact your reseller and ask about enrolling your software
in a Volume Licence Agreement. Take a look at the Further
Information section for more on finding a reseller.
You can also visit:www.microsoft.com/uk/licensing/software-assurance
Lifecycle Stage
Plan
Deploy
Use
Maintain
Transition
Benefit Open Licence, Academic Open
Select Licence,Academic Select
Open ValueOpen Value
Company-wide andSubscription
(plus OSL and MYOprogrammes)
Campus & SchoolsAgreement, Academic
Select SAM
Select with SoftwareAssurance Membership, Enterprise Agreement,Enterprise Agreement
Subscription
New Version Rights •
••
••
•
•
•
• •• •
•
•••••
•
••
•
••
••
•
••
•
•
••••••••••••••
•
••••••••
••••
•
•
•••
•
•
•
•
•• • •
Spread Payments
Desktop Deployment Planning
Information Work SolutionServices
Windows PE
Windows Vista Enterprise
Virtual PC Express
Extended Training Vouchers 2006
eLearning
Home Use Programme
Employee Purchase Programme
Enterprise Source LicensingProgramme
24x7 Problem Resolution Support
Corporate Error Reporting
Cold Back Up for Disaster Recovery
TechNet Plus
Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs
Extended Hotfix Support 2006
Pack
aged
Serv
ices
**
***
* Not included with Academic Open and Select programmes** Open eligible for the spend based phone incidents, but not eligible for unlimited phone support or ‘base’ phone support.
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Section FiveAccess Your Benefits
Access Your BenefitsMany of our UK customers are already benefiting from
the features of Software Assurance. They are easy to
activate and demand minimal investment for such
significant potential returns.
Where to Access Your BenefitsTo access information about your licences you will need
your agreement number and a licence number.
For licences bought through the Open Licence programme,
use the online tool eOpen. For all other agreements,
including Open Value, Select and Enterprise, simply
use the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service (MVLS).
For further information on managing your licences visit:www.microsoft.com/uk/solutions/manage
How to Access Your BenefitsWhen you buy a licence agreement from your reseller,
we will contact your organisation through the Notice
Contact, a person who has agreed to receive information
from Microsoft. To activate your benefits, the Notice
Contact will receive an e-mail explaining how to register
for Software Assurance.
If this e-mail doesn’t arrive or you needto change your Notice Contact, get intouch with your reseller and ask them to send us a ‘change request’.
You can also call the Software Assurancesupport line on 0800 917 9016.
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14. AC
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BEN
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15.
Once your agreements are registered, your Notices
Contact can delegate the activation and administration
of the benefits to someone else, i.e. become the
Benefits Administrator.
Your Benefits Administrator can:Access your Software Assurance benefits online
Maintain the benefits profiles and administer
the programmes
Activate each benefit, and register the employees
who will use it
They don’t necessarily have to be a member of the IT
department. For example, Human Resources may want
to activate our Home Use Programme, while your IT
department may want to access the live chat service,
TechNet Concierge.
You can even delegate benefits administration to a reseller.
Ask your reseller about how they can help.
For information on how to maintain your
benefits, please refer to the Benefit
Administrator User Guide, which can also be
found on the MVLS website.
The comprehensive Software Assurance Customer Guide can be downloaded
as a Word document from: www.microsoft.com/uk/licensing/software-assurance/guides
Step-by-step instructions on activation of Software Assurance benefits
can be found online at: www.microsoft.com/uk/licensing/software-assurance/access
You can download Microsoft Licensing in Five Easy Steps, a comprehensive guide
to Microsoft licence agreements at: www.microsoft.com/uk/licensing/introduction/guide
A regularly updated list of approved Microsoft resellers can be found online at:
www.microsoft.com/uk/licensing/buy
If you have questions about any of the information contained in this guide,
please call us on: 0800 917 9016
Alternatively send us your queries by e-mail to: [email protected]
Further Information
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©2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, Xbox, Windows and the Microsoft logo are either registered trademarks ortrademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Registered Office: Microsoft Limited, MicrosoftCampus, Thames Valley Park, Reading, RG6 1WG. Registered in England no 1624297 VAT no GB 7245946 15.
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