Access the Windows 7 Volume Activation Planning Guide

There are three channels that offer licenses for the latest iterations of the Windows client and server operating systems, namely retail, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and Volume Licensing. While OEM and retail licenses are available to all customers, the same is not valid for volume licenses. Only business customers with large IT environments can access Volume Licenses of Windows, for example. At the same time, Microsoft has adapted the inherent activation process and associated mechanism of Windows to the specific needs of customers with certain licenses. While retail copies of the OS can be activated individually, with OEM pre-installed variants coming activated by default, the needs of Volume License customers are more complex. Microsoft has published extensive documentation of TechNet covering this, and IT professionals can access the Volume Activation Planning Guide for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

“Microsoft Volume Licensing offers customized programs that are tailored to the size and purchasing preference of the organization. These programs provide simple, flexible, and affordable solutions that enable organizations to easily manage their licenses. To become a Volume Licensing customer, the organization needs to set up a Volume License agreement with Microsoft,” reads an excerpt from the resources provided by the software giant. “There are two legal ways to acquire a full license for a new computer with a Windows client operating system. The first and most economical way is to have the license preinstalled through the original equipment manufacturer. The other option is to purchase a fully packaged retail product.”

With the advent of Windows Vista, and the Enterprise SKU, which survived to find itself among the Windows 7 editions, Microsoft brought to the table new Volume Activation models. In this context, customers have two volume activation options: Key Management Service (KMS) and Multiple Activation Key (MAK). “KMS allows organizations to activate systems within their network, and MAK activates systems on a one-time basis by using the hosted activation services provided by Microsoft. Customers can use either or both key types to activate systems in their environments,” Microsoft informed.