Get Insight into Volume Licensing with a Reference Guide from Microsoft

Microsoft is making it easier, and cheaper for that matter, for business customers and governmental organizations to buy a variety of its software products in bulk. This is possible through Volume Licensing, with the Redmond company selling the software license only, as opposite to a retail box which also contains media, manuals, etc.

For new customers that want to look into the benefits of the Microsoft Volume Licensing programs, the software giant is offering what it calls a comprehensive review.

The Microsoft Volume Licensing Reference Guide is available via the Microsoft Download Center free of charge, delivering insight into a range of topics, including Microsoft product licensing models and Microsoft Software Assurance.

“By acquiring software licenses through Volume Licensing, you pay for only the software license and not for additional materials.

“With some Microsoft Volume Licensing programs, you can also purchase Microsoft Software Assurance for Volume Licensing.

“This single, cost-effective program can help boost organizational productivity with 24 hours a day, seven days a week (24×7) support, deployment planning services, end-user and technical training, and the latest Microsoft software releases and unique technologies,” reads an excerpt from the guide.

There are no less than 8 chapters and almost 80 pages, focused on getting customers accustomed to Volume Licensing.

The guide starts off with an introduction into what this type of licensing means for volume customers, and goes on to help corporations, schools, charities, partners, governmental organizations, etc. tailor this offering to their needs.

The reference guide was updated in 2010, and it’s also designed to cover the Cloud services that the Redmond company has been offering, in addition to on-premise software.

“In addition to traditional on-premise software licenses, Microsoft offers subscriptions to cloud services through the Microsoft Online Services Program (MOSP).

How you add cloud services through your Volume Licensing agreement depends on the following two factors: the type of Volume Licensing agreement you have [and] the date that specific cloud services are made commercially available,” Microsoft explained.