Windows Vista Corporate Edition and Longhorn Windows Server will change the way in which Microsoft deals with the beneficiaries of Volume License Keys (VLK). Corporate clients and businesses have not had to implement such actions as client activation for Microsoft's software products by using VLK. But the Redmond Company is well on its way of producing a new system to manage volume licenses. Starting with 2007, corporate clients will have to participate in a process of registration of their volume license within 30 days of the acquisition of a Microsoft software product. After this initial step, the new anti-piracy technology will check and report the license usage each month, but will also provide updates for the VLK.

This initiative will be surely followed by many others as Microsoft will focus more and more on anti-piracy protection. And just as sure, as similar past measures proved to be no match to crackers so will vulnerabilities in the new VLK management system be exploited with the market release. The main issue concerning this could arise once the new technology will be implemented by corporate clients because the new way to manage volume licenses is bound to throw of course business' workflow. There are already speculations that such security measures introduced to Volume License Keys will have a similar faith as Windows Genuine Advantage, and be relaxed in order to suit consumer preferences.

"We are making changes to the process to Vista and a new approach to VLK licensing," said Mike Sievert, corporate vice president of Windows client marketing for Microsoft. "We're training our enterprise customers and we'll do some key management for customers that's more automated and makes reporting easier."