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Licensing – Hosting – Microsoft – SPLA Benefits

SPLA Program Benefits

The Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) enables hosting providers and ISVs with a hosted offering to license Microsoft products on a monthly basis to provide services and hosted applications to their end customers. This licensing program is designed based on direct feedback from hosting providers.
Licensing – Hosting – Microsoft – SPLA Benefits – Benefits

Benefits of the Program

  • Most Current Product Versions: With SPLA, you have access to the most current versions of Microsoft software for one simple monthly price. Download your licensed products instead of ordering physical media
  • Flexible Cost Structure: SPLA offers a monthly usage-based cost. Therefore, you pay only for what you made available to your customers in the previous month
  • Pricing Stability: SPLA price increases, if any, occur only once a year in January
  • Use Rights Protection: The Services Provider Use Rights (SPUR) document details all product use rights for this program. Product use rights are specific to each product version and will not change for the duration of the program
    Review Services Provider Use Rights (SPUR)
  • Cash Flow Management: With SPLA, you have minimal start-up costs, since you only pay for licenses based on what you make available to provide services each month
  • Academic SKUs: Academic pricing on selected server products is available when you deploy services to qualified education customers
  • Worldwide Distribution: Use Microsoft software products to sell your services to customers in any part of the world, where allowed, regardless of your location
  • Customer evaluations: Use licensed products to provide software services to your prospective customers on a trial basis for up to 60 days
  • Customer demonstrations: You can have up to 50 active user IDs for demonstration purposes

SPLA Program Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between SPLA and other Microsoft Volume Licensing programs?
  • Microsoft Volume Licensing programs offers several licensing options for customers to acquire Microsoft software licenses for internal use. Hosting providers who want to offer software services to their customers and who will include software licenses as part of their service offering should use SPLA. Microsoft SPLA is the only Microsoft Volume Licensing program that allows Microsoft products to be used for commercial hosting
What is the difference between a hosting provider that provides application services and a hosting provider that acts as an outsourcer?
  • The key difference is that, under an outsourcing scenario, the Select License, Enterprise Agreement, or Open License customer is the licensee of the software. In the outsourcing scenario, the hosting provider is not a licensee and does not have the right to use the software for any purpose except to host the software for the Select License, EA, or Open License customer with whom you have an agreement. By contrast, where a hosting provider is acting under SPLA, you are the licensee of the software, and may provide access to and use of the software to one or more customers for a monthly fee
Can the prices in the Services Provider License Program change?
  • Microsoft reserves the right to increase prices every year on January 1
Are there any upfront fees required to sign SPLA?
  • No, there are no upfront program fees associated with signing SPLA. However, membership in the Microsoft Partner Network membership is required
Where can I find the SPLA price list?
Licensing – Hosting – Microsoft – SPLA Benefits – FAQ
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