Buy or Renew Licenses Through Microsoft Volume Licensing Programs
Microsoft Volume Licensing offers customized programs that are designed to meet the needs of your business. Tailored to the size and purchasing preference of your company, these programs provide simple, flexible, and affordable solutions that enable you to easily manage your licenses.
Note The following information is for the United States and Canada only. For information about how to acquire licenses in other countries, visit the Microsoft Volume Licensing Web site for your country or region.
Find the Microsoft Volume Licensing Web site for your region
Use the steps on this page to help you consider the key issues that affect a Volume Licensing purchase. After you have reviewed them, contact a Volume Licensing partner or reseller to discuss your specific needs.
On This Page
 | Step 1: Calculate the number of licenses your company needs |
| Step 2: Review Microsoft Volume Licensing programs |
| Step 3: Contact a Volume Licensing reseller |
Step 1: Calculate the number of licenses your company needs
You (or your organization's IT department) can determine your company's licensing needs simply by taking inventory. To get started, count and record:
| • | The number of servers in your organization. |
| • | The number of processors (CPUs) in each server. |
| • | The number of desktops in your organization. |
| • | The number of qualifying underlying operating system licenses on desktops within your organization. |
This information is the key to determining the best licensing options for your company. Record it and keep it with you throughout the volume licensing process.
Step 2: Review Microsoft Volume Licensing programs
Microsoft offers volume licensing programs designed to meet the needs of any size business.
| Microsoft Volume Licensing programs | ||||
| Open License | Select License | Enterprise Agreement | Enterprise Subscription Agreement | |
Organization size | Organizations that need as few as five desktop PCs | 250 or more desktop PCs | 250 or more desktop PCs | 250 or more desktop PCs |
Organization types | Corporate, academic, charity, government | Corporate, academic, government | Corporate, government | Corporate |
Organization profile | Designed for organizations that want an easy, one-time transaction process with the flexibility of acquiring licenses from a broad reseller channel | Designed for midsize, large, and multinational organizations that have mixed Microsoft license requirements, decentralized purchasing, and the ability to forecast purchases | Designed for midsize, large, and multinational companies that want to standardize their enterprise and that value the benefits of centralized purchasing | Same as Enterprise Agreement, but offers the ability to lease rather than purchase licenses for one or more of the Microsoft enterprise products |
Term | Ability to purchase under the same authorization number for two years | Three years, with the option to renew for one or three additional years | Three years, with the option to renew for one or three additional years | Three years, with the option to renew for one or three additional years |
Sales channel | A broad reseller channel | Microsoft Authorized Large Account Resellers (LARs) only | Microsoft Authorized LARs or direct relationship with Microsoft, supported by Enterprise Software Advisors (ESAs) | Microsoft Authorized LARs or direct relationship with Microsoft, supported by Enterprise Software Advisors (ESAs) |
Reorder minimums | None | None | None | None |
Product fulfillment | Media must be acquired separately | Each enrollment receives one introductory Product Fulfillment Kit that contains media kits for the pools and language groups selected; updates are available for the term of the agreement | Each enrollment receives one introductory Product Fulfillment Kit that contains media kits for the pools and language groups selected; updates are available for the term of the agreement | Company receives Product Fulfillment Kits for software media on a regular basis throughout the term of the agreement |
For more information | ||||
Step 3: Contact a Volume Licensing reseller
If you're ready to acquire or renew Microsoft Volume Licenses, contact your Microsoft partner, speak with a Microsoft representative, or find an authorized reseller near you. If you are not currently working with a Microsoft partner, contact an authorized Microsoft reseller for complete pricing and purchase information.
United States and Canada
Find a reseller online, or call (800) 426-9400 in the United States or (877) 568-2495 in Canada.
Find an authorized reseller online
Worldwide
If you are outside the United States and Canada, you can find a list of Volume Licensing contacts for your country or region on your regional Microsoft Volume Licensing Web site.
Find a the Microsoft Volume Licensing Web site for your region