Software Assurance gives you the right to upgrade licensed software during the agreement term and includes a suite of additional benefits described below, which vary for desktop and server computers. Find out more about these features.
Software Assurance is optional for Open Licence and Select Licence customers and is included with all Campus and School Agreements. The specific benefits included in Software Assurance vary according to your volume licensing agreement. Not all types receive each benefit.
Productivity
With the New Version Rights with Software Assurance, you receive access to new versions of licensed software released during the term of your agreement to deploy at your own pace. New Version Rights simplifies the procurement process and shortens the business process cycle, allowing you to reduce the costs associated with acquiring new version releases and immediately take advantage of the latest technology.
Spread Payments
Software Assurance offers greater flexibility in managing technology expenditure by allowing you to spread payments annually. This allows you to reduce initial costs and forecast annual software budget requirements up to three years in advance.
Maximise value with new benefits
Enhancements to Software Assurance benefits can help education customers get more from their technology and extend the life of their older computers.
Read the Academic Licensing Brief (74 KB Microsoft Word) to learn more
Benefity Eligibility
Top ^Download the Benefits Entitlement Chart (55 KB Microsoft Word) to compare benefit eligibility by academic licensing programme
Overview of Benefits
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| Life-Cycle Stage |
Overview |
Benefits |
| Stage 1: Plan |
Build your technology roadmap, budget more effectively, and simplify the software procurement process |
- New Version Rights
- Spread Payments
|
| Stage 2: Deploy |
Make IT professionals more productive with powerful preparation and installation tools |
- Windows Pre-installation Environment
|
| Stage 3: Use |
Take advantage of the latest technology and build better deployment, migration, and management skills |
- Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise and Microsoft Virtual PC Express (new in 2006)
- Microsoft E-Learning
|
| Stage 4: Maintain |
Maintain a stable IT environment with services, tools, and reference materials that support networks and desktops |
- Corporate Error Reporting
- Cold Back-ups for Disaster Recovery
- TechNet Plus and TechNet Managed Newsgroups
|
| Stage 5: Transition |
Access technology and support benefits to help you transition your software |
- Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs (new in 2006)
- Extended Hotfix Support
|
How to get Software Assurance
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You can get Software Assurance by including it with licences acquired through the
Academic Select and
Academic Open licensing programmes.
For the
Campus Agreement
licensing programme, all products covered by your subscription enrolment are automatically enroled in Software Assurance for the designated term.
If you acquire software licences through retail Full Package Product (FPP)* or from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), you have 90 days to enrol these licences in Software Assurance through the Academic Open or Academic Select licensing programs.
* Licences for desktop applications acquired through retail FPP may not be enroled in Software Assurance. You may acquire upgrade licences through the retail channel when you want to upgrade to a newer version of the software. Please see the Microsoft Volume Licensing Product List for more information.
