It’s essential you understand key facts about licensing before you attempt to implement a SAM plan. This page sets out some licensing basics. Three Key Points | • | Acquiring a software product licence doesn’t mean you own the corresponding software program. Instead, it grants you the legal right to run or access the program. | | • | A licence agreement governs the use of licensed software. Licence agreements typically allow the software to run on a limited number of computers and allow copies to be made, though solely for back-up purposes. | | • | Every unit of software comes with its own type of media and/or documentation that serves as its proof of licence. |
Microsoft Licences and Documentation Microsoft has created several types of licence programme to meet the needs of different users. Below we’ve listed the documentation you’ll need for some common licences. Pre-installed (OEM) Software To establish and prove licence ownership you should keep: | • | The End-User Licence Agreement (EULA) – this is the agreement between the PC manufacturer and the buyer | | • | The Certificate of Authenticity (COA) | | • | Original media and manuals (if applicable) | | • | Your purchase invoice and/or receipt |
Full Packaged Product (FPP or Retail) For each retail product you buy, you should keep: | • | The End-User Licence Agreement (EULA) – this is the agreement between the manufacturer and the buyer | | • | The Certificate of Authenticity (COA) | | • | Original media and manuals (if applicable) | | • | Your purchase invoice and/or receipt |
Open Licence With an Open licence, your proof of licence is posted on the secure eOpen site. To verify the number of licences bought, log on to the site using your Microsoft Passport ID and enter your unique Open Licence Authorisation number(s). Open Value, Select Licence and Enterprise Agreement Licence
Microsoft Volume Licensing Services offers secure, online, personalised access to your Open Value, Select Licence and Enterprise Agreement details. This includes order confirmations, which serve as part of your proof of licence. Once your agreement is in place, you can track your licence purchase information and agreement status at http://licensing.microsoft.com.
What is a Client Access Licence? If your company's workstations are networked, you will use a network server and the workstations on the network will access server software to perform functions like file-sharing and print-sharing. To legally access this server software, a client access licence (CAL) may be needed. A CAL is not a software product, but a licence that gives a user the right to access the services of the server.
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