Compare buying options

		Number of licences most appropriate for	Microsoft products that can be licensed	Rent or buy licences	Additional discounts available for upgrading all software companywide
Software in a box from a retailer		1-5	Most Microsoft software	Buy	No
Pre-installed on a new computer		1+	Windows, Microsoft Office and Small Business Server	Buy	No
Volume Licensing — Open Licence		5+	All Microsoft software and servers	Buy	No
Volume Licensing — Open Value		5+	All Microsoft software and servers	Buy	No
Volume Licensing — Open Value Subscription		5+	All Microsoft software and servers	Rent	Yes
Volume Licensing — Open Value Companywide		5+	All Microsoft software and servers	Buy	Yes
Hosted software		Any number	Server and desktop software	Rent	No

Software Assurance (SA)
Software Assurance is a comprehensive support and maintenance package. It offers a whole range of benefits, including: the right to run the latest version of specific software as soon as it is available from Microsoft during the licence agreement term; the ability to spread payments; deployment tools; software support; training and corporate error reporting.

Benefits of Software Assurance		Open Licence (OL)	Open Value (OV)	OV - Countrywide OV - Subscription
Plan	New Version Rights	√	√	√
	Spread Payments		√	√
Deploy	Packages Services - Desktop Deployment Planning Services - SharePoint Deployment Planning Services		√	√
Use	Microsoft Desktop Optimisation Pack for Software Assurance		√	√
	Training Vouchers		√	√
	E-Learning		√	√
	Home Use Programme	√	√	√
Maintain	24/7 Problem Resolution Support	√	√	√
	Cold Backups for Disaster Recovery	√	√	√
	Tech Net Subscription through SA	√	√	√
Transition	Extended Hotfix Support	√	√	√