Microsoft Open Value Licensing
by Roy Keeley, Xcentric Group (June 20, 2006)

Microsoft licensing, like most licensing, can be a chore to keep up with. Microsoft’s Open Value program is an attempt to alleviate this headache by tying in your Microsoft licensing under one agreement. Products offered in the Open Value program include; Microsoft Office Professional, Microsoft Professional Operating System Upgrade, and Microsoft Core Cal (includes CALs for Windows Server, SharePoint Portal Server, Exchange Server and Systems Management Server). Any organization that has between 5 PCs and 250 PCs, that see the value of Software Assurance, will be the right fit for the program. If you are one to buy the licenses and not maintain software assurance, then this may not be a good fit for you. Consolidation is the one word that comes to mind when thinking of this program, which can be a huge relief to anyone put in charge of maintaining licenses.

Pricing and Ownership
It takes a minimum of 5 users to enter an Open Value Agreement and payments can be made in full, over two years, or over a three year period. In this pricing you are paying for the licensing and software assurance, just as you would if you were buying each separately. After the licensing portion is paid in full you can terminate the open value agreement and have the rights to all the versions you currently have loaded on your network. You may continue on the Open Value agreement and continue to pay only for Software Assurance, this is the only way to go if you are considering the program. To enter into the Open Value program you must sign an agreement with a reseller stating the terms of the contract, much like a lease to own, although with no finance charges or hidden fees.

Benefits
License Management – Peace of mind knowing you are current on all licenses and not having to worry every year about a variety of license issues and expiration.  All licenses are tied to one SKU making it easy to keep track of, upgrade, and add users to.

User Compatibility – Everyone in the office is on the same plane, creating operating efficiencies that can easily pay for themselves in saved time. You can also choose when to roll into a new O/S or new office products, ensuring that everyone has the same desktop.

Cost – In reality the savings are found in the intangibles, however the relief of spreading costs over three years is a huge benefit for some. You are paying the exact same if you were to buy each license independently and maintained software assurance on those licenses. Budgeting for software also becomes much easier.

For More Information on the Open Value program and Software Assurance visit http://www.microsoft.com/licensing. Roy Keely can be reached at Xcentric Group (rkeely@xcentricgroup.com).