Microsoft's "Select Plus Volume Licensing" Coming This Fall

By: Jeff Myhre, Chief Editor (7/3/2008)

 

On July 1, Microsoft unveiled “Select Plus Volume Licensing,” which Microsoft says is “designed for large organizations with multiple affiliates that want to purchase software licenses and services at any business unit level while still getting the advantages of being a single organization.”  If nothing else, it has the potential to make things simpler for bigger customers when it becomes available this fall. 

Joe Matz, corporate vice president for Worldwide Licensing and Pricing at Microsoft, said, “We want to enable an optimal purchasing experience, not to mention simplify the ongoing management of their software licenses so they get the most value out of their investment.”

The program will not replace with Select License currently offered, and both will be priced the same if you want to switch from an existing Select License to Select Plus.  Microsoft has put together a useful chart to compare and contrast them.  http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/selplus/overview.mspx

According to Microsoft, the Select Plus program offers “superior value” since the enterprise-wide contract means every business unit gets the same price.  You get the benefit of “Software Assurance,” a package of extra support, free upgrades and software goodies (but the catch is you have to buy SA up front if you go with Select Plus).  You also get the benefit of a perpetual agreement, which Microsoft says will “keep renewals at the IT budget level rather than the boardroom level.”  Naturally, you get all the misery of a perpetual agreement, too.  The program offers a flexible structure allowing customers to purchase what they need when they need it.  And finally, there’s “Better insight. Clearly see your entire license portfolio so it's easy to support asset management and reporting for all business units.”

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