MS Licensing: hate it!

Discussion in 'The Lounge - Off Topic' started by Sparky, Jun 14, 2007.

  1. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Hate it, hate it, hate it!!! :x

    Why does MS make is so hard to license software? Why? :blink

    MSDN ,Action Pack, Partner Programmes, Open Licence, OEM, Upgrade licenses, CALs, TS cals, Exchange Server CALs... when does it end?

    2 reasons why I am complaining (I seem to be doing this alot lately!) Firstly I want to *buy* software and MS is making this so complicated, I could abuse a few volume license keys that I have but no, I wont do that.

    Secondly I am in a middle of a software audit just now. One of guys at a company I support decided to go crazy with a MSDN subscription and install everything on virtually all the PCs in the office. There is around 20 PCs and to my knowledge none of the MSDN subscriptions offer that amount of licensing for any of the included products.

    So I email the guy (with the audit info) and outline what licenses he has. 10 minutes later he emails me back and says they have more than what I have listed and says my audit in inaccurate. They needed about £2ks worth of licenses to be legit. I phone MS and talk to a licensing guru and I explained what subscriptions the client had and the MS tech confirmed the results of my audit. Thank fuk!

    I email the client to explain that MS have backed up my audit results and he emails me back immediately with a ‘cut and paste’ (email confirmation from MS I think) of what licenses he has from the MSDN subscription which are different from what is listed on the MS site. This is also different from what MS has told me on the phone.

    Great, now I have a meeting with the client tomorrow to ‘discuss’ things. What a waste of time.

    MS Licensing... Hate it, hate it, hate it!!! Hate it, hate it, hate it!!!
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs
  2. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    I believe you get a buttload of licenses through MSDN if you are a Gold Certified Partner.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
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  3. Boycie
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    Boycie Senior Beer Tester

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    Licensing is something our IT company look after, but the few times I have contacted them they seem unable to differ me as an actionpack holder and the company account. :rolleyes:
     
    Certifications: MCSA 2003, MCDST, A+, N+, CTT+, MCT
  4. Sparky
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    Sparky Zettabyte Poster Moderator

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    Thanks for the tip, I have looked on the MS site to get some more licensing info but I am no further forward.

    Linux anyone? :biggrin
     
    Certifications: MSc MCSE MCSA:M MCSA:S MCITP:EA MCTS(x5) MS-900 AZ-900 Security+ Network+ A+
    WIP: Microsoft Certs
  5. zebulebu

    zebulebu Terabyte Poster

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    Oooooooh! Wash your mouth out with soap and water!
     
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  6. BosonMichael
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    BosonMichael Yottabyte Poster

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    If you're a Microsoft Partner, you can log on to the Partner Web site and get info on the number of licenses each level can get.
     
    Certifications: CISSP, MCSE+I, MCSE: Security, MCSE: Messaging, MCDST, MCDBA, MCTS, OCP, CCNP, CCDP, CCNA Security, CCNA Voice, CNE, SCSA, Security+, Linux+, Server+, Network+, A+
    WIP: Just about everything!
  7. fortch

    fortch Kilobyte Poster

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    At one time, I tried to wrap my head around the licensing thing, and then gave up. Glad that's not my job :blink

    Good luck, Sparky.
     
    Certifications: A+,Net+,Sec+,MCSA:Sec,MCSE:Sec,mASE
  8. simongrahamuk
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    simongrahamuk Hmmmmmmm?

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  9. Phoenix
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    Phoenix 53656e696f7220 4d6f64

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    simply put
    because running the finances of a company like microsoft is more complex than managing the finance of most mid sized countries
    and catering to everyone that happens to buy MS products is again a mission unto it self

    its the same reason we have tax brackets, tax exemptions, NI contribution bands, exemptions to that, allowances, benefits, nhs cost brackets, private health costs, road tax, fuel tax, sales tax, income tax yada yada yada, do i understand it all? no thats what my accountant is for


    sure its complicated, its why it has its own MCPs attached to it, its a job all on its own, and just as I dont expect our licensing girls to know what dcpromo and ntdsutil are, they dont expect me to know the ins and outs of MS licensing

    Gold partners do not get an abundance of MSDN licenses, (im not sure how the solution developer ones work) but they get an abundance of extra full licenses
    MSDN licenses have one simple caveat as far as im aware, they are NOT for production commercial use
    they are for DEVELOPMENT :)

    The gold partner thing is a gotcha tho, we have about 200 extra Vista/Office enterprise licenses, cals out the wazoo, etc etc

    I'm not saying its a brill system, just adding another point of view to consider
     
    Certifications: MCSE, MCITP, VCP
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