Maximizing Your Microsoft Software Investment

(PDF, 172 KB) IDC (July 2009): The analysis presented in this white paper reveals the value of Microsoft Software Assurance for Volume Licensing in helping customers reduce and better predict the costs of licensing Microsoft products, and improve the capabilities of their workforce.
Also view the multimedia version online.

Microsoft's Software Assurance Delivers Anywhere Application Services Deployment Tools

(PDF, 176 KB) Yankee Group (July 2008): This Yankee Group Report details the new deployment planning services and application virtualization licenses available for Microsoft Software Assurance and examines the impact of these services on businesses. It also details how the inclusion of these services within Software Assurance can enable companies to lower their TCO and achieve accelerated and optimal return on investment (ROI).

Microsoft Simplifies Its Volume Licensing: Most Companies with Select Agreements Will Benefit by Upgrading to Select Plus

(PDF, 266 KB) Forrester (July 2008): According to this Forrester Research report, "The simpler legal structure and streamlined procurement process make Select Plus a good choice for enterprises that want to receive the full economies of their scale yet retain flexibility for individual business unit buying decisions."

Engineering firm lowers licensing costs 27 percent, adds value with subscription model

• Profile: Aas-Jakobsen is a civil engineering consulting company with special expertise in structural engineering and multidisciplinary skills. Based in Norway, the firm employs 90 people.

• Program: Open Value Subscription

Manufacturer consolidating 400 servers with Enrollment for Application Platform

• Profile: Rockwool Group, the world's leading producer of stone wool, an insulating material, has some 8,000 employees and operates 21 factories on three continents.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement, Enrollment for Application Platform

Two global firms save more than $500,000 through virtualization and Volume Licensing

• Profile: FranklinCovey Company, based in Salt Lake City, Utah provides training and consulting services in 147 countries and has more than 600 employees. Global retailer, FranklinCovey Products, also based in Salt Lake City, employs 300 and sells productivity products.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Manufacturer gains real-time production data, reduces licensing costs by 15 percent

• Profile: Coating Excellence International, based in Wrightstown, Wisconsin, produces specialized flexible packaging for a variety of food, medical, and industrial products. It has 500 employees.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement, Select License

District gains software licensing flexibility, predictable price with Volume Licensing agreement

• Profile: Landratsamt Landshut is the administrative authority for Landkreis Landshut, a district of about 150,000 people living in 35 municipalities spread over 1,348 square kilometers in Lower Bavaria, Germany.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Independent software vendor simplifies software management and saves 40 percent with Volume Licensing agreement

• Profile: EPAM Systems, a leading global software engineering and IT consultant, has 4,500 employees providing IT and software development, support, and delivery services in the United States and in Central and Eastern Europe.

• Program: Enterprise Subscription Agreement

Pharmaceutical firm cuts software costs and management time with Volume Licensing program

• Profile: VIANEX started in 1924 in Athens, Greece. Today, it is the leading pharmaceutical manufacturer and distributor in Greece and has 1,000 employees working in four factories and eight offices.

• Program: Open Value Company-wide option

Trailer rental firm saves on software and training costs with Volume Licensing program

• Profile: Fischer & Knöbel (F&K), headquartered in Germany, is one of the leading trailer rental services in Europe. It has 35 employees, 1,700 trailers, and 21 subdepots.

• Program: Open Value

Bank simplifies collaboration solution deployment with licensing agreement

• Profile: Headquartered in Florida, BankAtlantic has more than 82 retail outlets and more than 250 ATM machines. Open seven days a week, it has more than 2,400 employees.

• Program: Microsoft Enterprise Agreement

Fast-growing manufacturer reduces costs and deployment time

• Profile: Dingo Australia, headquartered in Queensland, Australia, manufactures the world’s leading mini diggers. The company has 151 employees and five branch offices.

• Program: Microsoft Open Value

High tech firm controls IT costs and improves staff, customer communications

• Profile: Based in Massachusetts, Egenera has been shipping its data center virtualization system since 2001. It has offices throughout the U.S. and six global offices, employing more than 300 people.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Decision management solution provider gains predictable IT costs and consistency

• Profile: Fair Isaac Corporation provides decision management solutions for banks, credit card issuers, insurers, and more. Headquartered in Minnesota, it has 3,000 employees in 33 offices worldwide.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Global research firm boosts communications and collaboration and saves U.S.$1.8 million

• Profile: Gallup, based in Washington, D.C., is a world leader in public opinion polling, market research, and management and leadership consulting. It employs 2,000 professionals in 27 countries.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Canadian province saves U.S.$3.5 million on software and services over three years

• Profile: The Government of New Brunswick in Canada is responsible for maintaining and delivering high-quality, consistent public services across the province.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Shipping company gains software upgrade flexibility and saves 15 percent on licensing

• Profile: Hellenic Seaways is Greece’s leading domestic ferry operator. It employs 1,000 people and runs 34 vessels carrying six million passengers and one million vehicles each year.

• Program: Open Value

Environmental services firm consolidates infrastructure, improves IT management

• Profile: With over 13,000 employees, Manutencoop Group provides integrated auxiliary services to the core business of public authorities, healthcare structures, and major private entities.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Advisory firm grows business with flexible licensing agreement, integrated technology

• Profile: McGrathNicol is an advisory firm specializing in corporate advisory, forensic, transaction services, and corporate recovery. With offices in all major Australasian cities, it employs 300 people.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Life science company standardizes on latest technology to boost productivity

• Profile: In Ohio, Meridian Bioscience manufactures and distributes innovative diagnostic test kits and purified reagents and offers biopharmaceutical enabling technologies. It employs over 400 people.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Greenhouse operation enhances communication and saves U.S.$100,000

• Profile: Metrolina Greenhouses is a family-owned, wholesale plant company located in North Carolina. Started in 1972, the company has 160 acres of heated greenhouses and 425 employees.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Healthcare provider improves integration among systems with licensing agreement

• Profile: Mitera, located in Greece, is one of the largest healthcare facilities in Europe. It has 750 employees and a network of 1,500 associate doctors representing 30 medical specialties.

• Program: Open Value

Company benefits from licensing agreement as it rebrands and expands operations

• Profile: NuStar Energy, based in Texas, solves the logistical needs of its customers by safely handling domestic and foreign crude oil at the right locations, and on time. It employs 2,200 people.

• Program: Enterprise Agreement

Construction company cuts IT costs, boosts productivity with integrated solution

• Profile: Based in Turkey, PROKON is an engineering consulting company and with its sister companies, EKON, PROYA, SADAS, and Joint Ventures, there are 1,500 staffers and 300 desktops.

• Program: Open Value

Small school districts gain big buying power with School Agreement for consortium

• Profile: The Rhode Island Society of Technology Educators is a not-for-profit association of approximately 50 school districts and public and private schools dedicated to using technology.

• Program: Microsoft School Agreement

Paper mill reduces ordering administration time by 75 percent

• Profile: Thrace Paper Mills, a member of the Zeritis Group, is the biggest private paper-making company in Greece. It has 130 employees and had revenues of approximately €55 million in 2005.

• Program: Microsoft Open Business

Business-to-business firm reduces costs of latest CRM software with licensing program

• Profile: Based in New York, Volt Information Sciences is a services firm with sales of U.S.$2.2 billion. It has more than 350 locations worldwide and employs approximately 4,500 people.

• Program: Microsoft Select License

Volume Licensing Simplification

Microsoft Streamlines Its Licensing Structure

Microsoft News Center (July 2009) Interview with Joe Matz, Corporate Vice President, Worldwide Licensing and Pricing, explains that in the drive to bring down costs for its customers, Microsoft is constantly advancing its licensing framework.

Microsoft Formally Lifts Licensing Restriction on Virtual Server Mobility

Network World (August 2008) Microsoft's announced changes to server mobility have brought focus onto its commitment to its customers. Read more details about which server applications are covered and the technical support that Microsoft will provide.

Update: Microsoft Tries Again to Improve Volume Pricing

InfoWorld (July 2008) The announcement of Select Plus made clear the intent to make the Microsoft product licensing terms easier for companies to navigate. This article provides a good overview of Select Plus features.

Forrester on Microsoft's New Select Plus Licensing

CNET (July 2008) Select Plus is identified by Forrester analyst Duncan Jones as being a large improvement over the Select program. With Select Plus, companies can get economies of scale without losing any flexibility, and customers can see all their licenses in one place.

Microsoft Relaxes Virtualization Licensing Terms

ChannelWeb (August 2008) Read what several Microsoft solution providers and partners have to say about the changed Microsoft virtualization policy that enables customers to move applications between servers as often as they wish, without having to pay additional licensing fees.

Small and Midsize Business

Microsoft Kicks Off Next Era of Small Business Software

Network World (November 2008): Microsoft released an updated bundle of infrastructure servers for small business and its first-ever offering tailored to midsize businesses. Microsoft also introduced new financing plans in response to the sagging economy.

Low Money Down: Open Value Licensing for SMBs

Redmond Channel Partner Online (April 2008): In March of 2008, Microsoft introduced the Open Value Subscription value licensing plan in the United States and Canada. This in-depth article looks at the potential impact on partners and customers.

Microsoft to Launch New Licensing Option for Small and Midsize Businesses

eWeek (January 2008): The Microsoft Open Value software license subscription program made its debut in the United States on March 3, 2008. Read what a Microsoft senior manager and a Microsoft partner have to say about the advantages of the new licensing option.

Microsoft to Offer Small and Midsize Businesses Subscription-Based Volume Licensing

ChannelWeb (January 2008): Channel partners got a sneak preview of the Open Value Subscription program. This article features the perspectives of a CEO, a Small Business Specialist, and a Microsoft senior manager of community engagement for small business in the United States.

Partners

Vendor Initiatives Provide Partners with an Edge in Tough Economy

Channel Web (November 2008): Microsoft began offering zero-percent financing for new customers purchasing Microsoft Dynamics business software applications. The offer, good for 36 months, applies to licensing and first-year enhancement costs between $20,000 and $1 million. Solution providers said the offer helps them overcome customer hesitations and close deals.

Ingram Micro to Offer Microsoft's SPLA Throughout North America

eChannelLine (December 2008): The Microsoft Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) usage-based licensing program is available now to all qualified Ingram Micro partners in the U.S. and Canada. The program boasts zero start-up costs and requires no minimum, up-front purchase.

Microsoft Financing

Microsoft Offers Zero Percent Financing for New Dynamics Apps Buyers

ChannelWeb (November 2008): Microsoft is offering zero percent financing for new customers of Microsoft Dynamics ERP and CRM applications—a move that should provide channel partners with an additional sales tool in these tough economic times.

Endangered, Not Extinct: Survival Tips for Partners in These Tough Economic Times

Redmond Channel Partner (December 2008): Despite the global credit crunch, a top executive says Microsoft Financing can still provide funding to help partners close deals.