Software Asset Management (SAM) with System Center Configuration Manager – Windows and Office Desktop (Part V)

In this fifth article about using SCCM to talk about SAM (Software Asset Management) we’ll start reading of reports involving data from Windows desktops (client) and Office.

To remind you of our agenda and the agenda of the items, use the link started: https://msincic.wordpress.com/2016/05/03/software-asset-management-sam-with-system-center-configuration-manager/

Introduction

The licensing that involves the Windows client and Office are not complicated to be interpreted. Basically the calculation is made by adding versions and editions installed, and compare with the licensing that the Corporation owns.

In the case of licensing for customers is more important to understand the different types of licensing for the products involved, not to fall into the "pranks".

 

Windows

OEM

Windows Licensing is typically not bought on contract, as most buy computers with the OEM license. The greatest difficulty in the event of an audit or software asset management for OEM is the fact of having to keep all receipts. And if the license is FPP (box) it is necessary to have pasted the machine label (COA) and save the box while that machine is with the OS.

References: http://windows.microsoft.com/pt-br/windows/genuine/business # T1 = tab01

And when the customer does not have the invoices or the box?

In this case it is necessary to pay the licensing GGS, GGK or’S LATEST GGWA (regularization) for each machines that do not have a receipt. The value of the settlement is very similar to a FPP license but has the possibility of easing the control volume contract since it need not have the sticker on the machine.

It is also possible to buy the Windows through licensing contracts, for example in EA (Enterprise Agreement), EAS (Enterprise Agreement Subscription), MPSA (Microsoft Products and Services Agreement) or in Office 365 online licensing with the ECS (Enterprise Cloud Suite).

Note: In future articles we will cover the different types of contracts https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Licensing/licensing-programs/enterprise.aspx

In cases of contract and, EAS and MPSA licensing can be the already mentioned regularization or use a bundle called ProDesk licensing which include Windows, Office and CoreCal to a smaller value when purchased separately.

Windows Enterprise and VDA

In the case of licensing and the ProDesk can acquire the Windows Enterprise that has some important features, for example the MDOP that is a set of tools (App-V, MBAM-Bitlocker Manager, AGPM) that are guaranteed by the SA (Software Assurance).

The VDA (Virtual Desktop) are virtual machines that exist in the environment. We can’t get the licensing of client machines and allocate to a VM, except in the case of Windows Enterprise. In other cases it is necessary to buy a VDA license for each VM of Windows Client that is inventoried.

References of the Enterprise with SA: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Licensing/licensing-programs/software-assurance-by-product.aspx # tab = 2

Upgrade for Windows 10 (29/July/2016)

Upgrade to Windows 10 can be done until 29/July in any one of the methods of purchase, mostly OEM. Customers can upgrade and continue.

What is the difference of someone who upgrade after the scheduled date?

The automatic activation of Windows 10 is only possible with licensed and OEM keys until this date. If you do not upgrade within, the machines failed to activate and you will need to purchase a new license or return to previous one.

Right to Downgrade

The page https://www.microsoft.com/pt-br/licensing/learn more/brief-downgrade-rights.aspx get the download link for details of downgrade the OS:

Microsoft Office

As well as Windows Office can be bought in OEM, FPP, Get Genuine (GG) and volume contracts, worth the same previous rules.

Don’t fall in the repetition, let’s address what we have different relative to the Windows Client.

Downgrade rights

The same document specified in Windows determines the right to downgrade to Office:

The right to downgrade is only for version and not for editing, i.e. can I use Office 2010 Standard have the 2013 Standard version, but I can’t buy the Professional and use the Standard.

Office 365 Online

The various editions of Office 365 online does not serve to license installed versions on desktops.

It is important that in the case of customers who have Office licenses to legalize and bought Office 365 ProPlus (separately or as part of the ECS, E3 or E5) that are uninstalled the full versions.

The reason is that the full versions of Office are activated with a serial key and are mountain, while the Office 365 versions are validated with the user account ID and Microsoft when the subscription expires stop working as it belongs. For customers who tried to buy the online version and are using the full, will not occur and expiration so you need the upgrade.

License per Device or User

Office and Windows allow both types of licensing, being the more correct usage profile defined.

In the case of most customers use Device since we count the machines and assign a license for each computer. However, in the case of environment with Office 365 licensing is per user and need to understand the difference and how to count.

For per-user licensing need to count how many users in AD are not administrative or machines and buy the licensing.

The per-user licensing has benefit in the case of the environment in which the same user uses mobile devices to access your mail account, since it includes up to 5 devices for each user.

The per device licensing has the advantage of not being necessary to control users and we can have shared machines, since in most of the environment there are more users than machines.

Maintain environments with both types of licensing (Device and User) is possible but complex to control. You need in this case count and have controlled which machine has the device license and the users who are using per-user license.

To find out how many user licenses would have to be purchased if this is the expected volume, you can use the Asset Intelligence report that we have seen in previous articles, especially those that indicate shared machines (Shared Computer) and which indicates the primary user to each computer.

Conclusion

The licensing of Windows and Office are not so complex, but require attention by the volume, mainly Office Professional that has a high cost.

General Reference: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/Licensing/product-licensing/windows10.aspx