Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?
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@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
I have been educating myself on how server licensing works, etc, and one of the things I realized is that I'm not exactly clear on who I should be going through to purchase Microsoft licenses from, mainly Windows server.
Previously, we had been going through my company's Dell VAR, who also has his own IT Services LLC. He's sold our company pretty much all it's Dell equipment (servers, switches, SAN, Sonicwall, etc) and thanks to Scott Allen Miller's input and articles, I've realized how we're guilty of "getting advice from the salesman". Please, let's not go into it though.
I've since cut ties with the VAR and am trying to do things better. But now, I'm not exactly sure where I should be going to purchase Windows Server licensing. My boss had suggested CDW but I am assuming that is yet another trap.
Can I get some guidance on the proper channels I should be using for this?
There's nothing wrong with buying from CDW or your last VAR - the part that was done wrong as asking them for advice.
Either will sell you what you ask for.ok, well I wasn't sure if I should be wary of entities that sell licensing at a higher price than others.
And yes, I've already been slapped on the hand for asking for advice. I was totally new to the IT world at the time, so cut me some slack
Oh sure, price check as the VAR isn't really adding any value here.
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To do this well, do some looking around for good suppliers. Your old VAR, CDW, lots of potential sellers here. Maybe GroveMarketplace will do this someday, but I don't foresee that.
You should start with evaluating your needs, get advice from communities, and maybe an ITSP. Then buy what you need. If you really want an additional check, you can ask the VAR to look over the results, but only let them verify, not advise, and be prepared that it is normal for licensing VARs to not have any idea what is actually needed, and often are willing to just lie since it is impossible to "prove" anyway.
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Dell has been quoting us with better pricing than most VARs. You can try them if you have a good Dell rep.
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@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
u really want an additional check, you can ask the VAR to look over the results, but only let them verify, not advise, and be
See now you're into a quoting situation - Do you reach out to several vendors/vars for quotes, or find and stick with a single one?
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@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
u really want an additional check, you can ask the VAR to look over the results, but only let them verify, not advise, and be
See now you're into a quoting situation - Do you reach out to several vendors/vars for quotes, or find and stick with a single one?
Quotes are fine when not dealing with VARs.
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@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
u really want an additional check, you can ask the VAR to look over the results, but only let them verify, not advise, and be
See now you're into a quoting situation - Do you reach out to several vendors/vars for quotes, or find and stick with a single one?
Quotes are fine when not dealing with VARs.
Do you have a recommended list of non VARs?
The people already listed are VARs - his old VAR, Dell, CDW. -
@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
u really want an additional check, you can ask the VAR to look over the results, but only let them verify, not advise, and be
See now you're into a quoting situation - Do you reach out to several vendors/vars for quotes, or find and stick with a single one?
In a non-VAR situation, why deal with anyone making you get quotes.
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@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
u really want an additional check, you can ask the VAR to look over the results, but only let them verify, not advise, and be
See now you're into a quoting situation - Do you reach out to several vendors/vars for quotes, or find and stick with a single one?
Quotes are fine when not dealing with VARs.
Do you have a recommended list of non VARs?
The people already listed are VARs - his old VAR, Dell, CDW.CDW, Amazon, NewEgg, etc.
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@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
The people already listed are VARs - his old VAR, Dell, CDW.
CDW is only marginally a VAR and only when engaged in very specific ways. Go to their site and buy CALs, no VAR interaction needed.
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@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
The people already listed are VARs - his old VAR, Dell, CDW.
CDW is only marginally a VAR and only when engaged in very specific ways. Go to their site and buy CALs, no VAR interaction needed.
Sure, if you limit yourself to their website. Dell can be that way too - assuming you can buy via the website what you want.
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@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
The people already listed are VARs - his old VAR, Dell, CDW.
CDW is only marginally a VAR and only when engaged in very specific ways. Go to their site and buy CALs, no VAR interaction needed.
I'm looking at CDW now. Searched "Windows server 2016" and I get all kinds of results, from $1,312 to $31.99, each one having similar details... What the heck..
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@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
The people already listed are VARs - his old VAR, Dell, CDW.
CDW is only marginally a VAR and only when engaged in very specific ways. Go to their site and buy CALs, no VAR interaction needed.
I'm looking at CDW now. Searched "Windows server 2016" and I get all kinds of results, from $1,312 to $31.99, each one having similar details... What the heck..
Probably a "pack". Got links?
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@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
The people already listed are VARs - his old VAR, Dell, CDW.
CDW is only marginally a VAR and only when engaged in very specific ways. Go to their site and buy CALs, no VAR interaction needed.
I'm looking at CDW now. Searched "Windows server 2016" and I get all kinds of results, from $1,312 to $31.99, each one having similar details... What the heck..
Probably a "pack". Got links?
Just what I searched, https://www.cdw.com/shop/search/result.aspx?key=windows server 2016 &ctlgfilter=&searchscope=all&sr=1
I have no idea what I'd pick.. This would be for a virtual install (of course) and I have about 70 users..
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@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@scottalanmiller said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
The people already listed are VARs - his old VAR, Dell, CDW.
CDW is only marginally a VAR and only when engaged in very specific ways. Go to their site and buy CALs, no VAR interaction needed.
I'm looking at CDW now. Searched "Windows server 2016" and I get all kinds of results, from $1,312 to $31.99, each one having similar details... What the heck..
Probably a "pack". Got links?
Just what I searched, https://www.cdw.com/shop/search/result.aspx?key=windows server 2016 &ctlgfilter=&searchscope=all&sr=1
I have no idea what I'd pick.. This would be for a virtual install (of course) and I have about 70 users..
Server 2016 comes in Standard and DC. Users are CALs, so separate. Which Server license do you need?
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I tend to use only one or two VARs. It is too much work to maintian relationships with many.
My preferred for now is CCB. Softmart used to be good, but Connection bought them.
But my clients all buy in small amounts very sporadically.
I have a personal dislike for CDW, so I never chose them.
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@jaredbusch said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
I tend to use only one or two VARs. It is too much work to maintian relationships with many.
My preferred for now is CCB. Softmart used to be good, but Connection bought them.
But my clients all buy in small amounts very sporadically.
I have a personal dislike for CDW, so I never chose them.
Yeah I'm not too impressed with CDW.. I may hit up my old VAR after all. Thanks for your help
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@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@jaredbusch said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
I tend to use only one or two VARs. It is too much work to maintian relationships with many.
My preferred for now is CCB. Softmart used to be good, but Connection bought them.
But my clients all buy in small amounts very sporadically.
I have a personal dislike for CDW, so I never chose them.
Yeah I'm not too impressed with CDW.. I may hit up my old VAR after all. Thanks for your help
They've never been very good.
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@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@jaredbusch said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
I tend to use only one or two VARs. It is too much work to maintian relationships with many.
My preferred for now is CCB. Softmart used to be good, but Connection bought them.
But my clients all buy in small amounts very sporadically.
I have a personal dislike for CDW, so I never chose them.
Yeah I'm not too impressed with CDW.. I may hit up my old VAR after all. Thanks for your help
The thing to remember is - don't ask them what to buy.. you need to know first.
If you are looking to purchase 70 Windows Server CALs, you should really consider an Open Value purchase. The same goes for your server. You'll have to decide if Software Assurance is for you or not (and really, if you're staying with Windows, it really should be - you want to stay current).
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@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@jaredbusch said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
I tend to use only one or two VARs. It is too much work to maintian relationships with many.
My preferred for now is CCB. Softmart used to be good, but Connection bought them.
But my clients all buy in small amounts very sporadically.
I have a personal dislike for CDW, so I never chose them.
Yeah I'm not too impressed with CDW.. I may hit up my old VAR after all. Thanks for your help
The thing to remember is - don't ask them what to buy.. you need to know first.
If you are looking to purchase 70 Windows Server CALs, you should really consider an Open Value purchase. The same goes for your server. You'll have to decide if Software Assurance is for you or not (and really, if you're staying with Windows, it really should be - you want to stay current).
Right. You know what you need, they give you buying options. That's all.
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@dashrender said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@dave247 said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
@jaredbusch said in Where/who should I be buying Microsoft Server licensing from?:
I tend to use only one or two VARs. It is too much work to maintian relationships with many.
My preferred for now is CCB. Softmart used to be good, but Connection bought them.
But my clients all buy in small amounts very sporadically.
I have a personal dislike for CDW, so I never chose them.
Yeah I'm not too impressed with CDW.. I may hit up my old VAR after all. Thanks for your help
The thing to remember is - don't ask them what to buy.. you need to know first.
If you are looking to purchase 70 Windows Server CALs, you should really consider an Open Value purchase. The same goes for your server. You'll have to decide if Software Assurance is for you or not (and really, if you're staying with Windows, it really should be - you want to stay current).
Everything is Open Value anymore, has been for a long time. You have to go way out of your way to find anything else.
