Microsoft Licensing Primer
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If you already have a VL agreement, you can simply buy the single desktop OS upgrade license that you need to get imaging rights.
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Yeah, I am back to being confused.
OK, so let's say I just bought 10 new DELL Windows 10 machines (with an OEM license, of course). I want to be able to re-image these with a standard image, as has been suggested here on ML.
What do I need to do this? Perhaps real world examples are better.
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@JaredBusch said:
The only purpose of this licensing of course if to reimage your machines. SO you only need to buy one of these.
Let me clarify that. The only purpose of this license is to give you reimaging rights, assuming that all your desktops are OEM licensed for the same or lower version of desktop OS that you buy via VL.
If you have two machines with an OEM Windows 7 license, you are not allowed to image them both to 10 because you have a Windows 10 VL. You would need two Windows 10 VL. Or you would need to manually go through the Windows 10 upgrade on those machines first to make them legally Windows 10 devices.
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@BRRABill said:
Yeah, I am back to being confused.
OK, so let's say I just bought 10 new DELL Windows 10 machines (with an OEM license, of course). I want to be able to re-image these with a standard image, as has been suggested here on ML.
What do I need to do this? Perhaps real world examples are better.
For this scenario, you need to purchase a single Windows 10 VL.
But if you do not have a VL agreement already, then you will need to purchase 5 total licenses of something in order to get setup with VL in the first place.
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@JaredBusch said:
For this scenario, you need to purchase a single Windows 10 VL.
Is that a VL UPGRADE license? That is where I am confused. What is a "Windows 10 VL" if they don't sell licenses.
I'm not being sarcastic at all, this is really what has me hung up.
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@BRRABill said:
@JaredBusch said:
For this scenario, you need to purchase a single Windows 10 VL.
Is that a VL UPGRADE license? That is where I am confused. What is a "Windows 10 VL" if they don't sell licenses.
I'm not being sarcastic at all, this is really what has me hung up.
VL for Desktops is always upgrade. Upgrade is the only Desktop OS option from VL.
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@BRRABill said:
@JaredBusch said:
For this scenario, you need to purchase a single Windows 10 VL.
Is that a VL UPGRADE license? That is where I am confused. What is a "Windows 10 VL" if they don't sell licenses.
I'm not being sarcastic at all, this is really what has me hung up.
All desktop OS licenses available from Volume Licensing are upgrade licenses.
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man, you guys have completely left out Software Assurance, which can be a HUGE savings here.
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@BRRABill said:
Yeah, I am back to being confused.
OK, so let's say I just bought 10 new DELL Windows 10 machines (with an OEM license, of course). I want to be able to re-image these with a standard image, as has been suggested here on ML.
What do I need to do this? Perhaps real world examples are better.
What you need to do for this real world situation is the following.
You purchase :
1 Software Assurance license for Windows Desktop $125
4 Windows Server CALs ($80/ea) $320This is the least expensive way to get into a Volume license agreement. Total approximately $445.
FYI, you are only allowed to add Software Assurance to an OEM license that you have purchased within the past 90 days. So you buy a computer on Nov 1, 2015, you have until January 29 to purchase a SA license. If you wait until Feb 1 to buy... now you much buy an Upgrade Volume License for that machine.
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@Dashrender said:
man, you guys have completely left out Software Assurance, which can be a HUGE savings here.
Because that is not something that matters in regards to what he wants to do technically. It is only another means of confusing.
@Dashrender said:
This is the least expensive way to get into a Volume license agreement. Total approximately $445.
If he needs a VL agreement, and has no other software needs, this may be true. But we are not talking about that here. You are throwing other things in to a basic discussion. Things that are important once he knows what he needs, but not now.
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@Dashrender said:
man, you guys have completely left out Software Assurance, which can be a HUGE savings here.
You are correct, it can be. But I'm with @JaredBusch that it is just extra complication at this point.
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@scottalanmiller said:
VL for Desktops is always upgrade. Upgrade is the only Desktop OS option from VL.
Assuming I already have a VL agreement, since it's easy to get with 5 CALs...
If I have 10 OEM WIndows 10 licenses, and I want to get VL, I need to get ONE Windows 10 VL Upgrade license. Just 1? And then I have VL right on all 10 machines?
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@scottalanmiller said:
You are correct, it can be. But I'm with @JaredBusch that it is just extra complication at this point.
Baby Steps!
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@BRRABill said:
@scottalanmiller said:
VL for Desktops is always upgrade. Upgrade is the only Desktop OS option from VL.
Assuming I already have a VL agreement, since it's easy to get with 5 CALs...
If I have 10 OEM WIndows 10 licenses, and I want to get VL, I need to get ONE Windows 10 VL Upgrade license. Just 1? And then I have VL right on all 10 machines?
No, then you have imaging rights.
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@BRRABill said:
@JaredBusch said:
No, then you have imaging rights.
On all 10 machines?
Yes. Because the machines are already legally Windows 10 Pro via OEM. You may now use imaging services to create and deploy a clean image on all 10 devices.
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@Dashrender said:
man, you guys have completely left out Software Assurance, which can be a HUGE savings here.
Savings? No it's a cost center and largely worthless. We don't buy it for anything. Most people don't upgrade to every single version of windows and office, and when you don't SA simply doesn't make sense. It only make sense if you upgrade to every release.
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@Dashrender said:
@BRRABill said:
Yeah, I am back to being confused.
OK, so let's say I just bought 10 new DELL Windows 10 machines (with an OEM license, of course). I want to be able to re-image these with a standard image, as has been suggested here on ML.
What do I need to do this? Perhaps real world examples are better.
What you need to do for this real world situation is the following.
You purchase :
1 Software Assurance license for Windows Desktop $125
4 Windows Server CALs ($80/ea) $320This is the least expensive way to get into a Volume license agreement. Total approximately $445.
FYI, you are only allowed to add Software Assurance to an OEM license that you have purchased within the past 90 days. So you buy a computer on Nov 1, 2015, you have until January 29 to purchase a SA license. If you wait until Feb 1 to buy... now you much buy an Upgrade Volume License for that machine.
You don't need SA for imaging rights.
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@JaredBusch said:
Yes. Because the machines are already legally Windows 10 Pro via OEM. You may now use imaging services to create and deploy a clean image on all 10 devices.
If it is so inexpensive, why the heck don't they just allow that with OEM?
So, if I had 100 machines, same thing? 1 license, and I get imaging rights?
AND ... that's the main reason people go to VL? To get imagine rights?
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@Jason said:
@Dashrender said:
@BRRABill said:
Yeah, I am back to being confused.
OK, so let's say I just bought 10 new DELL Windows 10 machines (with an OEM license, of course). I want to be able to re-image these with a standard image, as has been suggested here on ML.
What do I need to do this? Perhaps real world examples are better.
What you need to do for this real world situation is the following.
You purchase :
1 Software Assurance license for Windows Desktop $125
4 Windows Server CALs ($80/ea) $320This is the least expensive way to get into a Volume license agreement. Total approximately $445.
FYI, you are only allowed to add Software Assurance to an OEM license that you have purchased within the past 90 days. So you buy a computer on Nov 1, 2015, you have until January 29 to purchase a SA license. If you wait until Feb 1 to buy... now you much buy an Upgrade Volume License for that machine.
You don't need SA for imaging rights.
He is not stating SA is required for imaging, he is stating SA is cheaper than buying a full Win 10 VL. Because SA is recurring, that is only true up front.
