The Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Centre and Software Assurance Benefits

Once your enrolment has been accepted and is in place, you are able to access the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Centre (VLSC). This gives you access to:

• Volume License Keys
• Software downloads
• Agreement detail

You can also access some very valuable Software Assurance Benefits via the Microsoft VLSC site. These include but are not limited to:

• Home Use Program
• Windows 7
• e-Learning for Office System, Windows Client, Server licenses
• Cold Back up for Disaster Recovery
• TechNet Software Assurance Subscription Services
• TechNet Plus Direct

Detailed information about the above Software Assurance Benefits can be found at www.microsoft.com/education/SoftwareAssurance.mspx.

Microsoft can help you manage your Microsoft VLSC site and can be contacted on either Ph: 0800 444 647 or e-mail mvlsapac@microsoft.com.

The Microsoft New Zealand School Agreement is now in place for the period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2012. There are a number of changes in the agreement highlighted below.

Please be aware that these changes will impact on you. We ask you to read this information carefully so you understand your options.

Should you have any queries or uncertainty about the changes to the Microsoft for Schools Agreement, please contact us at nzschools@datacom.co.nz.

Products

The Current Microsoft Product Set Offering

The Core set of products that ARE CURRENTLY covered in the 2007 – 2009 Microsoft Agreement:

• Office Enterprise or Works
• Windows Vista Enterprise – Upgrade only
• Student Encarta Premium
• SharePoint Designer
• Visual Studio Professional
• Client Access License for:
• Exchange Server CAL – Standard
• Office SharePoint Server CAL – Standard
• Systems Centre Configuration Manager Server Client Management License
• SQL Server CAL
• Windows Server CAL

The New Microsoft Product Set Offering

The Core set of products that WILL BE covered in your new 2010-2012 Microsoft Agreement:

• Office Enterprise 2007
• Windows 7 – Upgrade only
• Client Access License for:
• Exchange Server CAL – Standard 2007
• Office SharePoint Server CAL – Standard 2007
• Systems Centre Configuration Manager Server Client Management License 2007
• Windows Server CAL 2007

Products below WILL NOT be covered in the New Agreement

If you have deployed any of the following products that are included in the current agreement, 2007-2009, that will not be included in the new agreement, 2010-2012, you have the choice to either de-install these products or purchase them as a Non-Core product at your own cost.

• Office Works
• Student Encarta Premium (now available as a free download)
• SharePoint Designer – this is now available as a free download from the Microsoft website.
• Visual Studio Professional
• SQL Server CAL

Please note that if you have SQL Server CAL widely deployed within your school, it may be more cost effective to change to a SQL Server per processor server model. We encourage you to contact us on the following e-mail address to determine what the best option is for you.

nzschools@datacom.co.nz

Payment for Non-Core Products

Currently Non-Core products are paid for in annual instalments. Under the new 2010-2012 agreement you will be required to pay the full three year amount when added at the signing of the agreement, two years if introduced in year two and one year if introduced in the final year.

For example: At the beginning of the new agreement instead of being invoiced for License and Software Assurance on 2 x new Exchange Standard Servers at $117 (note: pricing is estimated and subject to January 2010 price list), each per annum for the three years, you would pay the total of $702 with no further payments during the term of the agreement unless you add additional servers.

Please be aware that although we request return of your enrolment and non-core orders in September 2009, non-core orders will be ordered and invoiced at the start of the agreement beginning 1 January 2010, and pricing will be based on the January 2010 price list.

Media

Under the previous Microsoft School Agreements, you will have received a shipment of Microsoft media soon after enrolment. When you enrol in the new 2010-2012 agreement, you will not immediately receive a shipment of Microsoft media. The next media shipment is due to be released in June 2010. You will be notified prior to this media shipment to ensure its receipt.

If you are a brand new school or a school who has not previously enrolled into the Microsoft School Agreement, please contact us at the nzschools@datacom.co.nz address and we can send an initial media pack to you.

If you have lost your initial media pack and require replacement, please contact us at nzschools@datacom.co.nz. There will be a fee associated with sending new media to you.

All media at current version -1 is available via download at the Microsoft Volume Licensing Service Centre (VLSC) site. For example the current version of Office is version 2007 and the version previous to this is version 2003.

(Please refer to the FAQs here for more information about the Microsoft VLSC site and your Software Assurance Benefits).

Media for Windows 7

As with Windows Vista Enterprise and Ultimate, Windows 7 Enterprise and Ultimate are a Software Assurance Benefit you have access to via your Microsoft VLSC site. This is where you activate your Windows 7 benefit and request media to be shipped to you. To access your Microsoft VLSC site phone Microsoft directly on Ph: 0800 444 647 or e-mail mvlsapac@microsoft.com.

As you may be aware Microsoft have had some issues in respect to a significant Volume License Services Centre (VLSC), upgrade they undertook in early December last year. This upgrade has affected customers globally and Microsoft are well aware of the outstanding problems that need to be resolved.

While this process is being worked through they have put together a FAQ (here) of the most commonly occurring issues. We encourage you to refer to this for resolution but if not please log you calls directly with Microsoft to ensure resolution any problems you may have.