5Jan
Avoid Mixed-Mode Microsoft Licensing Whenever Possible
Most Microsoft software products – especially server products – can be licensed under multiple different models and metrics. SQL Server probably is the best example of a product that presents companies with multiple decision layers...
12Nov
Avoid Ambiguity in Microsoft Licensing Agreements
CTOs who have read Microsoft’s volume license agreements and product use rights documentation know that Microsoft has a special place in its heart for contractual “grey area.” To some extent, that fact likely arises from...
29Sep
To SAM or Not to SAM? The Differences Between a Microsoft SAM Engagement and an Audit
In recent years, Microsoft seems to have been shifting an increasing volume of its license-compliance resources toward what it calls Software Asset Management (SAM) reviews. These “optional” engagements typically are proposed by Microsoft personnel with...
12Aug
For SPLA Audits, When Historical Data is Missing, Creativity May Be Required
Most software audits pertaining to products licensed under perpetual licenses (such as licenses acquired under a Microsoft Select Agreement, MPSA or (usually) Enterprise Agreement) incorporate a snapshot-in-time approach, where licenses owned generally are compared to...
4May
BSA Audit Timeline
One of the top ten questions asked by my clients is “How long does the BSA self-audit process take from start to finish?” Of course I give the standard lawyer answer: it depends. Here are...
29Apr
Top Three Ways to Sabotage Your Licensing Compliance Under SPLA
Microsoft’s Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) is the principal licensing agreement for companies that want to use Microsoft products to deliver hosted software solutions over the Internet. Microsoft’s standard volume license agreements expressly prohibit using...
