201602.24
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SQL Server Licensing Strategies for SPLA

Licensing Microsoft server products in any environment can be a challenging undertaking, given the complexity of some of Microsoft’s licensing rules. However, licensing Microsoft products for commercial hosting environments under a Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) can be especially daunting, due to the different use rights and license metrics available under that model. Licensing SQL…

201602.23
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Microsoft SPLA Audit Look-Back Periods

In a typical Microsoft audit of software licensed under perpetual licenses, the auditors usually will compare installations of Microsoft products against licenses owned, and Microsoft will require the audited business to purchase additional licenses required to cover any gaps discovered by the auditors. An audit under a Services Provider License Agreement uses a similar framework,…

201602.23
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Microsoft Audit Roadmap

Microsoft offers an array of software licensing options for its business customers. However, during an audit, the timing and course of the project typically follows a fairly well-worn path: 1. Kickoff meeting At this step, Microsoft’s hired auditors (typically PriceWaterhouse Coopers, Deloitte & Touche, KPMG, Ernst & Young or Unified Logic) will schedule a meeting to discuss…

201602.23
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Changes for Microsoft Fail-Over and Disaster Recovery Rights

With the April 2014 versions of the Product Use Rights (PUR) (for volume licensees) and the Services Provider Use Rights (SPUR) (for services providers under SPLA), Microsoft has implemented significant changes to several usage rights associated with fail-over or disaster-recovery (DR) installations of its server products. As many IT professionals know, Microsoft’s fail-over rights always…

201602.23
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For Hosting Providers Running Microsoft Products, “Dedicated” Means “Dedicated”

As discussed previously, providers of software hosting services may deploy on their servers Microsoft products licensed by their customers under two different scenarios, one of those being where the hosting provider has dedicated a physical server for use by the customer providing the licenses. However, providers thinking of taking advantage of this option need to…

201602.23
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Hosting Providers Have Two Options For Customer-Supplied Licenses

Like any good business, many providers of hosted IT solutions prefer to demonstrate flexibility in offering services to their customers. For example, a company that offers hosted Exchange services may want to allow their customers to use perpetual licenses the customers purchased to support deployments on the service provider’s servers. While Microsoft’s licensing rules permit…

201602.23
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Beware the Mandatory SAM Engagement

For several years now, Microsoft has offered some of its customers the “opportunity” to have third-party licensing consultants (selected by Microsoft) review those customers’ Microsoft product deployments and determine whether those customers have all of the licenses needed to support those deployments. Called Software Asset Management, or “SAM” engagements, the reviews are, in theory, optional,…

201602.23
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Running Windows Server in Clustered VMs Carries Risks

Many businesses running virtual servers with shared physical infrastructures have encountered significant audit exposure arising from the fact that, according to Microsoft, the physical machines in a clustered arrangement may be “running” any number of Windows Server instances at any time. Therefore, Microsoft historically has demanded that a number of server licenses be assigned to…

201602.23
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Client-Licensed Microsoft Software in Hosted Environments

Hosting services customers often want to use licenses that they have acquired to deploy Microsoft software on a service provider’s servers. Those customers need to be wary about such deployments, as applicable license terms may restrict their ability to deploy the products offsite. However, the service provider needs to be doubly cautious. After all, the…

201602.23
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SPLA-Audit Exposure Difficult to Estimate

One of the first steps we typically recommend to businesses facing software audits from any source is to try to estimate the financial exposure related to those audits. Doing so allows a company to allocate its resources more efficiently and to set aside reserves or make other financial preparations in advance of settlement, when auditors…