Product licenses do not expire and are valid for as long as you own the product. The software assurance benefits program is separated into a package of soft benefits to enable technology adoption, and product specific extended use rights that extend how software can be used by enterprises. Microsoft offers a range of product specific benefits such as the ones outlined for sql server below in table 1 sql server software assurance benefits overview. Indicates benefits that may also be available to customers licensed for microsoft intune andor windows vda subscription. What is included in my microsoft software assurance benefits. If your organization has or plans to invest in sa, you will need to understand how these changes will impact your ability to accrue, redeem, and consume these benefits moving. Software assurance allows you to get free upgrades to new versions of products that were released within the twoyear period of the benefit. The comprehensive set of software assurance benefits combine to offer a powerful advantage as you plan, deploy, and use microsoft products.
Software assurance benefits include new product version rights, support, license mobility rights, and a unique set of technologies and services. Optimize tco with new sql server software assurance benefits for disaster recovery. Use consulting services to plan new, onpremises and cloudbased deployments. Planning, training, and home use are popular benefits, but software assurance doesnt stop there. For sql server, cold disaster recovery dr rights are a software assurance sa benefit while failover rights do not require sa coverage, but to get the maximum benefit of failover rights you will want to consider sa coverage for your sql server licenses. Software assurance spans microsoft s range of software products and services, helping you get the most out of your microsoft investment. With these new benefits, software assurance customers will be able to implement hybrid disaster recovery plans with sql server using our features like.
Software assurance swa is defined as the level of confidence that software is free from vulnerabilities, either intentionally designed into the software or accidentally inserted at any time during its lifecycle, and that the software functions in the intended manner. Most sa benefits are granted at the beginning of the coverage period. It can combine the latest software with telephone support available 24 hours a. If you do not have your access id, contact your software assurance benefits administrator or microsoft sales representative. This guidebook describes the costs and benefit decisions relevant to. As of 1 july 2017, extended hotfix support is no longer available through software assurance. When cancelling the contract, you can still use advance for an unlimited time, you just dont receive any more upgrades. Links to licensing reference set entries that detail the sa software assurance benefits for major microsoft products, identifying highvalue benefits that may justify the additional cost and low value benefits that dont. Using software assurance benefits can help you take full advantage of your investments in it. See the table below for a summary of microsoft software assurance benefits included with microsoft products requested through connecting. Software assurance programs partner center microsoft docs. Microsoft updates to software assurance sa, beginning. Software assurance membership sam membership licensing. If an employee reserves a training voucher and then cannot attend the scheduled course, the.
Get answers to frequently asked questions about software assurance. The self hosting benefit allows customers with software assurance to provide their own software as a hosted service using a combination of microsoft software and their own software to create a unified solution unified solution, subject to the terms outlined in the microsoft product terms. Review software assurance benefits the comprehensive set of software assurance benefits combine to offer a powerful advantage as you plan, deploy, and use microsoft products. Software assurance spans microsofts range of software products and services, helping you get the most out of your microsoft investment. Software assurance benefits chart software assurance software assurance overview volume licensing service center vlsc. Use your benefits to help it staff efficiently deploy and manage microsoft office products and office 365 and get the newest software releases. Volume licensing service center software assurance benefits. In september 2019 microsoft announced that the software assurance training benefit program will be phased out with a final program end date of january 1, 2022. Software assurance sa benefits expire after two years, though they can be. Microsoft software assurance what it is and how it.
Microsoft volume licensing product licensing search. Sa benefits are managed through the volume licensing service center vlsc to. Reduce software and services costs with rights to new software releases and costefficient upgrades. Software assurance training benefit product catalog. Software assurance benefits microsoft volume licensing. Software assurance by product microsoft volume licensing. Software assurance benefits by agreement new version rights rights to new software versions released during the term of the agreement. Software assurance benefits expire after two years.
These benefits are specific to the microsoft products offered through techsoup and might be different from software assurance benefits obtained through other channels. Microsoft sql server a deeper look continued flexera blog. If you obtain an upgrade item, sa benefits continue to be associated with this upgrade and have the same end date as the original product obtained through. The full list of benefits, effective march 2006, are as follows. Software assurance helps boost organizational productivity with 24x7 technical support, deployment planning services, enduser and technical training, exclusive technologies and rights, and the latest microsoft software releases and unique technologiesall in one costeffective. Software assurance by benefit software assurance includes a range of benefits that helps boost your organizational productivity. Software assurance benefits included with microsoft products. To determine your software assurance benefits, use the volume licensing service center. All products that are currently eligible for license mobility within server farms and covered by software assurance are eligible for license mobility through software assurance.
Beginning february 1, 2020, azure content will no longer be included in the software assurance training benefit program and will no longer be found in this product catalog. Microsoft announced today changes to their software assurance sa benefits offerings that will be gradually rolled out starting in february 2020 and fully implemented by january 2022. You get a broad range of benefits that help you make the most of your windows, office, and server products. The microsoft product terms details software assurance benefit eligibility and program rules.
Your software assurance benefits are determined by your volume licensing agreement such as an enterprise agreement or open value agreement and the number of qualifying licenses that you have with software assurance. Optimize tco with new sql server software assurance. Software assurance for volume licensing includes a range of benefits that span microsoft software and services. Entitlement summary for more details about software assurance entitlements through the mpsa, visit software assurance through mpsa. To renew your software assurance benefits, request a standalone software assurance product through techsoup up to 90 days before your original benefits expire. How to use or renew your software assurance benefits techsoup. Sam membership is the concept of allowing licenses under your microsoft volume licensing agreement to be purchased only with software assurance attachment. Software assurance sa is included in many microsoft licensing programs, and is an optional purchase on others. Microsoft software assurance benefits for office can help your organization accelerate deployment and improve enduser productivity. All benefits are generated by a benefits administrator at the customer organization and can be managed on the microsoft volume licensing service center. First year software assurance is compulsory but if you choose not to maintain your software assurance from year to year, a reinstatement fee equal to 20% of the. How to use or renew your software assurance benefits. Licensing programs eligibility requirements microsoft. Microsoft software assurance support incident submission.
Customers should refer to their agreements for a full understanding of their rights and obligations under microsofts volume licensing programs. Software assurance membership sam is an integrated set of support services and benefits provided to all enterprise agreement ea customers and those select plus license customers who have selected the sam option for one or more product pools on their select plus enrollment or companywide option available under open value. In spite of the benefits of the software assurance, we still offer the instant purchase option for customers who cannot or do not want to enter a timebased contract. Sa contains a range of benefits which provide technology, services and support to manage the software lifecycle.
Software assurance is a collection of benefits included with microsoft donated or discounted products requested through techsoup. Software assurance benefits by product october 7, 2019. A base subscription that includes 8x5 access to technical support as well as software patch updates, hot fixes, and entitlement to major software releases. Software assurance benefits help you take full advantage of your investments in it. Software assurance through the microsoft products and services agreement.
Technisoft software assurance is not included in the sale price of the product and will be charged to end user by the associated business partner that provided the technisoft software. The hosted software must fit the definition of a unified solution, and only certain microsoft. Microsoft adds sql server disaster recovery use rights. Microsoft software assurance big risk for a small reward. What is software assurance and what benefits it provides. Software assurance helps keep your business up to date with a unique set of technologies, and services, and rights to maximize your microsoft investment. Participation in software assurance programs, including software assurance training vouchers satv and planning services, provides you an opportunity to grow your business with microsoft enterprise customers.
The value and benefit gained under microsoft volume licensing programs and through use of microsoft software and services may vary by customer. By spreading payments annually, you can lock in your licence price and plan your software budget up to three years in advance. Customers can find the most accurate statement of their current software assurance benefits in the vlsc. It also has a unique set of technologies and services. Your access and rights to use your sa benefits generally expires upon expiration of their sa coverage, unless otherwise noted below. Software assurance benefits included with microsoft donations.
Microsoft software assurance sa is a microsoft maintenance program aimed at business. Standard subscription benefits plus 24x7 technical support, access to online training, and to mitel performance analytics monitoring and analytics. A comprehensive program that includes a unique set of technologies, services, and rights to help deploy, manage, and use microsoft products efficiently, software assurance helps keep your business up to date and ready to respond quickly to change and opportunity. Software assurance is a comprehensive volume licensing program that includes a unique set of technologies, services, and rights to help you deploy, manage, and use your microsoft products more efficiently. Software assurance benefits vary by product and product pool. Software assurance benefits were introduced by microsoft as a way of delivering greater value to its customer base outside of the commonly perceived version upgrade use cases. As microsoft have modernized their gotomarket and channel ecosystem, the sa benefits program will be realigned towards. Microsoft volume licensing microsoft software assurance. Microsoft announces changes to software assurance benefits. Your organizations software assurance benefits administrator receives an access id after clicking activate on the 24x7 benefit in the volume licensing service center vlsc. See the table below for a summary of benefits provided by products that include software assurance. The main objective of software assurance is to ensure that the processes, procedures, and products used to.
Available for all server, application and systems products available in all volume licensing programs spread payments option to make annual payments rather than one upfront payment. These benefits include free software upgrades, office multilanguage packs, office suites for use at home, elearning courses, and more. Ninety days prior to expiration, your vlsc account owner should receive an email from microsoft saying that the benefits are expiring soon. Unique technologies, services, and rights help you. Unique technologies, services, and rights help you deploy, manage, and use microsoft products efficiently. Find out about the basics of microsoft volume licensing programs, which include software assurance, shared source, open license, select license, select plus, enterprise agreement, enterprise subscription agreement, and product keys. Software assurance allows companies to get the most value from microsoft products with several key benefits that can save time and money. June 14, 2016 upperedge no comments share i recently conducted a meeting with a cio to discuss his companys options going into its microsoft renewal negotiation, and he acknowledged that he, like most of my clients, was largely in the dark about the costs and benefits of software. Software assurance by benefit microsoft volume licensing. The microsoft products and services agreement this is a single purchasing agreement that provides flexible options for your software. They can be renewed by requesting a standalone software assurance product through. In addition to those, certain other products can also be granted license mobility through software assurance benefits, and will be identified in appendix 1 of the.