Re: Can SA Be Added Later?

From: Jeff Middleton [SBS-MVP] (jeff_at_cfisolutions.com)
Date: 03/13/04 

Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 13:08:13 -0600

I regret that I did not anticipate the depth of detail you were
anticipating, I was thinking that I was only clarifying a point in Javier's
comments, not that I was taking over responding to this thread of questions
you asked on his behalf. At the risk of assuming too much again, I'll
explain that perhaps you don't realize that MVPs are not MS employees and
the post we make are not core MS policy, just the information we have
gleened in our own day to day activities as customers or dealers. It never
occured to me that you anticipated me to research and explain all the
product channels, all the SA conditions, all the SA exceptions, costs and
benefits which I myself don't even know either.

My first reply was intended to clarify a specific point only, that only if
you buy OEM product can you later add SA to it. If you buy anything else,
you can't add it later. If you have not bought yet, this would be useful
information still because you would know that if you bought an OEM product
tomorrow, you would know that you still could make the decision about SA
later, but any other method of purchase requires you to buy concurrent with
the purchase. If you are making a purchase, at the time of purchase you can
ask if you are being provided an OEM version, even request that sometimes.
If you already own a product, look at the license sticker and you will see
it says OEM on the label.

The product channels from MS include:
- Retail Boxed Product, that's what's typically on a shelf with colorful
pictures at your electronics store;
- OEM, that's what system integrators buy to install with hardware as a
finished package
- License Product, that's you buy media and licenses separately, meaning you
don't have to pay for media with each copy. License product covers Business,
Educational, Government and Charity channels that all have different price
and restrictions, plus Volume which is itself another license process

The above are the common channel use of product, but there are others for
non-production use:
- NFR/Eval, that's what MS provides to resellers and promotional situations
that can't be resold
- MSDN, that's what MS provides for developers to use in making compatible
product designs, and it's licensed per user, not corporately, and it can't
be upgraded or resold either
- Action Pack, that's what MS provides to resellers to use for demonstration
purposes and internal use in maintaining competency and familiarity with
products, but some restrictions apply, including that it's not resellable
and typically can't be upgraded.

SA is a program that provides for continuous use of a product for a period
of "x" years from date of purchase, typically 2 or 3 yrs. It expires in the
sense that your price determines the period of time covered, and you have to
option to let it lapse or to renew at that point. If you allow the SA to
lapse, you continue to use the last version you obtained in SA. You can also
downgrade with SA, meaning you can run earlier versions of a product if you
prefer, rather than the latest version released. You can install SA upgrades
whenever you want, and there's not additional purchases other than for media
as you see fit.

Enrollment of SA is available by contacting your dealer, or MS licensing.
Try this link"
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/default.mspx

As Susan said, SA licensing is complex because it's futurecasting product
upgrades that may not exist, and it's never clear when you are promised
future products what exactly that means you are getting if product designs
are changing. Ultimately, you should always clarify directly with MS or your
product provider what exactly the upgrade will include, if they can even
tell you.

At this point, you have the additional information provided by others on
this thread clarifying most of what you have asked, as far as I can tell.
However, if you still have questions that you would like me to offer an
opinion on or explain in some manner, I'd be happy to respond to them if you
would be kind enough to post those that still remain again.

"root" <root@buchanangc.com> wrote in message
news:ur8zREJCEHA.892@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...
>
> "Jeff Middleton [SBS-MVP]" <jeff@cfisolutions.com> wrote in message
> news:OrFA%235ICEHA.2628@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> > The 90 day SA offer is only with OEM versions.
>
> And what other versions available from where are there?
>
> > Your best bet is to return to the original vendor if you are under 90
days
> > and ask them.
>
> Ask them what exactly? Nothing has yet been purchased here. If you'd
have
> responded to the questions I posed below then it would be more helpful?
>
> > If you are over 90 days, you are free to contact anyone you
> > want but they will tell you the same thing...you will be repurchasing
the
> > entire cost of the product.
> >
> >
> > "root" <root@buchanangc.com> wrote in message
> > news:Oxqu2nICEHA.2840@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...
> > >
> > > "Javier Gomez [SBS MVP]" <javier_gomez@remove.this.engineer.com> wrote
> in
> > > message news:eICEiXICEHA.2256@TK2MSFTNGP12.phx.gbl...
> > > > You only have 90 days from the day of purchase to enroll stuff in
SA.
> > >
> > > Where is that process "enroll" described? What does it cost? Does
one
> > > purchased SA for a specific time period or does it last as long as
> SBS2003
> > > lasts??
> > >
> > > > > Can anyone provide a plausible justification for SA other than
> "maybe
> > > > > someday...."??
> > > >
> > > > That's one problem about SA. Althought I'm no SA fan myself, I have
> been
> > > > reading a lot on some subjects and it looks like MS is making (and
has
> > > made)
> > > > big changes on how their software gets delivered. This is positive
for
> > SA
> > > > customers, because they get small sets of new features that they can
> > > > implement easier... contrary to waiting to the next version to
> > incorporate
> > > > all those changes.
> > >
> > > Can you provide and links or citations?
> > >
> > > > Since MS is now stating that they will be releasing XP Reloaded and
> > > probably
> > > > a version inbetween 2003 and Longhorn (nicknamed Shorthorn)... I
don't
> > see
> > > > SA as a bad choice anymore.
> > >
> > > But one can't even get a statement from MS on the pending Spam filter
> > update
> > > to 2003 server as to whether all or just SA customers will get it?
> > They'll
> > > only say the SA folks will get it for sure.
> > >
> > > Thanks.
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

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