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SPLA Licensing Best Practices

This document provides best practices for common licensing scenarios under the Microsoft Service Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA). It outlines that a Subscriber Access License (SAL) is required for every user authorized to access server software. It also notes that service providers can test Microsoft products for 90 days and provide software services on a trial basis for up to 60 days. Finally, it stresses the importance for service providers to have agreements defining license responsibility with end customers.

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96 views1 page

SPLA Licensing Best Practices

This document provides best practices for common licensing scenarios under the Microsoft Service Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA). It outlines that a Subscriber Access License (SAL) is required for every user authorized to access server software. It also notes that service providers can test Microsoft products for 90 days and provide software services on a trial basis for up to 60 days. Finally, it stresses the importance for service providers to have agreements defining license responsibility with end customers.

Uploaded by

spyoldyt
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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SPLA Licensing

Best Practices
This document is purposed with highlighting/flagging some of the most common licensing challenges Service Providers
encounter. The Microsoft Service Provider Licensing Agreement (SPLA) is designed to provide a flexible licensing model for
Service Providers to adapt their software licensing based on the needs of their customers. It also provides for a number of
beneficial services that you can provide to your customers. As a Microsoft SPLA Partner, here are some best practices for the
most common licensing scenarios to assist you in managing your Microsoft software assets:

Licensing End Users via SALs


A Subscriber Access License (SAL) is required for every user that is authorized to access your instances of the server
software directly or indirectly, regardless of actual access of the server software. Services Providers should ensure that
appropriate restrictions are in place – if a user can access the software, they should be l icensed.

Testing of Products
Service providers may test a new Microsoft Product for 90 days. This period begins when you first acquire the
original media or download the software. This is per Service Provider, not per End Customer. You can only
test once per Product.

End Customer Evaluations


Service Providers may provide Software Services on a Trial Basis under several conditions, these conditions
can be found in the SPUR and include, amongst others: You must not charge for this period; It must be no
longer than 60 days; You must keep records.

Define License Responsibility


In certain scenarios, hosted environments can be licensed either by the Service Provider (through SPLA), or by
leveraging your End Customers’ licenses. It is important for Service Providers to have a written agreement to
define license responsibility for all End Customer environments.

End Customer Licensable Products


For some products, Microsoft allows for License Mobility, which is a Software Assurance benefit that allows an End
Customer to bring their own Volume Licenses to cover a deployment in a third-party, shared hosted environment. Office is
not eligible for License Mobility, and therefore its use in a third-party, shared environment requires licensing via SPLA.

How Software Asset Management (SAM) can help:


RISKMANAGEMENT ADD VALUE TO YOUR MORE LIABILITY CONTROL
PEACE OFMIND END CUSTOMERS

A good SAM program can help control Licensing can be an afterthought for A good SAM plan helps you ensure that
the risks associated with improper many of your End Customers. Leverage your licenses are compliant. SAM can
licensing procedures. You’ll know your expertise to ensure that both your also help you achieve compliance with
where you stand with your software Software Services and your End government regulations that may require
and licenses, plus you'll have peace of Customer Licensed deployments are strict standards of IT governance and
mind knowing that you are using Compliant. controls.
genuine products with all their
associated benefits.

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