Calling for a change on OEM OS licensing… because I like other devices.

Windows 8 (8.1) is a single experience for all devices. It works for some people, not really for me, I like different experiences in life. Despite my personal taste on OS use, the premise behind Microsoft’s OS campaign is that one single OS can deliver the same experience on a phone, pc or tablet.

Microsoft has done a very good job at owning the OS market for many years on the pc side. Today’s evolution of devices claims a more open market. We have “phablets”, tablets and phones doing more tasks we used to do on a pc than ever before. We chose devices qualifying them for more than we used to… the graphics, size, entertainment purposes beyond work, cameras, level of connectivity etc…

As we evolve on our use of multiple devices I imagine that having a “single experience” across all devices must be a very good premise to capture market as Microsoft marketing strategy, however going back to basics, like many years ago, we should get the device we like because of the functionality we seek.

In some cases Android devices have the perfect attributes for certain jobs, still for work purposes I would prefer to combine a Windows OS on the same device as my Android OS. Taking virtualization to the device even the mobile device and tablet will help us to use them in different scenarios in life.

As the revenue war is driven more towards Office 365 these days. Productivity tools should be available on any OS. And I know that what I am asking here is hard.., but it will be so much interesting, flexible, and user-friendly if we could obtain the OS separate from the device, or add to it a partition.

I heard rumors that this is coming to the mobile world. I wonder how OEM OS licensing rights will change to enable a new reality… Diversity.

 

O365 for Enterprise

O365 is born for the masses but there is a strong push to have every Enterprise Agreement including the bridge CAL or O365 subscriptions to enable the use of Microsoft Cloud in the Enterprise level clients.

Things that should be offered:

• A clear VLK and MAK allowed deployment practices. So customers using SCCM or any other management and operations tool can push software instead of using O365 methods.
• Extending the SMB O365 subscriptions to include on premise CAL use rights. Allowing those EAs on the 250 to 300 device count or user count range to benefit from a lower O365 cost starting point.
• EAs could totally transform to subscription however after decades of investment allowing clients to own the licenses instead of making a decision to use a subscription that ends services if discontinued. It will be nice for long-term Microsoft Enterprise clients to see this in the T&Cs.
• And maybe last wish, have an O365 option that includes windows server CALs.

There is a still a long way to go for O365 to be positioned in the Enterprise, not only “sold” to the Enterprise but “used” and consume, more flexible licensing and deployment practices will help.

 

 

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Changes coming to Office 365 – #WPC2013

The Microsoft WPC 2013 is all over Office 365, Azure, Intune and Dynamics.

Cloud is clearly not to be sold but sold already and partners are trying to decipher the way to create the services and value.

Office 365 changes are coming soon. For example Microsoft partners will be able to sell more than the Midsize business sku to their customers through distribution and soon they will offer E programs and Exchange online for example. This is a significant change for Managed services providers that now can offer O365 to their clients without having them to register on their own to the Cloud solution.

Midsize business in Office 365 will also see the change to be able to accept other subscription registrations under the same company domain, like combining it with Kiosk. No ETA for the change but Microsoft said MSLI (the all-powerful licensing department) is looking into the changes to the terms and conditions.

Microsoft listened, I sense a more humble approach to concerns and realization that they can win the productivity Cloud war right now to gain momentum as in the past beyond the competitors.

The windows device ecosystem with Windows 8, and soon 8.1 is focused on user experience and that shift also will help Microsoft to gain tradition on the consumer market and the mobile phone market.

It is going to be a hard choice n the device for users however on productivity tools, integrated systems Microsoft has position itself very well.

Coming Open offerings

Mid Size

E1

E3

Pro Plus

Exchange Online

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Office 365 Midsize Business, issues

Imagine that you want to buy some midsize business (M) O365 licenses and combine them with your field workers Kiosk licenses. Or even some E3 for your executives

Sorry….

M license cannot be combined for the same domain customer with any other

Basically if you categorize yourself in the mid size business sku that is all you can subscribe

So before you take the decision maybe you want to analyze a combination of Kiosk, E3 (as E2 was killed recently) and other subscriptions

This is a blow against distribution too as M license is the only one offered through the channel that allows MSP to mark it up.., Microsoft should change this and remove it from the long list of punches to the MSP sector.

Or…

Allow Kiosk licenses to be purchased by other non enterprise clients.

To protect a specific medium market against all combinations does not seem like a good licensing strategy. Nor even a good sales strategy…

And another thing, Microsoft please stop changing subscription plans, keep them for a year to see what happens!..,just my opinion.

to understand more about O365 contact me @mslicensing

Related articles

• Office 365 as a compliance solution (josefhanslara.wordpress.com)
• How and where to buy Office 365 (reviews.cnet.com)

Office 365 as a compliance solution

It is no mystery that Small medium businesses are jumping faster into the Cloud licensing options. Enterprise level organizations have a different pace. Licensing however can be offered not as a computing solution but as a compliance solution, and as Office 365 offers on premise use of the licenses one can imagine that Microsoft would easily allow the full transition of Enterprise Agreements (EA) into the EA based on Office 365 licensing…

Not really, I can see very protective approach to deals on EAs, while customers are looking to change the licensing models to subscriptions even on the EA renewal or new EA.., Microsoft stills wants the traditional Volume Licensing with a discounted Office 365 on top of it as option number one.

This lack of flexibility can hurt Microsoft if customers start dropping EAs to use Office 365 and a handful of other licenses on other programs.

My comment is based regarding the following:

• Why VL + % discount O365?
• why not VL or Office 365? to choose from.

The transition within the EA term is possible, but why not directly on renewal or why not offer a truly dedicated EA to subscription licensing?

And why not offering a different platform?, for example:

an EA with Office 365, Intune and Azure:

• with on premise rights
• without bridge CALs
• allowing virtualization
• offering a platform like discount if having the three Cloud components.

It will definitely attract Enterprise level organizations to see their existing options just expanded.

Just a thought.

Office 365 on EA, the transition…

Office 365 is offered to Microsoft customers with an Enterprise Agreement (EA) as a subscription add-on, now offering the ability to use a “bridge CAL” to transition the use of Microsoft Cloud.

The complexities of changes on the licensing Customer Price Sheet, amendments and exceptions is going to be a very significant subject for existing EAs. Customers need to carefully understand the service delivery of Cloud, security liability and data recovery protection, to build the terms and conditions appropriately.

One example could be the initiative to license Office Pro Plus for Office 365 on an EA. Today there is no information to validate the use of VLKs (Volume Licensing Keys) for product activation on Citrix or Remote Desktop Services environments. The rights of use are there but not how to deliver it.

Another careful consideration to add to terms and conditions is the Kiosk License, to also include shared mailbox features, to allow continuing practices by users while re-educating them to use SharePoint if necessary.

For the Enterprise it is necessary a careful consideration of terms, definition and delivery practices. It may be a good moment to adventure yourself into discussions with Microsoft to accommodate your EA needs to your use of the Cloud and build with Microsoft the necessary processes to effectively go Cloud.

Ultimately I am hoping Microsoft licensing will understand and accommodate real technical delivery soon in the Office 365 service delivery details to mitigate concerns.

 

Related articles

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• Office 365 news round-up (blogs.office.com)

Office 365, upgrading Office and Downgrade rights

These days I have to answer often to the question regarding downgrade rights from Office 365. It is different from Volume Licensing. When you subscribe to the E3 or E4 programs for example you are making a decision to upgrade to the latest Office edition of the moment.

There is a small window now to still subscribe to Office 365 and get office 2010 until 8-APR-2014.

After that it will be Office 13 the only available download for Office.

How to be strategic on this?

Time for standardization and upgrade office is a good timing to move to an Office 365 subscription. It is easier to move from one or two editions behind than from a seven or eight year difference. So as dramatic the change can be now, and training is recommended, later upgrades can be done often, at no additional cost and less dramatic.

Once you are using Office from Office 365 you cannot downgrade the edition. Even is you have to change a device and were used to Office 2010 in the moment that Office 13 is the only edition available is the only one you will be able to deploy

It brings some inconvenience and is the way for Microsoft to force latest edition behavior.

There are scenarios on RDS and others that will need a tweak on PUR

for any question click HERE

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EA transition to Office 365… time to discuss

There are two ways to move your Enterprise Agreement (EA) to the Office 365 subscription

Obviously is an important topic these days as it is difficult to understand how you will be able to continue your EA investment and control costs during your way to the Cloud.

Every Office 365 plan as an equivalent on the CAL side to your EA, if your EA includes CALs. If you transition to an equivalent during the term then there is no increase of cost. However if you transition to an Office 365 option that includes more than your current EA you will incur into additional costs however highly discounted.

So basically there are two options for you

• Move to Office 365 on equivalent subscription and continue annual payments until renewal
• Increase licensing at a discounted price

True licensing experts could help you on the transition (ask me how @mslicensing or email me)

it is important to evaluate what can go Office 365 and which licenses will have to remain on the EA, specially if you create a hybrid model on your infrastructure.

All is possible…

 

Office 365 and RDS round 3, Allowed !!!

Office 365 and RDS round 3, Allowed!!!

Office 365 subscription users have won the battle, earlier than I expected, to have rights for Remote Desktop Services (RDS) or previously named Terminal Services.

Thanks to the new changes just published by Microsoft, Office 365 can now we deployed as well on RDS scenarios.

The text on the Product Use rights says the following:

“Each user may also use one of the five activations on a network server with the Remote Desktop Services (RDS) role enabled.” (PUR English Page 82, January 2013)

What does this mean? It means that Office can be installed with the MSI-based installation (MAK, KMS and Ad-based activation) required for RDS. Office can also be installed on Click-to-Run installation, with the built-in App-V foundation.

This allows clients to move to Office 365 licensing and benefit of all the features and serve thin clients, or any other RDS scenario.

Great news as it allows more flexibility.

One more reason to move to subscription what you used to buy on perpetual licensing…

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