Author Archives: licensingschool

Introducing Licensing School ONLINE!

LS online

You asked, we listened. It’s been on our radar for a while, and we’re really pleased to announce the first in a series of online training courses.

Training is what we do best, but the trouble is, all of you lovely people are scattered around the world … and so the very best way for us to reach you is online. But we’re trainers – we won’t just talk at you, we want you to learn, and our online training sessions have been designed to be exactly that. Training sessions, not presentations.

Our first Licensing School Online module is long overdue: Preparation for the Microsoft SAM MCP Exam 70-673. As anybody who’s taken it will tell you, it’s a tricky old exam to pass, and so this 2.5 hour online training session on Wednesday 9th December is well worth attending if you need to get this certification. You will receive a workbook to download and complete, a cheat sheet, as well as 14 days of unlimited support from the trainer via email, to assist you with your exam preparation.

Since it’s our first online training course, we’re offering this session at a special promotional price of $99 + VAT (20%) per person. You can find out more and register here: http://bit.ly/1HjZCoY, but in the meantime, let us know what online training you’d like to see from us, and look out for other new modules in the coming months!

Understanding Online Proctored Exams

The 74-678 Microsoft Licensing exam can be taken as an online proctored exam which means that you don’t have to wend your weary way to a test centre.

If you want to check that this method of taking the exam would work for you, then this presentation from the Microsoft Learning team will probably answer all of your questions: http://bit.ly/1HMiwow.

Extension to Microsoft Cloud Data Centres in Europe

Microsoft announce plans to deliver commercial cloud services from data centres in multiple cities within the UK, with Azure and Office 365 available in late 2016 and Dynamics CRM Online shortly afterwards.

The Microsoft Cloud will also be available in Germany during the second half of 2016 where access to customer data will be controlled by a Data Trustee under German Law.

See the announcement here: http://bit.ly/20UNcuf.

Forefront TMG Web Protection Services

Microsoft remind us that Forefront Threat Management Gateway (TMG) Web Protection Services will end on 31 December 2015.

This article (http://bit.ly/1X0i2wT) confirms that there will be no further updates to this URL filtering/categorisation service beyond this date but that the gateway product itself, Forefront Threat Management Gateway 2010, will remain under extended support until 14 April 2020.

The article also has a link if you’re interested in how to move from TMG to newer solutions.

SA Benefits for SCE Subscription Licences

A Server and Cloud Enrolment requires commitment across your installed base of a particular product – SQL Server for example. If you haven’t got SA to renew, then you need to buy licences with Software Assurance for all of your servers – which can, of course, be expensive.

An alternative is to buy Subscription licences. But, do you get the same SA benefits for those Subscription licences as you do for the L&SA purchases? You do, and there’s new confirmation in the November 2015 Product Terms document – see page 31 for example.

Additions to CRM Online Licences

Microsoft announce new ways for customers to acquire Office 365, Power BI and CRM Online.

Firstly, there will be a CRM Online Professional Add-on to Office 365 E3, E5 and Business Premium, which will cost $50 per user per month.

Then we can also expect to see a new, low-cost Employee Self-Service licence for CRM Online.

You can find the announcement, along with information on the new features of CRM 2016, here: http://bit.ly/1GTderi.

Buying and Licensing Microsoft Azure Services Booklet

QLIL Azure Cover V1

There’s a new publication from Licensing School!

If you want to know how the Azure Services are licensed and purchased through the EA, SCE and MPSA then this is a must-have booklet.

It’s available on all Amazon sites in Kindle format now, and as a printed book on the UK site – expect to see it in other geographies later in the week. http://bit.ly/LessonsInLicensing.

End of sales for OEM Windows 8.1 – October 2016

Usually when Microsoft launch a new flavour of Windows the previous version is available preinstalled on new machines for at least another two years. It’s different with Windows 10!

Windows 7 Professional will be available until 31 October 2016 (4 years after the launch of Windows 8) while Windows 8.1 will also be available until 31 October 2016 but that’s a mere 15 months after the launch of Windows 10.

The end of Windows 8 comes even quicker at 30 June 2016. Microsoft’s Windows lifecycle fact sheet has all the details: http://bit.ly/1MGslQR.

Microsoft Hosting and CSP Newsletter

The October 2015 Microsoft Hosting and Cloud Service Provider Newsletter is out.

There are two things of particular note if licensing is your thing; firstly, there’s a recap of the news that Microsoft will soon allow customers to bring their own Windows Server and Windows 10 licences to Azure, and the FAQ is worth a look (http://bit.ly/1jeqDj6).

Then there’s an announcement of a new digital workshop if you want to gain a better understanding of the CSP licensing model which is free for partners to register for (http://bit.ly/1k4TzdG).

Sign up for this free monthly newsletter here: http://bit.ly/1iVEvxV.

Bridge CALs Available in Open Value

From November 1st there are Bridge CALs available for Open Value customers.

When do you need a Bridge CAL? Well, if you’ve got an enterprise wide commitment to Office and a CAL Suite but want to transition to either EMS or Office 365 then you need a way to continue to pay for the on-premises components that haven’t transitioned – and that’s the Bridge CAL. They’ve been available in the Enterprise Agreement for a few years and now Open Value customers are able to buy them too.

See page 14 of the November 2015 Product Terms document.