Windows Subscription

What’s old news for some is new for others.

MS LicensingLeave a comment

We wrote about some of these changes in an earlier post.  In this article, we will review the licensing in’s and out’s in greater detail.

What is it?

Windows 10 Enterprise E3 in CSP is a per-user subscription marketed primarily to small and medium sized businesses.

How is it licensed?

It is a per user subscription model.  Licensed users may install Windows 10 Enterprise on up to 5 devices.

Is it availalbe in SPLA?

Windows 10 Enterprise is not available in SPLA.  CSP and SPLA are two separate programs.

What are the requirements?

New and renewed CSP customers will need to accept the Microsoft Cloud Agreement (MCA)  to use Windows 10 Enterprise. The updated Product Terms use rights for Windows 10 Enterprise in CSP, which were published in the September 2016 Volume Licensing Product Terms review this change.  Click here to see the latest update.

What are some other licensing benefits or things to watch out for?

  •  Downgrade to Windows 10 Pro at any time. When a user’s subscription expires or is transferred to another user, the Windows 10 Enterprise device reverts seamlessly to Windows 10 Pro edition (after a grace period of up to 90 days).
  • Move licenses between users. Licenses can be reallocated from one user to another user.
  • Customers subscribed to Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 can now upgrade their Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PCs and devices to Windows 10 without the need to purchase separate upgrade licenses. Check out the blog post by Microsoft here
  • Customer that were subscribed to the Secure Productive Enterprise E3 and E5 can also upgrade their Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PC’s to Windows 10.  Secure Productive Enterprise is the new name for the Enterprise Cloud Suite (ECS).  It bundles Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 with corresponding versions of Office 365 (E3 and E5) and the Enterprise Mobility + Security solution (EMS).

Thanks for reading,

CSP Man

Upgrade benefits for Windows Cloud Subscriptions through CSP

MS Licensing1 Comment

Not all Microsoft licensing programs are created equal.  This past January, Microsoft announced that customers who subscribed to Windows 10 Enterprise E3 and E5 as well as Secure Productive Enterprise E3 and E5, can now upgrade their Windows 8 and Windows 7  devices to Windows 10 without the need to purchase upgrade licenses.  This is only available through CSP channel.

Last July, Microsoft made the announcement that allowed CSP partners the ability to provide a subscription to Windows 10 Enterprise Edition as part of a managed service.  Now adding the ability to upgrade older Windows versions at no additional costs is another benefit notch in the CSP belt.

To provision this solution, end customers must purchase Windows cloud subscription from one of the authorized CSP partners.

More changes ahead!  Stay tuned!

Thanks for reading,

CSP Man