Microsoft Licensing FAQs
July 21, 2011
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: What is the Microsoft Academic Select Agreement?
A: Academic Select License provides educational institutions with a flexible, volume-based, software license purchasing program. The purpose of Academic Select is to provide a licensing tool that is easy to understand. Districts simply acquire and pay for the software License and Software Assurance as needed.
Q: How is the Academic Select Agreement different from the Microsoft Open Value Subscription-Education Solutions (OVS-ES) program?
A: The OVS-ES program differs from the Microsoft Academic Select Agreement in that the OVS-ES agreement is treated like a lease and the Academic Select is treated like a purchase. You own software purchased through the Academic Select Agreement. The Software Assurance option (for an additional cost) provides updates and upgrades for the Academic Select Agreement.
Q: What is Software Assurance?
A: When you acquire licenses through the Academic Select program, you can enroll those licenses in Software Assurance. Software assurance helps you get the most from your software by providing the right to run any new release of a covered product during the term of the agreement (free upgrades). You also have access to eLearning content for your covered products.
