Microsoft Departmental FAQ

What is the Microsoft Licensing Program?
What products are available through the Licensing Program?
What is the Core CAL?
What if we want a product that is not included in the Licensing Program?
How do we calculate our EQU?
Do Graduate Students Count towards our EQU?
Is this an annual agreement?
How do we define our department?
If my department participates in the Licensing Program, how do we account for computer labs?
Do we have to turn in an EQU count every year?
Can a department pay for the coming Academic Year with funds from the current year?
Can my department drop out of the Licensing Program?
When is the sign-up period for the Licensing Program?

What is the Microsoft Licensing Program?

This is an opportunity for departments to purchase an annual license for several of Microsoft's most popular products based on their EQU (Education Qualified Users) count. This may make software management for the products covered by the program easier to administer.

Since the fees are based on an EQU count, groups with more computers than employees (e.g., departments with computer labs) can save by enrolling in this program instead of buying separate licenses for each machine. Also, faculty and staff of participating entities are eligible to purchase select Microsoft products for personal use at greatly discounted prices (or at no charge).

What products are available through the Licensing Program?

The Campus Desktop License includes the Windows Upgrade, Office Packages, and the Enterprise CAL.  Note that the Windows Upgrade does require a previous version of Windows (any version) and allows the machine to be upgraded to the latest available version of Windows.

What is the Enterprise CAL?

CAL stands for Client Access License. The Enterprise CAL incudes:

Windows Server Standard CAL

Sharepoint Server Standard CAL

Exchange Server Standard CAL

System Center Config Manager CML

System Center Endpoint Protection

Lync Standard CAL

Exchange Enterprise CAL w/services

Exchange Online Archiving

Sharepoint Server Enterprise CAL

Lync Server Enterprise CAL

Windows Server AD Rights Management Services CAL

System Center Client Management Suite CAL

System Center Datacenter/Standard**

Virtual Machine Manager

Configuration Manager

Data Protection

Service Manager

Endpoint Protection

Operations Manager

Orchestrator

App Controller

**System Center Standard = 2 virtualization instances

**System Center Datacenter = unlimited virtualization

What if we want a product that is not included in the Licensing Program?

Once the Licensing Program is in place, the Software Center will begin the process of signing up for one of Microsoft's Volume Licensing Programs. The Volume Licensing Program makes licenses for nearly all of Microsoft's products available to the university. These licenses would be permanent and would not need to be renewed, however, upgrades to newer versions are not available and new licenses would need to be purchased should an upgrade be desired.

How do we calculate our EQU (Education Qualified Users)?

All faculty, staff, and graduate assistants count as 1 EQU each.  

Do Graduate Students count towards our EQU?

Only graduate assistants (GANTs, GARs, and GATs) count, as 1 EQU each.

Is this an annual agreement?

Yes. Your department will be required to pay a fee every year to continue using the software.

How do we define our department?

A department is an administrative entity as organized by the university. If an employee can be ad loc'd to a particular entity, this entity is a department.

If my department participates in the Licensing Program, how do we account for computer labs?

Your computer labs are covered by the agreement if your department signs up for the program.

Do we have to turn in an EQU count every year?

Yes. You will also be requested to provide an account number to which the fee will be billed.

Can a department pay for the coming Academic Year with funds from the current year?

You will have to check with your accounting department to see if there is a way to encumber funds for the next Academic Year with funds from the current, however, the Software Center will not process any Microsoft Software requests until September 1.

Can my department drop out of the Licensing Program?

Once you have signed up for a given year, you will be covered by the agreement from the beginning of the Academic year (Sept 1) until the end of the Academic Year (August 31). Microsoft does allow a department wishing to leave the program to revert to licenses owned before signing on, to purchase permanent licenses through other means, or to buy-out of the Licensing Program.

When is the sign-up period for the Licensing Program?

The annual license enrollment period will occur in April. Please be aware that the open enrollment period is very short. If the deadline is missed, orders cannot be accepted per the licensing agreement, and your department will need to wait until next year to enroll. Since dates are not set yet for the next annual enrollment, you are encouraged to sign up for the Software Center mailing list to receive a notification.