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1. How to become a SPLA provider? Go to SPLA Sign up process 2. Where can I find the SPLA price list? This will be provided by First Distribution, your Microsoft SPLA Reseller. 3. What is the difference between Processor Licensing (PL) and Subscriber Licensing (SAL)? There are two types of SPLA licenses with two choices on how to offer Microsoft licensed products to customers: Subscriber Access License (SAL) A Subscriber Access License (SAL) is required for each unique individual who is authorized to use the software in any given month. Not all product are available to be licensed in the SAL Mode.

Frequently Asked Questions

1.   How to become a SPLA provider?
Go to SPLA Sign up process

2.   Where can I find the SPLA price list?
This will be provided by First Distribution, your Microsoft SPLA Reseller.

3.   What is the difference between Processor Licensing (PL) and Subscriber Licensing (SAL)?

There are two types of SPLA licenses with two choices on how to offer Microsoft licensed products to customers:

Subscriber Access License (SAL)
A Subscriber Access License (SAL) is required for each unique individual who is authorized to use the software in any given month. Not all product are available to be licensed in the SAL Mode.

Benefits of the Per Subscriber model include:

Subscribers can access any number of servers from any number of devices
Service providers can "scale out" by deploying as many servers as they need
Service providers have minimal start-up costs since they only pay based upon the number of subscribers they have each month

Processor License (CPU)
Each processor license allows unlimited number of end users to access the software that is installed on that processor for products licensed through a per Processor model. Some products are not available to be licensed in the Processor mode.

Benefits of the Per CPU Model include:

CPU licenses are easier to monitor and count, which lowers the service provider's administrative costs.
CPU licenses replace Internet Connector licenses, eliminating the need to distinguish between Internet, intranet, and extranet users.
CPU licenses are economical across a variety of business scenarios where the utilization of the software may vary.

4.   Can I switch between Processor Licensing (PL) and Subscriber Licensing (SAL)?

For products that can be licensed in either Per Processor/CPU or Per User/Subscriber mode, the service provider can switch licensing mode from one month to another, but not within the same month.

5.   How do I license a Multi Core server?

Multicore processors, which consist of multiple processing execution units or “cores” on one chip, are seen as a promising way to boost computing power. Microsoft has been driving thought leadership in this area by charging the same amount per processor, regardless of how many cores are in the processor. Put it simply, you count the number of CPUs(processors) in the physical box and not the number of cores.

6.   When do I need a SAL license (i.e.: a concept of "authorized to access")

Under SPLA, SAL products are licensed based upon a concept of “authorized to access”. This means that regardless of whether the user actually accesses the services of the server that month or not, a SAL is still required. In other words, if a user has been provisioned (e.g.: Exchange SAL), then a license is required. This is specified in the SPUR where it discusses the licensing requirements and/or use rights under the General License Terms.

7.   Is there such thing as special SPLA pricing for Non-Profit Organisations or Academic Insitutions?

Yes, “Qualified Educational End User” means a Qualified Education User as defined for various regions at http://www.microsoftvolumelicensing.com/userights/DocumentHome.aspx or at a successor site Microsoft identifies.
This definitions covers some NPO’s.

8.   Passive "failover" use under SQL Server. Do we need to license it?

A fail-over server is booted up and warm – it is considered passive while the primary server is active.
When the primary server fails over to the passive server, that passive server becomes active. No need to license the passive SQL Server.

Below is the SPUR extract:

For SQL Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise, Workgroup and Web:
Fail-over Servers.For any operating system environment in which you run instances of the server software, you may run up to the same number of passive fail-over instances in a separate operating system environment for temporary support. The number of processors used in that separate operating system environment must not exceed the number of processors used in the corresponding operating system environment in which the active instances are running. You may run the passive fail-over instances on a server other than the licensed server.

9.   Can the end users use their own outlook client in conjunction with Exchange?

Yes they can, if they already have Outlook client purchase through OEM, FPP on their desktop, they can use that to communicate with an Exchange Server located at the Service Providers premises. For these users, they can just go for the Exchange basic, Standard and Enterprise editions.

10.   If the end users do not have their own outlook client on their desktops, then which exchange SKUmust bechoosen?

Choose the Exchange Standard Plus or Enterprise Plus editions because these two editions includeOutlook or Entourage.

11.   My company has 1,000 Exchange Email boxes, but in reality only say 700 email boxes are being accessed during that month. Can I license this 700 email users only?

No. You have to pay for each provisioned user even if the mailbox is not accessed that month.

12.   How can I fully leverage SPLA Licensing to reduce my costs?

Server consolidation and virtualization
Based on a traditional model of one application per server, roughly 80% to 90% of the x86 computing capacity is unused at any one time. This unused capacity needs to be managed. It takes up datacenter space and requires power and cooling. Virtualization promises to unlock much of this underutilized capacity.

Virtual machine technology enables multiple operating systems to run concurrently on a single machine. In particular, Hyper-V, a key feature of Windows Server 2008, enables one or more operating systems to run simultaneously on the same physical system.

Beyond the potentially dramatic cost savings, virtualization can greatly enhance an organization's business agility. Companies that employ clustering, partitioning, workload management and other virtualization techniques to configure groups of servers into reusable pools of resources are better positioned to respond to the changing demands their business places on those resources.

13.   Does SPLA have Software Assurance (SA)?

Yes. However SPLA only has certain SA Benefits namelyCold disaster recovery and Version Upgrade. SPLA has no other SA Benefits included.

14.   Does SPLA have Downgrade Rights to previous versions?

Yes, Customers can license the latest edition of SQL Server 2008R2 licenses and run prior versions of SQL Server(e.g.: SQL server 2005) per downgrade rights outlined in the SPUR. Use rights are based on the version listed in the SPUR at the time of acquisition and not what is installed.

15.   Can I use SPLA to demo my solution to my customer?

Yes you may offer demos to your customers free of charge with up to 50 active users for demonstration purposes only.

16.   Can I resell my finished Software Services through a White Label Provider or Software Services Reseller?

Yes.

17.   Does SPLA Provide an Internal Evaluation period?

Evaluation and testing of licensed products. You may internally test and evaluate the Microsoft licensed products for up to 90 days before offering them to your customers as a service.

18.   Does SPLA Provide Customer Evaluation period?

Yes, by default, SPLA program allows the service providers (hosters) the option to grant up to 60 days free trial to their end-users.

19.   Can I host my services through a Datacenter?

Yes you can. SPLA allows you to install Microsoft licensed products on servers under the day-to-day management and control of an outsourcing company so that they can perform data center administration, testing and maintenance support services for you.

20.   Can I locate my server at a customer location?

Yes you can, provided that you (the Service Provider) provide the software on the server under your SPLA agreement with Microsoft and also own the server hardware.
You must always own the hardware on which SPLA Software is loaded when located at the customer’s site.

21.   What is the difference between the Services Provider License Program and Microsoft's existing volume licensing programs?

Microsoft's Volume Licensing programs offers several licensing options to customers and their affiliates to acquire Microsoft software licenses for internal use. Service providers who want to offer software services to their customers and who will include software licenses as part of their service offering should use SPLA.

Microsoft’s Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA) is the only Microsoft volume licensing program that allows Microsoft products to be used for commercial hosting.

22.   I am an ISV providing application to customers as a service. Can I use embedded OEM or ISV licenses for my service?

Microsoft's OEM and ISV embedded licenses, or other Retail and Volume Licensing programs do not allow for hosting or provide any commercial use rights. ISV's who wish to provide services using Microsoft software should sign up for SPLA.

23.   How do I activate my software?

To see the list of licenses that require the Volume License Key, please go to
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/vol/default.mspx

To obtain the SPLA Volume License Key, please contact the Microsoft Activation Center for your region at
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/resources/vol/numbers.mspx

Please have your SPLA agreement details i.e. SPLA enrollment number, Customer Number, ready when you call your local center number. If you do not have these details, please verify your information by sending an email to spla@firstdistribution.co.za.

24.   Can you mix SPLA and Perpetual VL license on the same Server?

No, this is strictly not allowed.

25.   When do I need to submit my usage report?

Monthly Reporting to SPLA Reseller (First Distribution) by the 5th of each calendar month for the previous month’s usage.

For example, the report for actual license usage for month of September must be submitted to First Distribution on or before the 5th of October.

26.   Can I consolidate a few months reporting into one single month?

No, this is not allowed. SPLA report is based on monthly usage reporting.

27.   Do I need to submit a report if I have no license usage in a particular month?

Yes. You are still required to submit a Zero Use Report to your SPLA reseller (First Distribution).

28.   Do I have to report who my end customer is?

Yes, if the monthly usage for a specific end customer is greater than $1,000, you will need to report this partner under a separate end-user enrollment number to First Distribution.

29.   Can my customer leverage their existing Microsoft Software CALs when moving to a Hosted Solution?

If your customer has Software Assurance (SA) with their CALs , you can purchase “SALs for SA” under SPLA program which is available for selected products. You need to verify that your customer maintains and has the correct quantity of CALs in their Volume License Agreement throughout your service offering to them.

30.   Can my customer load their own Server Applications on a Virtual Server Hosted in my Datacenter?

Yes, with License Mobility through Software Assurance, an end customer can deploy certain server application licenses purchased under their Volume Licensing agreement in an Authorized Service Provider’s datacenter starting July 1, 2011.

To be come and Authorised Service Provider you have to sign the License Mobility Amendment to be able to provide this service, you can request this amendment from spla@firstdistribution.co.za

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