December 2003                             Purchase a copy of this 80 page report

Below is an excerpt of a research report published by Directions on Microsoft, an independent research firm focused exclusively on Microsoft strategy & technology. More samples of our content, as well as a list of upcoming articles and reports are also available.

C O N T E N T S:

• Executive Summary [Free]
• Introduction [Free]
• How Microsoft Licenses Its Products
• Overview: Examines how MS charges for each major product category to answer the question: 'What types and quantities of licenses do I need to buy to be in full compliance?'
• Volume Licensing Programs
• Overview: Describes the Open, Select, and Enterprise Agreement volume licensing programs and the factors companies need to consider when deciding which program or programs to use
• The Software Assurance Upgrade Program
• Overview: Explains what upgrade rights the program confers, which products it applies to, how it affects overall volume discount levels, and other benefits such as product support and training credits
• The Future of Microsoft Licensing
• Overview: Summarizes trends that could determine the near-term direction of Microsoft licensing and analyzes their potential impact on customer procurement and IT management
• Appendix: Notes for Each Server Application
• Overview: Examines the subtle licensing model variations, product use restrictions, and other disparities across 18 different Microsoft server applications