Using Open Tactically

Large companies may use Open License or Open Value programs for their convenience and relative simplicity (compared to other license programs). It can be worth the premium to large companies to purchase through a trusted local reseller who may not otherwise be eligible to sell Select or Enterprise Agreement (EA) contracts. A local reseller of Open licenses may be able to deliver in a timely fashion a custom-built system with specified software preinstalled. This ordering process may be simpler than the company’s internal Select or EA administration for the same order.

Customers may be able to save on license costs by purchasing shorter terms of Software Assurance (SA) with Open License. Specifically, Open License allows customers to buy two years of SA versus the required three years of SA for initial purchases at the beginning of an EA or Open Value Organization-Wide (OVOW) agreement. This might be advantageous when close to a launch of a new software version by Microsoft or as a strategy for obtaining SA benefits that do not expire (e.g., the ability to run Windows 7 Enterprise).