News

Microsoft Updates Volume Licensing Programs

Microsoft made some minor changes to its volume licensing programs this week as it launched a new centralized Web site for licensing information.

The licensing announcements came out during Microsoft's fifth quarterly Volume Licensing update Webcast on Wednesday.

The new Product Licensing Website includes the Product List and Product Use Rights document along with volume licensing briefs and other information. The site is located at www.microsoftvolumelicensing.com/userights/.

"We developed the site based on feedback from our customers that said having this information in one convenient place is important in helping them make strategic business decisions about their software purchases," Brent Callinicos, Microsoft corporate vice president for worldwide licensing and pricing, said in a statement. "We've designed the Web site to be easily searchable and to provide up-to-date resources that help our customers better understand how Microsoft licenses its products."

The site applies to licensing Microsoft products in the United States and Canada.

Among the minor changes to volume licensing:

  • The temporary step-up license program, which was set to expire around this time, was made permanent. Under the program, Software Assurance customers can migrate from the standard edition of select products to an enterprise edition without needing to purchase a new license.

  • A new promotion offers Software Assurance customers a special rate on Windows Rights Management Services Client Access Licenses.

  • About the Author

    Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

    Featured

    • Report: Cost, Sustainability Drive DaaS Adoption Beyond Remote Work

      Gartner's 2025 Magic Quadrant for Desktop as a Service reveals that while secure remote access remains a key driver of DaaS adoption, a growing number of deployments now focus on broader efficiency goals.

    • Windows 365 Reserve, Microsoft's Cloud PC Rental Service, Hits Preview

      Microsoft has launched a limited public preview of its new "Windows 365 Reserve" service, which lets organizations rent cloud PC instances in the event their Windows devices are stolen, lost or damaged.

    • Hands-On AI Skills Now Outshine Certs in Salary Stakes

      For AI-related roles, employers are prioritizing verifiable, hands-on abilities over framed certificates -- and they're paying a premium for it.

    • Roadblocks in Enterprise AI: Data and Skills Shortfalls Could Cost Millions

      Businesses risk losing up to $87 million a year if they fail to catch up with AI innovation, according to the Couchbase FY 2026 CIO AI Survey released this month.