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Introduction to Volume Licensing

 

Volume licensing offers you a tremendous opportunity for sales growth, as more software publishers are recognizing the importance of offering volume discounts specifically for educators and students. Licensing programs give you numerous add-on sales options, such as technical support and maintenance. Click here to view popular Volume Licensing Programs.

 

Licensing 101

 

A software license allows an organization to legally copy a software application to a specified number of users within a network or mass user environment. The license restricts what you can do with the software, where you can install it, and how long you may use it. Every aspect of the license program is defined by the publisher.

 

License Types:

 

Individual License:

Most vendors allow an organization to license one software copy per computer, regardless of how many people use it. They may permit one person to install software on both their office and laptop computers with a single license, because it is assumed that the user cannot run both copies simultaneously. Some vendors will also allow a user to install software on their home and business computers with a single license.

 

Network License:

1. Concurrent Use: Only a certain number of users may run the program at the same time. The software locks out additional users until someone quits the program. Some vendors require customers to install special metering software to buy this kind of license.
2. Site License: Any number of users on the same company network can use the program.

Maintenance:

Once a new license is purchased, there are different ways to maintain that license so the version is always current:

• An upgrade may need to be purchased at each new version change.
• A new license may need to be purchased at each new version change.
• Maintenance, subscription, or upgrade insurance may be purchased, which will provide automatic updates for an established period of time.

License Delivery

 

Depending on the software publisher, end users receive license order certificates by mail, by email, or by downloading it from the publisher's Web site. Purchase and delivery of the software application itself also varies by vendor. The different ways of obtaining media and documentation (manuals) include:

• Purchase of a specified license media pack
• Purchase of a specified license starter pack
• Purchase of a box (retail) copy of product
• Inclusive with sale of license
• Downloadable via internet