SBS 2008 Software Assurance Package Contents

Exercising our Software Assurance rights for SBS 2008 Premium via our own SBS 2003 R2 Premium Open Value license agreement has been quite the adventure so far:

• SBS 2008 SA Media is here ... or is it?!?
• SBS 2008 Premium Open License part number missing on Nov Price List

Now that we have our media package in hand, this is what it contained:

• SBS 2K8 OS DVD (Physical and Virtual Key on back)
• SBS 2K8 Repair DVD
• Win2K8 Std x64 (Physical and Virtual Key on back)
• Win2K8 Std x86 (Physical and Virtual Key on back)
• SQL 2008 Std x86 and x64
• SBS 08 - SQL 2005 Std x86 Disks 1 & 2
• SBS 08 – SQL 2005 Std x64 Disks 1 & 2
• SBS 2003 R2 Premium 10x CDs (Also includes SQL 2005 x86 media)

We now have our software keys for all of our sites covered by our SBS 2008 Premium Open Value Agreement.

Now, we need to find out what the next steps are to obtain the balance of our Software Assurance benefits:

• ISA 2006 + Windows Server 2003 Std.
• SharePoint Designer (replaces Front Page)
• Outlook 2007
• Entourage 2008

More than likely, we will be calling into Microsoft Licensing to obtain a Microsoft Applications key for SharePoint Designer and Outlook, a Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard key, and to have the download links made active in our MVLS portal.

We have an e-mail out to our trusty licensing expert Bill C. at Synnex Canada and hopefully he will be able to help clarify for us.

The bonus in purchasing SBS 2003 R2 Premium besides the above?

Two extra server licenses. We get the SBS 2008 Premium second server, and the Server 2003 R2 Standard to run ISA 2006. That is worth a good chunk on Open Value per server, or to purchase outright.

And the adventure still continues as the replacement for ISA 2006 will be the next and final step in our Software Assurance benefits for SBS 2003 R2 Premium!

Pretty neat eh? :)

Philip Elder
MPECS Inc.
Microsoft Small Business Specialists

*All Mac on SBS posts are posted on our in-house iMac via the Safari Web browser.