Take ownership of your volume licensing agreement

Comztek is actively working with partners and resellers to ensure that customers better understand the nature of Microsoft Volume Licensing, and are in a position to negotiate better deals that meet their pocket as well as their business.

With the growing complexity in licensing options and the myriad software solutions now available in the market, many organisations are in a state of flux with regards to 'where to next'. It is as a result of this that Comztek is currently working closely with its partners to assist in educating customers on available licensing options, and developing support structures to assist them through these decisions.

"In short, a licensing agreement dictates what you are able to do with the software you have acquired," states David Caygill, business unit director at Comztek. "Not all licensing is created equal, and while a small business can pop down to a retailer and walk out with a box under their arm, larger businesses need multiple licences that often vary from division to user."

Volume licensing is typically designed for a customer with five or more PCs, and it is based on your company's exact requirements. Which is why Comztek is urging customers to ensure that they engage with a reputable, certified partner that is part of an authorised software distribution value chain when looking to negotiate their volume licensing requirements. According to Caygill, an accredited volume licensing supplier should assist and guide your purchase and business decisions, based on an overall needs assessment of a business.

"There are a lot of charlatans in the market who will try and sell as many licences as will make them money, which in essence is defeating the object of volume licensing. The reality is that a volume licensing agreement should result in attractive pricing, predictable cost options and a variety of value-added benefits," states Caygill. "Correct licensing will mean simplicity, affordability, flexibility and value for your organisation."

It is with this that Comztek is setting out to make customers aware of the basis of Microsoft Volume Licensing. Where the size of your organisation is taken into consideration, if there is a need for a perpetual or non-perpetual licence, as well as if there is a need for the customer to purchase additional Software Assurance.

A partner which understands volume licensing can also assist its clients in understanding the differences between devices in an organisation, number of servers per processor and the nature of connectivity the business has. This will in turn ensure a reduction in wastage where there are often too many or unnecessary licences; it also reduces risks, as in a case where there are too few licences, one may run the risk of fines and penalties; and then lastly, it can go a long way to ensuring the customer benefits from improved TCO by ensuring they only buy what they require.

"Customers often think that vendors make a lot of noise about nothing when it comes to licensing, but the reality is that licensing isn't just about the law, but it can safeguard your business against unaccounted for business risks that may come as a result of unlicensed software, such as software failure, integration issues, hardware malfunctions and more. It needn't be the untamed tiger that people are making it out to be," ends Caygill.

Through its long-standing partnership with Microsoft, today Comztek is proud to be a Microsoft Gold Distribution Partner, Gold Volume Licensing Partner, Lync Value Added Distributor, Microsoft Distributor of the Year, and now the appointment as Microsoft's exclusive Online Services Channel Developer for Office 365 in the region.

For more information, please e-mail licensedesk@comztek.com, call toll free: 0800 600 557 or visit www.comztek.com.