Nov12Written by:
Kathy Nguyen
11/12/2009 8:22 AM 
For most business owners, the prospect of acquiring a Microsoft Enterprise license could be worth its weight in gold. Probably one of the biggest reasons why this is so is because the company itself has not made any efforts or extended its hands to simplify the process. So why is the process of acquiring a Microsoft Enterprise license as difficult as ever? Read on to find out.
What Microsoft Enterprise Licensing is all About
Before discovering why the process of acquiring a Microsoft Enterprise license seems to be difficult, let us first learn about the basics. Owners and managers of business organizations acquire a Microsoft Enterprise license which comes in different forms. The type of license that you will acquire depends on the size of your organization; your current and projected needs; the technology or software that you are using and a host of other factors.
Now, here is a list of the benefits that you will get to enjoy as a business organization by getting a hold of a Microsoft Enterprise license:
- The complexity and costs of meeting your business’ software needs will be minimized.
- The Microsoft Enterprise license will entitle you to Microsoft Software Assurance benefits which include additional services, support and Information Technology tools.
- The latest Microsoft technology used in your business organization can be standardized and the licensing package that you will acquire will entitle you to discounts at the same time.
Depending on the type of Microsoft Enterprise licensing that you will acquire, there is a minimum number of desktop PCs which include the License & Software Assurance agreement; a 1, 2, or 3-year contract; and monthly or annual payment options.
Why Acquiring a Microsoft Enterprise License is Still Challenging
Now that you already have an idea about the basics of Microsoft Enterprise licensing and its benefits to your business organization, why is it that getting a hold of one seems to be as difficult as ever? As mentioned earlier, analysts found that the company itself is not making the process any easier for business owners.
There are other reasons why getting a Microsoft Enterprise license is still a challenge. For example, the company does offer its Open License program for small business owners – but the problem is that these organizations usually do not have a dedicated staff to examine licensing contracts. It’s also still not clear how taking advantage of a different licensing package can entitle a client to more discounts.
Experts say that the situation might just get worse as the company begins to combine subscriptions to hosted services with its traditional licensing models issued on a per-unit basis.
Moreover, clients do not have a clear view of exactly what they are paying for. Since it seems as if the process of acquiring Microsoft Enterprise licensing is not about to get any easier in the future, will customers stop paying for the privilege if they don’t know exactly what they are paying for? Only the software giant itself can determine that if they don’t make the process of acquiring Microsoft Enterprise licensing any easier for their clients.