It's now time to renew your Software Assurance and you can't figure out what SKU you need, or if the vendor you are going with is giving you the right information.  Hang in there.

First off, there is the decision of Open Business [a two year renewal] or Open Value [a three year, payments spread over 3 years as an option]

First off learn about the benefits

Next understand that because I was a software assurance customer of SBS 2000, I got the ability to retain the Internal instant messaging [I have licenses to Live Communication Server]

I have "Cold Server Rights" [keep a backup OS on a "cold" server ready to be placed into service.

I have SBS 2k3 as a result.

Thus being a SA customer of the SBS 2000 platform paid off. 

Knowing that there is a Future for SBS, I'm "re-upping"

     SA Benefits Chart: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/sa/offerings_chart.mspx

     SA Customer Guide: http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/sa/howtoget/default.mspx

     (sa customer.doc on the right-side of the page)

     Please note, all I have is eLearning and no Training vouchers as I did not purchase 50 licenses

SBS - "THE BASE PRODUCT THAT COMES WITH 5 CALS"

TWO YEAR SA

- Open Business SBS Premium Server w/5 CALs SA Renewal - Part #T75-00156 - Includes two years of upgrades and SA benefits

THREE YEAR SA

- Open Value SBS Premium Server w/5 Device CALs SA Renewal - Part #T75-00433 - Includes three years of upgrades and SA benefits and allows you to spread payments equally over three years instead of having to pay in full up front

- Open Value SBS Premium Server w/5 User CALs SA Renewal - Part #T75-00565 - Includes three years of upgrades and SA benefits and allows you to spread payments equally over three years instead of having to pay in full up front

CALS

TWO YEAR SA - Open Business

USER - 5 cals - T74-00198 Win  SBS Cal 5 User

DEVICE - 5 cals - T74-00251 Win SBS Cal 5 Device

USER - 20 cals - T74-00090 Win SBS Cal 20 User

DEVICE - 20 cals - T74-00143 Win SBS Cal 20 Device

THREE YEAR SA - Open Value

USER - 5 cals - T74-00834 Win SBS 5 user

DEVICE - 5 cals - T74-00835 Win SBS 5 device

USER - 20 cals - T74-00840 VL-3 MS WINDOWS SMALL BUSINESS SVR CAL SA 3YR REMAINING 20 USER MOL-VAL SA STD

DEVICE - 20 cals - T74-01202 VL-3 MS WINDOWS SMALL BUSINESS SVR CAL SA 3YR REMAINING 20 DEVICE MOL-VAL SA STD

More SKUs can be found here

To activate your Software Assurance Benefits

You need to first accept the eAgreement

First email received indicating Channel partner has send agreement to Microsoft

Acknowledgment that eAgreement was signed

Open License Acceptance email is received

Then an Microsoft acceptance email is sent.  Wait 24 hours after this.

Log into the MVLS site

Sign into Passport

click on Add Agreement

Begin to activate the benefits

Click on Software Assurance benefits

Then click on the hyperlink to activate and add a benefit contact

Add the domain names of the email addresses you plan to send these "invites" to

Activate benefits

Benefit confirmed activated

HUR benefit email received

Sample email that they recommend you send to your employees:

---------------------------------------------------------------

As part of a new offering from Microsoft, you are eligible to participate in the Home Use Program (HUP). This program enables you to get a licensed copy of most Microsoft Office desktop applications to install and use on your home computer.

For each product eligible for the Home Use Program for which you are a licensed user with active Software Assurance coverage, you may order a single copy of that product to install and use on a home computer. You may continue using this HUP software while you are under our employment and as long as the software you use at work has active Software Assurance coverage.

Please note that some product and language versions may not be available at the time you place an order. For up-to-date information on the availability of Home Use Program software, please visit http://microsoft.com/licensing.

1. Go to https://hup.microsoft.com/
2. Select the country to which you wish your order to be shipped to and choose the language for viewing the order web site.
3. Enter your corporate email address and insert the following program code _____________ .
Note: this program code is assigned to our organization for our sole use in accessing this site. You may not share this number with anyone outside our organization.
4. Place your order on-line and it will be shipped to the location you have chosen. Please note that a fulfillment fee will be charged to cover packaging, shipping and handling costs.

We trust you will enjoy this benefit and look forward to your participation.

Yours sincerely,

Insert Your Contact Details

HUR - web page that your employee goes to

Confirmation email is sent to them

The link in the email sends them to

Office 2003 AND Office XP are offered

Check out and purchase the Home use rights