ESA Agreement: An Overview of Microsoft`s Licensing Program for Enterprise Customers
In today`s fast-paced business landscape, enterprise customers rely heavily on technology solutions to drive their operations. Companies often invest in software licenses from various vendors to manage their business needs. However, managing multiple software licenses across departments and business units can be challenging and time-consuming.
This is where Microsoft`s Enterprise Software Agreement (ESA) comes in. It is a licensing program designed specifically for enterprise customers that simplifies software acquisition, management, and deployment.
So, what is an ESA agreement, and how does it work?
Firstly, it is crucial to understand that the ESA agreement is a volume licensing program that helps enterprise customers acquire Microsoft software licenses at an affordable price. The program allows customers to purchase licenses for their entire organization, allowing them to use Microsoft software across all departments and business units.
There are two types of ESA agreements:
1. Enterprise Agreement (EA)
2. Enterprise Subscription Agreement (EAS)
The EA allows customers to purchase software licenses for a three-year term. During this period, customers can add or remove users or products as per their needs. They must also have a minimum of 500 desktops or users to be eligible for the EA.
On the other hand, the EAS is a subscription-based licensing program that allows customers to purchase software licenses on a yearly basis. The EAS has a minimum requirement of 250 desktops or users.
The ESA agreement provides customers with several benefits, including:
• Flexibility: Customers can add or remove licenses as their business needs change.
• Cost savings: Customers can benefit from volume discounts on Microsoft software licenses.
• Simplified licensing management: Customers have a single agreement for all their Microsoft software licenses, making it easier to manage them.
• Software Assurance: Customers can add Software Assurance to their ESA agreement, which provides them with access to new software releases, training, and support.
With ESA, customers can purchase a variety of Microsoft products, including Windows operating systems, Office suites, servers, and cloud-based services such as Azure and Dynamics 365.
In conclusion, the ESA agreement is a licensing program designed to simplify software acquisition and management for enterprise customers. It provides customers with flexibility, cost savings, and simplified licensing management across their entire organization. If you are an enterprise customer, consider ESA for a streamlined software licensing process.