EA/SA

EA/SA (Enterprise Agreement/Software Assurance) is a volume licensing package offered by software giant Microsoft. It primarily targets large organizations that have 250 or more personal computers. Other programs, including Open Value, Open License and Select License, are geared towards smaller organizations.

The Enterprise Agreement, whose price is tiered to the number of computers being licensed, is a three-year contract which covers all software licensing and updates for one client system. An option is given at contract termination to renew for one or three additional years.

Software products that are licensed under the contract include Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Office and the core Client Access Licenses for Windows Server, Exchange, SMS and Sharepoint, which allow the computer to legally access Microsoft servers over a network.

Enterprise Agreements are now available which include the new Windows Vista operating system.

Software Assurance, which is automatically included with each EA license, grants the licensed computer the right to receive all software updates during the life of the EA, and also includes Microsoft training and support.

References

Microsoft Volume Licensing website, http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/ent/default.mspx