Looking for:
Microsoft Windows | Microsoft Licensing Resources - Research Volume Licensing options |
Volume license microsoft windows 10.Windows 10 Volume License
Download Microsoft Volume Licensing Reference Guide from Official Microsoft Download Center
Upgrade to Microsoft Edge to take advantage of the latest features, security updates, and technical support. Product activation is the process of validating software with the manufacturer after it has been installed on a specific computer. Activation confirms that the product is genuine—not a fraudulent copy—and that the product key or serial number is valid and hasn't been compromised or revoked.
Activation also establishes a link or relationship between the product key and the particular installation. During the activation process, information about the specific installation is examined. For online activations, this information is sent to a server at Microsoft. This information may include the software version, the product key, the IP address of the computer, and information about the device. The activation methods that Microsoft uses are designed to help protect user privacy, and they can't be used to track back to the computer or user.
The gathered data confirms that the software is a legally licensed copy, and this data is used for statistical analysis. Microsoft doesn't use this information to identify or contact the user or the organization. The IP address is used only to verify the location of the request, because some editions of Windows such as "Starter" editions can only be activated within certain geographical target markets.
In general, Microsoft software is obtained through three main channels: retail, original equipment manufacturer OEM , and volume licensing agreements. Different activations methods are available through each channel. Because organizations are free to obtain software through multiple channels for example, buying some at retail and others through a volume licensing program most organizations choose to use a combination of activation methods.
The retail activation method hasn't changed in several versions of Windows and Windows Server. Each purchased copy comes with one unique product key often referred to as a retail key. The user enters this key during product installation. The computer uses this retail key to complete the activation after the installation is complete. Most activations are performed online, but telephone activation is also available.
Recently, retail keys have been expanded into new distribution scenarios. Product key cards are available to activate products that have been preinstalled or downloaded. Programs such as Windows Anytime Upgrade and Get Genuine allow users to acquire legal keys separately from the software.
These electronically distributed keys may come with media that contains software, they can come as a software shipment, or they may be provided on a printed card or electronic copy. Products are activated the same way with any of these retail keys. Most original equipment manufacturers OEMs sell systems that include a standard build of the Windows operating system. This activation occurs before the computer is sent to the customer, and no additional actions are required.
OEM activation is available only for computers that are purchased through OEM channels and have the Windows operating system preinstalled. Volume licensing offers customized programs that are tailored to the size and purchasing preference of the organization. To become a volume licensing customer, the organization must set up a volume licensing agreement with Microsoft. There's a common misunderstanding about acquiring licenses for a new computer through volume licensing.
There are two legal ways to acquire a full Windows client license for a new computer:. The licenses that are provided through volume licensing programs such as Open License, Select License, and Enterprise Agreements cover upgrades to Windows client operating systems only. An existing retail or OEM operating system license is needed for each computer running Windows 10, Windows 8. Volume licensing is also available through certain subscription or membership programs, such as the Microsoft Partner Network and MSDN.
These volume licenses may contain specific restrictions or other changes to the general terms applicable to volume licensing. Some editions of the operating system, such as Windows 10 Enterprise, and some editions of application software are available only through volume licensing agreements or subscriptions.
For a user or IT department, there are no significant choices about how to activate products that are acquired through retail or OEM channels. The OEM performs the activation at the factory, and the user or the IT department need take no activation steps.
For each retail activation, you can choose:. Telephone activation is primarily used in situations where a computer is isolated from all networks. VAMT proxy activation with retail keys is sometimes used when an IT department wants to centralize retail activations or when a computer with a retail version of the operating system is isolated from the Internet but connected to the LAN.
For volume-licensed products, however, you must determine the best method or combination of methods to use in your environment. For Windows 10 Pro and Enterprise, you can choose from three models:. Token-based activation is available for specific situations when approved customers rely on a public key infrastructure in an isolated and high-security environment. For more information, contact your Microsoft Account Team or your service representative.
A Multiple Activation Key MAK is commonly used in small- or mid-sized organizations that have a volume licensing agreement, but they don't meet the requirements to operate a KMS or they prefer a simpler approach. A MAK also allows permanent activation of computers that are isolated from the KMS or are part of an isolated network that doesn't have enough computers to use the KMS. Each MAK can be used a specific number of times. The VAMT can help with tracking the number of activations that have been performed with each key and how many remain.
Each MAK has a preset number of activations, which are based on a percentage of the count of licenses the organization purchases; however, you can increase the number of activations that are available with your MAK by calling Microsoft. With the Key Management Service KMS , IT pros can complete activations on their local network, eliminating the need for individual computers to connect to Microsoft for product activation.
The KMS is a lightweight service that doesn't require a dedicated system and can easily be cohosted on a system that provides other services. Volume editions of Windows 10 and Windows Server R2 in addition to volume editions of operating system editions since Windows Vista and Windows Server automatically connect to a system that hosts the KMS to request activation.
No action is required from the user. The KMS requires a minimum number of computers physical computers or virtual machines in a network environment. The organization must have at least five computers to activate Windows Server R2 and at least 25 computers to activate client computers that are running Windows These minimums are referred to as activation thresholds.
One KMS host can handle a large number of activations, but organizations will often deploy two KMS hosts to ensure availability. It will be rare that more than two KMS hosts are used. The KMS can be hosted on a client computer or on a server, and it can be run on older versions of the operating system if proper configuration steps are taken.
Setting up your KMS is discussed later in this guide. Active Directory-based activation is the newest type of volume activation, and it was introduced in Windows 8. In many ways, Active Directory-based activation is similar to activation by using the KMS, but the activated computer doesn't need to maintain periodic connectivity with the KMS host.
Instead, a domain-joined computer running Windows 10, Windows 8. The operating system checks the digital signatures that are contained in the activation object, and then activates the device. Active Directory-based activation allows enterprises to activate computers through a connection to their domain.
Many companies have computers at remote or branch locations, where it's impractical to connect to a KMS, or wouldn't reach the KMS activation threshold. Active Directory-based activation offers the advantage of extending volume activation services everywhere you already have a domain presence. A modern business network has many nuances and interconnections. This section examines evaluating your network and the connections that are available to determine how volume activations will occur.
Your core network is that part of your network that enjoys stable, high-speed, reliable connectivity to infrastructure servers. Your core network likely consists of many network segments. In many organizations, the core network makes up the majority of the business network. In the core network, a centralized KMS solution is recommended. You can also use Active Directory-based activation, but in many organizations, KMS will still be required to activate older client computers and computers that aren't joined to the domain.
Some administrators prefer to run both solutions to have the most flexibility, while others prefer to choose only a KMS-based solution for simplicity. Active Directory-based activation as the only solution is workable if all of the clients in your organization are running Windows 10, Windows 8. In a large network, it's all but guaranteed that some segments will be isolated, either for security reasons or because of geography or connectivity issues.
Sometimes called a high-security zone , a particular network segment may be isolated from the core network by a firewall or disconnected from other networks totally. The best solution for activating computers in an isolated network depends on the security policies in place in the organization.
If the isolated network can access the core network by using outbound requests on TCP port , and it's allowed to receive remote procedure calls RPCs , you can perform activation by using the KMS in the core network, thereby avoiding the need to reach additional activation thresholds.
If the isolated network participates fully in the corporate forest, and it can make typical connections to domain controllers, such as using Lightweight Directory Access Protocol LDAP for queries and Domain Name Service DNS for name resolution, this is a good opportunity to use Active Directory-based activation for Windows 10, Windows 8. If the isolated network can't communicate with the core network's KMS server, and it can't use Active Directory-based activation, you can set up a KMS host in the isolated network.
This configuration is shown in Figure 2. However, if the isolated network contains only a few computers, it will not reach the KMS activation threshold. In that case, you can activate by using MAKs. If the network is fully isolated, MAK-independent activation would be the recommended choice, perhaps using the telephone option.
But VAMT proxy activation may also be possible. You can also use MAKs to activate new computers during setup, before they're placed in the isolated network. From mining operations to ships at sea, organizations often have a few computers that aren't easily connected to the core network or the Internet.
Some organizations have network segments at branch offices that are large and well-connected internally, but have a slow or unreliable WAN link to the rest of the organization. In these situations, you have several options:. Active Directory-based activation. In any site where the client computers are running Windows 10, Active Directory-based activation is supported, and it can be activated by joining the domain.
Local KMS. If a site has 25 or more client computers, it can activate against a local KMS server. Remote core KMS. Using the existing KMS means that you only need to meet the activation threshold on that server. MAK activation.
No comments:
Post a Comment