Software Assurance overview

Microsoft’s maintenance programme is called Software Assurance. It is designed to help customers realise the full value of their Software Investment, by offering a range of benefits including but not limited to the following:

• Easier Budgeting & Spreading Payments Annually
• Desktop Deployment Planning Services
• Technical Training Vouchers
• 24x7 Problem Resolution Support
• Virtual PC Express
• New Version Rights
• Elearning

Customer who purchase Software Assurance membership with their Open, Select or Enterprise Agreements can access these benefits via their Microsoft Volume Licensing System (MVLS)

Training Vouchers by Microsoft Learning

With the Software Assurance Training voucher benefit, organisations of all sizes can realise greater efficiency through Instructor Led training at any CPLS Worldwide. Qualifying organisations receive one free day of training for each voucher redeemed. These vouchers are for designated courses and must be redeemed during the licence agreement. Your Benefits Administrator will need to activate the vouchers through Microsoft Volume Licensing Services (MVLS) and assign them to individuals in your organisation.

The list price for Microsoft training is a minimum of £299 per day, so by utilising the training vouchers you can make a significant reduction in your training budget.

In March 2006 Microsoft expanded the current training voucher benefit for Software Assurance customers.  Enterprise and Select agreement customers with 30,000 or more Office application or Client licenses will receive additional vouchers for training.  Customers who were active on the launch date in March 2006 will receive the full allotment of additional vouchers, regardless of the time remaining in their agreement.

Global Knowledge is a committed Microsoft Partner through whom you are able to utilise your Microsoft Software Assurance training vouchers.

Global Knowledge

Global Knowledge is a Gold Partner for Learning Solutions (CPLS) in the UK and is the largest CPLS in EMEA, with over 200 trainers, delivering 500,000 delegate days of training per year in 13 European countries. Over the past two years Global Knowledge has collaborated with Microsoft to deliver partner training and customer readiness on technologies including Exchange 2007, Office Systems, BizTalk, Sharepoint and on Microsoft Security. This work has developed further Global Knowledge's working relationship with Microsoft and the appointment of Global Knowledge as the lead Microsoft Exchange partner for 2006.

How Global Knowledge can help

As a Global Knowledge Software Assurance Customer, you have privileged access to the following benefits free of charge:

• Provision of management of your vouchers removing the administration overheads
• Freephone Helpdesk for all SA customers on 0800 0184254
• Benefits outsourcing through MVLS for customers with vouchers in excess of 50 days
• Training Needs Analysis for customers with vouchers in excess of 50 days
• Extra days to add onto existing vouchers @ £165 per day
• Ability to run on-site courses using vouchers
• Ability to schedule extra courses using vouchers

In summary, Global Knowledge is more than happy to activate your Software Assurance training benefits and create training vouchers on your behalf. All Global Knowledge require is your Microsoft Volume Licensing Services (MVLS) Agreement number and we can create the vouchers and allocate these to the authorised Microsoft courses of your choice.

We believe that these benefits are unique in the market and will give you access to a dedicated team to assist you in understanding how you can now take advantage of the great benefits of Software Assurance! 

Find your benefits administrator today – Remember Use your vouchers or Lose them.