Microsoft is changing some of its licensing rules, which are already complex. Here’s what small businesses should know.

Starting with the release of Vista and "Longhorn" Windows server next year, customers will be required to register their volume license keys (VLK) with Microsoft within 30 days of acquisition and ...

The Nano Server edition of Windows Server 2016 will only be available to customers with Microsoft's Software Assurance plan, offered with certain volume license agreements. Organizations will have to ...

To activate a retail version of Microsoft Windows, a user must enter the product key into Windows and then connect to the Internet or call Microsoft to validate the key. But that’s too cumbersome for ...

Last week, Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 arrived on MSDN, TechNet, and Connect. We noted that testers would not be getting slipstreamed ISOs of the operating systems but ...

The Microsoft Software Protection Platform, unveiled formally on Wednesday, requires that all customers consumers who buy PCs and business customers with volume licensing agreements activate their ...

MAK keys are used to activate a specific number of devices. The count is pre-configured as a deal between Microsoft and Enterprise. Every time a device is activated using MAK this is what happens: The ...

Amazon has worked out a way to run Windows in in its EC2 cloud at roughly the same price as running Linux in said cloud. If you have enterprise license agreements for on-premises Windows Server (and ...

"Corporate Edition" versions of Windows have been the blessing of both IT workers and casual pirates since the days of Windows 95, when the operating system first started asking for a license key on ...

Even after 25 years, Microsoft Office remains the top dog when it comes to business productivity software, according to Groovy Post. If you're a one-person show running everything off your laptop, ...

Users can obtain Windows Server 2016 directly from Microsoft, authorized resellers, and Microsoft partners. According to ZDNet contributing writer Mary Jo Foley, the shift to per-core pricing from per ...