Software Assurance

MICROSOFT SOFTWARE ASSURANCE BENEFITS
Software is essential to the operation of most businesses and organisations. As such, understanding and utilising your software to its full potential is crucial.

Microsoft Software Assurance

A program that helps you reach this goal is Microsoft Software Assurance (SA), a maintenance program aimed at business users that is comprised of a variety of different benefits. Two of these benefits are geared toward training: E-Learning and Training Vouchers, ensuring members of your organisation stay current and get the maximum value from your software investment.

Click To View:
Microsoft Software Assurance Training Benefits Video
Overview of Microsoft Software Assurance Training Benefits
Software Assurance E-Learning
Software Assurance Training Vouchers
Resources for Current Software Assurance Customers
Contact Microsoft

MICROSOFT SOFTWARE ASSURANCE TRAINING VIDEO

SATV


M.I.S. Global Technologies talk to customers every day about Microsoft Software Assurance Training Benefits so we wanted to help others too...

As such, MGT has created this web page providing a wealth of information (and guidance) to help you identify and redeem your company's benefits.

To view the Microsoft Software Assurance Benefits Video click here or click on the picture to the left.

If you have any questions you can call us on 1300-731-939 or email us.


OVERVIEW OF MICROSOFT SOFTWARE ASSURANCE TRAINING BENEFITS

Help Realise Your Company’s Full Potential
Microsoft Software Assurance provides the necessary benefits to help elevate organisational performance through alignment with business processes and strategic imperatives. Organisations can use training benefits from Software Assurance to derive more business value from their technology investment. By activating and using Software Assurance training benefits, customers optimise key performance criteria, including business productivity, application platform and core infrastructure.

Training benefits from Software Assurance enable Microsoft customers to save costs and deploy and maintain software, while helping IT professionals, developers, and information workers improve productivity. Microsoft Software Assurance training benefits provide companies access to training vouchers and select Microsoft E-Learning courses depending on the type of licenses purchased from Microsoft. Since these training benefits may be included with your Software Assurance coverage, the cost to fully train your staff is minimal.

Software Assurance E-Learning and Software Assurance Training Vouchers (SATV):

Lower training costs. With SATVs and SA E-Learning, employees have access to the most current content to help them quickly get up to speed on how to use Microsoft technologies without the need to request additional budget for training.

Provide flexible training options. SA E-Learning can be taken from any location at any time while classroom training using SATVs can be scheduled at a time and date that works with the employee’s work schedule.

Cover different training needs. IT professionals, developers, and information workers can find training that fits their specific needs.

You can choose Software Assurance at the time you acquire your Microsoft volume license and begin using your benefits immediately for the term of your licensing agreement. Please contact your Microsoft representative or reseller to find out how.

Top of page

MICROSOFT Software Assurance E-Learning
The SA E-Learning benefit is focused primarily on information workers, although there are some courses available for IT professionals and developers. This benefit provides access to self-paced, interactive training that is approved by Microsoft technology experts. It also enables employees to take training at the time and location of their choice, thereby eliminating the costs and carbon footprint associated with traveling. The SA E-Learning benefit entitles your organisation to receive select E-Learning courses from Microsoft for a specific number of users. The number of users given access to the E-Learning content varies by product and by the number of qualifying licenses for which you acquire Software Assurance. For additional details about the SA E-Learning benefit, please refer to the Microsoft Product List for Volume Licensing.

Microsoft Product List for Volume Licensing

The SA E-Learning benefit offers courses divided into three separate categories—Applications, Systems and Servers—with a pool of courses designed for each category. For example, the Applications pool has all courses pertaining to Microsoft Office 2007 and Office 2003; the Systems category has courses pertaining to Windows Vista and Windows XP; and the Servers category has courses on SQL Server, Exchange Server, and BizTalk Server, to name a few.

It is important to note that if the Software Assurance E-Learning benefit does not offer the technical courses that meet your organisation’s needs, different additional courses may be purchased at a discount under your Volume Licensing Agreement.

For additional details, please go to: www.microsoft.com/learning/mls

How it works
Your organisation’s Software Assurance Benefits Manager activates the SA E-Learning benefit through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Services (MVLS) Web site.  

Microsoft Volume Licensing Services (MVLS) Web site

The Benefits Manager then selects which users in your organisation that will be given access to the E-Learning courses, and gives them an access code that is used to activate their subscriptions and allow them to begin taking training under the SA E-Learning benefit. Depending on the type of products purchased from Microsoft, you may have up to three different codes that will allow the users access to courses under three different types of product pools: Applications, Systems and Servers. Each of these pools and associated codes will give you access to a multitude of different courses under that pool.

The right to access the SA E-Learning benefit expires with your Software Assurance coverage. If you have started a course before the contract expiration, you will be given one year to take the training regardless if your contract expires.

E-Learning courses for Software Assurance (Systems and Applications pools) are offered in English, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Czech, French, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish and Swedish. E-Learning courses for Software Assurance (Servers pool) are offered in English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.

To activate your benefits, visit the MVLS site or talk to your Microsoft Large Account Reseller (LAR).

Top of page

MICROSOFT Software Assurance Training Vouchers (SATV)
SATVs are for IT professionals and/or developers, with training courses ranging from Planning and Administering Windows Server 2008 to Advanced SharePoint Development. Courses are taught in a classroom environment at a Microsoft Certified Partner for Learning Solutions (Learning Solutions Partner) such as M.I.S. Global Technologies (MGT) with a Microsoft Certified Trainer delivering the training. Eligible training includes courses that are created for the IT professional or developer audiences that are not Hands-on labs, First-look clinics or beta courses. In addition, Dynamics CRM training is eligible.

How it works
The SATV benefit entitles your organisation to receive training on Microsoft courses from a Learning Solutions Partner such as MGT. The number of training days provided to an organisation varies by product and by the number of qualifying licenses for which your organisation acquires Software Assurance. To be eligible for the SATV benefit, your organisation must have a minimum number of licenses covered by Software Assurance; and, this number varies by licensing program. For details, please refer to the Microsoft Product List for Volume Licensing.

Microsoft Product List for Volume Licensing

Your Software Assurance Benefits Manager activates the SATV benefit through the Microsoft Volume Licensing Services (MVLS) Web site and then assigns training days and associated training vouchers to designated individuals.

The right to access the SATV benefit expires with your Software Assurance coverage. If you have created a training voucher and reserved it with MGT (a qualified Learning Solutions Partner) before the expiration of your Software Assurance coverage, the voucher will be valid for 180 days after the date it was created. Training Vouchers not reserved with a qualified Learning Solutions Partner before the end of your Software Assurance coverage will expire and be forfeited.

To find eligible Microsoft Software Assurance Training Courses, click on the Microsoft Technical Courses below:

Microsoft Technical Courses

To register and redeem your Microsoft Software Assurance Training Vouchers, click on the link below:

Redeem your Microsoft SA Training Vouchers

Resources for Current Software Assurance Customers

Software Assurance E-Learning Resources:

SA E-Learning Frequently Asked Questions
This guide will give in-depth answers to some of the most common questions around the SA E-Learning benefit.

SA E-Learning Benefits Manager FAQ.pdf (350 KB)

SA E-Learning Benefits Manager FAQ.xps (4.46 MB)

SA E-Learning Delivery Option Guide
Is your organisation unsure about what options it has to consume its SA E-Learning benefits? In this guide, you’ll find a quick overview of the available delivery options your organisation has as a SA customer as well as what to expect with each option.

SA E-Learning Delivery Options.pdf (305 KB)

SA E-Learning Delivery Options.xps (2.58 MB)

SA E-Learning Delivery Option Matrix
This matrix is the perfect complement to the SA E-Learning Delivery Option Guide. On one page, you can see the different options available while quickly comparing and contrasting the pros and cons of each.

SA E-Learning Delivery Options Matrix.pdf (126 KB)

SA E-Learning Delivery Options Matrix.xps (831 KB)

SA E-Learning Activation Demo
This quick, easy-to-understand end-user activation guide will help ensure the successful consumption of your organisation’s SA E-Learning benefit when consuming via the on-line delivery option. You can sit back and watch the demonstration demo or follow the concise written steps through the process.

SA E-Learning Activation Demo


SA End User Guide

The SA End User Guide for on-line consumption delivers comprehensive step-by-step instructions to the process an end user must follow to use the SA E-Learning benefits allocated to them by their organisation.

SA E-Learning End User Guide.pdf (1.59 MB)

SA E-Learning End User Guide.xps (6.72 MB)

The pictures next to each step help ensure a successful experience for the end user. This written guide is a perfect complement to the On-line SA E-Learning Activation Video.

Business Administration Center (BAC) Demonstration Guide
If your organisation will be using SA E-Learning benefits via the on-line delivery option, it has access to different reporting metrics available that allows it to track end user consumption. This easy to understand guide will show you how to use the Business Administration Center (BAC) reporting tool.

BAC Demonstration Guide

Business Administration Center (BAC) FAQs
This guide presents the answers to common questions regarding the different reporting options available to your organisation as a SA E-Learning customer.

BAC FAQ

SA E-Learning Course List
This list of courses will show you exactly which courses are eligible under the Software Assurance E-Learning Benefit.

SA E-Learning course List.htm (990 KB)

Top of page

Microsoft Software Assurance Training Voucher Resources:

SA Training Voucher Guide
For more information regarding activation of SA Training Voucher benefits, please see the following short, easy-to-use guide to help you get started and help ensure a smooth experience with the benefit.

SA Training Voucher Guide.pdf (142 KB)

SA Training Voucher Guide.xps (689 KB)

SA Training Voucher Frequently Asked Questions
This guide will give in-depth answers to some of the most common questions around the SATV benefit.

SATV Customer FAQ.pdf (341 KB)

SATV Customer FAQ.xps (328 KB)

Top of page

Contact MICROSOFT

Software Assurance E-Learning:

End User Support
For support in getting started on Microsoft SA E-Learning products, visit:

http://www.microsoft.com/learning/support/worldsites.mspx

For Windows Live ID issues, visit:

https://support.live.com/eform.aspx?productKey=wlid&ct=eformts

Benefit Managers
For assistance in activating SA E-Learning benefits for your organisation, visit:

https://licensing.microsoft.com/eLicense/L1033/overview.asp

For reporting on usage of learning related to a Volume License or Software Assurance agreements, visit:

https://bac.microsoft.com/bac/FAQ.aspx

Software Assurance Training Vouchers (SATV):

End User Support
For support in getting started on Microsoft SATV, please contact your company’s Benefits Manager.

Benefit Managers
For assistance in activating the SATV benefits for your organisation, visit:

https://licensing.microsoft.com/eLicense/L1033/Overview.asp

Top of page

© 2010 MIS Global Technologies