Microsoft Software Licensing

Overview of Microsoft software licensing at University of Galway

The two software licensing programmes which provide the best value for University of Galway with regard to the purchase of Microsoft software are Campus Agreement and Academic Select License. The University has signed up for both programmes. 

In summary, the Campus Agreement is an annual rental of licences and the Academic Select License is an outright purchase. Microsoft does not sell directly to the University sector and instead use Large Account Resellers (LARS), of which there are a number in Ireland e.g. MicroMail.

Features of the Campus Agreement 

• Campus licences are the cheapest available from Microsoft.
• The current Campus reseller for University of Galway is Micromail and the annual agreement renewal date is 31-May. 
• Only one order for campus licences can be placed per annum. Once the order is placed at the start of June, nothing can be added to that order until the following June. Details of the current licences available
• Software must be purchased for the enterprise, based on the number of "Full Time Equivalent" (FTE) staff at the University. For example, it is not possible to buy 60 licences for Microsoft Project under Campus, you can only purchase for the total amount of FTEs.
• The minimum purchase restriction does not apply to server software, which can be purchased in single or multiple licences as required (subject to the restriction of one annual order).

Features of the Academic Select License

• Academic Select License offers simple, convenient licence acquisition at reduced prices. 
• Our Select License reseller is Micromail. 
• To acquire software licenses through the Academic Select program, contact the reseller,  Micromail (Contact Cormac Hayes Tel: 021 4515590 eMail cormac@micromail.ie). Please note that it is recommended that you also purchase the installation CDs and software assurance.
• Select licences can be purchased at any time during the year.
• There are no minimum or maximum restrictions on number of licences purchased.
• Certain server products have different prices dependent on whether the server has one or more processors. 
• Certain server Client Access Licences (CALS) fall outside of the Core CAL entitlement under our Campus Agreement. SQL, Terminal Server and Live Communications Server all require the additional purchase of CALs. There is a considerable difference between the Terminal Server CALs bought under Campus and under Select.

If you have any queries about software licensing at University of Galway, please contact the Service Desk.