Volume Licensing Programs
Microsoft Open, Enterprise Agreement, MPSA, and the Cloud Solution Provider program
Microsoft Volume Licensing is delivered through a small number of named programs, each targeted at a different customer profile. The programs differ in commitment terms, minimum order quantities, the type of Software Assurance benefits included, and the partner channel used to purchase and renew. The choice of program determines how licence keys are retrieved and how renewals are processed, but does not affect the activation methods available to the licensed products.
As of 2022, the historical Open License program has been retired for new and renewal purchases in favour of the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program, which is now the standard transactional channel for small to mid-sized organizations.
See also: Product Key Types, Volume Activation Methods, Key Management Service.
History
The Open License program was introduced in 1994 for small and mid-sized organizations. The Enterprise Agreement followed in 1997 for large customers. The Select License program (later Select Plus) was introduced for academic and government segments. The Microsoft Products and Services Agreement (MPSA) was introduced in 2013 to consolidate Select Plus and other transactional programs. Open License was retired for new and renewal purchases on January 1, 2022, in favour of the Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) program. Open Value remains available for organizations that require a perpetual licence transaction.
Technical details
Entitlements granted under any of these programs are administered through the Microsoft 365 admin center or the legacy Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC), where licensed keys and installation media are retrieved. Keys appear by product family with their type (MAK, KMS Host key) clearly labelled. Activation thresholds and renewal cycles are determined by the activation method, not by the licensing program.
Programs
| Program | Target customer | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open License | Small to mid-sized organizations | 2-year | Retired for new and renewal purchases on January 1, 2022. |
| Open Value | Small to mid-sized organizations seeking SA benefits | 3-year | Perpetual licences with Software Assurance. |
| Enterprise Agreement (EA) | Organizations with 500+ users / devices | 3-year | Includes Software Assurance; organization-wide standardization. |
| Enterprise Subscription Agreement (EAS) | Same as EA | 3-year subscription | Non-perpetual; lower up-front cost. |
| MPSA | Commercial customers with mixed transactional needs | Indefinite (no fixed term) | Single agreement covers multiple affiliates and product types. |
| Cloud Solution Provider (CSP) | All segments via partner channel | Subscription / perpetual | Default transactional path since Open License retirement. |
| Server & Cloud Enrollment (SCE) | EA customers standardizing on a server / cloud product family | 3-year | Additional discounts in exchange for standardization commitment. |
Portals and entitlement delivery
- Microsoft 365 admin center — primary portal for CSP and modern licensing.
- Microsoft Admin Center / Volume Licensing — retrieves keys and media for EA and MPSA customers.
- Volume Licensing Service Center (VLSC) — legacy portal for Open and older EA agreements; still used to download media and keys associated with those agreements.
Common issues
- Open License renewal blocked after January 2022. Customers must migrate to CSP for new transactions; existing keys remain valid for the perpetual term of the licence granted.
- EA true-up not processed. Annual true-up reconciles deployed quantities against the EA enrollment; missed true-ups carry forward to the renewal and may invalidate SA benefits.
- Keys not visible in VLSC. Access permissions are managed per agreement; a user with VLSC access to one agreement may not see keys associated with another.
References
- Microsoft Volume Licensing overview — https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/
- Microsoft Product Terms — https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/terms
- Cloud Solution Provider program — https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/partner-center/csp-overview
- Enterprise Agreement — https://www.microsoft.com/licensing/licensing-programs/enterprise