No, we shouldn’t. Let’s face it; the Microsoft Select Plus agreement was pretty good, but not the best. Online Services Subscriptions, such as Windows Intune or Office365, couldn’t be ‘purchased’ under the old Select Plus Agreement. This fact only makes it an old fashioned solution.
So Microsoft has built, together with a number of international recognized licensing specialist as strategic advisors, the Microsoft Products and 
Services Agreement (MPSA) which is available as of July 1st 2015 in many region’s worldwide. Though the MPSA program is not complete yet – Academic and Governmental are still missing – commercial customers can taste the benefits right now.
All this means that new commercial Select Plus Agreements are no longer available and current Select Plus customers must purchase their Software Assurance renewal before July 1st 2016. Good to know!
MPSA – what is the difference?
Here are the main differences when you compare the new MPSA to the old Select Plus:
- MPSA offers online services such as Azure credits, Office365, Intune and CRM Online
- Yearly invoicing for the online services
- All new Microsoft Volume Licensing Center (MVLC) for license asset management
- Multiple Licensing Partners possible under a single MPSA Agreement Purchasing Account (very useful to international operating customer)
- Pre-activation of Software Assurance by Microsoft
- Customer self-provisioning online services such as Office 365
- Spread payments with ‘more equal spread’ within MPSA
Should you mourn?
Again no. MPSA is the better option for purchasing perpetual Microsoft licenses and online services with upfront or spread payments. Is it the best option? Well, that depends. For customers with a minimum of 250 PC’s there are beside the MPSA the Enterprise Agreement (license ownership, spread payments) and Enterprise Agreement Subscription (license rent, spread payments). The EA and EAS could be the better option for customers who demand more flexibility or off-balance financial benefits.
Might you want to know more about the MPSA or which Microsoft Licensing Solutions will fit best to your organization, contact one of our experienced licensing consultants.
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