Microsoft Action Pack – MAPs – Do’s and Dont’s

 

Microsoft Action Pack Subscription (MAPS) is a cost-effective annual subscription that provides Microsoft Registered Partners internal-use, full-version software and sales resources.

You receive one Welcome Kit and three Quarterly Update Kits. Each kit contains new software releases, as well as updated sales and marketing materials.

Who can subscribe to the Microsoft Action Pack?

The Microsoft Partner Programme and the Action Pack are designed for companies whose primary function is to sell, service, support, or build solutions on the Microsoft platform, as well as to provide solutions based on Microsoft products and technologies to independent third-party customers. Your business may qualify to enrol as a Registered Member of the Microsoft Partner Programme if it falls in one of the following categories and it sells more than 75 per cent of its products and services to customers outside your company:

• Consulting services provider

• Independent hardware vendor

• Independent software vendor (ISV)

• Large account reseller

• Original equipment manufacturer (OEM)

• Support provider

• System builder

• System integrator

• Value-added provider

• Value-added reseller

Note: Entities that do not qualify for enrolment as Registered Members of the Microsoft Partner Programme include nonprofit organisations, academic institutions, students, government offices, or businesses whose primary focus is not IT-related. Specific types of businesses whose primary focus is not IT-related, but who have significant influence on technology purchases, may qualify to participate in the Microsoft Partner Programme.

What kinds of software use does the licensing agreement allow?

The Microsoft Action Pack Subscription Licence Agreement allows the use of Action Pack software only for internal business needs, as well as for evaluation, demonstration, testing, training and educational purposes.

MAPS Licence Agreement use in a production environment, such as in hosting a commercial website, is outside the scope of the agreement.

The licences are provided for use at Company’s primary business location only and must be used only for Company’s internal business purposes, application development and testing.

The intent of this Initiative is to showcase the latest Microsoft software technology; thus only the latest versions of Microsoft software technology will be offered through this Initiative.

Note: The licences are not intended for employee personal use at home, for hosting customer’s applications, or for installation at a customer site and may not be resold, transferred, or assigned to any third party.

How do the product keys work with my Action Pack Subscription?

The Microsoft Action Pack Subscription provides 10 licences for all desktop software and one licence and 10 client access licences (CALs) for all server software shipped with your one-year subscription.

Note: The full-version desktop software in the Action Pack Subscription provides 10 licences for each title. The desktop product keys can be found on individual cards inside your kit or on the back of the software CD sleeve. Depending on your region, you could have one product key label (good for 10 activations) or 10 labels (each good for one activation).

Note:The full-version server software in the Action Pack Subscription, such as Windows Server and Microsoft SQL Server, provides one licence and 10 CALs for each title. Each of the server product keys can be found on the back of the software CD sleeve. Each server product key label indicates the appropriate number of activations. For further information regarding the appropriate use of your not-for-distribution software, refer to your Microsoft Action Pack Subscription Licence Agreement.

How can I acquire additional licences beyond those allowed through the Action Pack Subscription?

Additional licences can be purchased through standard channels (value-added resellers, large-account resellers and distributors). These additional licences can be used in conjunction with the existing copies received through the Action Pack Subscription.

Note: A short online course and brief assessment requirement went into effect 30 November, 2007, for new Action Pack subscribers. You must pass an assessment (with a score of 70 per cent or higher) before you can complete your subscription. Small Business Specialists who are current in their Small Business Specialist enrolment do not need to take an additional assessment to subscribe to the Action Pack.