If you have been buying the “box copy” licenses for Microsoft Office and other applications, Microsoft may not allow you to use those licenses in your thin client environment!

Many companies are moving to thin client technology such as Microsoft Terminal Server or Citrix Xen.

To avoid having to buy all new licenses for Microsoft Office for all of your employees when you move to thin client technology, and many of you will, it is important to enter Microsoft’s MOLP licensing program NOW when you are purchasing new copies of Office.

On several occasions I have implored Microsoft to recognize these “came with the PC” and “bought through a retail channel” licenses but, so far, Microsoft refuses and demands customers buy new licenses for the products.  Better for you to start buying the “approved” licenses now rather than “take the big hit” when you migrate to a thin client environment.

If any of you found a way around this that is legal, please post an answer in the blog!