Introduction
Microsoft licensing is a complicated subject (some would argue deliberately so!) - in this (admittedly long and unexciting) guide we attempt to explain what products are available to you as a result the University licence and how you can get them. We will also explain the different options for departmental computers vs grant-purchased computers vs personal computers.
The University Licence
In October 2015 the University began a subscription to the Microsoft 'Enrolment for Education Solutions', which is a kind of site licence.
Who is included in the licence?
- All undergraduate students
- All postgraduate students
- Staff of the University Schools, Faculties, Departments and Institutions
- Staff of Colleges that chose to participate
Who is not included in the licence?
- Visitors to the University who are not employed by the University - this may change in the future, we are currently seeking clarification from the University and Microsoft.
- Staff who have left or retired from the University
- Students no longer on a course
Software Provided by the Licence
The licence does not grant a licence to use all Microsoft applications, but it does give the most essential:
- Office (for Windows and Mac) - applies to departmental PCs only
- Office 365 for Education
- Windows Enterprise / Education upgrades - applies to departmental PCs only
- Windows Virtualisation Rights
- Enterprise CAL suite - allows connection to Microsoft servers, such as Exchange - this is probably more interesting to us that to you!
Products such as Microsoft Visio or Project are NOT included in the licence, and need to be purchased from University Software Sales
Installing Software
Your rights to install a product depend on who owns the device, who is using it, and whether they are a member of staff, or a student. I did say it was complicated! Here is a breakdown of what is available:
Office
What is it?
This is what most people would consider "normal" Office. It is available for both Windows and Mac, though the Mac version has fewer features.
Which devices can it be installed on?
- Departmentally owned computers for staff use
- Departmentally owned computers for shared student use - such as student rooms / teaching labs
- Computers purchased via research grants being used mainly on-site
Which devices can it NOT be installed on?
- Personal computers
- Departmentally owned computers provided to a single student
- Off-site computers purchased using research grants
- Computers purchased via research grants being used mainly off-site
How can I install it?
- CSCS supported or purchased computers - Office will be installed for you when we set up your computer
- Unsupported computers - Office can be downloaded from University Software Sales
How can I upgrade from an older version?
How is it licensed - do I need a key?
- Office 201x for Windows automatically connects to a University licence server to activate itself. This can only happen when you are connected to the University network (wired or wireless). If the computer leaves the network for longer than 180 days it will de-activate automatically, leaving you with reduced functionality. If you are going off-site for longer than this you should contact our service desk so that we can configure your computer in an alternative way.
- Office 201x for Mac does not require a licence key or activation, placing the responsibility on the user
Office 365 Professional Plus
What is it?
This version of Office is part of the Office 365 suite. Functionally it is identical to the 'normal' Office, but it is designed to be easier to install on personal devices.
What devices can it be installed on?
- Student personal computers
- Staff personal computers - please note that Office 365 will be available for staff in February 2016
- Departmentally owned computers for single student use
- Computers purchased via research grants being used mainly off-site
Which devices can it NOT be installed on?
- Departmentally owned computers for staff use
- Departmentally owned computers for shared student use - such as student rooms / teaching labs
- Computers purchased via research grants being used mainly on-site
How can I install it?
How can I upgrade from an older version?
- Office 365 Pro Plus is automatically updated via Microsoft, this includes upgrades between versions, e.g. from 2013 to 2016.
How is it licensed - do I need a key?
- You must sign into your Office 365 account to download or use it
- You can install it on up to 5 devices
Windows
Windows Enterprise / Education Upgrade
What is it?
A licence that allows you to upgrade to the latest version of Windows on your PC.
Why would I want it?
This is useful for upgrading older computers running Windows XP to Windows 7 now that Windows XP is no longer supported. It will also allow upgrades to Windows 10 - however we do not support or recommend Windows 10 at this time as it is still new, and offers little benefit over Windows 7 for work use.
If your computer has a "Home" edition of Windows, this licence is also useful to upgrade to Enterprise or Education editions which have more features and are compatible with business systems. Further details on what is included in each edition can be found at this Microsoft comparison.
What devices can it be used on?
- Departmentally owned computers
- Computers purchased via research grants being used mainly on-site
Computers must have an existing Windows licence to use this benefit, as this is an upgrade licence only. You cannot use this licence to install Windows on a computer with no original licence. Computers from manufacturers such as Dell will include a licence by default, so this us usually not a concern. Computers that have been built from parts are most likely not to have an original licence.
Which devices can it NOT be installed on?
- Personal computers of staff or students
- Departmentally owned computers provided to a single student
- Computers purchased via research grants being used mainly off-site
Unfortunately Microsoft does not allow Windows upgrades for non-departmental PCs under the EES agreement.
How can I install it?
- CSCS Supported or purchased computers - We will install Windows for you when your computer is purchased via us
- Unsupported Computers - Windows 10 Education can be downloaded from UIS Software Sales
How can I upgrade from an older version?
- CSCS Supported computers running Windows XP: We are actively contacting departments to upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7
- CSCS Supported computers running Windows 7 - Windows 7 is the recommended operating system at this time. Windows 10 will be made available once it is considered suitable for work use.
- Unsupported Computers - Windows 10 Education can be downloaded from UIS Software Sales
How is it licensed - do I need a key?
- Windows automatically connects to a University licence server to activate itself. This can only happen when you are connected to the University network. If the computer leaves the network for longer than 180 days it will de-activate automatically. If you are going off-site for longer than this you should contact our service desk so that we can prepare your computer.
Windows Virtual Machine Rights
What is it?
A licence that allows you to use up to 4 Windows virtual PCs. The host computer can be running Windows, Mac, Linux, or any other OS. This is especially useful for researchers who need access to applications available on Mac / Linux, while still running Windows applications such as Office 201x Professional Plus
What devices can it be used on?
- Departmentally owned computers for staff use
- Departmentally owned computers for shared student use - such as student rooms / teaching labs
- On-site computers purchased using research grants and used for work purposes
Which devices can it NOT be installed on?
- Personal computers
- Departmentally owned computers provided to a single student
- Off-site computers purchased using research grants
How can I install it?
- CSCS supported Windows / Linux PCs - CSCS will provide a preconfigured Virtual PC running Windows 7 (using the free software VirtualBox) - contact the Service Desk
- CSCS supported Macs - CSCS can configure your Mac once you have purchased a suitable virtualisation application, such as Parallels - contact the Service Desk
Office 365 Online Services
Office 365 Availability
Office 365 is a package of online products designed to make mobile working and collaboration easier. It is being made available as and when each product is ready.
- Office 365 Pro Plus - as described above, 5 fully functional Office installations for your personal devices
- Office for mobile - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote on your Android, iOS or Windows Mobile device
Available early 2016:
- Office online - basic versions of Office applications that work in your browser, for when you are on a computer with out Office
- 1TB OneDrive for Business - 1TB of cloud storage for syncing between computers and uploading to from your mobile devices
- Skype for Business - Video conferencing and instant messaging
Please note: The above products will be released in stages beginning in January 2016, once they have undergone testing. The release will be announced. Documentation will be available at that time.
What Happens if You Leave the University
When you leave the University, you lose the rights to use the products granted by this licence. You are considered to have left when:
- Staff - you are no longer on the University payroll system (CHRIS)
- Students - when your course ends (as indicated by CAMSIS)
Will my software stop working?
Yes - though at different times:
- Office 201x Professional Plus will automatically de-activate 180 days after leaving the University network, leading to loss of functionality
- Windows and Windows Virtual PCs will automatically de-activate 180 days after leaving the University network, leading to loss of functionality
- Office 365 products (Office 365 Pro Plus, OneDrive, Skype and Office Online) will automatically enter deactivate and enter read only mode 30 days after you leave the University.
Office for Mac will keep working - but unless you purchase a licence or are covered by another site licence, you are legally obliged to remove it.
What if I'm Still Working?
We know people often need to work beyond their contract or course finish date, and we will do what we can to help.
- For Office 201x Professional Plus and Windows, you will be fine as long as you are still working on-site
- For Office 365, there is nothing we can do to extend the 30 day countdown, however you can purchase a personal edition of Office 365 and retain functionality.
What should I do when I know I'm Leaving?
How to prepare properly (and not lose anything)
Taking a computer off-site permanently without letting us prepare it is a really bad idea - especially if it has been on our support service. You risk losing access to your data, and your software will eventually stop working. When you know you are leaving, contact our Service Desk and we will pick up your computer and prepare it to leave. This will include:
- Reinstalling the version of Windows that came with the computer.
- Reinstalling personal copies of software
- Moving your network data to the computer
- Archiving email from University mail systems
- Creating local user accounts