Microsoft Campus Agreement at MIT
Overview
IS&T has signed a Campus Agreement with Microsoft. The Microsoft
Campus Agreement grants members of educational institutions the right
to use various Microsoft products. The agreement has now been executed
by Microsoft and Insight, a reseller for Microsoft products.
IS&T has negotiated specific agreements for Windows
Operating System, Client Access Licenses, Windows Server, and Microsoft Office
Professional product suite. For more information, see Microsoft's
Campus Agreement. For
details about the Microsoft Campus Agreement at MIT (e.g., who's eligible) see Microsoft
Campus Agreement at MIT FAQ.
Our Select Agreement with Microsoft remains active to provide significantly reduced
pricing for products not covered by the newly executed Campus Agreement and is
available via GovConnection.
Benefits of the Campus Agreement
Some of the benefits of the Campus Agreement include:
- New Version Rights: Receive free upgrades to Microsoft Workstation
operating systems
- Desktop eLearning: Get training on Microsoft Windows, with
courses specifically designed to help you migrate to a new version
- TechNet Online Concierge Chat: Quickly locate information needed to troubleshoot technology issues with one-on-one web-based assisted search chat sessions between Microsoft online advisors and users
Microsoft's description of the benefits of the Campus Agreement is available online. Microsoft also provides a list of FAQs.
Utilizing Operating Systems Within a Virtualized Environment
Under MIT's Microsoft Campus Agreement, all MIT, faculty, staff and students are covered for Microsoft Operating System upgrades, provided that the machine being upgraded came with a valid, pre-installed operating system. Machines purchased with any version of Windows or Mac OS are eligible to receive Windows OS upgrades under the Campus Agreement. Machines purchased without an OS ("White Box" machines), or machines purchased with Linux as their only OS, are not eligible to be upgraded.
Under the Campus Agreement, all MIT-owned machines are covered for upgrade rights, provided that the machines are only used by MIT faculty, staff or students.
Students are allowed to install OS upgrades on one machine only. Each faculty and staff member is allowed to install an OS upgrade on one personally owned machine, provided that the software will be used for MIT purposes only.
Use of Virtualized Microsoft OS on MIT Machines
Using VMware Workstation or VMWare Fusion, departments may have up to
four virtualized instances of a Microsoft Operating Systems on each MIT-owned
machine. Different virtualized versions of Microsoft OS (XP, Vista, etc.)
may be used on the same machine.
Use of Virtualized Microsoft OS on Student
Machines
Each student with a machine authorized for an upgrade under the Campus
Agreement is entitled to use four instances of a Microsoft Operating
System on that machine. Students may only use OS upgrades and virtualized
instances on one machine.
For more information, see the Virtualization (VMware) FAQs.
Operating Systems Upgrades and Client Access Licenses (CALs)
This is a three-year agreement, renewable each July and ending June 30, 2009.
It includes for all MIT faculty and staff on MIT equipment:
- Operating system upgrades
- Windows server client access licenses
Graduate and Undergraduate students:
- Operating system upgrades
- Windows server client access licenses
Members of the MIT Community wishing to obtain Windows XP under the Microsoft Campus Agrement should contact their MIT Software Liaison and review the How To Obtain Windows XP Professional page.
Windows Server
Funded by participating departments, labs and centers. See the Windows Server Liaison List [PDF] for departments currently in the program.
Microsoft Office Professional Product Suite (Mac and Windows)
Funded by participating departments, labs and centers, this is a three-year agreement ending June 30, 2009. See the Office Software Liaison List for departments currently in the program.
It includes for all MIT faculty and staff on MIT equipment:
Microsoft Select Agreement
The Microsoft Select Agreement remains in effect for other products not covered by the Campus Agreement. You can purchase these products online from GovConnection.
Getting Help
Software Liaisons:
- Operating Systems and CALs for Faculty and Staff (on Institute-owned Computers), Undergraduate Students, and Other Eligible Members of MIT
- Microsoft Office Professional (Macintosh & Windows) for Faculty & Staff on Institute-owned Computers
For more information or assistance, contact the Software Release Team.
