An example of this would be when a computer crashes and the license needs to be re-installed. There could be multiple activations per license. An “activation” is a tool by which access to a “license” is achieved. A “license” is the right to use a particular product. One key point to keep in mind is that an “activation” is not the same as a “license”. Most departments will likely need to use a combination of these mechanisms. The needs of individual departments using Microsoft on campus vary, so it will be up to each department to determine which activation mechanism will best suit their needs. PLEASE NOTE: These mechanisms are not yet required to use other Microsoft products, but Microsoft has stated that it is their plan to require this for other products in the future.
Microsoft has rolled-out a new type of product activation called Volume Activation (VA) for products such as Office, Windows and Windows Server.
