What is the Microsoft Business Desktop Platform?
The Microsoft Business Desktop Platform is a simplified method of licensing the computers your employees use with the core Microsoft Software products.
What is included in the Microsoft Business Desktop Platform?
The Microsoft Business Desktop Platform includes:
- Microsoft Office Professional 2010
- An upgrade to Microsft Windows 7 Professional
- Client Access Licence(s) for the core Server Platform(s)
- All the additional benefits of Volume Licensing
- All the additional benefits of Software Assurance
How can I buy the Microsoft Business Desktop Platform?
The Microsoft Business Desktop Platform is available as part of the Open Value Company-Wide or Open Value Subscription programmes.
Open Value Company-Wide is for customers who prefer to own the rights to the software as "perpetual licensing" even after the licence agreement has expired. Open Value Subscription is for customers who want to minimise upfront costs and maybe want to increase and reduce the number of licenses over the period of the licence agreement.
What versions are available of the Microsoft Business Desktop Platform?
The Microsoft Business Desktop Platform is available in five defined and one customisable version however, JP Computer Services main focus is on the Small to Medium Business sectors so our two key offering are the Small Business and Professional desktop platforms.
The Small Business Desktop Platform is intended for small businesses who either use (or plan on using) Microsoft Small Business Server 2008 or Essential Business Server 2008. The Professional Desktop Platform is intended for businesses who use the standard Server Platforms including Microsoft Windows Server and Microsoft Exchange.
What do the two versions of the Microsoft Business Desktop Platform include?

Which operating systems verisions may I upgrade with the Windows 7 Upgrade Licence?
At the time of entering the Open Value agreement your existing computers maybe ugraded to Window 7 Professional from the following operating systems:
- Windows Vista Business
- Windows Vista Enterprise
- Windows Vista Ultimate
- Windows XP Professional
- Windows 2000 Professional
- Windows NT Workstation 4.0
- Windows 98 (2nd Edition)
- Apple Macintosh
We have a mixture of computers of different ages and we are not ready to upgrade to Windows 7 Professional and Office 2010, what can we do?
No problem. One of the key Volume Licensing benefits is the right to downgrade your licenses to any previous version of the software. Still need to standardise your business on Windows XP Professional and Office 2003, go ahead. You can then upgrade your whole business to the latest version of the software in a controlled way when you are ready.
What is a CAL?
A Client Access License (CAL) is a licence allowing a PC on a business network to access the resources of a Server,
What is the Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS) CAL
The Microsoft SBS CAL is for businesses using either the Standard or Professional versions of Microsoft Small Business Server. This single CAL allows a computer to access all the resources made available by Small Business Server.
What is the Microsoft Core CAL?
The Microsoft Core CAL is for businesses using standard Microsoft Server platforms. The Core CAL Suite currently consists of the following:
- Microsoft Forefront Endpoint Protection 2010
- Microsoft Exchange Server Standard CAL
- Microsoft Lync Server 2010 Standard CAL
- Microsoft System Server Configuration Manager CML
- Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard CAL