Microsoft wants to push Lync (OCS) heavily: adds it to Core Windows CAL

Microsoft announced at MMS that they will be making some interesting changes to its Core CAL (Client Access License) bundle, which is great for Lync/OCS.

Microsoft will be adding licenses for Microsoft’s Lync unified communications product and its Forefront Endpoint Security product to the Microsoft Core CAL. The changes will take effect on August 1, 2011. Currently, the Core CAL, priced at $80 per user, provides client-access rights for Windows Server CAL, System Center Configuration Manager, SharePoint (Standard) CAL and Exchange (Standard) CAL. After the change, the Core CAL, priced at $89 per user, will include the Windows Server CAL, System Center Configuration Manager, Forefront Endpoint Protection, SharePoint (Standard) CAL, Exchange (Standard) CAL and Lync (Standard) CAL. On August 1, Microsoft will drop the price of its Enterprise CAL (Step Up), as it will be removing the Lync Standard CAL from the bundle. The price is set to drop from $94 per user to $86 per user. Many customers require both a Core CAL and an Enterprise CAL for their users. The combo pack (the ECAL Suite Stack) will remain priced at $175 per user. The addition of Lync and Forefront Endpoint to the Core CAL is meant to encourage more customers to use these new products. It’s also a way to potentially attract more users to sign up for Microsoft Enterprise Agreement volume licensing program. Lync, the successor to Microsoft’s Office Communications Server product, is an all-in-one business instant-messaging, audio/video conferencing and VOIP server. Forefront Endpoint Protection is the successor to Forefront Client Security, and is Microsoft’s enterprise security client.

Source: http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/microsoft-to-make-its-first-core-client-access-license-change-in-10-years/9017

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