Microsoft Windows Support under the iSDP

CIT, which operates the Information Systems Designated Procurement program (iSDP) to acquire and deliver brand-name software, hardware, and services to HHS and NIH personnel, has received several questions regarding Microsoft Windows support, and the newest operating system, Windows Vista, such as “When will Windows Vista be available?” and “Am I paying twice for my operating system (OS)?” The article below was written to address these and other Windows Support questions that you may have.

Note: For Apple users, Interface 237 included an article on “Apple Support under the iSDP” that also addressed running Microsoft Vista on Apple computers.

Some Windows operating system (OS) basics

Q: I just bought a computer to use at work, and it already has Windows installed. It will be enrolled in the iSDP, but I don’t want to pay twice for the operating system.

A: When your Institute or Center (IC) buys a Windows computer, it comes with a copy of Windows installed, which includes the license to use that copy. Enrolling in the iSDP provides software maintenance for your Windows operating system. Maintenance is defined as the right to keep the software current by getting regular upgrades, so it’s not the same thing as the Windows license itself. Another benefit of the iSDP enrollment is that you don’t need to buy Office or antivirus software separately, as these licenses are included in the iSDP license and maintenance agreement.

Q: What version of Windows should I buy when I buy a new computer?

A: The first thing you should do is check with your local desktop support team. Each IC handles their own desktop support slightly differently, and there may be standards that your support would like you to adhere to.

If your IC is ready to move to the new Microsoft Vista operating system, then buy your new computer with Windows Vista Business. You’ll then want your desktop support staff to upgrade the machine to run Windows Vista Enterprise, which is downloadable from the iSDP. The Enterprise version is only available through enterprise volume license agreements with Microsoft. Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Home Premium should never be installed on NIH computers because they cannot properly authenticate with NIH servers, and they cannot be upgraded to Windows Vista Enterprise.

Windows Vista activation

Q: What is activation – is this something new?

A: Activation is a test to certify that a particular installation of software is genuine. You may be familiar with activation on your home computer, which probably required you to contact Microsoft to prove that your home version of Windows was legitimate software. Under all previous enterprise license agreements, Microsoft has never required activation from users at NIH, however this has changed with Windows Vista. Each installed copy of Windows Vista must be activated or it will cease to operate.

CIT has coordinated with local desktop staff across the ICs and has implemented a means of activation that will not require any effort from the user of the machine being activated. A key management server (KMS) will be used for Vista activation. This server is able to activate Windows Vista clients at NIH without the need to enter a special product key and without the need to contact a server at Microsoft. This is accomplished by activating NIH's KMS server with a special product key.

KMS activation is expected to be the most common method used at NIH. When a Windows Vista client needs to be activated, if it is connected to NIH's network it will locate the NIH KMS server. It will then contact the KMS server and request activation. The process should be transparent to the user.

One critical piece of this new process is that a computer has to reconnect to the KMS server to re-activate every 180 days. Therefore, if there are computers that don’t connect to the NIH network for months at a time, or when machines suffer from intermittent connections and long load times for sites and applications, it may be best to manually activate Windows Vista licenses.

The process for manual activation requires a key, called a multiple activation key (MAK), which allows a limited number of machines to be activated manually. Your NIH Institute or Center’s (IC) IT support staff should be aware of both of these methods, and can determine which IC machines should be activated by which method.

Licenses vs. activation

Q: What is the difference between licensing and activation?

A: Licensing and activation are related, but they are not the same. When you acquire a license for software (for example, by purchasing a software license, or by enrolling a machine into the iSDP), you are buying only the right to run the software - the software still technically belongs to the manufacturer. Licenses can place limits or restrictions on software and its uses, such as only allowing the software to be installed on one machine. So, what you are paying for is the right, or license, to use the software within the limits set by the manufacturer.

Activation is a way for the manufacturer to verify that the software on a user’s computer is properly licensed and not an illegal copy. Not all software requires activation but manufacturers like Microsoft often use activation as an extra process to ensure their products are only being used under valid licenses. When you activate your licensed copy of the software, you are essentially “turning on” the software, i.e. making the software work.

If you have other questions about Windows Support...

Contact the NIH Help Desk at 301-496-4357 (496-HELP) (local), 866-319-4357 (toll free) or 301-496-8294 (TTY) for additional information.