Hi guys,

If you check the following pages, you’ll see that in order to offer Windows hosting you need to sign Microsoft Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA):

http://www.microsoft.com/serviceproviders/licensing/spla.asp
http://www.microsoft.com/serviceproviders/licensing/compare.asp

This is from Microsoft site ( http://www.microsoft.com/serviceproviders/licensing/acquirespla.asp ):


Microsoft Certified Partner Membership is required to license Microsoft technologies through the Microsoft Services Provider License Agreement (SPLA).


So, to offer Windows hosting you need to be Microsoft Certified Partner, which means you need to have at least 2 MCPs (Microsoft Certified Professional) employees and you need to pay $$$$/year to have the privilege to be MS certified partner.

How is this thing going to work with the Rackshack Win2003 servers? I doubt that Rackshack expects to offer these only to MS certified partners :). Any insights? Maybe the Headsurfer himself can answer this question?

Thanks,
Peter

No, the rule is if you are going to sell fully equipped SERVERS not webhosting, then your company must have at least 2 MCPs.

rackshack offering Windows 2000/2003? Where? can't find anything about it on their site.

No, the rule is if you are going to sell fully equipped SERVERS not webhosting, then your company must have at least 2 MCPs.

Where did you get this "rule" from?

Thanks,
Peter

Does any Windows host care to share his opinion?


Thanks,
Peter

This is simply a operating system volume licensing program (one of many probably) for the people who actually purchase the Windows licenses (Rackshack in this case). Even though you provide the web hosting, RackShack actually owns the server and OS licenses and has to follow whatever their licensing agreement may stipulate. RackShack probably has some type of custom agreement with Microsoft actually.

The reference to web hosters on that page is referring to web hosters who actually own the servers and gives them a volume licensing deal if they own a lot of servers and need a lot of Windows licenses. To qualify for that particular licensing program, they would have to follow those terms but can still opt for other licensing programs, including just purchasing single licenses with no maintenance.

From what I've heard, RackShack will actually use Windows Server 2003 web edition so they don't even need Client Access Licenses.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/howtobuy/licensing/pricing.mspx