But there are some caveats you need to be aware of from a licensing perspective.
Peter Gallagher posted a link to the offer in his blog: http://ts2blogs.com/blogs/petergal/archive/2008/11/12/save-money-with-solutions-pathway.aspx
I was reviewing some of the fine print, and just wanted to point it out for clarification purposes (http://www.microsoft.com/wess/en/us/solutions-pathway-TC-agreement.aspx)
Important Notices
-
The new software that is acquired through the Solutions Pathway program (“new software”) takes the place of the software that the customer originally licensed and used to gain eligibility to the Solutions Pathway program (“original software”). The customer cannot use the new software and the original software at the same time.
-
Volume Licensing Customers:
-
Software Assurance Installments: Your perpetual right to use software under licenses acquired through Solutions Pathway is subject to your payment in full of all remaining installments of the price for the corresponding Volume Licensing Licenses and Software Assurance coverage.
-
Forfeiture of Upgrade Rights and other Software Assurance Benefits: When you choose to license and use software acquired through Solutions Pathway in place of your Volume Licensing software, you forfeit your right under Software Assurance to use any later version of that Volume Licensing software. You may also forfeit other benefits directly related to that Volume Licensing software. You should contact your reseller or Microsoft account manager if you have questions about the impact of Solutions Pathway purchases upon the status of certain benefits.
-
Acquiring Software Assurance Coverage on Licenses Acquired through Solutions Pathway: You may be eligible to acquire coverage on your new software licenses within 90 days of your Solutions Pathway purchase. See the Microsoft Volume Licensing Product List for details. Solution Pathway purchases are not Step Up offerings. Installments paid in connection with Software Assurance for your original Volume Licensing software will not apply toward your purchase of coverage for licenses acquired through Solutions Pathway.
-
OEM Customers: Your installation of this new software acquired through Solutions Pathway may void your support agreement for the original software provided as part of the server hardware by your OEM. Contact your server manufacturer for its support policy when installing this new software on server hardware. If you need software product support, Microsoft will provide support for the new software and not the server manufacturer. There may be fees associated with such support. Please see www.microsoft.com from more information on its support policies for Windows Essential Server Solution products before purchasing. NOTE: Your original software that was sold as part of the OEM hardware is not transferable. It should be removed from the server. The software, including any recovery media, is not licensed to be used or installed on another server.
And just a reminder that if the customer had already purchased SBS2003 with Software Assurance, he or she doesn't have to pay any additional monies to have that copy of SBS2008! Yay for SA!